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Grand Designs

Monday 1st January 2024 

We’ve long been fans of the Channel 4 TV programme Grand Designs - in awe of the vision of some of the project managers, marvelled at the tenacity of the owners and, more often than not, envied the amazing buildings achieved.


And who hasn’t played Grand Designs Bingo?

Will the windows fit?

Will they keep within budget?

Will the builders leave mid job?

Will they fall foul of planning regulations?

Will they spend a winter in a cold caravan?

Will their marriage survive?

Will the wife/partner get pregnant?

All that jeopardy, building your dream home on a grand scale is not for the faint hearted!


So here we are in a lovely village in the French Pyrenees where our friends have lived for the past 15 years. We last visited them in March 2020, a couple of weeks before we were literally chased out of France as everywhere closed down in a vain attempt to try to stop COVID spreading.


Back then the self-build they had recently started on was just a shell and inside we negotiated wooden ladders to get to the first floor. Today it is a stunning building and a beautiful home & I’m sure Kevin McCloud would be gushing superlatives. 


Building shell 2020

Finished building 2024

First floor - windows & insulation going in 2020

Kitchen, dining area, patio & balcony 2024

Living area 2024

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