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General: Kevin McCloud: Most Grand Designs are too big and too bright

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorTriassic
    • CommentTimeOct 14th 2012
     
    KEVIN'S FAVOURITE GRAND DESIGNS 1: Ben Law’s cruck-framed woodland house was built from sweet chestnut from the woodland that he owns in Sussex. “A truly inspirational home, harmonising with the woodland around it and the inspiration behind my own shed project in Somerset,” says Kevin

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/9596965/Kevin-McCloud-Most-Grand-Designs-are-too-big-and-too-bright.html

    The article is worth the read. Highlights include -

    "Suddenly walls of glass – about eight times less insulating than solid walls – don’t seem like such a clever idea, roasting occupants in the summer and freezing them in winter."

    “Ground-source heat pumps are very good for providing low-level background heat in a well-insulated home, but if you want to heat a poorly insulated house to 23 degrees you would be better off with an efficient gas boiler. "

    "You could build a really well-insulated, low-energy home but that won’t stop the owners from flinging open the windows, cranking up the heating and installing a plasma screen television.”
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 14th 2012
     
    He must have been ready some of the comments on here. Let us see if he mentions all the more contentious ones soon :wink:
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeOct 14th 2012
     
    It is just stunning how disconnected people are becoming from reality and nature. Back in the 70's room temperature was usually described as being 18C as far as I remember but since then it has crept up until it new high in this piece of 23C:shocked: Who needs the room heated to 23C which is a temperature we don't see up here in the Highlands even in the summer. Wear a pullover and wrap a rug around your legs if they're are cold.

    Phew, rant over:jumping:

    I stopped watching GD long ago as it really is full of ......

    Jonti
    • CommentAuthorCav8andrew
    • CommentTimeOct 14th 2012
     
    Full of ......Glass ?
    • CommentAuthorSeret
    • CommentTimeOct 15th 2012 edited
     
    My missus would quite happily crank the thermostat up to 23 if I let her. My boss at work heats his place to 26, but I suspect he was born on the sun.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 15th 2012
     
    Posted By: SeretMy boss at work heats his place to 26, but I suspect he was born on the sun.
    So would I as I lived in the sun for years.
    Not really the temperature that is important, more the fuel burnt to get there.
    • CommentAuthornikhoward
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    The best grand designs are always the ones where they shave built it themselves and not when they are a banker (replace b with w?) wanting to make a statement to there chums at the golf club. I forget that it actually about designs that our grand not self built or green
    •  
      CommentAuthorjoe90
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    I actually contacted Kevin about a year ago (through channel 4) and suggested that they considered a new programme called "Green designs" as being green was becoming more popular, I actually got a reply saying they would look into it, but have heard nothing yet.
    • CommentAuthorBeau
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012 edited
     
    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: nikhoward</cite>The best grand designs are always the ones where they shave built it themselves and not when they are a banker (replace b with w?) wanting to make a statement to there chums at the golf club. I forget that it actually about designs that our grand not self built or green</blockquote>

    I don't know , I like laughing at the extreme excesses of some episodes. I remember one exactly as you describe were they wanted to impress. All they managed to do was massively offend some local residents (something to do with the bricks) and I remember there cooker cost nearly as much as I spent on materials for our whole build and it did not even work :bigsmile: couldn't have wished these problems onto nicer people.
    • CommentAuthorCav8andrew
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    Perhaps the title should be taken literally, build a home for a grand.
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    Posted By: Cav8andrewPerhaps the title should be taken literally, build a home for a grand.

    I would give that a go :wink:
    • CommentAuthornikhoward
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    Posted By: joe90I actually contacted Kevin about a year ago (through channel 4) and suggested that they considered a new programme called "Green designs" as being green was becoming more popular, I actually got a reply saying they would look into it, but have heard nothing yet.


    Nice one
    • CommentAuthornikhoward
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    Posted By: nikhoward
    Posted By: joe90I actually contacted Kevin about a year ago (through channel 4) and suggested that they considered a new programme called "Green designs" as being green was becoming more popular, I actually got a reply saying they would look into it, but have heard nothing yet.


    Nice one


    If fact there are atleast a few seasons worth of suitable properties on here (as long as it pays!)
    • CommentAuthornikhoward
    • CommentTimeOct 16th 2012
     
    Posted By: Beau
    Posted By: nikhowardThe best grand designs are always the ones where they shave built it themselves and not when they are a banker (replace b with w?) wanting to make a statement to there chums at the golf club. I forget that it actually about designs that our grand not self built or green


    I don't know , I like laughing at the extreme excesses of some episodes. I remember one exactly as you describe were they wanted to impress. All they managed to do was massively offend some local residents (something to do with the bricks) and I remember there cooker cost nearly as much as I spent on materials for our whole build and it did not even workhttp:///newforum/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/bigsmile.gif" alt=":bigsmile:" title=":bigsmile:" >couldn't have wished these problems onto nicer people.


