AIBU?
Grand Designs has lost it's focus. AIBU?
SecretLocker · 11/10/2018 17:33
I've watched this lovely programme since it began all those years ago. It's always been a fascinating programme, heavily focussed on building, design and all related subjects. There would be brief info on the people featured each week, with relevant nods when necessary to their financial situation or project setbacks etc.
This current series seems to have changed the balance, and now seems more interested in the personal lives of the couples and their extended families and friends. Too much airtime is taken away from the actual project and the progression of the build.
This week's episode was the worst by far - it just didn't get going. It kept bouncing between the relationship of the female of the project and her best friend, and the struggle of living with kids in a caravan.
Kevin just appears to be conducting interviews now. There was barely any of the building process shown, and I gave up after the second ad break.
Anyone else agree?
DonDrapersOldFashioned · 12/10/2018 15:25
In a similar vein to the Herne Hill Hipsters were a couple in the very early days. They smashed the guts out of a tiny, pretty late Georgian/early Victorian London terraced house. She was european (I think) and he was much older (or had had a tough paper round), I think he was a lecturer. They turned their charming little terrace into a ‘loft apartment’ with an an open plan loo/bathroom. Absolutely charmless and horrible. I’ll see if I can find them.
MissLingoss · 12/10/2018 15:36
They smashed the guts out of a tiny, pretty late Georgian/early Victorian London terraced house.
That was the one I mentioned earlier, with the German roof that leaked. And when the electrician quite reasonably said he couldn't work while there was water running down the walls, the woman had a go at him for holding up the work.
DCIVivDeering · 12/10/2018 19:05
frogsoup he's also a trained opera singer, I don't know if that's been mentioned on the programme or not? I only dip in and out.
This thread is brilliant though, Lenin and this bit below have made me 
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Does anyone remember the one with a very particularly picky woman (ha, that narrows it down) who spent an absolute fortune on windows? They were like the Ferrari of windows and Kevin was slightly in awe of the sort of budget the windows took? And then she took him to a window and said but look at how they refract the light... and I think Kevin had a slight orgasm on camera then and there.
BishopBrennansArse · 12/10/2018 19:07
Do we remember last series Clint the cleaning company owner and his huge glass and porcelain single storey building in the woods? It's been used for the BT ads and a couple of films (hitman's bodyguard being one).
I drive past on the school run every day. He sweeps the flower beds at the gate. I'm not kidding.
It's only up for sale already....
here
Cheeseplantandpickle · 12/10/2018 21:18
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.homesandproperty.co.uk/luxury/property/grand-designs-series-16-episode-2-giant-fun-house-with-secret-passageways-a-bondpod-and-rotating-a105016.html%3famp
I really liked this one. Had some great things for the kids like secret tunnels. I love the Scottish Island one, small, but perfect. The woodman one is lovely too. Never get tired of watching that episode.
UnnecessaryFennel · 16/10/2018 21:24
Can anyone remember the episode with the older couple, where the wife did most of the project managing; she was quite a flamboyant character, wore lots of black and statement jewellery...they ended up with the most beautiful library/sitting room with huge windows (obvs)...I've never forgotten that lovely room but I can't for the life of me recall what episode it was!
DoctorTwo · 17/10/2018 04:30
I love GD, my favourite is Monty's house in St. Reatham, where he built the house then produced the drawings. And yeah, there was a Kev McC induced pregnancy... :o It was a brilliantly designed house, and Monty was a design genius, inventing much of the build process as he went along.
Thesuzle · 18/10/2018 11:57
We love him here too, my daughter has just started in the local planning dept, and screams with laughter at the people building.. we love his subtle put downs and criticisms..
If only we had the money to build ourselves BUT HAh I’m too old for a baby Yippeeee
Cheeseplantandpickle · 18/10/2018 12:02
www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/19130859
You can stay in Monty's gaff.
DonDrapersOldFashioned · 18/10/2018 12:40
Didn’t like the Sheffield twins’ houses this week. The first one, the smaller, starker one just looked cold and bare. The second was better but it was still like a nuclear bunker/gulag. Grim and a bit try hard.
The views over the millpond were pretty though.
onemouseplace · 18/10/2018 14:45
My favourite episodes are the Huf House and the one mentioned by a pp where the husband dies and the wife continues with the build in his memory but a much cheaper version - Kevin deals with it so beautifully and it just shows that you don't have to build crap on a realistic budget.
I'm so pleased that I know that the Bird's Wing house has never been finished - I occasionally still wonder
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