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As shown in the picture my neighbor's fence is already in place (the vertical fence) Mine will be horizontal and I need to set the post as close as possible to his. My post will support a gate (72" long)

His post (white) is already rotten and it is moving. What options do I have? How do I dig a hole next to his post (set in concrete) enter image description here

I don't think that his post will be enough to support everything. One option will be to extract his post, to replace it and to add a new one for myself and bury them both together in a large hole. Would this work?

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I would (and have) set your post at least 2' from his. So it would end up looking like this

 -        -
| | -----| |-------------------
| | |    | |                  
| | |    | |                  
| | |    | |                  
|A| | B  |C|          D       
| | |    | |                  
| | |    | |                   
| | |    | |                  
| | -----| |-------------------

A = neighbors post

B = your fence panel cantilevered beyond your post

C = your post

D = your gate/fence...

If you set your post too close to his, then both posts will end up being influenced by the other...as one leans/sinks it will more likely affect the footer of the post immediately next to it.

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    You are fantastic! Where have you been. This is exactly what I ended up doing ... I will post a picture.. well it is 2" not 2' and I have a fine vertical board there.. it does not "hurt" visually because my post is hidden by the horizontal planks
    – MiniMe
    Oct 14, 2015 at 19:19
  • your solution is the closest to what I ended up doing but yours is actually diminishing the access space between the two fence posts ...that has to be as wide as possible in order to either park a car or a boat trailer there
    – MiniMe
    Oct 14, 2015 at 19:23
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Best thing I can suggest: Use a post-hole digger and dig as close to the other post as the concrete will let you get (without going beyond your own property line, of course). And don't set wood posts in concrete if you can avoid it (I've made that mistake; I've also done it right.)

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    Yeah, set your post a couple feet away. You can then extend the horizontal sheeting/lumber out past the post to cover the gap. Are you sure your neighbor won't let you just replace his post with a new sturdy one to support both sides?
    – Jimmy Fix-it
    Aug 15, 2015 at 4:39
  • Well...I have not approached him, I don't think that he will have anything against it, I am just not sure that the existing post (4x4) or a new post will support 2 segments of fence AND my gate.
    – MiniMe
    Aug 15, 2015 at 10:14
  • If anything, the fence segments will help support the post and the gate. (You didn't show that detail on the sketch... Oh; that's the missing post?
    – keshlam
    Aug 15, 2015 at 13:43
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    Agree with this answer. Your fence should end in a post hole and support of your own. When it says "don't set wood post in concrete", this means you should use only sink metal brackets into the concrete-- not the wood itself. The wood fence post ends at the ground. This allows the fence post to be replaced in the future, if it rots, rather than have to dig out the concrete.
    – whiskeychief
    Aug 21, 2015 at 10:39
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    @whiskeychief no, that's not what that means, usually. It usually means the wood should go into the ground, but not be set in concrete. The post brackets you set into concrete aren't necessarily all that sturdy (and can really add up the costs).
    – DA01
    Oct 14, 2015 at 18:21

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