Grand Designs: The Street episode 5 features two couples; one building a house for a better quality of life after illness and the other going long distance.
Title image: Fremantle Media Group
Image: Fremantle Media Group
Episode 5 of Grand Designs: The Street, first aired on 2nd May 2019 at 9pm on Channel 4, follows an older couple building a house to improve the quality of life after an osteoporosis diagnosis, and a couple whose exciting job opportunities mean the build and their relationship is going long distance.
If you haven't seen it yet, read on to learn more about each couple's self build.
Plot 10: Garrie & Sue, The Glass House
Image: Glenn Dearing, Channel 4 Publicity
- PLOT 10: THE GLASS HOUSE
- NAMES: Garrie and Sue, 57
- BEDROOMS: 4
- BATHROOMS: 3
- STARTED: September 2017
- FINISHED: TBC
- BUILD ESTIMATE: £435K
- FINAL BUILD COST: £535K
Garrie is a chartered accountant, and Sue, until recently, was a foster carer. Sue suffers from severe osteoporosis, and their current home, with all its stairs, is now unsuitable for her.
They hope that building a home designed around her needs will improve Sue’s quality of life, and also allow Garrie to fulfil a lifelong dream to build his own home.
This will be the most expensive house on the street, with a lift and a host of gadgets across three floors. If successful, it could transform their lives.
However, first they have to build it and the stakes are high. The pressure and stress of self-build could damage Sue’s already fragile health.
Plot 7: Sean & Dianna, The Upside Down House
Image: Fremantle Media Group
- PLOT 7: THE UPSIDE-DOWN HOUSE
- NAMES: SEAN, 34, AND DIANNA, 31
- BEDROOMS: 3
- BATHROOMS: 2
- STARTED: November 2018
- FINISHED: tbc
- BUILD ESTIMATE: £300K
- FINAL BUILD COST: tbc
Sean and Dianna live in Warwickshire and are both engineers. They plan to build a minimalist, open-plan, upside-down house, with most elements being built off-site and bought together to be assembled.
The couple hope their detail-oriented minds will help them to be decisive on-site, but things take an unexpected turn when Dianna accepts a job in Russia and the couple are forced to plan the build over 2000-miles apart.
Will their long-distance relationship survive the strain of self-build, or will the tension turn their relationship - like their house - upside down?
Missed the episode, watch episode 5 on All4.
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Garrie and Sue will be on stage at Grand Designs Live with our editor Karen Stylianides on Monday 6th May. Make sure you grab tickets to the show to find out more about their project with our exclusive code: