Grand Designs

[Miocene]

greygoose said:

It was not my taste at all but I just found Kevin to be way over the top in his negativity this week, give them a break they are chasing their dream and may be off on their finances but at least they are having a go. Would be nice if he actually guided people a bit instead of being a standoffish know it all moaning in the background, just because the wife did not get pregnant.

I recall him being much more negative in the earlier series, now he just seems to like everything.

[clarkmagpie]

The bedroom window looked out over the boiler house black shed!
Just didn't quite work for me.
The normal window surrounds were to chunky.
The interiors just didn't seem to flow.

[BlueHave]

Tonights house was just far too big therefore he ran out of money and it was unfinished even if you say you intended to have it that way.

If it was half the size then he would have finished it. It just oversized for the sake of it. The living room was massive but how much of the height was utilised.

Outside it was all a bit 2006 with the larch cladding. Just so many missed opputunities.

[Pistom]

Bonefish Blues said:

FredClogs said:

I don't really understand how or why people embark on these things without first spending a relatively minute amount of money on a decent quantity surveyor to tell them what they're original plan would cost. I mean it's not rocket science.

Nor me. Ours had a lower budget but everything, and I mean everything was costed and specced up front - and not changed.

I think the issues are mainly as a result of inexperience. The situation is further exasperated if you are inexperienced and self manage.

I was lucky on mine in that we had the money to dig ourselves out of the pit I'd dug. People look at the finished building and say I'm a hero when in reality, I spent way more than I should have and took longer. People gave me good advice before I started but I was too arrogant to take it.

[Bonefish Blues]

I just watched programmes like this and listened to the architect

[snobetter]

Gretchen said:

Also confused as he said at the beginning it would be a surfers house with everything in the right place. Yet they’ve shown nothing relating to where surf boards/wet suits would be stored?

When they first showed the plans I thought this was going in a room behind the kitchen, but no mention again.

I loved all the tradesmen he got in, think his budget could have been substantially more had they not been so good to him.

I liked the ceiling strip of glass going down the wall as well.

I guess it wouldn't be too horrific to add more glass when possible where they boarded it up.

[aeropilot]

FredClogs said:

I don't really understand how or why people embark on these things without first spending a relatively minute amount of money on a decent quantity surveyor to tell them what they're original plan would cost. I mean it's not rocket science.

I'm continually astonished of the arrogance of some of these people that think they know better or don't listen to those with the experience, be it Architects, Engineers, QS's or builders.

I sit watching and hoping it goes tits up and we hear someone say on camera "Told you so, you wouldn't listen".

[Funk]

Patch1875 said:

Looks good but bet he’s gutted with the lack of glass.

Would it be tricky to rip out the walls and put the glass panels in later as funds allow? The reduction in glass meant it really didn't make the best of that stunning view. Also the ceiling was a typical "we-can't-afford-to-do-it-so-we'll-leave-it-as-is-and-pretend-that's-what-we-wanted" moment...

[FourWheelDrift]

If you want to appear on Grand Designs when you apply never, I repeat never give any impression of a sensible planned and fully budgeted build and every impression that you are winging it. Add a pregnant other half and it guarantees TV.

Something like "I am going to be building an eco-friendly 6 bedroomed partially subterrainean minimalist home using state of the art heat reflective full height glass walls and a unique living roof using a new moss specially imported from caves in Chile. Other heat and power will be provided by ground source heat pumps. The location is near a Saxon burial ground but they say it's probably far enough away to not be a problem with the foundations. We are putting everything into our dream build, my budget is 200k and my wife will be expecting our 3rd child during the build process which I plan will take 6 months."

[Gretchen]

Funk said:

Would it be tricky to rip out the walls and put the glass panels in later as funds allow? The reduction in glass meant it really didn't make the best of that stunning view. Also the ceiling was a typical "we-can't-afford-to-do-it-so-we'll-leave-it-as-is-and-pretend-that's-what-we-wanted" moment...

They struggled putting the first lot in. Probably be easy if they took some of the floor out... but can you do that on £20?

[aeropilot]

FourWheelDrift said:

If you want to appear on Grand Designs when you apply never, I repeat never give any impression of a sensible planned and fully budgeted build and every impression that you are winging it. Add a pregnant other half and it guarantees TV.

Something like "I am going to be building an eco-friendly 6 bedroomed partially subterrainean minimalist home using state of the art heat reflective full height glass walls and a unique living roof using a new moss specially imported from caves in Chile. Other heat and power will be provided by ground source heat pumps. The location is near a Saxon burial ground but they say it's probably far enough away to not be a problem with the foundations. We are putting everything into our dream build, my budget is 200k and my wife will be expecting our 3rd child during the build process which I plan will take 6 months."

True though

[dukeboy749r]

aeropilot said:

FourWheelDrift said:

If you want to appear on Grand Designs when you apply never, I repeat never give any impression of a sensible planned and fully budgeted build and every impression that you are winging it. Add a pregnant other half and it guarantees TV.

