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Same exterior stone as neighboring house?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

I am building in a new neighborhood. Next door is a spec home from the same builder. A long time ago we picked out our exterior paint colors (SW Gauntlet Gray) and exterior stone (El Dorado Catania Cypress Ridge). Now, as we are pretty far along and having to confirm our paint colors this week, we saw that the neighboring spec home has the same stone! The paint color is SW Dorian Gray, which is a much lighter gray but in the same swatch as Gauntlet.

I am kind of mad that the builder did this knowing we liked that stone, but there is nothing I can do now to change it. What would you do? Keep the stone and the darker gray, or change one or both? The homes look very different in style-- the spec is a ranch and ours is a two-story with front porch and columns.

Edit: I added a photo to show what our house looks like-- you can see where the stone will be where there is still TyVek. You can also see how close the house is next door. That home has even less stone because it doesn't have columns.

Featured Answer

jilldag

7 years ago

Do what you like for your own house. Don't worry about the neighbor! Don't change what you want for yourself. If you do, you will always look at your neighbor's house and think, "That is the stone that I really wanted!"

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Comments (8)

PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
7 years ago
Yes, ignore the neighboring house. Are there are finishes which you also like? If not, go with what you like so that you never regret your decisions.
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cpartist
7 years ago
Honestly why would it matter to you what other houses surrounding yours do as long as the overall look of the neighborhood is upkept and nice looking? Personally I have to much in my life to worry about and not whether my neighbor is picking the same stone and color as me.
ontariomom
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
When we built our first house we closed before the neighbours. The neighbours chose the same coloured brick (ever so slightly different brick) and the exact siding after our house was fully built. I remember meeting them when we had just closed. I asked them about what their house finishes would be, and the owner pointed to our house, and said we are going for the same colours. Our house was a raised bungalow, and theirs was a two story. It really bothered me, and I wish I had known as we would have gone with a different siding colour. Having said that, your situation is different, as I understand it is only the stone that matches. If your siding is different, your house style is different, and only the little bit of stone on the bottom is the same, I think you will be fine. In our case the only difference was the house style, but all the colours were the same.

Carol
artemis_ma
7 years ago
You'll be fine. There's enough differences, and your plantings will also differentiate your places.
worthy
7 years ago
It's like when you think you have the only Ferrari California in the neighbourhood and you find your neighbour just bought one too. (And has a better looking spouse, to boot.) Grrrrrr!

If it bothers you so much, choose another stone.
Suru
7 years ago
About 12 years ago I needed to repaint the exterior of my house. I showed my next door neighbor the colors I picked out (or really copied from a newly painted house a couple of streets over LOL). The next week I came home form work to see he had painted his house those colors before I had a chance. He laughed about it (I didn't think it was all that funny) and told me the early bird gets the worm. So, I picked another color scheme. To this day, I wish I would have just painted my house the original colors I picked out, well actually copied, because I really like the combination . . . which I get to enjoy every time I look over at my neighbor's house!
queeni1951
6 years ago
Jennyk87,

Would you share the exterior of your home now that it is complete? I would love a close up of the stone as well as seeing the combination of SW Gauntlet.

Thank you.

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