Channel 4 Grand Designs viewers appalled by ‘depressing’ floating home as Kevin McCloud in awe: ‘It’s absolutely awful!’
Grand Designs returned to Channel 4 on Wednesday, with a very unique home which left some viewers stunned.
The first episode of the new series centred around Howard and Sarah, who dreamed of building a “floating” home in a tidal estuary in West Sussex.
The house was deliberately designed to resemble a boat, with the pair hoping to build a “sleek, angled, metallic floating home” by dismantling a Second World War landing craft.
With a budget of £385,000 for an 18-month time slot, the couple quickly threw themselves into the project.
Presenter Kevin McCloud was in awe when he saw the final result, but fans took a completely different take.
The foundations of the build were made from prefabricated polystyrene slabs, and McCloud described it as looking like something from “space”.
“Look what’s just docked from outer space!” he exclaimed.
Greeting the coupe, he went on: “Ah, what a thing! What a pointy end, what a sharp shape.
“I mean, it is architecture this, it is floating architecture and it is magnificent.
“Who’d have thought that retail shed construction could look like this? The insulated cladding looks forbidding, strong and military now that it’s been capped with that sharp, aluminum trim.”
The designer and writer commented: “This looks like Darth Vader’s boat house!
“Goodness me, does it lift the place. It’s no longer like visiting grunge central on the mud, it’s more like visiting some secret, naval base.”
“Well it’s good to see you Kevin, because this means it is the end!” Howard quipped.
“It looks remarkable, this place transforms from low tide to high,” McCloud gushed.
Agreeing, Howard replied: “You’re in for a massive treat, it’s a high spring tide, so we’re going to get probably three or four feet of water, so the boat will rise up.
“We’ll probably see over the beach huts, the landscape will completely change – you’ll be at sea.”
“You know, people go off and do yoga in foreign countries in order to connect with the cycles of the planet and the universe, you’ve got it on the mud flats.”
Unfortunately, fans tuned into the programme didn’t seem to be in agreement with McCloud’s complimentary assessment.
Floating architecture at its finest ⚓️#GrandDesigns | @Kevin_McCloud pic.twitter.com/pTT1ld9wSG
— granddesigns (@granddesigns) March 26, 2025
Taking to X, one penned: “Sorry but that is absolutely awful!! There is nothing fine or magnificent about it.”
“Arctic science station? Maybe. Cosy abode? Hmm… #granddesigns,” a second wrote.
“It’s a NO from me. #granddesigns,” a third joked, with another admitting: “I should be prime target audience for this house boat/ warehouse thing… but OMG it’s hideous!!!
“And there are so many lovely places to have a house boat in the UK, but manky mudflats! WTF!”
“Hideous looking and incredibly impractical. Bet the sound guy had a nightmare filming that #granddesigns,” someone else noted.
“What on earth, why make it so ugly, it already lives in mud. Depressing,” one more added.
However, others expressed their delight about the series being back on screens, with one sharing: “Do love a bit of #GrandDesigns.” (sic)