    I know the one, old violin factory in London. Best quote (I remember to this day), when Kevin asked about overspend "oh well Johny (Jiles/Tarquin/whatever) will just have to work even harder for a bigger bonus"

    Remember that hob will never actually to cooked on either!
    • CommentAuthorecohome
    • CommentTimeOct 22nd 2012
     
    I must say his Man Made Home makes for compelling watching, wonderful experimental & low-tech.
  16.  
    Posted By: ecohomeI must say his Man Made Home makes for compelling watching, wonderful experimental & low-tech.


    But how did he get away with it in respect of planning. Would sinking a trailer into the ground actually circumvent the planning rules I very much doubt. Due to our lovely neighbors we had a visit from the council within 2 days of starting to put up temporary field shelters for our animals. They demanded that it was removed but I managed to send them packing as the shelter was classed as a temporary structure.
    • CommentAuthorecohome
    • CommentTimeOct 22nd 2012
     
    Posted By: renewablejohn
    Posted By: ecohomeI must say his Man Made Home makes for compelling watching, wonderful experimental & low-tech.


    But how did he get away with it in respect of planning. Would sinking a trailer into the ground actually circumvent the planning rules I very much doubt. Due to our lovely neighbors we had a visit from the council within 2 days of starting to put up temporary field shelters for our animals. They demanded that it was removed but I managed to send them packing as the shelter was classed as a temporary structure.


    I dunno, but I can probably find out (he lives in the next village).
    •  
      CommentAuthorjoe90
    • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2012
     
    Kevin actually stated on the programme that he got round the planning by building on a wheeled chassis so it was actually not a fixed structure. "But" dont caravan sites need planning for mobile homes?
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeOct 24th 2012
     
    I think up to 5 units should be okay otherwise you would need permission for the caravan in the drive. However, not sure about permanent residence.

    Jonti
    • CommentAuthorbeelbeebub
    • CommentTimeOct 24th 2012
     
    I've often wondered about this. As I understand it houseboats are not covered by planning or building regs. So If I dug a large pond just bigger than the footprint of my building, filed it and then built my house on a floating pontoon, would that be a houseboat and therefore exempt from planning? :bigsmile:
  21.  
    Posted By: beelbeebubI've often wondered about this. As I understand it houseboats are not covered by planning or building regs. So If I dug a large pond just bigger than the footprint of my building, filed it and then built my house on a floating pontoon, would that be a houseboat and therefore exempt from planning?http:///forum114/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/bigsmile.gif" alt=":bigsmile:" title=":bigsmile:" >


    Need planning for a pond of that size though! Would be classed as an engineering operation...
    • CommentAuthorJonti
    • CommentTimeOct 24th 2012
     
    Posted By: willie.macleod
    Posted By: beelbeebubI've often wondered about this. As I understand it houseboats are not covered by planning or building regs. So If I dug a large pond just bigger than the footprint of my building, filed it and then built my house on a floating pontoon, would that be a houseboat and therefore exempt from planning?http:///forum114/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/bigsmile.gif" alt=":bigsmile:" alt=":bigsmile:" src="http:///forum114/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/bigsmile.gif" >" title=":bigsmile:" alt=":bigsmile:" src="http:///forum114/extensions/Vanillacons/smilies/standard/bigsmile.gif" >" >


    Need planning for a pond of that size though! Would be classed as an engineering operation...


    What about a Houseboat on a trailer?:bigsmile:

    Jonti
    •  
      CommentAuthorSteamyTea
    • CommentTimeOct 24th 2012
     
    By a bit of land with pond on it.
  24.  
    Posted By: renewablejohn
    Posted By: ecohomeI must say his Man Made Home makes for compelling watching, wonderful experimental & low-tech.


    But how did he get away with it in respect of planning. Would sinking a trailer into the ground actually circumvent the planning rules I very much doubt. Due to our lovely neighbors we had a visit from the council within 2 days of starting to put up temporary field shelters for our animals. They demanded that it was removed but I managed to send them packing as the shelter was classed as a temporary structure.


    Found out there is a forestry loophole which your allowed to build 60 ft long by 23 ft wide by 10 ft high might try and see how far I get before challenged.

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