Grand Designs – full commitment again…

Well it was definitely an improvement on what was there

I thought the original building looked great

Well yeh if it was in better condition. I’d no problem whatsoever if that had actually been renovated. Old and interesting buildings are cool.

We also thought the outside stairs were bonkers. Everyone seeing you in your PJs when going up and down for a cuppa lol!

Hmmm, another one using their “commercial” teams to build their personal projects . I wonder how much of that cost “disappears” into other jobs 😉

I suspect somewhere a VAT officer will be submitting a note into the system today. I would aslo expect that the HSE may spare an inspection to an ongoing project having seen the state of the “edge protection” installed for work at height.

Came across as a “rules are for other people entitled git”. The neighbour could have made that over run by several more years by use of the submitted plans and objecting to any built, unapproved variations.

We also thought the outside stairs were bonkers. Everyone seeing you in your PJs when going up and down for a cuppa lol!

im sure the 3d models showed a second staircase inside the building for such purposes

If you want an alterative, This chap, Alec who used to help out up at Stainburn has an interesting project on the go.

He has a background in filming (he did us some trailbuilding video’s) and its also worth having a look for his Yamaha TR1 project too. He’s a talented chap.

I’ve driven passed that location a few times for work and not realised it was a going to be a home, thought it was the coast guard updating. Great location, but an odd build and a very odd way of going about things.

The 25yr look back a fortnight ago was quite fun

How on earth did he consider that as a refurb when there was nothing left but a party wall?! Not surprised it was knocked back.

I wonder how much he paid off the planners and neighbours with.  Should have been rejected purely on the basis he knocked the old one down instead of renovating!

And leaving that chimney teetering after the demolision!!!!

Nice to see something relatively understated and lowish budget compared to some of the monstrosities they noramlly start a new series with. Yeah the guy was a bit of a tool with plenty of loopholes to exploit, rules to break etc (normal Grand Designs candidate) but the end result is actually quite fitting with what was originally there.

However, that only works if you know what was there before. For the thousands of tourists who will pass it they will see a glass cube stuck on the end of a terrace of Edwardian houses and wonder who approved that.

I’m surprised he had permission to bring the front of the property so far forward compared to his neighbours.

Hmmm, another one using their “commercial” teams to build their personal projects . I wonder how much of that cost “disappears” into other jobs

Perks of the job innit! I’m a subby and that happens alot, ‘Oh can you do my lounge just book the time/materials to X job’ Personally I’m not fussed I’m getting paid regardless

Someone on faceache made this comparison and I can’t unsee it now!

That said it looks better than the knackered tower it replaced IMO. And I like the contrast between old and new.

Well, I’ve started work this week hopefully for a few months on the Passivhaus, North Cotswolds one.

Really nice people.

I’m currently working under the spiral staircase fettling all these curved doors that a mate of mine made.

There’s about 7 around the staircase bottom and several more here and there.

Cool house and interesting chatting to the owner.

We’ve got a lot in common as he’s been on Grand Designs, and I’ve been on Shed of the Year, which is basically the same thing 😉

What an absolute throbber. Five years ruining his neighbours life. How can that be acceptable? Pretending it’s a renovation?! No way did that cost 375k What a entitled…..

Are those patio doors legal ? I actually quite like the fact you can open the door and fall out but surprised it got signed off!

The stairs look great, but no banister? Right trendy but completely impractical for young kids or recovering from surgery / old age etc

Are those patio doors legal ? I actually quite like the fact you can open the door and fall out but surprised it got signed off!

The stairs look great, but no banister? Right trendy but completely impractical for young kids or recovering from surgery / old age etc

they did say it wasn’t finished when Kev came back for the final visit. However, with grand children running round the house, surely anyone would make those a priority? Although based on his previous decisions , there probably isn’t an area to fix a Juliette balcony to

I didn’t hate it/him as much as I thought I would having read here before watching. Amazing he’s managed to get as far as he has with his somewhat lacking attention to detail, but he’s not even top 10 when it comes to grand designs throbbers.

His main contractor deserves a sainthood though.

tomhoward+1

Not a developer that I’d go to, but personable enough.

