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The Best Episodes of Grand Designs

Every episode of Grand Designs ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Grand Designs!

The Best Episodes of Grand Designs

British television series which features unusual and often elaborate architectural homebuilding projects.
  1. Background image for Sheffield
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - Sheffield

    S19:E5

    Identical twins Nik and Jon build near identical houses in Sheffield. Raised on steel stilts, these two extraordinary properties pay tribute to Sheffield's industrial past.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  2. Background image for County Derry: Shipping Container House
    8.3/10(55 votes)

    #2 - County Derry: Shipping Container House

    S14:E4

    A young farmer and architect in Northern Ireland hopes to make a home out of four large shipping containers welded together to form a giant cross. Patrick Bradley has come up with a pounds 100k house design to be built out of four 45-foot shipping containers, welded together to form a giant cross and cantilevered over the top of a stream at a beautiful secluded spot on the family farm. His mum is hoping his new home will get Patrick a girlfriend. But his tiny budget is soon under threat.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  3. Background image for Worcestershire: The Cave House
    8.1/10(45 votes)

    #3 - Worcestershire: The Cave House

    S16:E4

    Kevin McCloud follows the progress of 37-year-old Angelo Mastropietro, as he transforms a damp, dark and abandoned cave in Worcestershire. Having recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Angelo wants to create a retreat to help him cope with the news and become a 21st century caveman. He has a budget of pounds 100,000 and plans to almost single-handedly carve, cut and drill into the hillside to make the cave comfortable for contemporary living. However, there is no manual for a project of this kind, and the unique challenge soon becomes an obsession.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  4. Background image for Revisited – Herefordshire: The Recycled Timber-Framed House
    8.0/10(45 votes)

    #4 - Revisited – Herefordshire: The Recycled Timber-Framed House

    S18:E9

    Following the work of Ed and Rowena Waghorn as they continue to build a handcrafted, five-bedroom house on an eight acre smallholding in Herefordshire, 10 years in the making. Progress on the build was slow as Ed decided to do most of the work himself, and after four years the house was still a shell. Now, years later, is it possible this house may finally become a medieval masterpiece?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  5. Background image for Richmond
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - Richmond

    S19:E3

    In a leafy spot in south west London, Elinor and Born want to build Britain's first 'healthy' house, to alleviate their sons' life-threatening allergies in a race against time.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  6. Background image for Wye Valley, Herefordshire
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Wye Valley, Herefordshire

    S24:E1

    In the Wye Valley, Rosa and Craig battle the never-ending elements to convert a family-owned, century-old, decommissioned steam railway reservoir into a unique living space

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Grand Designs

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  8. Background image for Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire

    S24:E2

    Devoted dad Danny builds a sustainable but affordable stilted house up among the trees in his garden. But with no self-build experience and spiralling costs, can he do it on ambition alone?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  9. Background image for Newhaven Revisit 2024
    8.0/10(8 votes)

    #8 - Newhaven Revisit 2024

    S25:E6

    On a nostalgic revisit to the first ever Grand Design, from back in 1999, Kevin finds out if Tim and Jules are still flying high in their timber-framed home on the cliffs above Newhaven

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  10. Background image for Wales: The Isolated Cottage
    7.9/10(21 votes)

    #9 - Wales: The Isolated Cottage

    S2:E4

    An isolated hilltop in the Brecon Beacons might seem an inhospitable place for a couple's first home. But Adrian and Corinna both grew up in the area, and the ruined farmhouse they chose to restore had been in Adrian's family for generations. The site's lack of mains water and electricity gave them no qualms. True, the track up the hill was often inaccessible in winter. But the landscape was beautiful and they both felt they belonged there

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  11. Background image for The Derelict Water Tower
    7.9/10(43 votes)

    #10 - The Derelict Water Tower

    S12:E5

    Kevin McCloud marks the 100th episode with one of the programme's most ambitious projects to date. Leigh Osborne and Graham Voce want to convert and extend a landmark 150-year-old water tower in central London into a luxury home. Grade II-listed, derelict and with 6ft-thick walls, it's a huge challenge for the pair, who also plan to build two structures at the base - a lift shaft connected by a series of glass tunnels, and a modern living space. The result will be a four-bedroom property over nine floors, complete with a room at the top offering spectacular 360 degree views across the capital.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  12. Background image for South Cornwall: Steam Bending House
    7.9/10(41 votes)

    #11 - South Cornwall: Steam Bending House

    S17:E3

    Kevin McCloud meets Tom and Danielle Raffield, whose lifelong passion has been steam-bending wood. They've used the technique to create extraordinary furniture and lighting, but now plan to use it on a larger scale. In an attempt to escape the confines of their tiny gamekeeper's lodge, they have decided to build a wavy wooden house in South Cornwall, completed with curved cladding, twisted furniture and interior walls covered with weathered timber. With a £100,000 budget, the pair have decided to do a lot of the building themselves, and Kevin is on hand to discover whether they're up to the challenge.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  13. Background image for Pembrokeshire: Low-Impact House
    7.9/10(40 votes)

