Grand Design or Epic Fail?

GreenTreeFrog

GreenTreeFrog

Series 7 (2007) - Episode 3

"The Eco-Barge" Medway 14 March 2007
Chris Miller and his wife Sze Liu Lai lived in a tiny flat in East London with their two children Alexion and Tayszea. It was very tight for space and as the kids grew they really felt in need of more room. Chris and Sze are both social workers on low incomes and they have very little in the way of savings. They did however own a small narrow boat, which inspired a solution to their ‘no money, no space’ dilemma. They decided to build a houseboat which would give them more space for a fraction of the price of a home on land. They began with an 86ft steel barge moored in a boatyard on the River Medway...

The barge was found last month, washed up on a beach in the UK.

http://news1.ghananation.com/intern...barge-turns-up-on-essex-beach-vandalised.html

And another interesting perspective on it!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/feb/02/beached-boat-a-triumph
 
that one was an EPIC fail - honestly it had no merit, was unliveable and didn't suit their needs entirely.

the nomadic life came at a cost HIGHER than living in their flat. some people are just train wrecks with their ideas. i thought the nomdaic life was meant to be cheaper and simpler.

i think i read somewhere that it's scrap value was 1800 quid.
 
It was incredibly ugly. I mean if you are going to build something like that, it should be aesthetically pleasing. I doubt that would please many an eye.

I love the concept though.
 
I find it interesting that the first article says that Channel 4 renovated the boat and makes that statement at lease twice.

Of all my watching of Grand Designs, it has never been Channel 4 doing any of the work, but simply filming.

Have I missed something. There are some shows that do get the work done, but not Grand Designs, unless I have been semi-conscious during all the shows and missed those bits :eek:.
 
it was a complete and utter failure ... but ... as pointed out by kevin mccloud in the following "grand designs style" series (can't recall the exact name of the show) he very clearly pointed out that the reason it failed was because there was no planning at any stage for any item.

initially the boat had merit, but as soon as they started chucking in unsuitable windows that didn't fit, and destroyed any structural integrity of the frame, the boat was a lost project.

it would have cost them less in the long run (and less stress) if they drawn up a plan and just bought cheaply what they couldn't scavange - as shown by kevin buying some emminately suitable windows off ebay for a pittance.

i have the entire 7 series' on dvd, and waiting for the australian one to come out - just don't get enough time to watch them over and over!
 
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I love the concept too GTF. I didn't think it looked too bad inside, the practicalities of a boat that could function somewhat would be important to me, so I'm not sure on that, I loved fishing boats:p so I'm not real fussy, it's more the sailing aspect, the ability to set sail, water, freedom of (relatively) being able to sail to a new part of the country that turns me on.

Didn't see the episode, but would be good to watch all the same. Living on a boat appeals to me very much, but it must be able to sail, so our trajectory differs...I am more along the poster-who-was-here-aim, 'boatboy' I think he was?

Interesting though, and I think Mildura up in the north west of Victoria did have folks living on their houseboats, moored at the river's edge. Not sure of the cost or local laws for that, or if people can still do that. (Live there). I love corrogated tin btw! Am kicking myself I missed Glenn Murcutt's:

http://www.ozetecture.org/GM_exhibition/index.html#
 
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Salt water.

Anything you build to put on water (even if it's fresh water) costs about 4 times more and requires constant maintenance to prevent it from deteriorating. Houseboats are fund, but not eco friendly.

EPIC FAIL !!!
 
prognosis:

epic_fail.jpg
 
lizzie said:
i have the entire 7 series' on dvd, and waiting for the australian one to come out - just don't get enough time to watch them over and over!
Click to expand...


My misses is hooked. Whenever I'm in the doghouse, I buy her another set of the series on DVD, and I'm the worlds best husband again. Luckily I've got a few more of the set to go.:p

And I'm hooked now too. It is the best show on TV easily.


See ya's.
 
Oh I remember this -> epic fail. I was laughing my head off at his poor planning. says me who is bad at planning but then I do not build boat houses.
 
Yes it was on Lifestyle just a few nights ago! That was what prompted me to Google it and I found those articles.

I love following up on properties years later.

There was one recenlty, a really old falling down old castle in York that was reno'd by some crazy people. Because of the massive blowout in building costs, to keep it, the turned it into a B&B. Kevin stayed the night there. I am going to UK in May and am going to try and stay there as well!

http://www.peelcastle.co.uk/
 
now - that was an amazing reno. they started with not much more than a pile of rubble and rebuilt it into a beautiful castle. talk about courage (and very deep pockets)!
 
I checked the site to see whether we could fit in a visit, and it seems to be booked fully for most of the year. Nothing in May, nothing in the dates we will be there.

Good on them. I thought they were really passionate about the renovation (complete build really) and it would have been sad to see them have to sell after all they went through.

It seems their five or so rooms are fully booked every night that I looked. I hope they can pay off their huge mortgage and be happy.

They were the most unlikely looking people to do such a thing though. Mild mannered, quiet, didn't look like the sort to take risks, but they took on that huge rebuild and I loved that episode and couldn't believe the state it was in when the bought it.

Amazing!!
 
Every time I happened upon an episode of that show, afterwards I would wander up into that big space of mine where I've just done that reno and have lots of crazy ideas. Thankfully I would get over them by the morning.
Have you noticed how often in those episodes the architect will be in the early footage and then he'll have disappeared?
And how often there will be problems with the windows?
Scott
 
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