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Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

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Howard
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Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

#205488

Postby Howard » March 4th, 2019, 6:07 pm

A large-scale “Grand Design” project is under scrutiny near Winchester. Kevin McCloud of the TV series “Grand Designs” is the Chairman of the company (HAB) who have built an estate of houses but have not yet completed the project.

According to local articles (and the brochure for the development) a number of features were promised including a running track, an orchard and other landscaping amenities. These are yet to be completed.

See:

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/ne ... g-project/

https://www.habhousing.co.uk/sites/defa ... ressed.pdf

Out of interest I had a look at the site and could see as a layman that there was a lot of “finishing off” to do, including surfacing some of the estate roads and landscaping details. The residents have set up a group to lobby for things to be finished.

Sadly the estate (which includes houses which must have sold for around a million) reminded me of developments which preceded recessions in the past which took a long time to finish.

Also I read that the developers funded some of the costs by issuing high-interest mini bonds, see:

https://www.bbpmedia.co.uk/news/financi ... aised.html

As a keen watcher of Grand Designs, I wonder how this project will be finished. Do others, more knowledgeable about property development have any ideas?

regards

Howard

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Re: Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

#205498

Postby Charlottesquare » March 4th, 2019, 7:20 pm

Cannot comment on the particular project but would mention that it is not uncommon to lay the final road surface coat once construction activity involving heavy machinery has all finished on site, this prevents large trucks /diggers etc damaging a newly laid road surface.

No idea re labour and material cost inflation these days, the reasons given in the articles for the slower than anticipated progress, as we no longer really build anything substantial having reverted to just leasing out our existing commercial property portfolio, and even there we are hunkered down to see what sort of climate we end up with once the politicians lead us somewhere; we have not really done any meaningful construction work since about 2013.

Howard
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Re: Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

#246436

Postby Howard » August 23rd, 2019, 1:03 am

Sadly I read in the Guardian today that the small investors in Kevin Mcloud's companies face huge losses.

And his housing development near Winchester won't be finished off anytime soon.

His programmes are interesting, but one wonders why he didn't learn from them himself. :(

regards

Howard

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radi ... uge-losses

Watis
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Re: Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

#246462

Postby Watis » August 23rd, 2019, 9:02 am

It's the windows, isn't it?

It's always the windows . . .

Having watched a few Grand Designs, it is clear that the way to a problem-free self-build is to order the windows first. Then, design the house around whatever eventually arrives!

Watis

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Re: Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

#246468

Postby redsturgeon » August 23rd, 2019, 9:26 am

Watis wrote:It's the windows, isn't it?

It's always the windows . . .

Having watched a few Grand Designs, it is clear that the way to a problem-free self-build is to order the windows first. Then, design the house around whatever eventually arrives!

Watis


I've been doing my own "grand design" since last November. I can tell you from my own experience that the window issue is not that simple. My window company would not fabricate the made to measure windows until they had visited the site and completed a site survey to measure the gaps that the windows were to be fitted into. I actually had to provide photos to prove that the openings were complete before they would book an appointment for the survey. Then I was quoted 6 weeks for delivery and fitting. There was no way around this delay.

I live about 4 miles from the Winchester development. I understand that the houses are now finished but the surrounding landscape is not and this was a major selling point. I also understand that some significant defects exist in the actual house builds.

I can confirm the high costs and shortage of decent building trades around here. I was going to have one main contractor for my build but the quotes came in with a 100% difference from the lowest to highest of five quotes. Only one of the contractors actually bother to visit the site before quoting. The quantity surveyors estimate was based on a blockwork build while I was having a SIP build. I looked at the only detailed quote that i was provided with and thought I could save about 50% on many of the trades quoted, eg plastering, chippy, plumber, electrician. I therefore decided to project manage and hire trades individually and have saved about 33% overall versus the lowest main contractor bid.

John

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Re: Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs) apologises for delays in housing project

#246469

Postby tikunetih » August 23rd, 2019, 9:41 am

redsturgeon wrote:The quantity surveyors estimate was based on a blockwork build while I was having a SIP build.


FYI ('Y' not meaning redsturgeon, of course):

Guide to SIPs
https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/guide-to ... ed-panels/


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