    #12 - Pembrokeshire: Low-Impact House

    S17:E6

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  14. Background image for North Devon
    7.9/10(29 votes)

    #13 - North Devon

    S20:E6

    Edward and Hazel plan a shining white art deco lighthouse on a rugged beautiful clifftop. But almost immediately their wildly optimistic plan runs into trouble.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  15. Background image for The Water-Works, Derbyshire
    7.8/10(22 votes)

    #14 - The Water-Works, Derbyshire

    S3:E2

    The 1930s derelict water-works Chris and Leanne fell in love with was huge and its design had clearly been inspired by Gilbert Scott's Bankside power station, now better known as the Tate Modern. But nothing would deter the couple. 'We looked at it,' said Chris, 'and saw our home.'

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  16. Background image for Revisited: The Woodman's Cottage, Sussex
    7.8/10(15 votes)

    #15 - Revisited: The Woodman's Cottage, Sussex

    S9:E13

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  17. Background image for The Computer Cut House, Herefordshire
    7.8/10(40 votes)

    #16 - The Computer Cut House, Herefordshire

    S12:E2

    Kevin meets a pair of civil-partnered university professors, Celia Brackenridge and Diana Woodward.  They have enlisted the services of industrial designers who have developed a new computer-assisted method for cutting precision-engineered building blocks, however although the technique may be clever, its creators have never created a building before

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  18. Background image for Galloway
    7.8/10(32 votes)

    #17 - Galloway

    S20:E1

    Andy and Jeanette plan a precarious cliff-top build on the west coast of Scotland. There are battles with extreme weather, budget overruns, and a sudden emotional shock.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  19. Background image for South West London: Cemetery Keeper's Lodge
    7.8/10(45 votes)

    #18 - South West London: Cemetery Keeper's Lodge

    S21:E1

    Justin plans to restore a neo-Gothic cemetery keeper's lodge and convert its toilet block into a luxury extension complete with a moat and swimming pool. But can he keep his budget under control?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  20. Background image for Kent: Converted Barn
    7.8/10(43 votes)

    #19 - Kent: Converted Barn

    S21:E2

    Kevin McCloud meets Greg and Georgie who are taking on the highly ambitious task of converting a dilapidated, 35-year-old barn in Kent. The build will be a huge challenge involving the painstaking conservation of the existing rotten structure, building a new two-storey internal steel frame and recycling everything they can to stretch their £250,000 budget.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  21. Background image for Revisited- Yorkshire: The 14th Century Castle
    7.7/10(19 votes)

    #20 - Revisited- Yorkshire: The 14th Century Castle

    S9:E8

    Every Englishman’s home is his castle but for Francis Shaw this is quite literally true. He and his wife, Karen, and their two young daughters, bought the ruins of a 14th Century castle in Yorkshire and took on the remarkable challenge of turning a pile of stones into a beautiful home. Surrounded by rolling green fields, the location is idyllic; however, the castle itself was little more than four crumbling walls.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  22. Background image for Revisited: The Hexagonal Straw Baled House, Cambridgeshire
    7.7/10(17 votes)

    #21 - Revisited: The Hexagonal Straw Baled House, Cambridgeshire

    S9:E9

    Kevin returns to see how Daren Howarth and Adi Nortje's project has fared four years after they decided to build an earth-sheltered home in Brittany.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  23. Background image for Canterbury
    7.7/10(20 votes)

    #22 - Canterbury

    S23:E3

    Ship’s captain Dorran promised his family he’d build a super-modern underground lair on a hill outside Canterbury. But as the epic build hits choppy waters, will Dorran fulfil their dream?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  24. Background image for Richmond Revisit 2025
    7.7/10(10 votes)

    #23 - Richmond Revisit 2025

    S26:E5

    Does good architecture have the power to heal? Kevin revisits Elinor and Born, who built a clean-aired, hypoallergenic house, motivated by their two boys' extreme allergies.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  25. Background image for The Woodsman's House, Sussex
    7.6/10(21 votes)

    #24 - The Woodsman's House, Sussex

    S3:E3

    For 10 years, Ben lived in tents and caravans in a wood in West Sussex. As a woodsman, he needed and wanted to live among the trees. But after a battle with planning he finally got permission to build himself a house with more creature comforts. He invited volunteers to help him build one by hand, from the materials growing around him.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  26. Background image for The Traditional Cottage, Herefordshire
    7.6/10(17 votes)

    #25 - The Traditional Cottage, Herefordshire

    S3:E8

    Merry's family have been Herefordshire builders for generations, so she knew that the county was rich in traditional building crafts. She and Ben decided to combine these with technology for a new house with a genuinely rural feel. Her father drew up a design that followed the traditional cottage layout while incorporating modern comforts.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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Best Episodes Summary

"Sheffield" is the best rated episode of "Grand Designs". It scored 9/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 10/17/2018. This episode scored 0.7 points higher than the second highest rated, "County Derry: Shipping Container House".