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[Closed] PSA Grand Designs

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Also you obviously don’t do the cleaning in your own house then?

@z1ppy not sure why you'd assume that. Actually it is one of my jobs most weeks (but I dont' have to put the bins out....)


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 1:28 pm
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As for cleaning, shut the door on the rooms you’re not using.

😀


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 1:33 pm
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She's pregnant! Yaaaay


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:12 pm
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Pregnant in the first 10 minutes....


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:12 pm
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Even when it goes up shit creek and they're watching their life savings go up in smoke, the couple never seem that stressed or freak out. I've had a meltdown when my wallpapering hasn't quite matched up. I suspect channel 4 act as guarantors or something


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:19 pm
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Sofa with extra £100k is going to be needed on this one I predict...


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:20 pm
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handbrake off? 🤦‍♂️


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:24 pm
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I reckon his mum and step dad will bail him out, they were getting a free annexe anyway now they're committed they'll just have to pay


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:25 pm
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How are they still chilled?!?


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:30 pm
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Yep the grand designs magic money tree again

Going for a bingo full house on this one


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:38 pm
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I am really liking the design though, and that tile finish. Not usually a fan of open plan, but it's doing it for me.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:47 pm
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Was it explained how they managed to get PP? Submitted a design more in-keeping with the area perhaps?


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:50 pm
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She does have amazing hair though.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:53 pm
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I cannot understand how they built all that (including the "annex") for 600k (Inc. £100k for the land). I don't believe it.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 10:58 pm
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She does have amazing hair though.

And stunning eyes. Very Irish.

Edit - bit of a T'Pau vibe going on...


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:04 pm
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He was a pro so I expected him to get it done better faster and cheaper than any of us would have.

She did have amazing hair, proper wee leprechaun lol.

As for the house. I loved the exterior. Interior left me cold.
Family home ? aye, right up until the 8 yr old climbs through that high alcove and lands in the living room.

Not child friendly imo.

Actually watched an older one tonight as well with the two guys from London who built the flint clad modern farmhouse with rubber roof. Liked that.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:05 pm
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He's a builder. I think he called every favour possible.
Even then I'm scratching my head some on the costs...


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:06 pm
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I cannot understand how they built all that (including the “annex”) for 600k (Inc. £100k for the land). I don’t believe it.

A lot of self employed mates needing work in the pandemic?

Having been brought up out that way, and been back working there in the last few years, I'm not surprised it got done relatively cheaply


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:08 pm
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But then I'm convinced half these programmes are made up anyway.

See: New lives in the wild in Iceland - Ben arrives by miles of walking and a ropeway across the river.
T'interweb reveals vehicle access on a good road, the river ropeway leads to the ruined farm, and the hot waterfall is actually a 45 minute drive away, not on their land.

See: Neighbours in Sheffield were filming for Location location - producer gave them a dog and had them looking at two of three houses that had already sold... With big garden for the dog that didn't exist.

I'm sure there's a bunch of these programmes that are half truths...


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:14 pm
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I'm really not sure the pond is a great idea with a youngster.

House was massive.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:16 pm
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I talked to an architect about an episode a couple of years ago, and he just laughed at what they'd claimed it cost


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:21 pm
 cozz
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I don't see why to wasn't set back from the road more, the neighbours are massively over looked, bet they are dead happy about it

massive pond in front garden with a young child ?!

when they pan out, the immediate
surroundings are not as rural as they try to make out


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:23 pm
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That pond looked like a drainage sump that will likely be fenced off ( I hope)

Although the High drop will see to the kids before they drown anyway.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:31 pm
 nuke
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Enjoyed the programme but the house wasnt my cup of tea...got it stuck in my head that it reminded me of the Amityville horror house. Preferred the annex house

Was intrigued by the planning permission and how they managed to get it...felt they could have expanded on that


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:41 pm
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Was a bit brushed over re the planning which was disappointing. I even rewound to see if I missed somit, but naw.


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:47 pm
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Preferred the annex house

+1 & I'd love to get my hands on an acre plot for £100k too


 
Posted : 20/01/2021 11:51 pm
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I think a lot of these builds end up looking like posh office buildings/creative hubs rather than houses. We used to rent these sorts of places for work when we needed out of office space


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:16 am
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Millionaires and their kids playing house.

Just happened to have a plot going spare.

Started a micro brewery using family farm buildings etc.

All that glass with no curtains or blinds!

Good for them.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:26 am
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I wonder how many of his other building projects had additional costs added to them?
His building firm probably brings him into contact with planners too.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:56 am
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I wonder how many of his other building projects had additional costs added to them?

I remember seeing some invoices for work we did for a client when I worked in previous employment, let’s just say what was on the invoice didn’t quite match the work that was done


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 1:26 am
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How long before Kev runs out of ways to say "...and then there was a pandemic". There's also a cruel sense of dramatic irony when you see the late 2019/early 2020 update and they make bold claims about what they're going to get done in the coming months while we're all sitting at home saying "oh no you wont".

