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Surely someone with kids who has had such a stark reminder of his own mortality would think about what he would leave his family should the worst happen. In this guy's case, crippling debt... 🙄
Also, what mos said, very disrespectful towards contractors livelihoods.
i dont even get how you can borrow that much money .
surely he must be earning a huge amount.
3.3 million and can't afford a ping pong table.
Just watching it now. Is it a requirement to wear a hard hat at a jaunty angle to be on this programme ?
If slightly baffled, who can afford this type of debt...£ 15K a month mortgage FFS !
Per month, you repay
assuming your interest rate stays the same
£15,646
Total you'll repay over full term
(Includes mortgage debt, £3,300,000 + total interest £1,393,892)
£4,693,892
There must be more to it than the programe let on, as surely they couldn't borrow that amount of money without the resources to pay it back.
Not to mention the fact that he's had a life threatening problem that may impact the ability to get a future mortgage.
They probably got critical illness payouts etc before and maybe had a million or so from the old house but even so to have that degree of arrogance and sefishness over not being able to pay and the effect on livelyhoods of others is disgusting.
Nice house, but far too big for somebody who can't really afford it.
The one thing he wanted was a table tennis table. The one thing he didn't get was a table tennis table.
The one thing she wanted was a big house.
Oh and a big kitchen.
Oh and the kid's bedrooms' to be a km away.
And a BMW.
And walls built from stones collected from the scummy public beach.
She wanted a private beach thrown in as well.
He kept talking money. She looked as though money wasn't an issue.
The designer, fair play, had a touch of genius in him.
For GD give me a madman over a money bags any day.
Just did fag packet calcs .....
I dont earn a bad wage neither does the mrs .....
Earning potential over our working life time wouldnt clear that mortgage , let alone the term payment.....
Maybe they need to consolidate their loans into one easy monthly payment?
There's a phrase you don't hear much these days.
how much is the property worth?
maybe they're thinking if things went tits up they could just flog it an be reet.
The financing is always interesting. They started with two large houses in Kent(?) which could easily have been worth a couple of million each. . I'd assume their own plus one inherited from parents. They sold the first to buy the land and presumably get started on the build but they were running out not long after the steel. so maybe they started with 1.4m in equity/cash. Maybe more - they must have thought they could afford the original build budget of 800k (so could have been 1.7m)
Then they remortgaged the second house (described as the "rental" and a buy to let mortgage). Assume they borrowed up to 50% of the value that could have been another miLion. Then mortgaged themselves to the hilt. 600-1m of mortgage?
A hell of a commitment for someone who you'd expect to be thinkin about working less. Live in it for a few years, service the debt, then sell up I reckon.
Can't see what possible reason they had for going on the show - made them look irresponsible and arrogant. The architect (ish) is great though - a lot of interesting details and a good house (though not sure what they paid the inter.ior designer for - interior wasn't exactly striking and the furniture was horrible. Does anyone really want an office like that?)
Boat guys house was lovely.
House in Surrey was quoted at £850k wasn't it?
Well when I nearly died I spent a chunk of cash on therapy, rather than trying to bury my problems in the ground. Each to their own though.
therapy, aka coke & hookers !
the more recent series don't go anywhere near the relationships between the builder/client/designer any more - notice that the window contractor was prepared to stand on site with the windows and bugger off on the ferry if he didn't get payment, confirmation of their attitude to paying people
it was also seriously unfinished - no mention of the bedrooms/bathrooms/gym in the basement etc
the way they destroyed a beach for decorative pebbles was selfish and arrogant beyond belief, quite why IoW council let them do that is beyond me
does he have his own accounting business? maybe he used that as collateral?
Watched it just now.
As above, the husband in particular comes across as a smug ****, with regard only for himself/family and not those who have provided him with his dream home.
Can't imagine how pissed off any contractors/suppliers are going to be while watching this if they're still awaiting payment.
I wonder how many of his clients are getting someone to give their figures a look. Perhaps he is an accountant to people just like them. Remember he's a tax accountant.
Paid for by the poor, sick, old and disabled.
#evisceratetaxaccountants
While it was obscenely large and expensive I quite liked the house. I assume the house had to be on a grand scale to get a planning concession to build on greenbelt. Houses that are deemed architecturally special can get exemptions from planning constraints.
The boat guy was ace.
boxer dog in high viz
Excellent stuff - looked like it meant business. Once again, the highlight.
Next week.looks good
Definitely. Appears to be the complete opposite to the IoW build but we'll see.
