Grand Designs: what are the best houses from the show’s history?

Channel 4’s Bafta Award-winning show Grand Designs is back with more lavish hearths and homes. But what are the best marvels they have ever showcased?
Kevin McCloud on Grand Designs (PA Photo / Channel 4)Kevin McCloud on Grand Designs (PA Photo / Channel 4)
Kevin McCloud on Grand Designs (PA Photo / Channel 4)

Presenter Kevin McCloud has already teased his return to the infamous ‘lighthouse-inspired home’ that cost the builder his marriage, as the home makeover show returns for a new series of Grand Designs.

The 63-year-old follows some of Britain’s most ambitious self-building projects, as intrepid individuals attempt to design and construct the home of their dreams.

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The presenter has since revisited Chesil Cliff House, in Croyde, Devon, which they have been filming since 2010.

He revealed the £7 million build, owned by Edward Short, 52, and his ex-wife Hazel, is finally complete.

Here are some of the best designs they have ever shown:

Arched Eco Home, Kent (2009)

The arched frame of this Kent property was inspired by a 14th Century technique. The one-acre plot included a worse-for-wear 1930’s bungalow, which the owners bought in 2006 for £353,000. It’s constructed from 26,000 handmade tiles and 10 tonnes of newspaper were used as insulation. The triple-glazed argon-filled windows cost £43,000, but the house is now one of the best-performing Passivhaus dwellings in the UK.

Devon Snake House, Devon (2017)

The Devon Snake House, also nicknamed the Spiral House or Fossil House was intended by owners Steven and Elizabeth Tetlow to fit in with the natural landscape. They ran into some problems right away, only budgeting £600,000 for the build, which McCloud estimated should cost more than double at around £2 million and indeed they did go over budget but only by an impressive £200,000. It surprisingly only took them two years to complete the construction, which is also impressive for a Grand Designs build.

The TreeHouse, Gloucestershire (2016)

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Building a Treehouse may seem like a childhood dream come to life, but in this instance it was a more practical choice. All the trees on Jon Martin and Noreen Jaafar’s plot were listed because it’s a conservation area, so the couple had to build them up in order to create a space that is light and bright.

Monty’s Underground Home (2005)

Planning permission took two and a half years for this stunning underground home in Peckham, south east London, and two tree preservation orders were issued. The home, which cost £220,000 to build (including the plot), features a retractable roof that measures 10.5 sqm. Other features include an LED light fitting that doubles as a shower, and a bed that slides away to reveal a bath.

Straw Bale Eco Home (1999)

The site of this property was big enough for six houses and cost just £78,000. It took five years to clear the site and the build cost £600,000. Straw bales and sandbag cladding were unusual ingredients for this London build and Kevin loved it for its eco-qualities.

The new series of Grand Designs starts on 31 August at 9pm on Channel 4.

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