To get grey windows?

[MissingDietCoke]

Live on a small cul de sac of 18 houses built in the late 70s. All residents original - bought from new, raised their families and now live out their retirement here. They are all quite cliquey, have a club and everything, perfectly nice and welcoming though not overly forthcoming. We bought 6 years ago from a deceased estate. EVERYONE has white windows with Georgian bar, apparently the whole street replaced at same time from original windows. A year ago we replaced our old white garage door with a grey one, caused quite the stir. Now we've saved up enough we're planning to replace the windows. With (dramatic pause) grey ones. With clear glass. Not Georgian bar.

I'm irrationally worried. I mean, it's my house, it's freehold and I can do what I want with it. The windows are old, ineffective and several have blown and are cloudy. They need doing. I just don't want white ones with bloody Georgian bar.

I'm not being unreasonable to put the windows I want in my own house even though it doesn't match the rest of the street. Am I?!

Yanbu. I'd love grey windows.

YANBU. But you would be if you don't post a follow up thread with their reaction!

I think you can do what you like, but you have to consider whether it is worth stoking the ire of your neighbours. Perhaps part of you wants to do this, even subconsciously!

We were told when recently installing windows that non-white (wooden) windows are more likely to warp because they don’t reflect the sun. Not sure how true this is though

Go for it! It would drive me mad looking out through Georgian bar or those fake leaded windows. They are very dated, your new windows will look fantastic

Over the years more and more of these houses will be sold and modernised. You are the trail blazer!,

I think it will look amazing. Your neighbours will get used to it.

Do what you want, it's your house! I live in a new build estate so all the doors/windows etc are exactly the same (all white PVC). About six months ago one of our neighbours got a bright yellow door and there was uproar! People going on about it ruining the 'look' of the street etc. I mean, it's a new estate so not exactly an architectural masterpiece or anything! Anyway, it does stand out a lot but good for them, it's their house.

Yanbu
Georgian bar windows are very dated. Perhaps they will all follow your lead.

I would go for it, you never know it might inspire your neighbours to live dangerously and change theirs too! It sounds a bit like some of the houses near me which stay in a 70s time warp until the original owners move out or die and then are revamped completely by the new owners.

Legally - Even though you’re freehold, you can sometimes have covenants on your property that prevent you from doing exactly what you want. These are usually things like “not to build more than one house on the plot”, but it is technically possible that the builders of the estate could have put something on the titles of the houses to keep them all looking the same.

It sounds unlikely in the context of replacing windows/paint etc, but that’s the only legal thing that might stop you. IF there were such covenants, your solicitor would have advised you about them when you bought the house.

Personally - If it makes your neighbours cross, you have to weigh that against the windows. For me, I would go ahead - you aren’t in the clique; sound as if you have no interest in being in the clique; and your suggestion sounds much nicer!

I like grey windows but just make sure you are not in a conservation area as the Council can put restrictions on the type of windows you can use.

I would never put Georgian bar in - horrible to clean.
BUT I think gray windows will date, you might want to have white which are classic and will not date.

Love grey windows, that's what we'll be getting when we replace ours.

I like the grey ones and they look great on 1970s style houses.

White PVC windows are the ugliest thing ever, so if that's what they have got, anything you put in will be better. Perhaps you will even inspire some copycat home improvements!

Old French houses usually have grey painted (original) windows, I like it better than white.

I think you should do whatever you want, it’s your house. They’ll get over it.

I agree that Georgian windows are a complete pain in the arse but I also think stripydeckchair is right that grey will date. It’s such a widespread trend now it’s inevitable. But if you love them you love them.

When you say 'caused a stir' what do you mean? I say this because you sound like me in that you're worried about upsetting neighbours and you may have overblown an innocent remark, as I do! 😀.

I mean yes, if you were thinking of replacing your frames with full on security bars (see pic) they might have legitimate concerns about your choice but what you want is well accepted and actually attractive.

I don't think grey windows will date. Every new house build or replacement around here users grey windows. Let oka much better than horrible white pvc. Go for it.

This reminds me of our cul-de-sac.. our row of 70s ugly townhouses were like identikit until we moved in. Next door was horrified when I mentioned our windows were being replaced with grey as they wouldn't "match".

Tough shit as they do not pay our mortgage .

Now another house has started to be brave and get into the modern world...wait til they see what we are planning to do with the rest of the exterior 🤣

I love grey windows and will be having ours grey soon.If that's what you want, go for it! I wouldn't have even thought about what the neighbours think!

I think grey windows will date terribly.

Our house has beautiful new wooden windows, currently painted in a soft grey green colour, but can be changed any time we want. They were here when we bought it but I love them.

It's a fashion. It will date

Just check there is no restivctive convenient. My DAd's 70s house has one to keep the estate looking fairly uniform. They are restricted to brown paintwork and hardwood windows.

There is a residents association and they were down like a tonne of bricks on the family who extended and used white render rather than the original brick fascia.

Never underestimate how much time retired people have to dedicate to such things!!

Compromise was reached - Front of extended house now matches the others. Side/back doesn't.

Do it! It's no ones business but yours and personally I love grey windows!

Of course YANBU. It’ll look great! Can’t think of anything more boring than a road full of identical houses.

I live in a new build development. The window types and the houses vary considerably in style, going from two bedroom up to five bedroom.

Loads of people have painted their doors a different colour from the original black. I'm pretty certain no body cares.

Your neighbours sound a bit odd tbh if things like this manage to cause a stir in their lives. Do what you want, it's your house. What are they going to do, storm your grey windowed house waving their pitchforks?