Something like "I am going to be building an eco-friendly 6 bedroomed partially subterrainean minimalist home using state of the art heat reflective full height glass walls and a unique living roof using a new moss specially imported from caves in Chile. Other heat and power will be provided by ground source heat pumps. The location is near a Saxon burial ground but they say it's probably far enough away to not be a problem with the foundations. We are putting everything into our dream build, my budget is 200k and my wife will be expecting our 3rd child during the build process which I plan will take 6 months."

True though

Right, where's the application page on Channel 4...?

[BlueHave]

dukeboy749r said:

aeropilot said:

FourWheelDrift said:

If you want to appear on Grand Designs when you apply never, I repeat never give any impression of a sensible planned and fully budgeted build and every impression that you are winging it. Add a pregnant other half and it guarantees TV.

Something like "I am going to be building an eco-friendly 6 bedroomed partially subterrainean minimalist home using state of the art heat reflective full height glass walls and a unique living roof using a new moss specially imported from caves in Chile. Other heat and power will be provided by ground source heat pumps. The location is near a Saxon burial ground but they say it's probably far enough away to not be a problem with the foundations. We are putting everything into our dream build, my budget is 200k and my wife will be expecting our 3rd child during the build process which I plan will take 6 months."

True though

Right, where's the application page on Channel 4...?

I wonder how often Kevin turns up with the crew. Average builds are between about 8 months right up to a few that stretched over two or three years. I believe one went to six years.

[C Lee Farquar]

FredClogs said:

I don't really understand how or why people embark on these things without first spending a relatively minute amount of money on a decent quantity surveyor to tell them what they're original plan would cost. I mean it's not rocket science.

As Kevin pointed out using cost per sq metre, this build wasn't going to be within budget.

I'm not convinced there wasn't a fair amount of man maths in the final build figure.

The comment about the holiday let funding the build seemed optimistic being as he must have been spending £10k a week.

I didn't use a QS but I had fairly vague plans and no time limit. If it's getting too expensive I slow down.

Why would anyone want to be on Grand Designs? I see no upside unless you want to sell, which they usually seem to end up doing.

[Pericoloso]

If you require more building madness ,there's a series starting tonight 9pm on More 4 ,titled....Impossible Builds.

It lacks a Kevin McCloud.

[eccles]

aeropilot said:

FredClogs said:

I don't really understand how or why people embark on these things without first spending a relatively minute amount of money on a decent quantity surveyor to tell them what they're original plan would cost. I mean it's not rocket science.

I'm continually astonished of the arrogance of some of these people that think they know better or don't listen to those with the experience, be it Architects, Engineers, QS's or builders.

I sit watching and hoping it goes tits up and we hear someone say on camera "Told you so, you wouldn't listen".

I don't get this either. Surely if you're interested in self building you may well end up watching a few episodes of Grand Designs, and pick up on some of the regular pitfalls like budget or time frame. Some of the builds are done by experienced, professional architects, and even they can't get close sometimes.

I started off loving his design last night, but the end result was such a disappointment, for such a big room it looked horribly dark, and he boarded up half the front where the view was. I think he'd have been better of forgoing the corner windows and putting as much glass along the front as possible to maximise the views and the light.

[anonymous-user]

C Lee Farquar said:

Why would anyone want to be on Grand Designs? I see no upside unless you want to sell, which they usually seem to end up doing.

That or a egotistical need to be ‘on the telly’.

When I did my self-build for years back, my other half asked about being on GD. My reaction was ‘why would I’?

[Promised Land]

227bhp said:

Was there no insulation in that roof of was it on top (warm roof type) ?

Had me puzzled too, we fit those joists week in week out for floors, I never saw them installing celotex or the like on top of the roof before cladding it.

Inside when you look up, it just didn’t shout ‘a home’ to me with open TJI joists. Even if they went for the expensive ones with steel inserts instead of hardboard.

But plywood walls, that is like living in a shed.

Edited by Promised Land on Thursday 27th September 21:05

[anonymous-user]

Promised Land said:

227bhp said:

Was there no insulation in that roof of was it on top (warm roof type) ?

Had me puzzled too, we fit those joists week in week out for floors, I never saw them installing celotex or the like on top of the roof before cladding it.

Inside when you look up, it just didn’t shout ‘a home’ to me with open TJI joists. Even if they went for the expensive ones with steel inserts instead of hardboard.

But plywood walls, that is like living in a shed.

Edited by Promised Land on Thursday 27th September 21:05

The zinc went straight into the cladding from what I could see so the insulation should be under that!! Bizarre!

[Muncher]

I like ambitious people, for the cost I think they did a really good job, ok, it could have done with a bit more glass but once all the rough edges are smoothed over it will be really nice.

He’s achieved decent value for money there, all things considered. As for just using a QS and paying the going rate, personally everything I have had priced by a QS has been ridiculous, nothing would ever get built if that were the real cost.