I really can't decide whether I liked this one or not. On the other hand, I really liked the couple, so by default I'm happy that they loved it - at the end of the day that's all that mattered.
I think this is one of those houses that you really have to see in real life to form a good impression - seeing houses on TV does tend to sanitise them a bit.
Overall I preferred the upper floors to the downstairs, but that's probably mainly a case of personal taste. Loved the bathroom and that landing winow really was effective.
I didn't really care for the kitchen and the glass link - clever though it was. It sort of reminded me of when you visit stately homes and they've converted the stables into a tea shop by fronting all the arches with glass. To me the over-pristine kitchen just re-inforced that.
I must admit though, that they seemed to have my approach to money - 'oh - never mind; I'll find it somehow'
Having said they were so keen to keep original features, I thought the end result clashed rather. It certainly didn't seem to be a nice homely farmhouse, anyway. Rather cold and impersonal. For me, modern stylish furniture just doesn't work in an old building like this- it needs to look "lived-in", and it didn't.
£300K spent on renovation - I bet they didn't bargain for that when they bought it. Must say the house was beautiful, but SOOOOO dilapidated and full of death watch beetle; rather them than me. Give me new houses any time.
The end result was lovely though, although I too had reservations about the glass link. Somehow it looked as though rain would leak through where the glass joined the old brickwork. In any case it was out of keeping with the style of the house, and I'm surprised they got permission to do it in a Grade II listed property.
It really is a case of "each to his own" here. I wouldn't want a house like this if it was a free gift because I hate old houses, but for others it would seem paradise.
I did not like the bathroom especially the shower. It seemed very cold and not in keeping with the house. Didn't like the glass link either. From the outside it just made the kitchen look like an after-thought, and I too was surprised they were allowed to do it. I thought the rest of the house was ok but a bit disappointing. I was impressed by the concealed techy stuff though. Must have been a wiring nightmare!
Although the building was re-constructed (I don’t think it fair to say designed) with as much sympathetic thought to the original building and its grand authenticity as possible, the programme just didn’t do it for me. This was a real departure for me from the last series and I hope its not a sign of things to come. I much rather prefer the ‘start from scratch’ approach that Grand Designs has taken in the past with its stars, the buildings.
That said, the house was beautiful and must give its new owners great satisfaction……… but probably not so much until some of that hefty mortgage has gone!
It seemed to have a bit of everything. And it probably just seemed cold and impersonal because they had done their best to tidy up for the cameras. I could see myself in there, few mags scattered about the lounge, kitchen with allsorts of bits scattered everywhere and friends round for a bottle of wine and chinwag, a dog jumping around, many pots of lotions and potions in the showerroom, yup, I could definitely give it the lived in look no problem.
"Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time."
It wasn't my cup of tea but I'm glad they both liked it. How they coped with all that building work I'll never know! The deathwatch beetle and the mouting costs would just about have finished me off.
Why do they go on and on about costs and budgets spiralling out of control and then at the end of the program NOT tell us the value of the property so we can judge whether it justified the expenditure!
I really liked it. And given that the whole place appeared to be on the point of collapse and only standing by force of habit, I thought it was an amazing achievement.
I thought that the glass link to the kitchen was an interesting way of getting round the problem that planning authorities usually require that extensions to listed buildings do not copy the building itself but look as if they are new. From the outside the glass insert "vanished" and the kitchen appeared to be an entirely separate building.
I was not sure about some of the high-tech stuff, especially the screen on the wall, but I loved the bathroom and the shower behind the glass screen.
The attention to detail was impressive - I loved the on-going saga of ensuring that the rush-light holders in the bedroom were not damaged. And the restoration of the landing window was lovely.
I would just love to be able to drive over there and knock on the door and ask to be allowed to look round!
Generally I thought it was lovely and they were v brave to take it on in the first place – they seemed quite young to be able to find that kind of money (although I guess being a lawyer pays well!) but I'm just jealous cos no matter how hard I work I'm never going to have that kind of money and they seemed v nice. Did think it looked a bit sparsh at the end - could have done with a little bit more clutter and furniture, and I think that being in the kitchen might seem a bit lonely if you've got guests all sitting in the main house.
I thought the end result was great, though I finished up somewhat puzzled at the couple's attitude.
On the one hand they were shocked by the budget increases and were wondering how they could afford it.
On the other hand they made absolutely no attempt to compromise on any aspect of the interior! OK, wiring has to be done at the same time as the rebuild, but you could easily delete spurious options like the video projector in the bedroom, and put up with a cheaper bathroom for a few years. You could knock £100K off the budget easily.
The only explanation to me is that the extra money wasn't actually that much to them. I can't believe the alternative, which would be that they were risking going into arrears on a massive mortgage with potential repossession.
I totally loved the bathroom - but although they were retaining the original structure and features, I found the rest of the interior rather bland, once it was finished. Maybe that's because the end of the programme seemed a little rushed.
I loved the whole thing (just watched it). They were so careful to preserve as much of the original as possible, like the little rush light holders and relaying the floors skewiff just as they'd found them. A brilliant project.
I thought this particular programme was very good.....BUT I nearly fell of the couch when the said that they had £70,000 to renovate a £400,000 property. Not a HOPE.......Seemed silly to me. But I take my hat off to them both...they did a brilliant job.....but it reminded me of an old film "The Money Pit" a house like that will drink money. I particulary liked the bathroom, the "tellie!!" AND the glass link...although I think it didn't give enough of a contrast....a bit too conservative for my taste-it could have been a bit more way-out!. I think they need a few kids running around to liven the place up! Great programme..............wonderful renovation...........congratulations.....but I wouldn't like the mortgage repayments!!.
reasonably interesting episode. Avisk. a couple of points re the rush holes, well remember the property is listed and you can also be damn sure they were instructed to mainytain these any many other articles of the fabric of the building,
as for the leaded light window, yes nice job BUT why didnt the maker use handmade float which would have been indistinguishable from the original and only added probably £100 to the cost of the window ( I make them hence my knowledge)
Otherwise I didnt think too much of the austere look nor the 4* hotel bathroom but as is the case each to there own and a nice building preserved for the future. Mike
I did not like the bathroom especially the shower. It seemed very cold and not in keeping with the house.
The only sort of bathroom that would have been 'in keeping' with the house would have been a hole in the ground Piggles!
I really enjoyed this GD as to me it spoke of 'conservation' not 'constipation', though an authentic bathroom might have had that result!
The couple seem a bit controlled and sanitised but if that's how they wanted to appear on the programme then fair enough. It must put people off being filmed if it always has to make a crisis out of everything.
I have to agree with avisk, I thought the kitchen extension was a huge success and definately what English Heritage want in this situation.
The couple had an unrealistic attitude at the beginning, and budget for this sort of project but were lucky enough to be able to take it to completion. I'm sure the house value is much more than they spent and their sense of achievement managing a massive renovation was clear at the end.
I myself would prefer to live in a less expensive to run house ie: more energy efficient but the combination of mod cons and character was a pleasing result.
This sort of property may be rare in our country but medieval houses that are pretty untouched seem to be two a penny in France, don't they?
Just watched this and it did nothing for me. They didn't like new houses so they put some hideous ultra-modern features into a very old one. Soulless kitchen in an ingruous extension, absolutely vile bathroom and loads of schoolboy techie toys that were not only unnecessary but out of place.
But money obviously wasn't any object. If they like it, that's the main thing but it seems pointless to have to to be so careful of original features then it's all right to put in a video screen......
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