Long wait for German windows again!!

Are those patio doors legal ? I actually quite like the fact you can open the door and fall out but surprised it got signed off!

It’s in keeping with the area, for years there was a bungalow round the corner that just had a UPVC door to nowhere in the gable end.

@kayak23 – thanks for sharing this, although given the youth of the house, I’m slightly concerned that the joinery already needs a few months of your fettling, so hope that it’s more your cabinet-making skills in play for new stuff than remaking curved doors. I would love to build a Passivhaus in my sloping garden in the next few years but certainly not 800m2 worth!

I expect that give it a couple of months and it’ll be bleeding rust out of the render given the lack of attention to detail in the rest of the build.

…

So… He has experience in IT project management, but he still thinks fixed price projects will solve all his problems. Lolz.

I’m not sure Kev is impressed by these two idiots. Only starts in March 23 so they either get it all done or we’ll be back to look at a muddy hole at the end…

He works with multi global companies so it’s in safe hands.

multi global companies

Perfect for GD, different planets.

I like how the massive pergola sensitively ties the garden in with the house. They’d be lost without it.

It’s not my taste but I can’t knock the fact they got it done. No babies, no caravan, no major dramas. Weird really.

Edit: I’ve warmed to them, as has Kev. Under budget! There was a nod of approval from him there.

House for two persons? LOL!

This “long house” can easily house 3 generations if not all the relatives in.

That is really quite an achievement. Kudos.

I liked them. Got stuck in, under budget and a couple of months early.

Started thinking “Oh yeah, this will be a car crash”. Ended thinking “Nice work, well done” Doing that in 18 months under budget, very well done.

Really wanted to slag this one off, but the only thing I didn’t like was the corten steel. <shrug>

Not sure Lincolnshire is going to hold their attention though.

If you want more info on tonight’s house, they are members of the excellent Buildhub self build forum

https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/40692-were-featuring-on-grand-designs-next-week-%F0%9F%8E%A5/

And here is their Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thefoxesmaltings/

As soon as I heard ‘influencers’ I wanted to dislike them/the project but fairplay, they did a great job with minimal drama. Only thing I didn’t like was the weird cloudy paint finish everywhere. Loved the table too!

Ahead of schedule / under budget / she didn’t get pregnant ?

what nonsense is this ??

Really wanted to slag this one off, but the only thing I didn’t like was the corten steel. <shrug>

I can’t stand the stuff , but the rusty / retro look really helped them out there . There’s a reason why a decent survey is in the £k’s , along with fitting. Fair play for having a go though

Yeh, under budget, ahead of schedule, no pregnancy, and they didn’t seem like total arseholes, and they appeared to put a lot of work in.

Obviously being multi-global IT guy pays off lol! Whatever other planets he worked on gave them GD super powers.

I think, as Kevin said, youthful energy had a lot to play in this.  The only really ‘meh’ we had was the enormous pergola really .

I’m doubting the under budget bit, I suspect not entirely honest there, all for the clicks and likes.

Do GD check this or just take their word?

He works with multi global companies so it’s in safe hands.

and

As soon as I heard ‘influencers’ I wanted to dislike them

^^^ That and that. I immediately told my wife that I couldn’t watch it so we ended up *finally* starting Sherwood. I might have to give it a go though now.

Great finished product, but I call BS on some of their comments / the impression they give.   Especially the underbudget bit.  Yes you can muck in to save a few quid but not 100+k.  I didn’t see any mention of an architect either?  May have missed that bit as was half watching.  Carrying a few thousand slates onto a roof in a nice shiny superdry rucksack whilst looking better than I do when I go out for a posh meal?  Completely staged.

Several red flag BS moments – especially the multi global comment – the fact they left that it in was interesting.  It is in these guys interest to portray themselves as superhuman / incredibly successful at everything they do, it is what drives their social media engagement, which in turns makes more money for them.

But, whilst not my taste, the final product looked amazing.  So fair play for that.

Carrying a few thousand slates onto a roof in a nice shiny superdry rucksack whilst looking better than I do when I go out for a posh meal?  Completely staged.

100% , especially with farmer Giles next door with his handy Telehandler 😉