Would this annoy you? Neighbours copying everything you do.

[thinktoomuchtoooften]

We have nice decent neighbours and we get on ok. I am also very mindful that they can do whatever they want to their property without our permission, and a lot of improvements/ adaptions are led by fashions/trends. But everything we do, they do. It’s just a long list of mostly minor things. Same fences, same outdoor lights, same garden furniture, same drive block paving. We had our kitchen roof changed to sky lights.. they did the following year. Changed our patio doors to bifolds, so did they. We had a big pergola built… now so have they. It’s become a bit of a family joke tbh. Would it irritate you?

No. Does it annoy you? If so, id be curious to hear your reasoning...

Sometimes it’s a case of reminding them eg both neighbours have recently had shutters fitted, I’m still gathering quotes but my motivation wasn’t the neighbours.

Sometimes they may be inspired & think something looks nice.

The weirdest element is that everything is exactly the same but it’s because it’s all quite generic?

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

Bifolds, garden furniture and pergolas are fairly generic. As is block paving really. There aren’t a lot of options with these things.

Your home improvements are fairly standard so not very surprising they chose the same.
Enjoy the joke but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it.

I’m not sure how I feel tbh. In part I don’t really care; it doesn’t detract from my home, and I don’t feel in any sort of competition. Shutters is another example.. they dissed ours and then went on to have them too. But it does sort of irritate me..

I think you will find these are just versions of things that are “in” at the moment. If you go on social media everyone has the same stuff!

Also, I think it’s good when neighbours match the front of their houses, makes it look neater- but that could just be me.

I would imagine they just have the same ideas as you (and everyone else who is interested in making their house look contemporary)!

It's brilliant that your houses have a similar look. I expect what you choose looks good and they can't imagine anything nicer.

i would be irritated if friends or family copied my impeccably and uniquely curated design choices and cast them off as their own genius. But random neighbours … who gives a shit. Maybe they have increased your house price by improving the area.

My neighbours have done all of the above in the last 2 years, I don’t think they were copying you. It’s just a trend.
Just remember that people making their properties look nice in your neighbourhood helps the value of your home too. I’m always glad to see neighbours keeping their homes nice. I don’t mean painting them grey and getting rid of their front gardens though, that’s never welcomed.

Excitedly tell them about your new sex dungeon, complete with wall mounted shackles. See if they copy that.

I get a window from a glass, he get a window from a glass.

If you got some weird statue thing you may have a point but it all seems fairly standard things

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. There are far worst things for a neighbour to do. At least they're caring for their home and making it nice. Far better that then letting it get scruffy.

Ultimately, many of the things you’ve described like shutters, bifolds, skylights, pergola etc are pretty “in” currently in term of home design, so if they were thinking of doing renovations themselves and you just happened to get there first whilst they were saving up, they probably wouldn’t want to change what they wanted just because you also had it, rather than “copying.” It wouldn’t bother me even if it was copying - people ultimately get their ideas from what they see around them and if yours looks good, next door looking good is a nice bonus. Our neighbours bought the same shed and garden furniture as ours because they were impressed with the quality - perfectly reasonable.

Paint your windows with creosote
They'll find it a bastard to come off
A Viz top tip from the90s

Yabu
You really should be taking it as a compliment.
And at least your houses won’t clash!

My neighbours like this. Honestly I don't mind. Flattered if anything that they take inspo from us

Are you semi detached with them? If so then I think some people prefer the look of matching because it was but the same and is meant to be the same. If not yes they're being weird. Although those things are all in, the chances of them doing them all, just after you, in the same style as you, all by pure coincidence/ they were going to do anyway, is pretty much zero

It's a bit irritating I agree, but will improve the kerb appeal of your house, if your neighbours' also looks good

If you’d painted your house bright pink and put a fountain on the front lawn I might think it was off. Your design choices are neither individual nor ground breaking. YABU

‘Matching’ semis do look nice but copying everything with identical stuff is a bit weird but ultimately harmless.

‘Matching’ semis do look nice but copying everything with identical stuff is a bit weird but ultimately harmless.

It may not be 'copying' - it may just be when they see it in actual real life and how it looks on a very similar house, they realise its great and want their house to look good too. Sometimes you only realise you like something when you see it actually done, if you know what I mean.... try and give people the benefit of the doubt, it contributes hugely to your own peace of mind. You cant affect what they do or if they 'copy', you can only control your own response so try to take it in good spirit and frame it as a compliment to your taste and example/