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Original poster

OK, who wants a German builder ? (Grand Designs)

26 replies

hub2dee · 18/05/2005 21:46

I do.

They did the concrete foundations one month earlier, but the erection of the (rather clever) pre-fabricated structure (multi-storey, weird split roof, loads of glass) took 6 days or something.

The second-fix team turned up a few days later.

They were let down by English cement deliveries and a crane driver was sent to the wrong place. .

Wow. This is funny.

OP posts:
Original poster
hub2dee · 18/05/2005 21:59

And a passionate, creative, sweet couple in their 70s as clients.

Thought this was a lovely episode.

OP posts:
Pruni · 18/05/2005 22:00

Message withdrawn

JoolsToo · 18/05/2005 22:01

Ok, who want to smack Kevin McCloud???

MEEEEEEEE - What HAS he got stuck ebtween ihis legs?!

snafu · 18/05/2005 22:03

What a difference between this week's couple and last week's appalling, materialistic, show-offy nightmares.

Original poster
hub2dee · 18/05/2005 22:13

And how...

Some people 'get' life and some never will.

OP posts:
Original poster
hub2dee · 18/05/2005 22:15

Thought the inclusion / use of colour within the v. black / white / glass space was also lovely....

... very personal to the couple.

Thought the garden immediately adjacent to the house could do with some 'magical clever touch' though.

OP posts:
pupuce · 18/05/2005 22:17

Why can't British tradesman be a 10th as good as the Germans ????

JoolsToo · 18/05/2005 22:21

but didn't the germans make a bugger of that roof a couple of wwek sago?

Original poster
hub2dee · 18/05/2005 22:21

(Have also seen horror stories though about German workers over here / other Eurpean workers etc. ... also am sure Germany has their own 'nightmare builder' programmes too !).

Doubtless the premium for the very best workers / team leaders etc. is factored into the (probably quite expensive) cost of the house.

OP posts:
geekgrrl · 18/05/2005 22:26

I must say that the English building standard really is totally, utterly awful compared with continental standards. The build quality here is just beyond a joke even in upmarket homes compared with Germany (where houses are also much cheaper). I know several families who club together and fly in a German builder every few years, and my parents are going to send us their Polish builders for a fortnight so that we can actually get a decent job done, for the same cost even though we have to pay for flights and accomodation. Makes my blood boil!

pupuce · 18/05/2005 22:47

I agree - British top quality homes are nowhere compared to continental ones... (unless you go to your project like in Grand Design).

gingernut · 18/05/2005 22:52

yes, JT, there was an episode a couple of weeks ago where some German builders messed up a flat roof.

But I did love this one, have seen it twice now. The couple were lovely and had such style.

CountessDracula · 18/05/2005 22:54

was it a Huf Haus?

Didn't see it but sounds like it, I want one!!!

pupuce · 18/05/2005 22:56

link{http://www.huf-haus.de/en/02_01_fachwerkhaus_01_ds1206083195.html\huf has}

sparklymieow · 18/05/2005 22:56

loved that house..... took them 4 days to get it up..... amazing.......

pupuce · 18/05/2005 22:57

huf haus

CountessDracula · 18/05/2005 22:57

dh and I wanted to build one but haven't found bit of land yet.... (and not likely to in London LOL!)

CountessDracula · 18/05/2005 22:57

pupuce was that what they were building?

pupuce · 18/05/2005 22:58

yup

Original poster
hub2dee · 19/05/2005 07:38

For anyone who's interested, Grand Designs were promoting some kind of Home / Garden / Self Build exhibition thingy at the end of the Show.

Home Page Here

June 10th - 12th 2005, London. there is a live Huf Haus build too.

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 19/05/2005 07:40

I've seen this episode, it was a repeat wasn't it? They were SO efficient and the English were very embarrassingly crap weren't they? And the Huf Haus looks fantastic.

SoupDragon · 19/05/2005 08:05

I loved the "flat roof messed up by Germans" episode. Mainy because the German architect raved on and on about how bulding was a proper trade in Germany, how they were all so well trained etc etc. And then they stuffed it up. Superb comeuppance.

Complete contrast to the Huf Haus lot though - I remember this episode from the first time round. I wonder why they didn't go back and visit them to see how they were getting on in their house as with other "revisited" episodes?

I missed the middle chunk - was it the Huf Haus bulders who had a uniform or was that another set of German builders??

hotmama · 19/05/2005 08:45

How efficient were those German builders - and how stereotypical crap was the British input?

What I found wonderful was a couple in their 70's still make life changes rather than thinking 'Well we're be dead soon so what's the point?' have a fab outlook probably explains why they are so sprightly.

Thought this was the best of the series so far.

katierocket · 19/05/2005 08:48

saw this one first time round, LOVED the hauf haus, really want one.
How lovely are that couple?!

Mud · 19/05/2005 08:48

didn't see it this time, but did last time

have seen hoff houses in the flesh and the ones I saw were really pokey with very little garden and priced at over one million pounds

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