960gs (Grid System) and best html/css practice

[gutfood]

I'm making a site, it's software is based off of the 960gs system. Being a web developer for years this is actually my first run in with it. It comes from the world of typography and is great for designers, supposedly.But I wanted to know how people felt about it in the frontend web development community as I find it very hard to work with and without the freedom to create elements how I choose, stylings how I choose, and javascript how I choose I cringe at how long it will take to make some of these advanced javascript animations with alpha overlays and rounded corners and so much more if I'm stuck in some grid system's philosophy. I only see it as getting in my way but ripping everything out takes time too. And I've already got a finished render of the photoshop document. And I've already started ripping out the grid system. But my client wanted to know more reasons why I was doing it this way. In a similiar position what would you people do? I really don't like working with the grid system but I'm not blind and can see both it's benefits and detriments. So I'm stuck with what would be the best choice and wondered what other people might think given the same problem.