Grand Designs Abroad

by Kevin McCloud

How many of us dream of the perfect home, beautifully tailored to our own living requirements and style? And how many more of us dream of creating that home in some spectacular spot overseas? Grand Designs, one of Channel Four's most successful series ever has now moved abroad to combine home-building dreams with the desire to forge a new life abroad. This accompanying book is packed with real advice and inspiration for both real and armchair builders. Kevin McCloud covers the requirements for locating and buying land and property, and securing building permission, in the countries targeted by most British buyers—Spain, France, Italy and Ireland—including plenty of pointers on the common pitfalls. Both complete self-builds and renovations are covered, with advice on building abroad as well as what to do when things—as they so often do—go wrong.

Genres: Architecture

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

An author, broadcaster and designer Kevin is best known for Channel 4's Grand Designs and for his annual coverage of the Stirling Prize.
McCloud and his two brothers, Terence and Graham, were raised in a house his parents had built. McCloud attended Dunstable Grammar School which became Manshead Upper School, Dunstable. He originally pursued a career in music, and then went to Cambridge where he changed subjects a couple of times before hitting upon History of Art and Architecture.
After graduating, he trained and worked as a theatre designer, then set up his own lighting design practice and manufacturing business 'McCloud Lighting' - at one point employing 26 people. His work includes the carved and painted rococo-style vegetable ceiling in the Food Hall at Harrods, many projects in conjunction with J.J Desmond Interiors and lighting installations at Ely Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, the Savoy and the Dorchester Hotel. Today he concentrates on television work, journalism and product design, including work for British manufacturers such as Fired Earth.
In 2006 Kevin formed Hab Housing. (HAB stands for Happiness Architecture Beauty) In partnership, the company is now building sustainable housing schemes across the West of England. He also devised and launched the Great British Refurb, a campaign supported by several institutions and retailers as well as the government, to promote the retrofitting of Britains's 26 million homes to low-energy standards.
Kevin is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.