Haven't watched any of this series......
Is next weeks a rock house ? I volunteer for the NT at Kinver Rock Houses, the head gardener who I work with told me about his friend who's house this is and that they're going to be on grand designs soon, it's somewhere near Bewdley/Habberley iirc.
They finished filming a couple of weeks ago, I didn't realise they show them so soon after. They're going to use the place as a holiday let, I can't find the website to book it (and the owners are on holiday at the moment so I can't ask them) as wanted to before it gets all booked up.
Thought it looked like Kinver! Kind of place you never forget.
The designer, Lincoln Miles, has been on before. They did his own house 5 or 6 years ago.
Brahm does come across as being thoroughly unpleasant though. I'd trust him about as far as I could comfortably spit a rat.
Liking this one tonight so far.
Nice bloke with a batsh*t crazy idea of modernising the caves.
The guy has MS and is beasting this so far. Hope he pulls it off.
Plus there's about twelvety wood burners going in
Missed the start. How did he end up with the cave? Did he buy it?
Cost him £60k... I like it and him...
Yep he bought it for £62k including 4 acres.
Came across it years ago sheltering from a downpour while MTBing in the Wyre Forest! 🙂
Then bought it years later.
Seems he did buy for £50k. He used to ride mountain bikes, it's how he found the place.
This is a good one hope it goes well
Edit, £62k then.
Cheers.
All good this week.
This looks great. Just stop with the posh interior now.
Need to arrange a visit
He's quite chilled out, and likes coffee a lot...
Awesome job tonight.
Brilliant. One if my faves this.
Yep I think this cave has def gone in my top five GD builds ever.
I've stayed in a cave house in France before and there's a certain solid quality to them that's really comforting.
Good, if a bit over-designed inside
Loved it. Great guy, great job.
Far better than that twunt of an accountant last week..
Best one for years, I don't think I'd change a thing.
Fantastic job. Just needs to sell tea and cake to passing MTBers now to recoup some costs 🙂
Got to be one of the best builds featured. And a nice guy as well, a refreshing change.
Amazing. But I hope the damp sort itself out.
How the hell did he get planning? North Somerset council are a nightmare unless you want to squeeze another house into a housing estate.
Loved that one, hard graft, genuinely novel design and under budget. Good work fella. Most notably he didn't end up pregnant either.
Why do they never have a telly??
Yep loved that one, cracking build. That's what GD is supposed to be about, not toss pieces spunking stupid amounts of cash on huge pointless architectural penis extensions.
Ooh that ended up ranty 🙂
It's the first one I've seen in a long time that doesn't look like a visitor centre
Top bloke a refreshing cahange as some have already said, got his feet firmly planted and can afford it unlike some after a life changing illness has been diagnosed. Good luck to you fella enjoy your honest labours.
agree with above - really great one this week - even Kevin was well impressed, in his top 5 didnt he say? sticks 2 fingers up all the 600,000 pound all the monye and no taste usual ones on the program.
First time I've watched Grand Designs and thought "I'd like to do that". (although I never will).
really cool that he drilled a bore hole for his own water source, but I was a bit disappointed he didn't do a wind turbine or something to generate his own electricity.
They didn't mention sewerage at all - presumably its on a sceptic tank?
Was a brilliant one, probably the best I've seen. Seemed like a really nice guy too.
really cool that he drilled a bore hole for his own water source, but I was a bit disappointed he didn't do a wind turbine or something to generate his own electricity.They didn't mention sewerage at all - presumably its on a sceptic tank?
They only mentioned that water and sewerage cost £20K, not sure how a pump out truck could get down that track.
Twas good, I missed the first half, it kept saying he was ill and this was his medicine..? what was up with him?
Up there with the best I've seen. My ex has relapsing-remitting MS so have some idea of what is involved. Gobsmacked he managed to get one wheelbarrow of rubble out of there, let alone a cave's worth. Have to admit that the room got a bit dusty at the end. Noticed that Kevin seemed to pitch in a lot more than he normally does, think he was genuinely touched. Top fella as well, loved his attitude - Kevin'd ask him a question loaded with the implications of potential failure and he'd give a knowing/hopeful answer and then just laugh. Top dad too!
How the hell did he get planning? North Somerset council are a nightmare
I thought it was in Worcestershire, though the Wye Forest was mentioned which is in Gloucestershire...Perhaps some deliberate disinformation..?
what was up with him?
Multiple Sclerosis, poor guy (though it seems of the relapsing-remitting variety which is less serious than either secondary or primary progressive, though it can develop into either at any time with no warning). Ran a successful recruitment business in Oz before diagnosis and coming home.
