Grand Designs

HeidiHeidi

Just caught up on the cowshed and Lewes episodes - well, what a contrast in so many ways!

Thought the cowshed couple did amazingly well, the finished product was maybe a bit more rustic than I'd have expected, but that's going to be some amazing home and more luck to them with their businesses.

The Lewes one - what a dislikeable character he was! I agree with the poster above - you couldn't, if you tried, design or plan a more impractical family home - there isn't an inch of outside space and he seems like such a control freak that the first crayon mark on a wall would make me fear for the child's safety. And as for that table - I'm a huge fan for wood in its natural state, but that was a step too far (or maybe not far enough) in a dining table IMO. And wide open plan for family living? Hmmmm. There's an awful lot to be said for doors that you can close!

I'd love to know how long they'll actually stay there, my money would be on not very long.

Now for the floating river home - can't wait to see how that's fared since finished.

recipio

I don't know why we don't state the obvious about the Lewes building - its ugly. ! Its astounding that people get such tunnel vision just to bring an idea to fruition. I pity them trying to offload it down the road.
The Thames house was as essay in determination - fair dues to them. What a stroke of genius leaving a crawl space to put in more ballast and level the house.

recipio

So......anyone catch 'House of the year - Grand Designs' last Wed night. Lord Rothchild built a partially sunken house about 200 metres long, another couple built icon to modernity including an origami metal roof and an architect built a wood structure which isn't weathering too well. Oh to have their money !

HeidiHeidi

recipio wrote: »

So......anyone catch 'House of the year - Grand Designs' last Wed night. Lord Rothchild built a partially sunken house about 200 metres long, another couple built icon to modernity including an origami metal roof and an architect built a wood structure which isn't weathering too well. Oh to have their money !

I did, but they were all (obviously) so memorable that none of the above rings the slightest bell for me :eek:

Well, maybe the origami roof, a bit.....

Is it repeated before the next episode?

Note to self - pay a bit more attention next time!

recipio

mmm........put on the coffee next time Heidi.:D Can't see a repeat before next Wed which is on a different theme. Forgot to say that Paddy with the cap and glasses in NI had his shipping container house featured which isn't at all bad.
I'm looking for a modern house to copy which is too cool for school but cheapo cheapo..........;)

HeidiHeidi

Coffee instead of wine might help alright

How could I have forgotten Paddy?

HeidiHeidi

Anyone watching tonight?

I'm still catching up, but since Kevin is making such a thing of tonight's houses being squz into tiny awkward spaces, I'd love if he'd give the square footage of them - especially that tiny one-bed in an ex-builder's yard. TV is really deceptive, it's impossible (for me anyway) to tell how big - or small - it really is. But very clever use of the space. And very restrained of them (although that may have been down to the planners) not to use all of the site out to the road frontage....

orthsquel

I've missed the last few episodes so have to do a catch up on 4OD when I get the chance... have to enjoy house of the year though, hope it is something good!

recipio

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Anyone watching tonight?

I'm still catching up, but since Kevin is making such a thing of tonight's houses being squz into tiny awkward spaces, I'd love if he'd give the square footage of them - especially that tiny one-bed in an ex-builder's yard. TV is really deceptive, it's impossible (for me anyway) to tell how big - or small - it really is. But very clever use of the space. And very restrained of them (although that may have been down to the planners) not to use all of the site out to the road frontage....

Last night's houses were devoted to city living so all of them look like they were 'squeezed' into the site.
The results are a bit hit and miss - use of space wins but aesthetics lose out.
I am beginning to hate that rusty steel look - and folded roofs look a bit fussy as well. Kevin delivered his spiel from a very basic room held up by RSJs - looking forward to seeing that.

neris

For sexual balance where are all the lesbian couples on Grand Designs and house of the year?

