grand designs: why?

[MousyMouse]

are there (almost) never polish builders shown?

I was just about to fall asleep when Kevin went to look at the finished ... erm ... space. Am I right in remembering that it was absolutely cavernous (the GD 4OD page isn't working at the moment)? I don't think I liked it at all, there's no way you'd get me to live underground with no windows apart from that rooflight.

She was utterly bonkers not to use an architect from the start, no wonder the first lot of builders walked off site.

I wondered about the other residents of the building putting up with the work for a year.

Yes, it must've been pretty irritating for them. Funny that Kevin didn't interview any of them, given that he often interviews the neighbours!! The other thing that I was wondering was because of the cavernous size of that main room, where were the RSJs and pillars/piers which would hold the building up? They must have had them, but I just had visions of the entire block collapsing into their basement [hshock].

Actually, Angels, you've just reminded me of a GD from years ago now. The couple were adding a penthouse apartment on to the top of an existing block of flats - I think it was somewhere in a seaside location - and the other residents were spitting tacks [hgrin]

Oh I remember that. Another well over budget/timescales etc.

Hands up if you would love to do a Grand Design, log on MN and tell everyone to f**koff, I?m riiiiich !

I?m still plotting on how to find me a Jeff mmm??.He?d have to work abroad though and stay out of my way ;)

I shudder at those marble stairs. I fell down our (perfectly notmal carpetted) stairs at the weekend and am still suffering as a result. The marble ones are definitely a health hazard

I was trying to imagine having small children in that house - the slippery floors, all those glass balustrades (snot and smear magnets), and all that white paint!

crafty I would love to :o

already married and dh would not like it if I found myself a jeff (just for the money of course)

Blimey, Wednesday has come round again - and so quickly! I'll be ready and waiting at 9pm

Yippee, all my kids are out tonight.

Now, can i just get rid of dh [ponders]

Last week's was barmy, btw.

I watched it the whole way through thinking "what would they do in a fire?" With that big kitchen downstairs, and no way out for smoke or people [shudder]

Oh excellent! I shall be along later - if my hubbie lets me watch it.

As if in direct contrast to all the recent swank-pads, this week's GD has a budget of £150k, and is on Skye. Oddly cannot wait.

Aha, a budget of £150K.

What is the final budget? And the site cost? And the contingency?

I hope it is actually £150K. I love the ones where the owners are the builders and do it for the love of the building, not just to be seen to flash money around.

The cellar and the Henley house have both been revolting examples of the latter.

The water tower was a nice end result, but far beyond most people's wildest dreams.

I've been watching a few Australian Grand Designs, too, and they are waaaaaaaaay out of anyone's price range. All of them, as far as I can see.

Ooh, that sounds nice. Looking forward to this one.

The budget thing really pisses me off! If you go so far over your budget, you're crap at budgeting, aren't you? No mention of that, is there? And they (they = ALL property shows) seem to treat a budget as being of utterly no consequence whatsoever, as if everyone can just increase their budget willy-nilly.*

Grr, it's this attitude which has made the credit crunch, IMHO.

*Have never actually 'said' willy-nilly before. Am turning into my granny.

Yes I agree Hazel.

It isn't a budget if you can borrow a "few hundred thousand more".

It is a budget if you can sell your bike to upgrade the boiler.

Grand designs seems to have forgotten where it started - people building their own homes, themselves.

And here we go [hsmile]

Evening all [hsmile]

Sisters?

Feck. Missed it. Couple or sisters?

I think I might like this.

Do you know what's nice that I've just noticed? In the write up for GD, it's jsut a couple. Just Indi and Rebecca. It's of no consequence whether said couple is 2x chaps, 2 x women, one of each, etc etc. Feels like progress.

Cou

Same surname but not sure MaryZ