As the title says, starting at 9PM tonight on Channel 4, Grand Designs is following 10 self builders at Graven Hill.

 

Should be interesting.

 

Sweepstake:  How many will run out of money?  How many will have a baby?  

Don’t forget falling out with the architects ....

 

4 births,  1 divorce,  3 with not enough money to finish,4 architect changes and at least 4 with bits you know have no chance of passing building regs. 

Before this you can watch Ugly House to Lovely House where we have just witnessed the worst built block wall that I have ever seen

Don’t forget you get double points if Kevin mentions thermal mass in the first 15 minutes ..! 

Surprise #1

 

"His budget, including plot and foundations is £275K"  And the next plot "the land cost £100K"

 

I thought plot prices as talked about on here at Graven Hill were WAY higher than that.

I was surprised they were that cheap.  Don't think the 3 on there pre adverts will be getting pregnant...

15 mins in not a mention of thermal mass so - single points only. 

5 minutes ago, CC45 said:

I was surprised they were that cheap.  Don't think the 3 on there pre adverts will be getting pregnant...

The question turns to how many will die before completion?

 

They also appear to be doing their own ground works?  We have always been told the plots come with the "golden brick" foundation idea.

 

If they were all sold at these prices and flexibility, it is starting to sound a whole lot more attractive than we had been led to believe?

 

ICF build. How many blow outs?

First blow out - they appear very high for a first pour.

They haven't edited out the "F" word.

Glad to see it was the older lady - that’ll be me when we build ?

Durisol... wonder if @recoveringacademic is watching and shouting at the TV..??

Seems to reinforce the point that Durisol needs bracing, from the blow outs so far.

 

 

fair play to them - gives me hope that I will be able to manage a second self build before I die.

Not a good advert for durisol I thought. 

First structural failure of a cantilevered roof.

OMG - never seen a roof do that before.

Looks like it is "spreading"  I don't see anything fixing the rafters to the ridge beam.  Ours has big galvanised steel brackets and a lot of screws at each junction.

There should be straps over the rafters, IMHO, to tie them tightly to the ridge beam ,not that this would have stopped the structural failure.  Looks like the SE cocked up to me.

Not going well.  Frozen / burst UFH pipes, cracked floor.

I think a few can associate with the bloke saying everything hurts at the end of the day ..!

3 minutes ago, PeterW said:

I think a few can associate with the bloke saying everything hurts at the end of the day ..!

He's looking a lot better now his is finished.

41 minutes ago, ProDave said:

"His budget, including plot and foundations is £275K"  And the next plot "the land cost £100K"

 

I thought plot prices as talked about on here at Graven Hill were WAY higher than that.

 

They are much higher than that.  these were quite reduced prices.  and they have not mentioned the fact the plots are alongside the new railway line into Bicester with a sewerage works next to that.  We did consider it but not once we knew the location of the first 10 plots.  Although if I could have guarenteed the one furthest away from the railway line, I may have considered it.  prices for the reasonably sized plots and on the edge of the develoment, which are the ons we like, are in the region of £350k!!

No sign of any renewables, PV etc. No mention of mvhr etc, in fact no technical details. Shame.