We poured £270k into Grand Designs home & lived in caravan for YEARS to afford it – before it was dubbed ‘ugly shed’
A COUPLE who ploughed £270,000 into their dream Grand Designs home were forced to live in a crumbling caravan for three years.
Steph Wilson and husband Alex then faced critics describing their Leominster newbuild as “a huge ugly shed”.
The couple used corrugated iron to line the outside of the building, on the site of Steph’s grandfather’s farm.
Alex himself called the material “ugly” and “like a shed” as they filmed the build for the iconic Channel 4 show.
The couple had a budget of just £250,000 and faced delay when Alex unexpectedly lost his job just as building was set to begin.
An original estimate on a design reached £495,000 – on top of buying back the land, which cost £200,000.
CARAVAN LIVING
The couple were forced to live in a caravan for three years as they battled to get the project off the ground.
It had holes in the floors and a gap in their door which let freezing air flood into the space.
The situation got so bad Alex was forced to perform an emergency operation on the door, haphazardly taping insulation against it to stop cold air getting in.
And their two children barely remembered a time they hadn’t lived in the caravan by the time the build was complete.
Architect Jessica Barker, a childhood friend of Steph, saved the project after an original design went £250,000 over budget.
It’s still very industrial. It’s still a shed
Alex Wilson
Grand Designs’ Kevin McCloud said: “Jessica wants to cover the home in these corrugated sheets. Affordable and local, produced just outside Leominster.
“They’re not exactly what you’d expect to find on a house but Steph and Alex are familiar with this stuff. It’s used on farm buildings, oh yes and on mobile homes.”
Steph added: “In the beginning we were both absolutely dead against it. We wanted timber. But Jess worked me round. One of the reasons was it’s much cheaper. But I so think it’s going to look slick.”
Alex was not so keen, adding: “It’s still very industrial. It’s still a shed.”
Using the sheets instead of timber saved the couple £11,000.
Kevin said: “It’s not to everyone’s taste. By that I mean not to Alex’ taste.”
Alex added: “I’m not sure to be honest. It’s very black. But Steph loves it so that’s all that matters.”
Unveiling the final look, Kevin said: “The mysterious black barn has wrapped itself around the house like a cloak.
“It took a bit of time to get used to but with the timbre it works,” said Alex.
And the couple even managed to get a bit of money back from their dilapidated mobile home.
Steph: “The caravan sold and it’s going next week. We got £1,400.”
Many viewers loved the look of the final product.
One wrote: “This was one of my faves.”
Another added: “Loved this one, simple and beautiful.”
Another compared it to a barn, tagging a pal: “Looks like your barn is already being copied.”
It comes after a woman revealed the heartbreaking reason why she spent £1million transforming her home on Grand Designs.
And an architect told The Sun how the roof of his ambitious build collapsed on-air.
Most lavish Grand Designs homes
OVER the years Grand Designs has showcased the most lavish and luxuries properties in the country - here are some of the best ones
- Dingle Dell Annexe
This property featured on the show back in 2018 and was built as a zero carbon home.
The ambition was to have luxury, comfort all the while the house being constructed entirely of mud.
It’s located in Ottery, Saint Mary but there’s a catch – you’re not able to stay in the main house.
However, you can stay in the annex which will cost you £450 for two adults and two kids, for two nights.
- Dome Lake House
This stunning property is situated on the Lake District and featured on the Channel 4’s show 10th series.
Its owners had fallen behind on their mortgage repayments and were at risk of losing the home before a supporter helped out.
Since then the abode has proven to be a hugely popular rental and operates as a B&B.
The house boasts a huge pool and spacious kitchen and dinning areas.
- Peckham House
This home featured a long time ago, in series five to be exact, and is also known as the The Sliding Glass Roof.
Its owners couldn’t afford to buy a property in London and so bought a piece of land at auction.
The ‘experimental’ house features a sliding glass roof and bedrooms as pods on the mezzanine.
The three bed house sees a wall in the master bedroom completely disappear allowing the garden to become part of the room.
It features a spa as well as a fold down cinema.
- The Water Shed
This property featured on a recent series of Grand Designs and instantly had viewers fascinated.
It’s located in West Sussex and was transformed from a tired, rundown house into a luxurious home.
Daniel and Nina Rowland designed and built the timber-cladding house on their own.
They used their skills as a architect and interior designer to create the stunning property.
