The producers and the presenter, Kevin McCloud have very wisely stuck to the well working format with their latest series of Grand Designs, Grand Designs Series 8. It is a very entertaining and at the same time a documentary of people with vision and courage who are not afraid to take on a project which is out of their depth.

As an owner builder myself, I understood some of their problems albeit on a lesser scale. Planning, especially finances always pose a problem on huge projects and it must be extremely difficulty for these visionaries to work full time, manage their project and even assist in the process itself.

The shortage of money was well illustrated with the last episode in this series (Lake District: The Dome House) because when McCloud last visited the family, the building was only partially finished with the guest rooms still to complete. Ahh... the joins of building.

One has to admire the partners of all the builders for their courage, patience and more importantly their support. With any project, there are stresses and disappointments, which came out in Jonathan Belsey's episode on an eco friendly house (Ipswich: The Radian House).

For example, the builder needed to go through a council meeting to obtain a new permit for a vastly different wind turbine then originally stated. Unfortunately due to a faulty gear box and incorrectly designed pole, this caused some problems for the builder. However the house is a shining example of a good number of ecological ideas and innovations which could and should be followed in Australia.

This is Grand Designs which is a fascinating and entertaining series about buildings that most of us would never have imagined and the journey for its builders. It's an insightful series and with number 8 just being released, it's easy to see why people are so hooked on this informative series.

Episode Listing

Isle Of Wight - Episode 1

Design expert Kevin McCloud returns with a brand new series of Grand Designs, a series that charts the in-depth process of ambitious design projects, from the initial detail of blueprints, to the long and often arduous task of turning the designs into a practical living space.

Cotwolds - Episode 2

Helen and Chris, both architects, decide to move out of London to build their own home in the middle of the Cotswolds countryside.

Woodbridge - Episode 3

Tired of living in draughty Victorian houses in the city, Lucie Fairweather and Nat McBride return to their home town of Woodbridge, Suffolk, to build a brand new home for their young family.

Stowmarket - Episode 4

3 years ago Simon Bennett and his wife Jill gave up a life abroad to return to Simon's home county of Suffolk. They bought two timber framed barns ripe for conversion, but barely was the ink dry before they discovered one wasn't quite what it seemed.

Ipswich - Episode 5

When Jonathan's marriage ended, he left the family home and bought a plot of land just down the road on a mission to build a house that would be exciting to look at, cheap to run, and ecologically sound and this will be the great experiment he's dreamt of.

Lizard Peninsula - Episode 6

Getting on the housing ladder is a challenge for anyone but when thirty year old interior designer Kathryn Tyler wants her first home, she uses her skills to give her the leg up the ladder she needs by designing and building one herself.

West Cumbria - Episode 7

Despite having no architectural training, Alan Dawson, a former blacksmith has invented his own way of building a house. He's going to make it in pieces in his workshop with wiring, lighting, and carpets built into the sections.

Lake District  - Episode 8

When Robert and Milla find a plot overlooking Lake Windermere in the Lake District National Park, they think they've hit gold. The site already has a 1980s house on the site, but rather than knock it down, they plan to do a new design.