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What is wrong with people who go on Grand Designs?

693 replies

RobynRB · 28/09/2023 09:46

Seriously, time and time again it's the same thing. Why do people feel they need to build a house the size of a cinema complex and then moan when they run out money. Most of these things could be 10-20% smaller and you wouldn't even notice. Don't these people understand that materials like wood and concrete cost money so buy less of them and the house will be cheaper.

Speaking of which, last night was a classic case... we haven't got any money, but we bought this copper bath for our bedroom and this (frankly disgusting but I'm guessing ridiculously expensive) gold and black marble for our kitchen.

It struck me the reservoir building was big enough to build a reasonable house in, maybe with a smaller extension to the side. It certainly looked twice the size of my three bedroomed house on it's own.

And of course five minutes after they started they announced they were having a child. What brilliant timing...

OP posts:
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21
Jinimcoroneo · 26/10/2023 15:01

ReviewingTheSituation · 26/10/2023 13:30

I didn't mind the look of the house - not my cup of tea, but not as bad as some. But none of the windows seemed to open! They all looked like single glass panes. Lovely from an aesthetic point of view, but where does all the fresh air come from?

isn't it a fire hazard not to have windows that open? In our new house, we had input on the build, one of the rooms has this gorgeous floor to ceiling window and it would have looked so much better if it were a single pane vs multiple panes but the developer said that part of the window had to be able to open so couldn't be a single pane.

CoconutRun · 26/10/2023 15:09

On the whole, I do enjoy watching it & there’s been a few great builds, but the formula of the show is a bit one dimensional.

It always starts with Kevin being very skeptical of the project, but ends with him praising it.

The people on it always run over budget, but miraculously have a rich mate/relative who can loan them £500,000.

Most of the houses are way too big and end up looking like a soulless art gallery space with a couple of very expensive pieces of furniture in them.

I’d love to see a home that looked ‘normal’ & actually lived in.

Motnight · 26/10/2023 15:57

CoconutRun · 26/10/2023 15:09

On the whole, I do enjoy watching it & there’s been a few great builds, but the formula of the show is a bit one dimensional.

It always starts with Kevin being very skeptical of the project, but ends with him praising it.

The people on it always run over budget, but miraculously have a rich mate/relative who can loan them £500,000.

Most of the houses are way too big and end up looking like a soulless art gallery space with a couple of very expensive pieces of furniture in them.

I’d love to see a home that looked ‘normal’ & actually lived in.

Edited

Kevin always seems slightly mocking of "normal" houses as though they are beneath him I think.

DuchessOfSausage · 26/10/2023 16:09

@Motnight , I reckon that Kevin lives in a very normal looking house, probably something like a Somerset farmhouse made from brick or stone, with normal sized windows and rooms with doors on them.

If they picked projects that ran smoothly with no issues, it wouldn't be much of a show.

Motnight · 26/10/2023 16:17

DuchessOfSausage · 26/10/2023 16:09

@Motnight , I reckon that Kevin lives in a very normal looking house, probably something like a Somerset farmhouse made from brick or stone, with normal sized windows and rooms with doors on them.

If they picked projects that ran smoothly with no issues, it wouldn't be much of a show.

Edited

@DuchessOfSausage that is very true!

CoconutRun · 26/10/2023 16:32

@Motnight True.

But perhaps a more lived in house would be a change from the norm for Grand Designs. The build itself can still be spectacular.
I think I’m a bit bored of seeing super minimalist homes that all look alike.

Toddlerteaplease · 26/10/2023 16:37

@Jinimcoroneo last nights.

Mooserp · 26/10/2023 16:49

I couldn't find anything nice to say about it. Even if it's not my taste, I can always find something to appreciate. But it looked horrible inside and out.

I'm sure the plot size was plenty big enough for a 3 bedroom house with no need for a basement. Fair play to the girls for being so easy going about it all.

chuffachuffchuff · 26/10/2023 19:44

@DuchessOfSausage agree about the girls. They seemed to get on well. Which is probably what they need after both losing a parent.
However I agree about the tiles but then they'd need them shipped over plus the cost to travel there.. when they're so skint.

