Grand Designs viewers slam new series as the ‘worst ever’ after the 3rd unfinished project in a row – as Princess Diana’s divorce lawyer and her husband fail to complete £1.25 million giant eco-home within 3 years

• Viewers expressed their frustration on X after last night’s episode
• READ MORE: Grand Designs viewers compare ‘fugly’ red house to a Monopoly hotel and slam the couple who ran out of money to finish the project – but travelled to MOROCCO to buy their floor tiles 

Grand Designs viewers have complained about yet another unfinished project on the new series of the Channel 4 architectural show after Wednesday night’s episode concluded with a partially-built home.

The episode, which aired at 9pm on Wednesday evening, featured Duncan, an environmental consultant from London, on a mission to build his eco-friendly, ‘miniature power station’ home with his wife Liz, a high-powered divorce lawyer whose clients have included Princess Diana and Bernie Ecclestone.

The couple planned to build their 800 square metre eco-home, called a Passivhaus Premium (a UK first, according to the couple), on a plot of land in the Cotswolds. The purpose of the house is to generate so much energy, that it will supply other nearby buildings with electricity too.

They explained the budget for their enormous home, set to include four bedrooms, a library and a wine cellar, was £1.2 million and estimated the build would take between 18 months and 2 years to complete. 

However by the end of the episode, when Duncan estimated they still needed 18 months to finish building the house, viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticise the series for another incomplete project.

Viewers of Grand Designs have been left disappointed after the latest episode revealed yet another unfinished home, this time in the Cotswolds

As Kevin visited the couple on their plot of land at the beginning of the episode, filmed in August 2020, Duncan revealed they managed to obtain planning permission to build a Passivhaus Premium.

He explained a Passivhaus must be thermally efficient, energy efficient and airtight; but a Passivhaus Premium must also generate four times the energy it uses.

‘On a sunny summer’s day we’ll be supplying half the village with its electricity,’ he said. 

The plans for the building were originally designed by an architect, before Duncan and a second architect took the plans and developed them further.

Duncan and Liz aimed to build an enormous 800sqm eco-friendly home called a Passivhaus Premium

After a three-year project, the house is still unfinished and Duncan estimates another 18 months is needed before the home is complete

Duncan and Liz had designed a well-insulated house kitted out with a kitchen made from recycled materials.

It was set to include a yoga mezzanine for Liz to use, a library and a wine cellar. 

To generate all the electricity needed to make the house eligible for Passivhaus Premium classification, Duncan’s plans included a solar fabric to line the roof, plus a plant room which would deliver electricity around the house, into the electric car in the garage – and back to the national grid.

However, as Kevin observed the land and took into account the huge size of the building being proposed, he asked the couple if they thought it ran the risk of being a ‘monster’.

Liz replied: ‘If we get it right internally, it should just feel homely.’

The enormous house, although unfinished, does pass the test to be considered a Passivhaus Premium 

The spiral staircase leading down to the basement was described by Duncan as an ‘ugly duckling’ at first, but now it lends itself to the overall look of the house

As Kevin pulled up to the house at the end of the episode, it was clear the building was incomplete

The living and dining area has been furnished to some extent, however Liz and Duncan aren’t living in the property yet

After revealing their budget of £1.2 million to the presenter, Kevin asked what would happen if the overall cost ended up being closer to £1.5 million.

‘I keep working,’ Liz replied. 

But as the project got underway, the tight specifications became apparent as Duncan monitored construction to ensure measurements are within a precise range.

Meanwhile Duncan, who is temporarily living in a shed inside a pub garden, is looking for rental accommodation close to the site of the build while Liz remains living in their terraced home in London.

After a project lasting for nearly three years, the couple welcomed Kevin back to their home which is not yet finished – despite a total spend so far of £1.25 million. 

Following the episode, frustrated viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to complain about another unfinished project

There was still work to be done on the house and Duncan and Liz admitted they are not yet living in the enormous building – however it does pass the test to be classified a Passivhaus Premium.

Although the couple admitted they were pleased with the house they have produced so far, Liz revealed: ‘It’s been three years since we’ve had a shared life. Three years since we had dinner and sat down and watched the television together.’

However, despite spending so long on the project to this point, Duncan added he still estimated another 18 months before it is finished.

After watching the episode, which is the third build on the most recent series to have been left incomplete, viewers took to X to express their frustration.

One person wrote: ‘Any danger we might get one completed house this season?’

Another said: ‘Most disappointing series of GD ever! Fed up with sitting for an hour to watch yet another unfinished over sized project!’

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