Fixing a fence post

In My Humble Opinion
1

Ordinarily fixing a fence post is no big deal, but this time there’s a gotcha, and I would appreciate a sanity check from Dopers before going ahead.

The story starts a few weeks back when my neighbours (across, not back) had some work done at the bottom of their garden. This part of their garden is fully two feet below the level of mine. They had a retaining wall installed, but the workmen didn’t fill in between the retaining wall and my property - there’s a 6" gap. This weakened the soil such that my fence post nearest the border came loose. The only thing holding the soil back currently is a flimsy wooden fence.

So I can’t just put a spike in the ground and reseat the fence post.

My initial thought was to simply dig down to the level of their garden, and perhaps a bit more and install the fence post at that level, brace the post with a convenient nearby tree stump, then fill back in. But that means that the 6’ fence panel will only be affixed to the post for the bottom 3-4 feet which can’t be good when there are high winds. Which, being winter here, there are.

Option B is to throw money at the problem and get some people in to install a proper concrete fence post. But I’m trying to not spend money.

Option C is to speak to the neighbours and get the gap behind the retaining wall filled in (with dirt and rubble), wait for it to settle (there’s no point putting a fence post in loose soil), then, in spring, install a fence post at the upper level. But I’m trying to sell the property.

Is my initial thought sensible?

2

Well, talking to the neighbors certainly sounds best. Couldn’t they, or you, fill in behind the retaining wall within a few feet of the fence post, using a two-by-four or something to tamp the soil so you don’t have to wait for it to settle to its own? Then you could fix the fence right away.

3

I choose this one. Let the neighbors know (politely) that the soil was not backfilled properly behind the wall, and you fear that water will get behind the wall and ruin it. They can call the contractor and get that fixed. No need to use a 2x4 for tamping - there is a device which can compact the soil properly. Then you can put your fencepost back.