Grand Designs Straw House Fire

GRAND Designs has treated viewers to some of the most incredible home transformations in the last 20 years… but not every project went according to plan.

Some people saw their dreams turn nightmares after planning issues, cash challenges and vandalism got in the way - with at least one tearing a family apart.

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While many projects on Grand Designs are resounding successes, others lie unfinished and a huge financial burden Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

The extensive builds can be a strain on any relationship, and some of the amateur developers have even ended getting divorced from their spouses during the process.

Meanwhile, their dream homes lie rotting and far from the finished vision.

So what happens when the cameras stop rolling and host Kevin McCloud has left the builders to their own devices?

Here are some of the luxury homes which tore families and bank accounts apart and ended up being more trouble than they were worth…

The Eco-Barge

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The eco-barge was supposed to be an epic floating home for Chris Miller, his wife Sze Liu Lai and their two kids Credit: Alamy

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Chris and Sze were unable to live on their boat of dreams Credit: Channel 4

Chris Miller and his wife Sze Liu Lai dreamed of escaping London and renovating a ramshackle houseboat in Essex to live on with their two kids.

They planned to spend £80,000 on adding recycled materials to their 100ft Medward Eco-barge.

However, the family were left all at sea when their boat was left moored unfinished in the Thames estuary near Southend.

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Vandals and squattors caused £70,000 worth of damage to it when it was moored in London Credit: Channel 4

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The home even broke free of its mooring and is now too expensive for the family to renovate Credit: Channel 4

Here it became a target for squatters and vandals, and broke free from its mooring in 2011 to be later found washed up a beach.

While Chris said they hoped to continue renovating the boat, the £70,000 worth of damage by vandals meant it was no longer financially viable.

The Lighthouse

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Grand Designs viewers have dubbed The Lighthouse the 'saddest project ever' after it ended up looking like a 'bunker' Credit: Channel 4/Grand Designs

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An artist's rendering of what the finished design should look like, with a glass-fronted infinity pool Credit: Channel 4/Grand Designs

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Host Kevin met Edward, 50, and his wife Hazel, who have spent a decade building the home and have around £4million in debt Credit: Channel 4/Grand Designs

Earlier this month, Grand Design viewers labelled Edward White's coastal home as one of the "saddest episodes ever".

Edward and wife Hazel had an ambitious plan to build a £1.8million pad on Chesil Cliff House in Croyde in Devon.

The couple hoped to transform the clifftop home into an incredible white art deco "lighthouse" with a glass edge infinity swimming pool, home cinema, sauna and steam room.

While Edward said it was a "little boy's dream", Hazel has slammed it as being a "nightmare" which has driven the couple deep into debt.

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Edward and Hazel's marriage broke down thanks to the complicated project Credit: Channel 4/Grand Designs

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The home is still not finished and Edward estimates he will need another £2million Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

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The concrete home has been labelled an eyesore by local residents and has cost the couple their marriage Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

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Hazel said the home has been a 'nightmare' and has had numerous complications Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

The strain of the building since 2011 and Edward being nearly £4million in debt has caused them to split up, and Edward's downhearted daughters say they doubt the lighthouse is "ever going to happen".

Locals have now slammed the grey concrete home as an "eyesore" on the stunning coastline, and Edward and Hazel estimate they need a further £2million to finish the project.

Almost a decade after the couple were given permission for the project, the home is far from finished, despite them originally estimating it would take 18 months to build.

The Dome House

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The Dome House was designed to be an incredible seven-bedroom pad with an indoor pool Credit: Channel 4

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Robert and Milla with their children Joseph and Maya at their partly-built Grand Designs home Credit: Paul Vicente - The Sunday Times

The Dome House was the project of architect and owner Robert Gaukroger, and he hoped to make the modern, seven-bedroom pad of his dreams.

He dedicated two years and £1million constructing the unique hillside project above Bowness-in-Windermere in 2011 and Kevin called his vision "awe-inspiring".

The goal was to create a futuristic eco-mansion complete with an indoor pool.

However, locals who saw the home in 2016 worried that it had been abandoned, after the grounds looked overgrown and scruffy.

It emerged that Robert had been caught up in an eight-year dispute with a neighbour and moved down south to study at university.

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In 2016 locals feared the home had been abandoned after it looked overgrown Credit: Peter Powell / Sunday People

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The home was sold on and has now been renovated and is run as a luxury guest house boasting glowing reviews on TripAdvisor Credit: Photogenics

He then tried to sell the home for £2.3million in 2015 and then dropped the price to £1.45million months later.

Thankfully the home had a happy ending, as it was purchased by Yvonne Malley, who had previously donated cash to save the build five year before when the credit crunch left Robert with a half-finish home.

Now it has been renovated and is run as a luxury guest house boasting glowing reviews on TripAdvisor.

MOST READ IN FABULOUS

Grand Designs House of the Year fans slammed a 'concrete prison' home for resembling a 'crematorium' & a cork pad as 'ugly'.

We shared how a Grand Designs couple were forced to flog £35K painting to finish airfield-inspired home SIX YEARS after they started building work.

And a new mum broke down in tears during £500k Grand Designs renovation – after fearing her cancer-stricken husband wouldn't live to see it finished.

Kevin McCloud visits a property made completely of cork on Grand Designs

Grand Designs Straw House Fire

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10201558/grand-designs-rotting-houses-derelict-vandals/

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