Grand Designs viewers rage ‘this is painful watching’ as a project manager ‘threw a hissy fit’ during a car crash build on Wednesday’s episode.
The latest instalment of the Channel 4 show followed an artist called Sarah, who wanted to create her very own ‘creative hub’ which she could call home for £330,000.
After three decades down south, Sarah decided to return to her northern roots in the North East, following a divorce and the fact that her children had grown up.
She purchased a three-acre field at auction for £200,000 in a plan to build a space for her new home, her own work and also to facilitate others to make their own.
The artist explained to host Kevin McCloud that she only had eight months to complete the project and she wanted to use sustainable hempcrete.
‘I love it because it’s natural and it’s a healthy thing to live with, unlike modern building materials, which contain plastics,’ she told Kevin.
Grand Designs viewers rage ‘this is painful watching’ as project manager ‘threw a hissy fit’ during a car crash build on Wednesday’s episode
The latest instalment of the Channel 4 show followed an artist called Sarah, who wanted to create her very own ‘creative hub’ which she could call home for £330,000
The artist explained to host Kevin McCloud that she only had eight months to complete the project and she wanted to use sustainable hempcrete
Sarah was keen to get into the house and start living in it before the winter started.
But her builder soon let her know that it wasn’t going to be doable because her windows and doors wouldn’t be fitted – however she said that she wasn’t aware.
After putting the framework up, Kevin was keen to know if that she was still on budget, to which Sarah said: ‘No.’
‘So, had a price in for the stone cladding, £59,000.
‘Thing is, what do I know about stone masonry and stone cladding? I didn’t have a clue how much it was going to cost. I think I put in £20,000.
‘So when I saw £59,000, I just thought “Oh my God”.’
She also had to fork out more money for the landscaping and the roof.
Kevin said: ‘You were going to spend £330,000, now you think?’ Sarah said: ‘More like £430,000 and so quickly. I just can’t believe these amounts ramp up.’
The presenter explained that to get the extra cash, she’s had to sell her one-bedroom cottage, despite it being a steady stream of income for her in the future.
Roofing contractor Gary Buckley told viewers: ‘I’m always working with different people, running different projects.
‘People do take on running their own jobs and I don’t think they realise what a tough job is.
‘It’s a difficult job and a skilled job.’
Kevin confessed: ‘I’m beginning to feel sorry for Sarah.’
Although the presenter shared his concerns, those watching at home didn’t feel the same way as him.
‘I know #granddesigns follows a formula but it’s still painful watching novice project managers wondering why no one pointed stuff out to them.’
‘”Nobody made me aware of it” … windows need to be done after the stonework is done ….. er, YOU’RE the project manager, you can’t blame anyone but yourself! #GrandDesigns.’
Many took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the episode
After 18 months Kevin was shocked to see the red roof barns and said of the property: ‘Beautifully, beautifully built’
‘”Why did somebody not pick up before?” She should sack the project manager, it was their job to spot that!’
‘There’s a lot of “why did someone not pick up before” when she’s the project manager.’
Towards the end of the episode she explained that her funds were so low, due to not selling the cottage, that she was only able to half complete the property.
After that she would live in that part of the house and open it up to try and sell art work, but to make matters worse, she had to spend another £7,000 on stones to complete it as she didn’t have enough.
The following year she managed to sell the cottage, giving her more money to finish the essential things and allow her to live in the house.
After 18 months Kevin was shocked to see the red roof barns and said of the property: ‘Beautifully, beautifully built.’
‘It brings me deep joy to have my own home back again,’ Sarah told him.
Some others fumed on X: ‘Usually I feel sorry for people on #GrandDesigns when they run out of money. Then you get Sara… the entitled Sara who was meant to be the project manager trying to blame everyone else for her mess. £530k for an unfinished grey box. Each to their own I guess.’
‘£520,000 and STILL not finished. Someone spent too long on arts and not basic maths.’
In the end she spent £520,000 for the building, but still had a bit more to go in order to complete it.
It comes after Kevin opened up about the ‘mixed emotions’ of Grand Designs’ ‘saddest ever’ home – as he spoke out for the first time since it was finally sold last month.
Speaking ahead of Grand Designs Live at NEC Birmingham this week, the Channel 4 property show host said the story of Chesil Cliff House on the north coast of Devon had been a ‘huge part’ of his life.
During his time on the show, Edward Short, 52, had left viewers in floods of tears in his quest to renovate a dilapidated lighthouse into a luxury eco-friendly home – with some even branding it the ‘saddest’ tale to ever feature in its 25 years on air.
The decade-long transformation – which was only meant to take 18 months and cost £1.8million – left Edward on the edge of bankruptcy and unable to attract a buyer, after taking years to complete and going wildly over budget.
Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud (pictured last week) has broken his silence after the show’s ‘saddest ever’ home finally found a buyer
Last month, it was revealed that Mr Short had finally sold the property for £4.35 million to a London taxi driver turned property developer – but not before it had cost him his 20-year marriage to wife Hazel and left him drowning in £7million worth of debt.
What’s more, the mansion was in the hands of the receivers when it was up for sale, meaning Edward himself won’t see a penny from it.
He had first appeared on Grand Designs in 2010 and returned to the show for numerous follow-up episodes, including one detailing the history of his misfortunes in 2019.
Understandably, host Kevin was very affected by news that the property had finally been sold and reflected on the intense emotions the saga had brought with it.
‘I know that Ed will have a lot of mixed emotions about it, he’s been wanting to sell the project for so long – he’s immensely attached to the building, it was a passion project for him, one that he didn’t intend to sell initially,’ Kevin told crowds in the arena, as per The Mirror.
He continued: ‘It’s been a huge part of his life, and a huge part of our life – making the programme and revisiting him. I’ve got to know Ed very well, and I know that he’ll have mixed feelings. His relationship with that place is complex.
‘I just pray that it brings all the resolution and all the opportunity to move on that he was hoping, and I know that it will be a relief for him and for Hazel, and that it will refresh a degree of sadness as well, because its occupied so much of their lives, and changed their lives in so many ways.’
Grand Designs airs Wednesdays on Channel 4 and is available to stream on channel4.com.
