Grand Designs 25/2

[Dave_ST220]

Herman Toothrot said:

Dave_ST220 said:

I've not been to Didcot, is it that bad?

Its like 99% of the new (last 25 year) large scale builds in the UK, close after close of 2 bed + box room identiboxes made from plywood and cladding aka Barrett. i.e. what most of the UK aspires to and takes 4 time mortages to buy.

[blade runner]

At the end... "We're still waiting for these walls to dry out". Yeah, right! More like "It's been pissing down with rain lately and guess what, water is seeping into all those earth-filled tyres and is now coming through the plaster". Wonder how are they going to fix that then? Not sure they'd get any eco volunteers to pay them to come and dig out the soil from behind the house so they can go about tanking it properly next summer...

Found this one very hard to watch as it wasn't really a 'grand design' at all, just a tight-fisted crusty getting a house knocked up for free in France as he didn't want to spend the money (or deal with the regulations etc.) in the UK. End result was totally devoid of any architectural merit whatsoever. KM kept banging on about the rotunda, but only because everything else about the house was so hideous. Taken on it's own, the rotunda was no more inspiring than an off-the-shelf gazebo really.

Also, I found it all a bit hypocritcal. If it was really an 'eco' house why the hell did they have a bloody great, brand new acrylic free-standing bath in the bathroom when they could have easily blagged a used cattle-trough off a local farmer or something? I notice they didn't show the concrete slab being laid either.

[scotal]

I'm still not sure how the build went from 75k to 135k?

[Oakey]

scotal said:

I'm still not sure how the build went from 75k to 135k?

You think it's cheap supplying all those soapdodgers with weed for the duration of their stay?

[Herman Toothrot]

scotal said:

I'm still not sure how the build went from 75k to 135k?

I think on all the fittings, wood burners in every room, the bespoke reclaimed oak kitchen & furniture etc

[scotal]

Herman Toothrot said:

scotal said:

I'm still not sure how the build went from 75k to 135k?

I think on all the fittings, wood burners in every room, the bespoke reclaimed oak kitchen & furniture etc

But to leave all that out from their original estimate they must have been entirely st with their budget at the outset. Particularly since the tyres were free, the mud was free, the stone was all on site, the joists were reclaimed, the posts for the front "wall" were free. I'm wondering how good this guy is as an eco building consultant?

[cardigankid]

Most of it was probably his own fees, let's face it. This come and pay us for working reminds me of the old kibbutz scam the Israelis used to run to get free student labour - but at least they didn't ask the students to pay them, and the grub was pretty hearty.

That bint was as hard edged as a Krugerrand - just the sort of trick I would expect from her. And judging by the damp patches she got the workmanship she paid for.

I once got a bunch of friends to come round and do some demolition for me for free food and more importantly drink - it's not a stunt I would ever repeat.

[fulham911club]

cardigankid said:

When you see people getting others to work for them for free you know you are dealing with rogues. A fair day's pay for a fair day's work, it's fundamental.

For goodness sake. The house was in Brittany, it was summer time, they got fed. And more to the point the people agreed to give their services for free. Grow up for goodness sake. You only don't like the guy becasue he decided to try and make his house as ecological as possible.

[cardigankid]

No, I don't like the guy because he was a hypocritical self publicising twunt. Anyway, he's got bigger problems than me with that harridan he's with so good luck to him.

The 'house' if that's the right description was about as ecological as the Battle of Stalingrad.

By the way, I stand by my maxim. Working free for a charity is one thing. Conning people into working for nothing is immoral. Not that that would have bothered Miss Verwoerd.

Edited by cardigankid on Thursday 26th February 12:32

[fulham911club]

blade runner said:

At the end... "We're still waiting for these walls to dry out". Yeah, right! More like "It's been pissing down with rain lately and guess what, water is seeping into all those earth-filled tyres and is now coming through the plaster". Wonder how are they going to fix that then? Not sure they'd get any eco volunteers to pay them to come and dig out the soil from behind the house so they can go about tanking it properly next summer...

