RE: horrible feeling
Nice job DH honesty pays off. I would have voted for getting permission. 8 feet or 8 miles it's still someone elses land. Something is either yours or someone elses. If it's someone elses (or on someone elses property) there are 2 ways for it to be yours. They either give it to you or you buy it. There really is no inbetween. Again... nicely done.