Historic Residence

Nestled along the Ohio River, the town of Beaver, Pennsylvania is known for its charming historic district, walkable streets, and preserved 19th-century architecture. Local guidelines for any exterior improvements - like retaining walls - are strict, ensuring that modifications blend seamlessly with the town’s historic character. When a homeowner sought to enhance privacy and security in the backyard of his beautiful historic residence, the solution had to satisfy aesthetic expectations, town review, and practical construction needs.

Plan

The homeowner was a former client of the contractor - Martelli’s Stone Center and ended up having a strong preference to go with the AB Fence System after learning about the system and its advantages. The desire to find a fence solution that was not vinyl, offered full privacy, and provided a stone-like appearance matching the aesthetic of the historic home and surrounding district was paramount. AB Fence did just that.
The city of Beaver, PA has a historic commission that is active in reviewing all towns’ upgrades. After review of the proposal, the original idea of wrapping the entire property with the AB Fence was limited to just the backyard.
A big part of the initial planning process and early preconstruction meetings was understanding the available options that were feasible for the city’s requirements and being able to combine that with the homeowner’s desired preference for a masonry look. The goal was to create a premium, durable, historically appropriate barrier, the criteria aligned with the AB Fence product perfectly. With trust already established from past projects, the homeowner confidently approved the AB Fence product as the solution when presented by the contractor.
To prepare for the build, the team sketched an initial layout and collaborated closely with Allan Block’s Sales Representative in the Pennsylvania area, Jason Beatty from Nitterhouse Masonry Products, LLC. Jason helped refine post spacing, material quantity, and layout details. His early involvement during planning ensured a smooth transition into design and construction and made the contractors and wall installers’ lives much easier.

Design

With the AB Fence system being modular and engineered for predictable performance, the contractor had a clear roadmap for construction even without formal engineering documentation. Although the project did not require an engineer, the contractor and crew followed Allan Block Fence design principles, best practices and guidelines to ensure proper performance. The design process included:

• Site measurements and layout sketches to confirm wall alignment, location and post spacing
• Coordination with Jason, who evaluated spacing requirements and confirmed that the design met AB Fence local and industry best-practice recommendations
• Strategic placement of material and staging areas early on to ensure an efficient workflow during construction
• Historic district considerations, which required a visually consistent product with stone appearance, reinforcing the choice of AB Fence
• Jigs were used for stirrups, rebar cages, and bond-beam cores which helped guarantee accurate placement of steel, simplified and sped up construction, and resulted in a stable, well-reinforced bond beam that tied the fence panels together

Build

From layout to final block placement, the project was completed in just five days. This process was supported in large part by the excellent assistance of the block dealer who helped get products on site quickly for the contractor Joe Cavolo from Martelli’s Stone Center. Their collaborative work with Jason made the project timeline an overwhelming success. Some key things to note about the building process that aided the project’s completion:

• A dedicated six-person crew
• Optimal material staging for efficient movement and installation
• Jason’s presence on Day 1 to mark post locations and assist with initial layout
• Before installation began, Jason conducted a short session to prepare crew for tips and tricks with proper construction and installation

Despite strong planning, the team still faced expected meaningful challenges that they had to overcome.

Difficult Soils and Drilling Constraints

Out of roughly 20 post holes, 16 encountered large river rock, causing the auger to kick out and making it extremely difficult to achieve clean, 36 in. (90 cm) deep excavations. One side of the project also presented challenges: the homeowner had previously poured finished concrete in the work area. To avoid damaging the concrete from the machines, the crew had to work in an adjacent grocery store parking lot, carefully sealing off the area to protect the pavement and ensure public safety first and foremost.

Field Adjustments and Craftsmanship

One thing the crew mentioned they would’ve liked to do differently was to spend more initial time on site designing the layout of the construction process. The crew got set back with auguring elevation depths and having to adjust the footer. However, the use of rebar jigs, stirrup guides, and bond-beam core jigs kept production consistently accurate and efficient. As the fence went up, frequent foot traffic from the neighborhood meant constant positive feedback for the crew – providing an energy boost during demanding construction days.

This project demonstrates how the AB Fence system can deliver a refined, high-quality solution. Through thoughtful planning, collaboration with the local AB representative, and disciplined execution the team achieved a privacy fence that blends with the desired aesthetic look and satisfied the city’s oversight.