I thought it was in Worcestershire, though the Wye Forest was mentioned which is in Gloucestershire...Perhaps some deliberate disinformation..?
I think it was Wy[i][b]R[/b][/i]e Forest wasn't it, which is Worcs.
Haven't watched GD for years due to too many vanity projects and architects using it as an advert for their own practices.
But these comments about the boat one and the cave one are making me think I'm missing out. Off to 4OD.
I've been enjoying the BBC 100k house one though (especially as that's much more in line with my own budget).
I think it was WyRe Forest wasn't it, which is Worcs
Aaahhh! Penny drops, that makes sense and lots of woody valleys and rocks in that general neck of the woods.
Means that I have to debunk my own conspiracy theory though and return the foil hat to the cupboard 😛
Genuinely brilliant. What a top bloke. Will admit I had a tear in my eye towards the end.
Going to have to look up the cave one on 4OD. Sounds great. Wife's from worcs and works for an MS organisation too.
Side note for the boat fans: my friend Marcus is on George Clark's Amazing Spaces tonight, with his Vospers WW2 seaplane tender (not the seaplane itself, before you get excited.
Should be entertaining. Eccentric, loveable* f- wit.
* depending on how much of the fwittery you've been on the receiving end of recently!
I think Kev was genuinely engaged in a real project that needed effort, not a good relationship with the bank.
A real contrast to the week before and all the willy waving and crapping on tradesmen.
Good luck to him.
I have to agree, a fantastic episode, the best I can remember for quite a while. Great bloke & project.
I'm surprised he didn't make/adapt a room so his daughters could sleep there though.
This looks like it? http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/05/27/rock-house-going-up-for-auction/
I thought it was in Worcestershire, though the Wye Forest was mentioned which is in Gloucestershire...Perhaps some deliberate disinformation..?
was just commenting on my local council. I have suspected for a while we would be much better widening our search area into counties with planning departments that dont just say no to everything.
pleaderwilliams - Member
He's not an architect!He's an 'architectural designer', the difference being 7 years of training and a pretty comprehensive code of conduct. You could set up tomorrow as an 'architectural designer', and no-one could stop you. You couldn't set up as an architect without the aforementioned 7 years of training, getting chartered, signing up to the code of conduct, and taking out some hefty PI insurance.
Hmmmm - tell me more about how I become an 'architectural designer' (serious).
I too watched last nights GD with extra interest as we have a couple of rock houses in our garden in Mansfield , one is brick lined and was used as a air raid shelter in ww2 , it is the last one in mansfield to be lived in as the last rock house dweller died in 1900 . Its approx 600 - 800 years old . Its also in sandstone , the other cave is untouched and even has a fireplace with chimney through the sandstone . Both could be made habitsble but i dont have the time ot the money atm
Kev was on 6music this morning, he said that the ones he likes are the ones that deliver really strong design desire but without just chucking cash about, he mentioned the irish guy that built the house from containers as an example.
Cave one is on 4-7 now.
Brilliant! One thing - why not use a wood burner to hear the water for the bath? The shower was good mind.
I have an answer re the sewage. Shall keep you all on edge of seat until later
Right
For some reason they didn't show this on the show, shame as it's quite interesting. All the sewage is managed on site. There are three reed bed pools that are used as a natural filter.
As you look at the building they are on the left hand side, they were briefly in shot (or at least the area where they were to be dug) when the chap was filmed pushing a barrow up the hill.
I've asked if I can have a tour around the place
I've just watched this episode, is that the ultimate mancave? Love it!
Total respect for the guy with what he's achieved considering his condition and a lovely family to boot.
Agree, best one for a while,
I thought I'd explored most all of the notable local cave houses as a teen/twenty-something, it's great to know there are still some hidden away on private land.
He had originally stumbled across the property 11 years earlier when he was forced to seek shelter from a torrential downpour while out cycling.
why not use a wood burner to hear the water for the bath
You'd have to throw a lot of tree at a tepid puddle. The rock would suck the heat out of the water in seconds; it was a bonkers idea.
The shower was excellent - bit weird he hadn't tried it himself, though.
"From £195 per night" 😯
EDIT: - Book it for the Christmas week and it's a cool £2k for 7 days 😯
It's nice, but that's a huge amount for one bedroomed place
Was thinking of booking a night for Miss Houns' birthday (Christmas week) hmm, don't love her that much! (Joke darling before you kill me!)