At first we were wondering why last night's one didn't just focus on getting the annex habitable so they could move in there, not chuck a load of money at rent and then be on-site more for the completion of the visitor centre main house. But then at the end he said he found 100K by mortgaging another property so seems like talk of budgets was made up for the producers (again).


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 8:46 am
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Annex was a proper building, main house was just a folly. Irritated me as it mimics the shape of the Dutch Barn buildings but without needing to due to its construction method - so just an affectation (or a sop to planning). Maybe they just got all the measurements wrong by a factor of two too.

Staircase should have been left raw metal too IMO.

Having said that, the 'porch' was awesome, and I like the rectangular 'pods' poking out of the arched shape in places.

Plus, one of Kev's best ever links - "or are they in danger of getting a clown interior..."


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 9:10 am
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the had huge curtain in the bedroom...

i liked the fires and fireplaces, but hate poncey staircases like those. not a fan of those open plan bedroom/ensuites either with nowt but a floating wall between my head on the pillow and the mrs releasing a flock of seagulls first thing in a morning.

wondered what the situation with his mother were, if they had any dollar would they not have lived in more salubrious digs for the past decade? i reckon once they pop it they will just sell off the annexe? dunno what the house prices are like round there but probably recoup a fair chunk of the (as seen on tv) project cost.

that pond is probably a good place for dumping unsightly submersible shite when you cba going to the tip.. id have one!


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 9:31 am
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I know a guy in the Borders who had a massive garden and dug a huge pit for his junk instead of skip trips.

Lazy barsteward.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 10:48 am
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Last week's still bothers me on a practical level.

She's obviously not well and I hope they have a long life together.

But what happens when she succumbs (let's face it she's not well)? It's on her parents land, which was gifted but it cost him and her and probably them to build it.
How good will that relationship be when there's someone else there with him? Will a new other half want all that baggage?


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 11:05 am
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Live for now, not for later , maybe ??


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 11:08 am
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Would a lender be happy with that? It's not nice but I'm sure the lawyers/lenders would be dispassionate enough to have everything sorted. I just hope he/they were to.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 11:13 am
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I now know what you all mean about visitor centres, I was expecting a tourist in high viz waterproofs and boots to come walking round from behind a corner at any minute.

Also, I think the house looks like a crumpled up drinks can lying on it's side.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 11:27 am
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But what happens when she succumbs (let’s face it she’s not well)? It’s on her parents land, which was gifted but it cost him and her and probably them to build it.
How good will that relationship be when there’s someone else there with him? Will a new other half want all that baggage?

I thought that about last weeks too, but felt a bit mean posting it.

Actually the same is true of this weeks, you now have a second home very much attached to the drive and garden of yours, so you'd have to really want to get on with new inhabitants or split the land with fences down the line once parents are no longer using it.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 11:41 am
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last nights house was very crude and too big by far, designed by someone with no real design skills, clumsy and unsophisticated. no consistency with the adjacent annex, two completely different designs... why?. entrance looks like it was designed by a child. I liked the brick chimneys but they were too big and on the wrong house and the fascias on the gables were really crude. I like the materials and building system but it looks like someone picked a load of current design trends, and threw them together with no real skill or sensitivity. could be the client or designer??
No mention of environmental impact of size of the development, why so big! or any effort made to reduce the energy use, how was it heated? how did it perform? for example?
Also the ground floor kitchen window being high level for no reason! why? they are happy for everyone driving by to see in the bedroom and ensuite but put the kitchen in an enclosed room with no views. I could go on......
respect for trying to do something contemporary but bloody awful and a total shame opportunities don't come to clients and designers with some vision and actual talent who can produce something positive, contemporary and also beautiful. such a wasted oppurtunity!!!!

(disclaimer - I am an architect specialising in domestic/residential projects and cry inside everytime i see something like this! but can't stop watching the car crash projects on GD also from the fens so even more tears are flowing)


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 11:56 am
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Got a website @Fenboy ?


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:02 pm
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could be the client or designer??

Two thoughts we had - firstly it was an 'Architectural Technician' not Architect, secondly he used the materials and suppliers he knew for 'normal' houses and flung them at this building.
We agreed that the brick chimneys looked odd and some of the spaces seemed poorly thought through.


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:03 pm
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brads i do but not sure i want to be critiqued by the STW forum! 🙂


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:07 pm
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@fenboy. Could you answer the question why is it that the buildings designed never seem possible to be built within the clients budget? It’s not just GD but all of this genre. To the uniformed viewer it comes across that the architect has no idea how to design what they can afford to build which is probably unfair


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:08 pm
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brads i do but not sure i want to be critiqued by the STW forum! 🙂

you know we'll track you down anyway......:-)


 
Posted : 21/01/2021 12:16 pm
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