Grand Designs couple spent mega sum on new home - but fans brand it a 'Travelodge'

A couple took a gamble on a house in Lincolnshire that needed a complete overhaul on the latest episode of Grand Designs.

Zara, 31, an influencer, and Giuliano, 29, shared their journey on the show, impressively finishing their renovation within the set time frame and under budget, despite having no previous building experience.

During the episode, the pair revealed their ambitious plans to host Kevin: a sprawling modern home inspired by a malthouse, nestled in the Lincolnshire countryside.

Kevin expressed concern for the Reading couple after they explained that Giuliano, an IT project manager, would be supervising the entire operation despite having no background in construction or architecture.

Zara and Giuliano's dream home started as a one-acre plot they bought for £135,000. The land came with planning permission but with stringent conditions to preserve the old malthouse history in their contemporary home.

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In addition to buying the land, the couple set aside £700,000 for their daring build, which remarkably was funded by a mortgage with a 7% monthly interest rate, meaning they were shelling out an extra £3,000 a month (and £40,000 over the entire build), reports .

After 18 months, the couple could switch to a standard rate mortgage, provided they finished the job on time. Luckily for them, they did complete before their deadline and even more impressively, they did so with £77,000 of their budget remaining.

The flashy pad sparked a frenzy on social media, but instead of unadulterated applause for the couple's efforts, some netizens couldn't resist nitpicking the property's facade.

One critic posted on what used to be : "From the outside tonight's looks like a posh Travelodge." Echoing the sentiment, another user chimed in with: "That's a lovely looking travel tavern."

A third commentator repeated the observation, noting: "It looks like a Travelodge from the outside!" In contrast, a different Twitter user thought the property looked akin to a Premier Inn, specifically one in Chipping Norton.

But not everyone was critical online, as many offered their kudos too. A fan expressed: "Listen, it's been a long time since I've seen an episode with under budget and early is crazy. Fair play to Giuliano and Zara."

A second enthusiast concurred, remarking: "Under budget, ahead of schedule and lovely people. It's never been known." On the show itself, presenter Kevin lauded the home as a "miracle", heaping praise on the duo. He said: "It's come in ahead of schedule and under budget. Credit where credit is due. Very well done."

Grand Designs airs on Wednesday on Channel 4 and can be streamed via the MY4 app.