Five of Grand Designs’ biggest disasters, from a floating pile of junk to the ugliest house ever

Great designs It has hosted many brilliant ideas that have dramatically failed to materialize.

In some cases, the potential dream properties on display ruined marriages, caused heart attacks, left their owners in financial ruin and, in one case, even washed ashore.

Following the news that Edward Short’s dream lighthouse mansion has come back on the market for a reduced price of £5.5 million, we take a look back at the show’s five most expensive renovations that went wrong.

1. The lighthouse that broke up a marriage and a man

One of the most famous disasters ever presented by Great designs is the mansion of Short, who starred in what viewers called the show’s “saddest ever” episode in 2019.

What began as a grand scheme to allow the Short family a slower pace of life in North Devon than in London eventually broke up the decades-long marriage of Edward and his wife Holly, leaving him with an estimated £7 million in debt.

The ambitious project, which was located in a difficult coastal location, was seen as a dangerous lesson in overreach by host Kevin McCloud, who admitted he doubted it would be possible to complete the house within the planned timeframe of just 18 months.

Instead, the house took more than 12 years to build and remains incomplete, with areas such as the kitchen reportedly still requiring work.

While it has had some interested buyers, including Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard and Harry Styles, Chesil Cliff House remains on the market, with its £10 million asking price ultimately deemed too high.

However, it’s worth noting that it was recently relisted for sale, so it may find a new owner soon.

Eduardo said devon live: “I have gotten used to being a millionaire and in debt. I’ve been doing this build for over 10 years, so I’m over the headaches and have gained a lot of resilience.

“I can’t make any plans for what I’ll do next until it’s sold, but I’d be very surprised if they included any more major construction projects. “I think I need a physiatrist and help with PTSD.”

2. The ecological barge

The Eco Barge began as a brilliant idea: a houseboat made entirely from recycled materials that would provide housing in London for a fraction of the price of anywhere else.

However, when Chris Miller and his wife Sze Liu Lai began the project without a plan, it quickly went awry and angered many dock builders and owners.

One builder said in the memorable 2007 episode that the barge “looks like shit,” while McCloud couldn’t help but call the house “a floating junk challenge.”

The barge apparently met its end on the banks of the River Thames in 2011, with its windows smashed after being looted and used as a brief party venue by squatters.

However, in 2021, it was reported to have been purchased by the new owners, Sarah and Rob Burch, who planned to finally make the project a success, starting with a solid plan for the former Thames barge.

But as of this writing, there are no further updates on the fate of the barge.

3. The converted church

another failed Great designs The home that led to the divorce was the 18th-century St Martin’s Church in West Yorkshire, which Dean Marks, his wife Hilary and their daughter hoped would become their dream home.

The 2007 conversion suffered several setbacks, including struggles to obtain building permits and vandals, all of which affected the couple’s marriage.

“I admit I worked hard on it,” Marks told the online mail. “I didn’t spend a lot of quality time with Hilary, but it was a small price to pay.”

But if divorce wasn’t already a high enough price to pay for a house, Marks also suffered two heart attacks due to the stress of construction and later developed testicular cancer.

4. The Hux Fragment

Great designs has proven time and time again that properties often go over budget, but one of the most disastrous examples from the program was The Hux Shard in Devon, which cost 199 per cent more than planned.

Initially planned to cost a total of £835,000, this unusual looking property cost £2.5 million to build.

McCloud couldn’t help but admit it was an example of how Joe and Claire Pridays had “more money than sense” when they spent £125,000 on the kitchen alone.

The house, which was made of giant zinc shards, was also not well received by viewers of the 2021 episode.

“In all seriousness, that was a disgusting Grand Design. Everything about him highlighted the abyss between the haves and the have-nots. What did he spend just on a kitchen??! And what about the environmental cost?” slammed a spectator.

5. The Thunderbirds House

Inspired by thunder birdsThis house, in theory, was a sci-fi fan’s dream, but the reality ended up being more than a little lackluster.

The property, although loved by its owners, whose only criticism was that it was reeling during a storm, was criticized by viewers for its 2021 appearance.

Someone called the converted steel-clad water tower “the ugliest house I’ve ever seen.”

However, its owners, Dennis Pedersen and Misa Godebska, compared the Norfolk property to a “Bond lair”.

Pedersen admitted: “I saw a lot thunder birds.”