I don’t believe that there aren’t people doing interesting things on budgets of less than a couple of million quid, it’s just that they don’t fit into the aspirational middle class target demographic, so they don’t get any coverage.

I haven’t watched GD for some time for precisely this reason – the chequebook builds have, to my mind, driven all the innovation and interest out of it. Remember that charcoal-maker’s cottage in the woods from years ago? That’s the stuff I like to see.

The first few series had some genuinely interesting builds on

The early ones included a castle tower in rural Ireland and an old water works. Apart from the occasional use of unusual materials, for years they have all been new boxes with glass walls. Visitors’ centres indeed.

On the subject of who pays, my neighbour is on a short list to have the bra-less gardner do a makeover of his garden. He has to pay for it all, and when he said he only wanted to pay about 1.5K they pushed him up to 3K. I’m expecting a stainless steel lawn.

but it costs more to live down here so people are paid more so things cost more

Half the builders who work down here spend weeks up there. Premier Inns must be making a fortune from them. 🙂

My three favorite eplisodes have been Yorkshire Castle, Italian farmhouse/artist retreat where he built a swimming pool into rock in the garden and the Ben Law, woodsman who built the amazing house in the woods

Was that the guy who chopped down his own trees with a hand axe, and lived in a tent for two years? That was a proper job that one.

The guy who mixed up enough cob to build a small castle, that one was quite good.

I didn’t even watch the Doctor I-don’t-like-NZ episode just gone, but it sounds blander than unsalted porridge.

Going back a bit, but I’ll never forget the Medway Eco-Barge.

Going back a bit, but I’ll never forget the Medway Eco-Barge.

never forget it on account of it being really really rubbish.

I didn’t even watch the Doctor I-don’t-like-NZ episode just gone, but it sounds blander than unsalted porridge.

The amusement factor was mainly speculating what it was the husband had done in NZ.

Going back a bit, but I’ll never forget the Medway Eco-Barge.

That was particularly awful. Didn’t they fail to finish it?

They never finished it.

I just think it’s dull and tedious.

I just watched George Clarks Shed of the Year, and there’s more flair, passion, imagination and creativity exhibited in 30 seconds of that programme than in a whole series of Grand Designs

GD isn’t necessarily about the actual builds – it’s often about the struggle to build them or sometimes there’s a very underplayed story, as in the Dr from last week. It can be very subtle but these are the things that keep me watching, not the actual building.

And I like Kevin M. He’s a lot less rude than I would be in his situation. (Last night I might have had more to say when the neuroscientist suggested that if you couldn’t see the main road it wouldn’t be a problem. I’ve lived on a main road and it was awful. Dust, pollution, vibration, noise. These would only be marginally improved in an expensive build.)

wow last weeks ex NZ family episode is brutal (just watched it tonight), Kevin is extremely abrasive, and I absolutely feel for the guy – he’s a broken man.

Right, come on shed boy, give us something good!

25 mins in I reckon she will be preggers

I’m not even going to take bets on that

On the NZ theme, I caught the first episode of the new season of Grand Designs NZ earlier. Not a German window in sight 🙂

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/96995009/grand-designs-nz-season-starts-with-a-shock-sale

The best one for me is Angelo’s place in the rock caves not too far away. Met him a couple of times, nice chap and his Rock House wine is spot on, mountain biker too

Bingo was thinking Kev the stud had the snip for a moment

It’s Napoleon Dynamite!
Looking good so far tho..

I was always sceptical of all these folks who fell pregnant whilst embarking on a massive project, I smelt a (love) rat! Does Kevin not have 6 kids of his own? Is he (insert building material euphemism here)….?

Stunning.

Oh yes, that has to be one of my favourite Grand Designs for a long time.
That was a million pounds less than last week’s, but I covet it so so so much more

Those people from last week are probably watching this feeling sick as a dog.

Nice people, nice house and the Grand Designs Impregnator strikes again.

Right, come on shed boy, give us something good!

😆
And boy, did he deliver! But possibly not the baby…
Stunning house, so much to love about it, design, location, (and what a location), materials use…
I can’t think of anything about it I’d want to change. The outside staircase is something I see locally, only constructed from stone, with no handrail, and is a feature I’ve always liked about re-purposed industrial/farm buildings.
The polished, stained cement floor is beautiful, looks like one huge sheet of slate, and that huge end window and veranda is just perfect for breakfast and evenings, I’d be out there all the time.
And the cost, well, there’s a house for sale just down the road from me, pretty much identical to mine apart from it’s been done up a bit more than mine, asking £230,000, and they’ll probably get it. Mine’s been valued at £185-190,000, and his came in at what, £270,000? 😯

Sounds like I’m going to have to watch that one!

Construction industry professional, brings in a well designed and well organised project. No great surprise there… good advert for his practice too.

Loved the house.

Yep. Properly nice people and house ….. got what they deserved 🙂

I thought he was bonkers to do the stone cladding himself (I think he’d agree) but the result was really nice. Very much liking the stone/wood/grey combo.
Wasn’t sure about the concrete floor at first but it looked like it turned out excellent.

All done at a price a lot of people can relate to also.

Was a beautiful house all round but the land was sooo cheap – that’d be 5-10x the price round here (& some developer would snap it up and stick 10 houses on it)

Yeah, lovely. I think the stonework inside really complimented the wood walls and that gorgeous floor. Bit big for my personal tastes but if you have a few nippers then long-term it’d be fine. Liked the little alcoves to avoid the winds.

Quite inspiring TBH.

The house in Lewes on the riverbank covered on coreten steel is up for sale.

1.7 milllion!!!!!

so is the car showroom / bt ryan reynolds helicopter ad backdrop 3.75 million

Klunk – Member

so is the car showroom / bt ryan reynolds helicopter ad backdrop 3.75 millionWhy is that ‘mirror on both opposite walls’ trick used in gyms? if it’s good for gyms why not other rooms?

I really enjoyed it and thought they did a great job (I loved the bent wood in the bathroom) but I am not keen on the roofing material – I can see why they did that but I would have perhaps introduced an element of another more sophisticated material into it so it looked designed rather than just plonked on top.

Why is that ‘mirror on both opposite walls’ trick used in gyms? if it’s good for gyms why not other rooms?

The Khazi?

Khazi

Love that word

Etymology

Variant of carsey, from euphemistic Cockney corruption of Italian casa (“house”),[1][2] possibly via Polari and Sabir [Term?].[3]

Alternative source: Cockney and/or British Military usage derived from Army experience of dysentery during World War 2 in Libya – Kharzi rhyming with Benghazi.

Great build this week, I’m surprised the “Car Showroom” is for sale.

Why is that ‘mirror on both opposite walls’ trick used in gyms? if it’s good for gyms why not other rooms?

makes it the room look bigger than it actually.

plus gym bunnies love checking themselves out in the mirrors.

The Khazi?

That would be about as palatable as the gym for me.

Golf lessons 🙂

Money no object here cheque book build and don’t think she will get preggers through the build

Erm… not sure…. WTAF is he on?!

Looks an intriguing build though, with lots of competing interested parties.