Author: Diane

Apparently there was some mention about house prices coming down on Coronation Street last night!

Another epiosde last night where they managed to find extra money and finished the house off really nicely (Well almost finished it!)
Help my house is falling down seems to be very formulaeic – a couple buy a house (usually it’s the woman who has decided it’s the house of their dreams) and then they discover it’s falling down.
This one was scary – a victorian concrete house that was made with pig iron and scrap which was decaying as the walls got wet and causing the concrete to break up.
Concrete may come across as a very modern product but it’s been around for ever!

This site says that Romans had been building with concrete since about 200 BC

It says they got a survey – and structural report!

Google streetview of the property

Just two years ago it was on Channel Four’s Grand Designs programme but now the grade II listed property is up for sale at £2.75m – more than three times the £830,000 banker Dean Berry and his public relations executive wife Sarah paid for it.

The story is at Wales Online

Sadly it’s not available on 4onD at the moment – c’mon channel 4 – allow us to drool over this project once more!

However it is on rightmove – so drool away here at Kemeys Folly
5 bedroom house for sale
Guide Price of £2,750,000
Kemeys Folly, Kemeys Inferior, Nr Newport, NP18 1JR

The daily mail is running a story on this today 25th July 2011 – this is a month since the article I posted about it originally.

Architect George Clarke leads Empty Homes Campaign

Does your area need better housing conditions? Want to do something about it?

Channel 4’s George Clarke is presenting a new TV series which will campaign on housing issues across the UK. The campaign offers you the chance to share your housing problems and join the search for solutions.

Across the country high rental costs, long waiting lists for council houses and difficulty getting mortgages are forcing many people to live in cramped conditions, stay with friends or family, and give up the dream of owning their own home.

It’s been described as a national housing crisis – ordinary families are being priced out of the market and there are 5 million people on the house waiting list. Yet, a million homes in this country lie empty. George’s campaign aims to combat the housing crisis, and one of the key questions we’re asking is: Could empty homes be put to better use?

If you, or anyone you know, is struggling your housing situation, or want to find out more about the campaign, contact the Homes team:
Email: homes@tigeraspect.co.uk
or
Call the Homes team on: 0207 544 1663

If you’re a fan you might have already seen the very first one back in 1998.
It’s a great show where the budget is so reasonable you’ll be shocked!
Grand Designs Series 1 episode 1 – A couple in Newhaven face a race against time as they build their dream home on windswept cliff-top site in time for the birth of their baby.
Plot costs them about £80,000 and they spend another £80000 building the house.
It’s a kit build and sticks mostly to schedule!

Well worth watching just so you can be wowed at how little they spend. It’s not the most grand of designs but it’s still a pretty nice house!