Grand Designs viewers are in danger of not watching the show anymore after episode 5 of the series ends with ANOTHER unfinished house after a three-year project
Disappointed viewers of Channel 4’s Grand Designs have complained about yet another unfinished project in the series – the second in two weeks.
While the exterior of the ‘forest house’ was completed ‘beautifully’ in episode five of the new series, the interior was described by host Kevin McCloud as ‘one big void’, even though the owner, Lucinda, started the project three years ago.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, an unimpressed viewer said: “Another week. Another shed. #GrandDesigns’.
Lucinda, a retired furniture maker, had originally thought that completing her low environmental impact home in South Herefordshire would take no more than 18 months and not exceed the £150,000 budget.
But when McCloud visited the house, he discovered that “in stark contrast to the lovingly detailed exterior,” the inside had more in common with a building site.
Episode 5 of the new series of Grand Designs saw Lucinda set out to build a ‘forest house’ in South Herefordshire. Host Kevin McCloud described the carefully crafted building as ‘a jewel’
After complimenting Lucinda on the “precise and beautifully crafted” structure and admiring “the black-stained trim” that “contrasts sharply with that carefully placed skin of ten and a half thousand shingles,” McCloud seemed excited to look inside.
When Lucinda welcomed the presenter to her home, she warned him: “I feel like I have to apologize in advance,” because the project was not yet finished.
McCloud walked into the building and found what he described as a “blank canvas.”
The inside of the house was not only unfurnished, but also structurally incomplete, with no kitchen, living room, bedroom or bathroom.
While Lucinda had built the mezzanine, she had not yet started work on the ‘floating stairs’ that would give her access. In the meantime, she relied on a workman’s ladder to reach the first floor.
The ground floor looked less like a living space than a storage room with shelves stacked in one corner that she had “diligently preserved” for the next phase of work.
“Beautiful on the outside and, dare we say, promising on the inside,” McCloud said.
Lucinda was keen to build the house herself with the help of only ‘a talented team of helpers’, including her own children, and seemed surprisingly relaxed about the state of the house, suggesting she would need ‘a few years’ to complete it to finish. .
When asked about her budget, she admitted that the house that should have cost £150,000 would now cost ‘less than £300,000’.
When McCloud ventured inside, he saw that Lucinda had not made any progress on the interior even after three years on the project
Planks of wood that would be used to build Lucinda’s ‘floating staircase’ were stacked against the wall on the main floor of the house
But while Lucinda appreciated the ability to “work at your own pace” as a “real luxury,” viewers of the episode were less philosophical about the unfinished project.
One angry viewer posted on X: ‘Nothing more annoying than an unfinished house when the show ends.’
Another frustrated viewer commented: ‘Why would you air the episode if it isn’t over yet? It could have waited for another series.’
While a third said: ‘Look forward to seeing a completed house inside and out sometime in this latest series of #GrandDesigns.’
Annoyed viewers were keen to point out that this was the second week in a row that the construction project was not completed at the end of the episode.
“The one from last week wasn’t finished either,” said one.
While another was so dissatisfied with the episode that she threatened to stop watching the program.
‘Right, that’s it, I don’t watch #granddesigns anymore! Another week and another unfinished project! Figure it out @Kevin_McCloud,” she wrote.
Lucinda told McCloud that she didn’t mind the project running late and that she was happy to be able to work at her own pace
The ground floor of Lucinda’s house was more of a building site than a house and by the end of the episode there was no furniture left
Viewers of the episode took to X, formerly known as Twitter, largely to complain about the second unfinished project in two weeks. However, not everyone was unhappy with the episode, with one woman praising ‘Lucinda’s vision’
In last week’s episode, architect Graeme and graphic designer Mel admitted that after two years working on their project in London’s Hackney Downs, they may have to resort to selling the property.
The couple ran out of money to fix problems with the basement, where their daughters’ bedrooms were supposed to be.
However, other viewers praised Lucinda’s approach to building her perfect home, with one woman commenting:
“Dear me, you judge a lot, just enjoying the almost solo efforts of a woman who is not in a big hurry? Use your imagination? I love it and can see Lucinda’s vision’.