Found this one very hard to watch as it wasn't really a 'grand design' at all, just a tight-fisted crusty getting a house knocked up for free in France as he didn't want to spend the money (or deal with the regulations etc.) in the UK. End result was totally devoid of any architectural merit whatsoever. KM kept banging on about the rotunda, but only because everything else about the house was so hideous. Taken on it's own, the rotunda was no more inspiring than an off-the-shelf gazebo really.

Also, I found it all a bit hypocritcal. If it was really an 'eco' house why the hell did they have a bloody great, brand new acrylic free-standing bath in the bathroom when they could have easily blagged a used cattle-trough off a local farmer or something? I notice they didn't show the concrete slab being laid either.

Well if your house in the picture in your profile is anything to go by I'm not sure you have the taste to pass comment.

[fulham911club]

cardigankid said:

No, I don't like the guy because he was a hypocritical self publicising twunt. Anyway, he's got bigger problems than me with that harridan he's with so good luck to him.

So I take it you don't like anybody that is on reality TV type programmes (especially the abundance of property related ones) and everyone that has ever been on Grand Designs?

cardigankid said:

The 'house' if that's the right description was about as ecological as the Battle of Stalingrad.

Are you a builder, engineer, architect? In other words qualified in anyway to comment on the ecological soundness of his build?

[Dave_ST220]

fulham911club said:

cardigankid said:

When you see people getting others to work for them for free you know you are dealing with rogues. A fair day's pay for a fair day's work, it's fundamental.

For goodness sake. The house was in Brittany, it was summer time, they got fed. And more to the point the people agreed to give their services for free. Grow up for goodness sake. You only don't like the guy becasue he decided to try and make his house as ecological as possible.

And were asked to pay towards it(probably ended up pay for it as salad costs jack st).

grand (SPLENDID)
adjective
splendid in style and appearance; attracting admiration and attention.



A glorified mud hut made out of tyres covered in st is not grand.

[blade runner]

fulham911club said:

Well if your house in the picture in your profile is anything to go by I'm not sure you have the taste to pass comment.

Not sure you can see any of my house apart from a few bricks in that picture? Anyway, I'm not putting myself on national TV and suggesting my 1950's semi is some kind of 'Grand Design' am I? Twunt...

[Herman Toothrot]

fulham911club said:

cardigankid said:

When you see people getting others to work for them for free you know you are dealing with rogues. A fair day's pay for a fair day's work, it's fundamental.

For goodness sake. The house was in Brittany, it was summer time, they got fed. And more to the point the people agreed to give their services for free. Grow up for goodness sake. You only don't like the guy becasue he decided to try and make his house as ecological as possible.

I can quite imagine people going and doing this and having a good time, group of mates want to do week camping and drinking with like minded people but a bit of graft in the day to give you that feeling fit and strong mentality. I bet they were stoned and pissed everynight having a right laugh, not having to worry about the french family camping 2' away or the 20E a night fee for the campsite. For the students with nothing better to do for a week at the end of the summer why not?

[Dr_Gonzo]

So the walls will never dry out as they most probably leak, it'll be baking hot in the summer as the floor will be heated, it'll be barely above freezing during winter as the residual heat in the stone floor runs out, you might be lucky to get a tepid shower as long as there was a good summer, they spent 140k on something that's probably worth half that (and that's if they could ever sell it), and someone has the wonderful job of emptying a bag full of ste and piss every couple of days. When can I move in?

[Adam B]

thought the programme wa interesting this week (kinda the point of watching TV) even if the end result wasn't for most people. I did not like the flat roof design ans exposed solar panels but cosmetics weren;t top priority I guess

agree it was a con not to show the concrete base if there was one.

One thing that did spring to mind was I bet their old neighbours were sad to see them sell up and leave - I admired the way their dark purple house blended in so nicely with the other subtle or original white/cream houses in the terrace

[shirt]

as this was a repeat, was there anything of worth during the last 5mins - i.e the re-visit? what was the damp like?

[SJobson]

shirt said:

as this was a repeat

It wasn't.

[scotal]

shirt said:

as this was a repeat, was there anything of worth during the last 5mins - i.e the re-visit? what was the damp like?

This was a brand new one.

[Dave_ST220]

scotal said:

shirt said:

as this was a repeat, was there anything of worth during the last 5mins - i.e the re-visit? what was the damp like?

This was a brand new one.

with damp.