DuchessOfSausage · 26/10/2023 20:02

GD said that even with the shipping they cost the same as ones sourced in the UK

MoiraRosesBaybay · 26/10/2023 21:51

How were the basement bedrooms legal? I thought bedrooms had to have an opening window.

C8H10N4O2 · 26/10/2023 22:01

I've only just caught up with this episode and the comment from the girls that they loved it but it was so draining and for those years all the conversation was around the house.
These are years where they have dealt with loss of a parent, forming a new family, GCSEs/A level work at school. It all sounded rather overwhelming for a house which still doesn't even offer them bedrooms and may need to be sold to pay the bills.

ManyMaybes · 26/10/2023 22:11

This episode is a contender for biggest disaster on Grand Designs for sure. The house design was crap to start with, due to the basement bedrooms - but it isn’t even close to finished. They should have waited til next year to show it…

Bouledeneige · 26/10/2023 23:24

I liked this tweet on Grand designs bingo

What is wrong with people who go on Grand Designs?
Pipsquiggle · 27/10/2023 06:24

I caught up with it last night and thought the whole project was self indulgent at the expense of a normal existence.
Felt sorry for the girls, one will be moving out soon and they still don't have their own space.
I hope they do manage to finish it and are able to live there.

Laughingravy · 27/10/2023 08:54

ManyMaybes · 26/10/2023 22:11

This episode is a contender for biggest disaster on Grand Designs for sure. The house design was crap to start with, due to the basement bedrooms - but it isn’t even close to finished. They should have waited til next year to show it…

Given the strong suggestion they may have to sell I'd guess the production company decided to get what they could out of the mess. I can imagine if they do sell they wouldn't be wanting to appear to say as much.

Jinimcoroneo · 27/10/2023 10:53

Mooserp · 26/10/2023 16:49

I couldn't find anything nice to say about it. Even if it's not my taste, I can always find something to appreciate. But it looked horrible inside and out.

I'm sure the plot size was plenty big enough for a 3 bedroom house with no need for a basement. Fair play to the girls for being so easy going about it all.

I just watched it. Without the basement bedrooms I think it would have been quite small but yeah, unfortunately they did not work. I'm also not sure why they had to go with red everything, I liked the cladding but the rest was not nice.

Howtohideasausage · 27/10/2023 13:40

I wonder they didn’t dig down a little bit then have the three floors. You wouldn’t get the ceiling height, but it would have been cheaper. If they could get a mezzanine up there, I reckon they could have sorted attic rooms.

sadforthem · 27/10/2023 23:05

chuffachuffchuff · 25/10/2023 21:46

I'm annoyed they're over budget and "have no money" yet their off buying the perfect tiles abroad!

I agree !

ShatteredPeace · 27/10/2023 23:20

It was an absolute nonsense. All the talk about building a home for their blended family and the two teenagers were, at best and who knows when, going to end up in underground cells. Really frustrating. Just go and buy a house that fits your family where you can afford. The tiles were lovely but c'mon, priorities people!

Marchmount · 27/10/2023 23:28

The dad was the shittest architect ever. Who on earth is going to employ him when he made such a mess of his own house - one crap contractor is unfortunate but two (cement & steel) makes it just look like dreadful project management.

ChiaraRimini · 28/10/2023 14:45

Idiots. When they bought the extra plot at the back they should have increased the footprint so they didn't need to dig the basement out. That would have saved them from spending £170K for a cellar. The idea of putting bedrooms in the basement was horrible and it sounded like the girls weren't keen at all.

ChiaraRimini · 28/10/2023 14:46

And it was hideous from the outside, looked like a toy fire station to me!

viques · 28/10/2023 15:06

I bet the neighbours wish they had the garages back rather than that red eyesore that has destroyed their peace and quiet for several years, will probably cause subsidence in their homes in the future and is blocking light and view from every overlooked window.

MichaelAndEagle · 28/10/2023 18:28

I really liked the original design. I hope they do a revisit.

I hope the girls get their basement.
At least in their rental home they has a bedroom even if they did have to share.

Wouldn't you give up your bedroom for the girls and sleep in the lounge??

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