Grand Designs, yeah, no, maybe ?

[Taipan]

That was a nice one... Nice back story and a lovely big barn out of it... I approve

Great to see something going right for people like them. Young fella was impressive in the way he adapted things too. Well deserved, i wish them well.

[Noggin]

It was that GD that made me think of it.

If a bix is well-sealed, it'll need one of the systems that heats incoming fresh air.

You mean a heat recovery unit? Basically an air to air heat exchanger. They're not that hard to put in though.

Thing with super efficient homes is, you are still alowed to open windows in summer.
Just means you're not warming Jackdaws feet and paying a fortune for it during winter.

If your builders aren't dead keen on the technology, you need another builder cos they won't give a shite.

Oh and to Noggin? Yeah, I grew up in a farmhouse as well. It was a fucking millstone. Chopping loads of wood just so it didn't freeze inside the rooms was just no way to live. None of this is hard, its all just good building practice and allows people to do stuff like save up and life just takes less work.

Yeah, our dog got emphasema (sp?) from teh coal dust cos he used to sleep next to the Aga! (He was still 15 when he died, but had a hacking cough for a few years )

I like the new/eco stuff because it isn't central heating and a sealed home. Would love the chance to try and do something like it up here, but most people run wood burners and pellet burners from what I can understand - no piped gas so can go gas instead of electric

[Horse]

Thing with super efficient homes is, you are still alowed to open windows in summer.

A colleague lived in a new build flat. Heating? Cheap as chips. They just couldn't cool it down during hot weather, temps indoors got above 30!

And old farmhouses? Pah! 'Reema' concrete house with crittal metal frame windows.

[Mr Moofo]

The guy on last night's programme was just such a throughly nice person - and incredibly un-phased by things.
I want to be more like him.

The building just looked like a big fuck off shed with windows - but was nice inside!

[lostboy]

A little ironically, a big part of the reason I'd build my own home is that I'm always surprised how cheap the houses on Grand Designs are!

They're not cheap in absolute terms of course, but the amount they generally pay for what you get seems pretty good to me. As you would expect with any self run project when you're not paying a middle man's profit.

That's because it's bullshit. The cushion-tosser McCloud doesn't ever interrogate them properly on costs (unlike the Australian version which I've caught a couple of - he's a ruthless bastard on cost) and they lie. I've given up watching the UK version because, as has been suggested on this thread already, the people on it are on it because they want the world to look at them, not celebrate a decent project. The last decent one was the "two container" house in Northern Ireland.

When it first began we used to watch it as a family and the rest of them used to get frustrated as I'd call bullshit on the costs. My youngest son is now in the industry and is a QS and is even more scathing about the nonsense that is trotted out than I am. That program, along with various others, has completely fucked over the design and construction industries at that level for years - as everyone has a completely unrealistic expectation of what things cost - and more importantly, what they're worth.

[Horse]

That's because it's bullshit.

My youngest son is now in the industry and is a QS and is even more scathing about the nonsense that is trotted out than I am. That program, along with various others, has completely fucked over the design and construction industries at that level for years - as everyone has a completely unrealistic expectation of what things cost - and more importantly, what they're worth.

And they quietly forget decorating and furnishing too. I know (well, I don't really ) how much it cost us for paint, carpet, tiles, light fittings, furniture, pictures, etc. just for a small extension- let alone a massive house.

This was mentioned years ago on TRC and I made a mental note to allow for it.

Then, magically, they often have a fully landscaped garden, patio, decking, furniture ...

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Someone on VisorDown had a house that was on Grand Designs, I can't remember who it was though, big wooden house down south and they had a small dog, he owned a dispatch rider/courier company.

[Horse]

Someone on VisorDown had a house that was on Grand Designs, I can't remember who it was though, big wooden house down south and they had a small dog, he owned a dispatch rider/courier company.

There's one near our friends in Cumbria. It was a prototype Adaptahaus adaptable system allowing internal layout to be altered as needs changed. Unfortunayely, construction allegedly bankrupted the local engineering company the designer owned.

[Bigyin]

I enjoy watching the series and find some of the projects fascinating but i would never take one on myself.

Part of the watch for me is the reveal at the end and the succint appraisal from the missus of some poor sods 2 year project usually consists of "That looks shit", "Thats really nice" or "What the fuck did they build that massive place for 2 of them, they must really dislike each other to need that big a house"

We also competitively guess at the start just how much over the delusional start budget each project will end up costing

[demographic]

Someone on VisorDown had a house that was on Grand Designs, I can't remember who it was though, big wooden house down south and they had a small dog, he owned a dispatch rider/courier company.

There's one near our friends in Cumbria. It was a prototype Adaptahaus adaptable system allowing internal layout to be altered as needs changed. Unfortunayely, construction allegedly bankrupted the local engineering company the designer owned.

I remember that one, somewhere near Cockermouth IIRC.
Lawsons did the haulage for it.
Got to say I wasn't a fan of that one, seemed to be going about it the hard way and the floor joint was a right arse.

[Horse]

There's one near our friends in Cumbria.Unfortunayely, construction allegedly bankrupted the local engineering company the designer owned.

I remember that one, somewhere near Cockermouth IIRC.
Lawsons did the haulage for it.

Yup, off towards Workington. It's off a little lane, so might have been a beggar for access.

The guy died a couple of years ago, so can't sue about 'allegedly'

[v8-powered]

People near us had a house on Grand Designs, my wife knows them.
Random that it had a bloody swinging chair taking up a whole room, worse still that you can see it from the road. Total waste of good space....

[Pseudonym]

Your home made perfect is a good watch, as both Architects come up with some really creative solutions, and they're so different too. The female Architect Laura is especially innovative.

Also, most shows which feature George Clarke are worth a watch. You end up getting some good ideas.

[Taipan]

Your home made perfect is a good watch, as both Architects come up with some really creative solutions, and they're so different too. The female Architect Laura is especially innovative.

Also, most shows which feature George Clarke are worth a watch. You end up getting some good ideas.

I like that program too, and not just because it has Angela Scanlon in it!

[Noggin]

I'm watching this week's programme and -

WTF drives a 30 odd tonne crane onto what is essentially swamp and is confused when it gets stuck??? FFS!!

[Couchy]

Having worked in construction my whole working life I’ve no desire to build a house from scratch, I’ve no desire for debt either so can’t ever see it being something I do, maybe a lottery win would change that view

[Noggin]

Having worked in construction my whole working life I’ve no desire to build a house from scratch, I’ve no desire for debt either so can’t ever see it being something I do, maybe a lottery win would change that view

I would prefer to find a derelict place and restore it!!


I still wouldn't have attempted to drive a crane onto ground that waterlogged - I've only worked in logistics, not crane driving, but stil . . . . LOL

[Scud]

Last nights episode is near me, I know Nathan, the 600k is small change to him.
The place is horrible and does not fit in at all, how planning permission was granted is beyond me.
He’s a nice bloke, but is an estate agent!

[Noggin]

Last nights episode is near me, I know Nathan, the 600k is small change to him.
The place is horrible and does not fit in at all, how planning permission was granted is beyond me.
He’s a nice bloke, but is an estate agent!

It was interesting how the presenter guy kept trying to link the new house with the original really old one!!! Interesting concept that probably should have stayed that way!! But hopefully they like it!! I did prefer the smaller house they built!! LOL

[David]

I'm watching this week's programme and -

WTF drives a 30 odd tonne crane onto what is essentially swamp and is confused when it gets stuck??? FFS!!

Bwana