Returning on Wednesday night, Grand Designs headed to North London, where Kathryn, an 82-year-old widow, revealed her plans to build a more eco-friendly and accessible home in the borough of Barnet.
In an episode which has since divided fans, Kevin McCloud caught up with Kathryn – who started with a generous budget of £600,000 – as she contended with delays to construction, not to mention an additional cost of £19,000 to connect the house to the National Grid.
After getting to work on the 'mirror image' of her existing Edwardian home, which she'd chosen to build next door, Kathryn revealed the final product, complete with some 21st-century upgrades. Beaming as she told Kevin that she had been "very pleased" with the property, Kathryn noted that she was excited to host her family there for Christmas.
What are fans saying about the property?
As Kevin bid adieu and the credits rolled, fans flocked to social media to share their thoughts on the episode and to say that it was a source of contention would be an understatement. Among the divided, some viewers hailed Kathryn's build as "amazing", pointing out that while it wasn't a showstopper, it certainly caught the eye.
"What a great project and an inspiring lady transforming life. Wishing her all the happiness in her new home" wrote one. "One of the very best TV shows out there. Love this," added another.
On the flip side, however, many felt that Kathryn had spent too much money on the project. "Way overspent again. Something is very wrong in the construction world," mused a viewer. "What a massive waste of money," remarked a second. Meanwhile, a third tweeted, "Very expensive build for a semi? 800-900k".
A new season of Grand Designs
As Channel 4 continues to air new episodes of Grand Designs, fans have been tuning in and reacting to each new build. A property which caused courted controversy, in March, fans were introduced to Howard and Sarah – a couple determined to create their very own floating home near Worthing, West Sussex.
Explaining that they intended to build a new boat alongside a tidal river bank, Howard, an architect, said it would be a "highly-engineered steel structure" with views over the estuary, while Sarah emphasised that it would be a "floating family home" as opposed to an ordinary boat.
After commencing construction, which included lifting an 80-year-old landing craft from the mud, the couple ended up extending their 18-month building schedule, with the programme revealing that it had taken them three years and £465,000 to reach the finish line.
"It's absolutely hideous! I bet it's like a greenhouse in the summer and freezing in the winter," penned one fan. "Could this be the ugliest home ever on #GrandDesigns? I think so…" quipped another.