That house in the North last night was nice from the outside and looked like it was meant to be in that location but the interior was awful. Bland and sterile, it looked like an empty office block in parts that was waiting for the new uber hip trendy tech company to move in.

recipio

They were nearly all 'white boxes' last night - worth looking at again to get a better perspective. The house in the North was modelled on the 'cow shed' shape - not a very desirable aesthetic form imho.

neris

recipio wrote: »

They were nearly all 'white boxes' last night - worth looking at again to get a better perspective. The house in the North was modelled on the 'cow shed' shape - not a very desirable aesthetic form imho.

thought the shape from outside was nice and fitted into the area but the inside was awful.

r3nu4l

neris wrote: »

That house in the North last night was nice from the outside and looked like it was meant to be in that location but the interior was awful. Bland and sterile, it looked like an empty office block in parts that was waiting for the new uber hip trendy tech company to move in.

recipio wrote: »

They were nearly all 'white boxes' last night - worth looking at again to get a better perspective. The house in the North was modelled on the 'cow shed' shape - not a very desirable aesthetic form imho.

I thought the aesthetic was beautiful and the lines of the house were fantastic but that place was not a home. It was awful, exactly as neris put it, 'like an empty office block'. At first, when I heard the echo in the 'music' room with the piano, I though that was a deliberate design element for acoustics but the entire house was full of echo and emptiness. I'm astounded that the property got shortlisted. I know the judges look at the design element but they should really take into account what the house is meant to be, not just the lines, materials used etc. This was supposed to be a family home but instead it was an empty office space...

neris

Back tonight for new season at 9

_Tombstone_

neris wrote: »

Back tonight for new season at 9

Woo hoo, I'd just spotted it in Guide and then thread bump.

HeidiHeidi

Well fckit anyway! Have just left the house for the night.... why couldn't ye have posted earlier!!!

neris

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Well fckit anyway! Have just left the house for the night.... why couldn't ye have posted earlier!!!

im sure it,ll be repeated again for the next 10 years so you,ll be fine. homes by the sea starts next tuesday if your into that

neris

honeybear

so excited!

brian_t

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Well fckit anyway! Have just left the house for the night.... why couldn't ye have posted earlier!!!

It's repeated very late tomorrow night on 4Seven (2.45am Fri Morning) and on C4 on Saturday at 7pm.

neris

So they're building in a supermarket carpark

jh79

It'll be on the All4 app too which has chromecast support.

honeybear

Scenery of finished house is beautiful

neris

House turned out well though that bridge could be a bit risky after a night out on the piss.

Wonder what episode we get the arrogant obnoxious asshole couple in. This week's were fine next week's dint look too bad

Fiskar

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Well fckit anyway! Have just left the house for the night.... why couldn't ye have posted earlier!!!

repeated sat evening at 7

recipio

Truly heroic. Four years to completion. It probably makes more sense in the UK where urban building land is so scarce.I think I'd worry about all the 'Peeping Toms' in the winter though.:D

HeidiHeidi

4000 sq ft, coming into retirement? I hope they're going to have travelators installed, or else have his'n'hers mobility scooters to get around :eek:

recipio

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

4000 sq ft, coming into retirement? I hope they're going to have travelators installed, or else have his'n'hers mobility scooters to get around :eek:

This is the builders house in Bolton ? The trend seems to be for lofty ceilings and lots of open spaces. OK if you can heat them - I wish they would give us more detail on the heating and PV cell setup. I'd personally prefer more dedicated spaces for TV etc.

gmisk

Not sure if there is a more recent thread on this show?
But tonight's episode (wheelchair friendly family home) wowser...didn't see that coming!

SEPT 23 1989

gmisk wrote: »

Not sure if there is a more recent thread on this show?
But tonight's episode (wheelchair friendly family home) wowser...didn't see that coming!

Horrendous situation

jos28

Such a sad episode, no happy ending for anyone involved. I really didn't see that coming. Best of luck to them in the months ahead.

Wibbs

Apparently the house is now up for sale. Very sad all around.

Peatys

What happened?

Harry Palmr

Mr Grand Designs own grand design for a place near Winchester has gone tits up big time. Think Eddie Hobbs with even fewer bricks and mortar.

brian_t

Peatys wrote: »

What happened?

It's repeated next Monday evening on 4Seven.

Penn

Peatys wrote: »

What happened?

Didn't get seeing it myself but from what I read online:

He's in a wheelchair and the house was mostly designed around making it very accessible for him. They split up over halfway through the build. She still helped him with getting it finished and he moved into it, but seemingly he's now had to put it up for sale.

byte

Wibbs wrote: »

Apparently the house is now up for sale. Very sad all around.

