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Prune photinia sometime during early spring through early fall--late spring, early summer being the best time. Unruly plants can be cut back 6 inches to the ground and will come back--annual pruning will help keep them maintained and manageable. They can take a pretty severe pruning, so you can cut them back to a manageable size without harming them.

Prune your Red Tip Photinia anytime between spring and early fall, with late spring/early summer more acceptable. Red Tips are excellent candidates for rejuvenation pruning. To rejuvenate the plant, cut it all the way back to the ground...to about 6 inches from the ground.

As for starting new ones, this article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/how-to-root-cuttings-from-various-shrubs-bushes-and-trees.htm

It sounds like it has a borer of some kind. Flathead borers are the most common on this plant. This article will help: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/INVERT/flatheaded.html

Generally, these shrubs require at least 6 feet spacing between plants and most foundation plantings require anywhere from 3-5 feet from the home. Therefore, I would say plant it somewhere within these guidelines. If you plan on keeping the shrub pruned, which would help maintain its larger size, then somewhere between the 3-5 feet from the fence should be adequate.

Prune your Photinia anytime between spring and early fall, with late spring/early summer more acceptable. Red Tips are excellent candidates for rejuvenation pruning. To rejuvenate the plant, cut it all the way back to the ground...to about 6 inches from the ground. It should grow back nicely and you can expect to see 3 to 4 feet of new growth the very first year.

If you have about a month of good weather left, that should be enough time for them to become established. If you get any kind of frost, mulch around the base of the plant for the winter just in case it did not fully establish. That will keep the plant safe from the cold.