What is wrong with people who go on Grand Designs?

[RobynRB]

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...

I’ve not watched GD in years but the abandoned house boat is the one that sticks in my mind.
https://www.kentlive.news/news/property/notorious-kent-grand-designs-eco-5841775

I find it hilarious.

”yes we’ve budgeted approximately £150k for the whole thing”

Kev goes back 8 months later;

”yes we’ve gone over budget by £9 million”

Always the same!

It wouldn't be a Grand Sign then would it...and wouldn't give Kevin McCloud something to be a drama queen about either.

Let's face it people watch it to see people fail.

I was only sort of watching yday (DH watching slightly more )
He asked how is he finding this by being a sky diving instructor...?
But we were both shocked at how much money they owed at the end and also were a bit about borrowing money from friends and family. Just have a smaller house fgs!

And....in all that budget they couldn't properly enclose the ensuite bathroom!! I'm not a MN hater of ensuites but they do need a whole wall and a door!

Bit's of your post are infinitesimally based in this world but please don't let me stop you 😉
I'm assuming you are referring to David and Terri's house Swinhay House
Yes they don't live there but given David is worth over a £billion I doubt he is worried.
They are both lovely people who have put so much into the local area that TBH if the company were to move the area would die. I know both personally and they are wonderful people.

I remember that episode! Also weird how he introduced his new GF at the end and his son had grown about a foot

I don’t even know why we put this show on in my house. We watch the first 4-5 minutes, then talk all the way through until the last 4-5 minutes. Because we’re only interested in the 3D rendering at the beginning and the finished product at the end. We are not interested in watching a middle aged, middle class pregnant woman sloping around sadly in the mud, complaining that the rain has “seriously set us back”.

(Yah yah. It’s the rain that is the problem.)

Honourable mention to wood cladding. Wood cladding FUCKING EVERYWHERE.

They should have done a small home in the existing structure then extended years later when they were financially stable. They are at risk of losing a house which they have huge sentimental attachment to.

I’m always baffled by how they pay for it. He’s a part time flower consultant and she’s a tablecloth designer, they have a budget of £600k and several kids then they go over budget by £150knwhich they find with credit cards. Just…🤯

It would be less entertaining if it was called "accountants build sensible houses"

So, what's happening with last night's house? Presume their mortgage has sky rocketed along with everyone else's

Absolutely this. I watched an episode where the couple said “we love house 1, but we’d like it in the location of house 2”. Yes, but it’s already been established that you cannot afford House 1 in the nicer location.

It's nearly always people retiring and moving from a 1970s 3 bed home in Guilford* and then they suddenly decide that they can't live without 300 year old character, a 20ft kitchen diner, 5 bedrooms and an orchard.
One man I remember (who had no agricultural/farming experience) wanted 80 acres of land! 😳

• other towns are available

I always remember the GD where the husband died half way through the house building. It was awful, so sad.

I think maybe they may have known he wouldn't see the finished product but went ahead anyway. I maybe misremembering that bit 🤔

I’m glad I’m not the only one that’s noticed this!

A couple of years ago they wouldn’t dare show a program on TV without paying lip service to covid, eg the deliberate lack of handshakes and the wide angled camera work to show that everyone is 2m apart.

But when I watch new episodes of GD that were filmed during that period it’s like covid never existed. I didn’t watch last night’s episode, but previous ones where the builders and clients are apparently just cracking on as normal.

I love Grand Designs, and absolutely loving this thread!

"Middle aged pregnant women sloping around in the mud" made me laugh so much for no reason.

friends of mine applied to go on as they were knocking down the old family home, and building a new home on the land. Lovely location, backstory and designs etc. he works in the construction industry, she works in finance.
GD weren’t interested, they think it was because the chances of it going tits up were slim. The build went to plan within time scale and budget. Oh and she was already pregnant.

Haha, that made me laugh, so true. But then paradoxically Kevin's favourite ever design (or was once - he may have a different favourite now) was the cruck house - the self built woodman's cottage, which was gorgeous, simple, homely and cheap!

I visited the Disco basement house during an open house weekend a year or so after that episode. The house wasn't very big and the basement with the disco floor actually felt very dark. It was right next to the London Overground line, too.

Another vote here for the lovely, elderly artistic couple with the Huf-Haus.

IIRC it was in that episode the tiling grout in the kitchen was about a quarter of a millimetre too wide, instantly spotted by the project manager and just as quickly resolved!

I remember laughing because one of my brothers does tiling as a hobby (he's a qualified electrician) and that's the sort of thing that drives him insane .... any minor imprefection in anyone's tiling and he'll spot it from space! 😂

I miss builds like this and the Cob house

Was that the one where they ended up with a little library (tick) and a proper larder ( tick) . Did they have a child with special needs and were building a home with him in mind?

I always snigger at the ones who build huge decks, “ wait until the rats and foxes move in “ I shout.

I remember years and years ago this guy who was behind schedule and this ceiling made of rounded wooden pieces had to be assembled before the (more) rainy season came along. The guy was warned that the weekend they had chosen to assemble it had something like 60% possiblities of rain, he decided to go ahea and it did rain and completely ruined the wood. The last shots were of the exposed wood leaking water and bent out of shape. The guy lived in a caravan, yes.

Disco basement has been for sale in summer 2021 (£4 million) and still so in early 2022 (3.8 million), but I can't see that it actually sold.

Funny how everyone remembers and likes the same few projects that really stood out in those early series. It was so much better when the budgets were smaller.

I just watch it to savour my absolute lack of FOMO. Same reason I watch the Real Housewives of Hollywood.