I only got around to watching the episode today. Such a shame

Indeed, it is. Such a shame, really.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-83905949.html

Sleepy

This week's episode is fantastic. Shows just what a bit of creative thinking and hard graft can get you over time!

recipio

What about the poor bloke on last nights episode ? He wanted a lighthouse structure on the Devon coast and spiralled into debt ( no spoilers ) On top of that the wife left him ! Best show in a long time.

Princess Calla

recipio wrote: »

What about the poor bloke on last nights episode ? He wanted a lighthouse structure on the Devon coast and spiralled into debt ( no spoilers ) On top of that the wife left him ! Best show in a long time.

That was a gorgeous build. Though I guessed it went sideways when the first interview was 2011.

The eye was fantastic. If only they had scaled the project back abit.

I've said it before but I'm surprised how more marriages haven't broken up.

recipio

Princess Calla wrote: »

That was a gorgeous build. Though I guessed it went sideways when the first interview was 2011.

The eye was fantastic. If only they had scaled the project back abit.

I've said it before but I'm surprised how more marriages haven't broken up.

Even the second house he built to get out of debt was nice. Did anyone get why he couldn't sell it ?

theteal

recipio wrote: »

Even the second house he built to get out of debt was nice. Did anyone get why he couldn't sell it ?

I don't watch much of GD but I was glued to that last night, kinda knew what was coming. They couldn't/can't sell the little one because there's a dangerous structure on the site or something to that effect was mentioned. Also the EA was adamant that it would be a distressed sale and get nowhere near what he wanted for it (phone conversation earlier in the car)

Harry Palmr

Does anyone know the location? It was stated the average house sells for greater than London prices despite being in the south west (well it looked that area).

As for the project, you'd have to have been blind not to see what was coming Borrowing in 2011 from a hedge fund at 8%, building a house to raise money having flattened a home that cost over a million to buy in the first instance. Crazy.

HeidiHeidi

North Devon. Don't think they gave the exact location.

And they couldn't sell the other one with the state of the building site still ongoing. But couldn't finish the big one without the funds from the smaller one

Car crash stuff.

nothing really about the actual design or the method

all focused on the amazing vision of the up-to-their-necks in debt family

"my extraordinary vision is a service to the world" ego

i actually think these episodes are the worst face of this show, kevin (himself owing millions to a fund who invested in his own vision) oohing and aaahing over a project that depends heavily on the borrowing and sheer neck of a fairly irresponsible individual.

it shouldnt be a show about financial risk and disaster, it used to be about doing something interesting technically or in the build.

now its just an neverending parade of "huge gaff but will they get it finished" and i find it hard to sympathise.

Poker Face

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Does anyone know the location? It was stated the average house sells for greater than London prices despite being in the south west (well it looked that area).

As for the project, you'd have to have been blind not to see what was coming Borrowing in 2011 from a hedge fund at 8%, building a house to raise money having flattened a home that cost over a million to buy in the first instance. Crazy.

Croyde in North Devon

https://goo.gl/maps/vGo8jeEmMiqffMmx8

mloc123

The lighthouse episode must be the craziest one I have ever seen... 3million into it at the end? And not even weather tight

mloc123

Deleted User wrote: »

it shouldnt be a show about financial risk and disaster, it used to be about doing something interesting technically or in the build.

now its just an neverending parade of "huge gaff but will they get it finished" and i find it hard to sympathise.

C4 are showing series 1,2 and 3 at the moment.. they are recording on series link for me anyway. Amazing contrast, people with 200k and a dream... trying to build the best quality house they could on very very tight budgets. Now everything is starting at 1 million, I realise inflation has added to this but the original series were much more modest builds.

Princess Calla

mloc123 wrote: »

C4 are showing series 1,2 and 3 at the moment.. they are recording on series link for me anyway. Amazing contrast, people with 200k and a dream... trying to build the best quality house they could on very very tight budgets. Now everything is starting at 1 million, I realise inflation has added to this but the original series were much more modest builds.

I agree, alot of the earlier episodes where very "hippy dippy " where the aim in alot of cases was to live in such away they were leaving no carbon footprint etc.

Some of the newer episodes have been very attention seeking ego boost builds.

Venom

mloc123 wrote: »

The lighthouse episode must be the craziest one I have ever seen... 3million into it at the end? And not even weather tight

He reckoned it needed another 1-2 million to finish as well :eek: