New series of Grand Designs 31st August 2022

[Pocster]

9 hours ago, Simplysimon said:

some of us don't broadcast our mistakes, but it's good people have the spheres {yellow?) to do so

But that’s all part of the fun . It shows to err is human 😁

[SteamyTea]

12 hours ago, Radian said:

Pierre Bézier

I know the curves, and how to make them (Level 3 Technical Drawing), did not realise how recently he was alive, born 9 years after my Grandmother and died 5 years before.

[Pocster]

1 hour ago, Onoff said:

 

Some people don't have a choice, eh @pocster?

As you know @Onoff - if it was easy everyone would do it . Why do something easy ? . Do something ‘ard !

[saveasteading]

On 17/09/2022 at 19:20, Thorfun said:

the architect would've ensured it was done properly from the start

Some would as they understand numbers and construction. Some wouldn't as they design shapes and sculptures, and the construction (and cost) is left to others.. 

 

 

[saveasteading]

On 17/09/2022 at 18:26, Nick Laslett said:

When the build is finished no one but you knows about all the faults and mistakes. 

A building somewhere in Surrey has a slight defect, in appearance only, that couldn't be resolved. The client had no issues.

Some years later in passing I went to look at it and immediately saw the imperfection. The experienced site manager with me couldn't see it even when pointed out. 

[Kelvin]

Details details details…

 

This week’s house is very nice. A lot for the money given all the landscaping too. Yet again, massively over budget and family come to the rescue. 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Kelvin

[Ferdinand]

Catching up.

 

Episode One the Kent prefab - quite inspirational but looked rather expensive. Not really convinced that the techniques are new, and disappointed that the prefab company is not making hundreds a year.

 

Presumably neighbour is slightly less of a friend.

 

McCloud's over egging the pension drawdown was a bit of a jar.

 

Looks like a very nice place, and I am glad that they are happy in their community.

Episode Two the 'hidden house' seemed strange  in some respects, such as the cladding in the below ground courtyards to make it look "embedded" when no one can see it, and the dam-worthy amounts of concrete involved.

 

Are they all in Kent?

[Roger440]

2 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

Catching up.

 

Episode One the Kent prefab - quite inspirational but looked rather expensive. Not really convinced that the techniques are new, and disappointed that the prefab company is not making hundreds a year.

 

Presumably neighbour is slightly less of a friend.

 

McCloud's over egging the pension drawdown was a bit of a jar.

 

Looks like a very nice place, and I am glad that they are happy in their community.

Episode Two the 'hidden house' seemed strange  in some respects, such as the cladding in the below ground courtyards to make it look "embedded" when no one can see it, and the dam-worthy amounts of concrete involved.

 

Are they all in Kent?

 

I still have no idea why pre-fab isnt more of a thing. Ok, not like this one as its a bit "alternative", but more conventional looking surely makes sense.

 

Not that im going to do a new build, (abandoned that idea) but if i was, off site manufacture would be high on my list.

[Roger440]

On 17/09/2022 at 21:38, Redoctober said:

Just caught up with the Canterbury episode. I think it can be a thin line between appearing as a perfectionist and someone who is arrogant in my view. He said the build had made him a better person. Perhaps it has? Or perhaps it just re-enforced his belief that only he is capable of achieving great things. I wonder if he regrets failing to have the confidence to actually trust someone who is skilled and trained in a particular trade to do some work for him. They said they had the funds to pay for "help" but decided no one could do as well as them !! Quite an insult to local trades I would suggest?

Oh well, each to their own. Lets hope they can now enjoy the house after such a long time building it.

 

Id say the majority of trades are not up to much. The good ones are out there, hard to find, and invariably booked forever. If time is of no consequence, sure, wait, but on a build like that, is that feasible.

 

Whilst i almost always end up doing things myself, and often because i simply cant get anyone to do anything around here, i dont think i could have stayed commited that long though. Hereoic effort. 

[SteamyTea]

20 minutes ago, Roger440 said:

I still have no idea why pre-fab isnt more of a thing.

I thought it was.

This company has made thousands.

https://www.framehomes.co.uk/

[MikeSharp01]

24 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

I thought it was.

The big housebuilders are now getting into it - fully automated factories making Pods. https://www.property118.com/the-first-of-22-berkeley-modular-homes-are-being-built-in-greenwich/ an more on this here: https://www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/about-us/who-we-are/our-brands/berkeley-modular

Edited September 22, 2022 by MikeSharp01
Added 2nd URL

[ProDave]

I just watched this weeks build, a big house on a farm in Derbyshire.

 

Not much to mention about the build, but what I took from this is how broken the planning system is in the UK.

 

Something like 20 failed planning applications in the past.  All he wanted to do is build a farmhouse on his 16 acre small holding adjacent to all the existing farm buildings.  If the present planning system will not allow that, then imho the system is broken.  You would have thought this would be allowed perhaps with an agricultural tie?

 

The only way around this was to build a section 79 "outstanding" property, which ironically probably means the site now has a much larger house built on it that would have happened if we had a sensible planning policy.

[joe90]

+1 to what @ProDave says above, frankly I thought it was ugly and vastly overpriced because of its complicated shape and subsequent problems. Why should it be allowed over “housing required”? Yes the planning system is broken, we are short of housing. Locals (in rural areas) cannot afford to buy, why not give planning for a couple/few “affordable” (read sensible) houses that are afforded by young/locals .

[Kelvin]

It was nice enough on paper but looked pretty awful when built. It was also unnecessarily enormous. Looked like another example of an architect building a house for their practice. Also a huge volume to heat. 

[JohnMo]

Also made me chuckle when they said a low energy house, with full glazed walls, even triple glazed that's only 0.6 u value.

 

Even if a vanity architect project, the owner should look at the drawings and say that's huge, are we sure it isn't too big.

[Kelvin]

I think folk get carried away with the size of their self-build and too many bathrooms. I thought our previous house was too big at 350sqm, we didn’t use half of it. Our build is 202sqm but we will use all of it so will feel as big as the previous place although I think we have too much glass on the south elevation. 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Kelvin

[JohnMo]

Been away for the weekend in normal houses, came home on Monday and thought our house was big/spacious (190m2), got used to again.

[jonM]

Agree with @ProDave and @joe90

With all that glass, I can only guess that the house will be hot in the summer and cold in  the winter. For a single contractor build, the quoted costs seemed low for such a complex bespoke house. 

I think Grand Designs does so much damage to self build, but I guess that a well managed build doesn't make for good entertainment.  

[Roger440]

On 30/09/2022 at 13:40, ProDave said:

I just watched this weeks build, a big house on a farm in Derbyshire.

 

Not much to mention about the build, but what I took from this is how broken the planning system is in the UK.

 

Something like 20 failed planning applications in the past.  All he wanted to do is build a farmhouse on his 16 acre small holding adjacent to all the existing farm buildings.  If the present planning system will not allow that, then imho the system is broken.  You would have thought this would be allowed perhaps with an agricultural tie?

 

The only way around this was to build a section 79 "outstanding" property, which ironically probably means the site now has a much larger house built on it that would have happened if we had a sensible planning policy.

 

But if they did approve it, everyone would be at it. Building in open countryside. In this case, a national park. And i say that as someone who would do it in a heart beat were it possible.

 

I suspect an ag tie was doable, but who wants that? Its effectively a worthless house.

[Jac]

Very serious question 😬  How long was it before you ( meaning fellow self builders) could bear to watch Grand Designs after your own self build.  We’re 99% of the way to completion but can’t even bear to see the programme pop up on our recommendations!

 

Therapy beckons……..

[Russdl]

@Jac probably about 6 months after we’d largely finished (it’s never finished). Like you, couldn’t bear to watch it during the build. 

[ProDave]

No I watched it all along.  It's not a "building" program rather an entertainment program and they have to highlight all the difficulties.  They would have had a field day with ours, unable to find a buyer for old house, sacked the builder (amicably because the original funding plan failed) and plan B was a do it all yourself 5 year build as you earn.  

 

I do often talk to the television "No that plan is not going to work"  Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

I wish they would talk more about insulation, U values, Air tightness results,  SAP ratings, heating system etc, but then only us self builders would watch it.

[Wumpus]

Agreed, I can’t watch at the moment. Near to moving in, but it’s been a test of endurance. I have enough of my own problems without watching anyone else’s.

[Russdl]

7 minutes ago, Wumpus said:

I have enough of my own problems without watching anyone else’s.

I think that was the reason I felt unable to watch it but with the passage of time I can’t really pin down exactly why I couldn’t watch it. I just couldn’t. 

[Kelvin]

It’s the Tog Gear of house building. Both entertainment programmes. With GD it’s all about the drama then the big reveal at the end having solved all the problems generally by spending a shitload more money. Last night was no different. The house was great admittedly albeit it looked like a weird extension to the 1960s square box it was attached to.