Grand Designs star breaks down in tears as dream home is derailed by devastating news
A STAR on Grand Designs broke down in tears after some devastating news meant she wasn’t able to achieve what she wanted with her dream home.
Wye Valley’s Rosa was inspired by her grandpa Leo to turn an abandoned brick reservoir into a house for herself and husband Craig.
The railway reservoir was on a plot of land that had been in Rosa’s family for generations, and she could see both her mum and grandfather’s homes from the spot.
The couple started out with a whopping budget of £700,000 before finding out that even that was not enough for the project.
In the end the pair spent £1million on the conversion – but by the time the house was finished, her reason for building it was gone.
Rosa burst into tears while showing viewers around the new living space, as she revealed her grandad passed away while she was still renovating the reservoir.
After coming across Leo’s old bike, she sobbed: “I feel very sad because it is all his stuff. His bike that is in there and everything.
“All the cards that I have ever written him all saying grandad, all his pictures, he’s got everything in there that he has ever kept.
“The land, it does take on a different meaning to me. I think we are doing the right thing by building his home. It’s what I always spoke about with him.
“We are going to live there because I almost see it as his legacy.”
In a voiceover host Kevin McCloud explained to viewers: “Granddad Leo, the inspiration behind so much of this project passed away suddenly in late December.”
After encountering many difficulties while completing the dream transformation, ranging from financial problems to the pandemic, Rosa finally was able to proudly present the home to Kevin – who called it ‘super glamorous’.
He said: “The whole thing is bl**dy super glamorous, the moment you walk in it’s glamorous, there are so many things that make you feel so much better. Finally they’ve done it and in no small part thanks to grandad Leo, whose generosity contributed so much to the construction of this marvellous home.
“I’m so pleased they have succeeded, that they have finished, because what it does so brilliantly is not simply remember the man whose idea it was but also embodies the imagination of Craig and Rosa – amazing what families can do, isn’t it?”
The new series of Grand Designs is next on Channel 4 on Wednesday, October 4 at 9pm.