Grand Designs - New Series
Discussion
campionissimo said:
How do the get any silt out of the concrete 'tank' that the house sits in? Surely it'll fill up in a flood, and the house can't return to it's original level because it's sat on a new bed of Thames silt..........
Not sure. He did say the flood had taught them about silt movement so we shall see.campionissimo said:
How do the get any silt out of the concrete 'tank' that the house sits in? Surely it'll fill up in a flood, and the house can't return to it's original level because it's sat on a new bed of Thames silt..........
I wondered that too. After they'd dug out the huge hole could they not just have popped in a house like those they showed from Finland (iirc) with dolphins? Rather than the huge cement block.
Nice house when finished and zinc 'dragon plate' cladding.
But it really gets on my tits when they don't finish it especially considering they had 17 months to do so.
With regards to the fake grass. I'm under the impression the Grand Designs team probably advised them to cover up the un-landscaped river frontage to make it look more presentable.
The pots just sitting around and you could clearly see the joins in the astroturf with lumps and bumps underneath.
Oh well, only another 8 years until it's on revisited.
But it really gets on my tits when they don't finish it especially considering they had 17 months to do so.
With regards to the fake grass. I'm under the impression the Grand Designs team probably advised them to cover up the un-landscaped river frontage to make it look more presentable.
The pots just sitting around and you could clearly see the joins in the astroturf with lumps and bumps underneath.
Oh well, only another 8 years until it's on revisited.
I wondered how they'd stop the 'bath' from filling with detritus and crud over time. Also there must be a maximum weight that the house plus contents can be before it just sits on the bottom and fills with water (without even the benefits of being on stilts to start with!).
Also they mentioned that the house would've been up six feet in the air under the flood conditions from earlier this year. That's cool but how do those four posts stand up to shearing forces as the water moves the house around when it's that high up? The pressure the water could exert on the house would be immense.
Innovative and clever but I'd have taken my £1.1m and found a different location completely. I can imagine that little island could well be a very strange little place and I'd hate having no car access at all. Nice design idea but I can think of far better ways to rinse a cool million.
Also they mentioned that the house would've been up six feet in the air under the flood conditions from earlier this year. That's cool but how do those four posts stand up to shearing forces as the water moves the house around when it's that high up? The pressure the water could exert on the house would be immense.
Innovative and clever but I'd have taken my £1.1m and found a different location completely. I can imagine that little island could well be a very strange little place and I'd hate having no car access at all. Nice design idea but I can think of far better ways to rinse a cool million.
I kind of liked it, not sure about the cladding, but the design was very interesting, and a good idea if it works.
I too wondered about silt in the hole and shearing forces on the columns. They also mentioned timber sliders that run up and down the dolphins. I wonder what type of wood it is, how replaceable it is etc, as it might not last very long in those conditions. I can see this as being brilliant while it works, and then a total nightmare when something goes wrong.
I had the chance to briefly see the house in the flesh about six weeks ago (so knew right from the start of the show that it wouldn't be finished at the end). Lovely little island and a great place to live I think, apart from dealing with the flooding which in the end becomes part of the 'charm' of a little island like that. I was looking at the house next door so didn't get to look around this one, but had a good nose over the fence.
I too wondered about silt in the hole and shearing forces on the columns. They also mentioned timber sliders that run up and down the dolphins. I wonder what type of wood it is, how replaceable it is etc, as it might not last very long in those conditions. I can see this as being brilliant while it works, and then a total nightmare when something goes wrong.
I had the chance to briefly see the house in the flesh about six weeks ago (so knew right from the start of the show that it wouldn't be finished at the end). Lovely little island and a great place to live I think, apart from dealing with the flooding which in the end becomes part of the 'charm' of a little island like that. I was looking at the house next door so didn't get to look around this one, but had a good nose over the fence.
Grand Designs have been "there" before (challenging riverside build): http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9972882.Nightmare...
That one was, for me, more interesting and exploited it's unique location far better than last nights. I did like the cladding but the rest failed to engage - especially considered in the context of last weeks, the Irish container build and the cliff-top opener.
That one was, for me, more interesting and exploited it's unique location far better than last nights. I did like the cladding but the rest failed to engage - especially considered in the context of last weeks, the Irish container build and the cliff-top opener.
The figures of money on this were amazing, how much did the farmer make in the end, £40k?!
The original builder seemed a bit of a chancer, after picking up a load which was too heavy and spilling it all over the floor - "Can I have another £60k?" "And another?" "Oh, I think i'll need another" !!
RE. The silt conundrum; presumably they are filtering the water as it goes in, it will be naturally filtered if it's seeping through underneath.
Or am I missing something and does the river get high enough for it to get in over the top?
I wonder how the other houses get their sewerage/drainage if they are on an island? Maybe this house has a tank inside somewhere which needs pumping out.
Presumably no mains gas supply either.
I enjoyed the program, but too many unanswered questions and no phantom pregnancy...
The original builder seemed a bit of a chancer, after picking up a load which was too heavy and spilling it all over the floor - "Can I have another £60k?" "And another?" "Oh, I think i'll need another" !!
RE. The silt conundrum; presumably they are filtering the water as it goes in, it will be naturally filtered if it's seeping through underneath.
Or am I missing something and does the river get high enough for it to get in over the top?
I wonder how the other houses get their sewerage/drainage if they are on an island? Maybe this house has a tank inside somewhere which needs pumping out.
Presumably no mains gas supply either.
I enjoyed the program, but too many unanswered questions and no phantom pregnancy...
Interesting build, though I've got to say I didn't like the 'final' look of the place. Nice river-front window, but didn't like the rest of it, including the cladding.
I would have liked a bit more info on the technical stuff like how they get sewerage out and water/electrics in when the house moves up or down by 4ft.
I would have liked a bit more info on the technical stuff like how they get sewerage out and water/electrics in when the house moves up or down by 4ft.
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