Grand Designs New Zealand

Architect Chris Moller follows the progress of interesting and ambitious house building projects, speaking with the owners and tracking the ups and downs of the design, construction and moving in. It is the NZ version of UK series Grand Designs.

Genre: Documentary

Cast:Chris Moller , Nic Ballara , Sarah Anning , Scott Lawrie , Marty Verry , Diane Divett , Gus Anning , Callie Ballara , Morella Verry , Chrissy Sygrove , Steve Sygrove , Hamish Divett , Andrei Martin , Gayle Avery , Wendy Grell , Abby Martin , Joyce Fitzmaurice , Andy Macbeth

1Season 1

S1.E1 ∙ The Catlins: Concrete Farmhouse

Mon, Jun 17, 2019

Architect Chris Moller meets Southland farmer Lachlan McDonald, who's building a modernist concrete home with a controversial roof in one of the most remote parts of NZ. Deer farmer and bachelor Lachlan McDonald is building a three-bedroom concrete home in the hopes to fill it with a family in the future. However, the choice of location is one of the most remote and stormy parts of the country - The Catlins. He's hired a top Auckland architect who is scratching his head at Lachlan's decision to project manage his first build himself. His choice of builder is also a good mate who specialises in constructing local milking sheds. Will this Grand Design be a perfect fusion of passions and experience or are these personalities destined to clash?

2Season 1

S1.E2 ∙ Coromandel: Earthship

Sun, Oct 11, 2015

Chris meets Gus and Sarah whose solution to spiraling house prices is to make their first home an Earthship - an off-the-grid house made of recycled rubbish, earthen bricks and clay.

3Season 1

S1.E3 ∙ Pakiri: Steel House

Sun, Oct 18, 2015

Chris meets Scottish migrant and urbanite, Scott Lawrie, who has a dream for a new life and a radical new stainless steel home in the remote hills behind Pakiri. Sydney-based writer Scott Lawrie's plans for his new life in New Zealand are encapsulated in a sculptural steel house he is building on a remote rural hillside behind Pakiri beach. Scott has an unrelenting refusal to compromise on his "legacy", but a budget can only be stretched so far. Will Scott realize his extraordinary dream?

4Season 1

S1.E4 ∙ Titirangi: American Gothic

Sun, Oct 25, 2015

Chris meets builder Steve Sygrove, who's planning to build and ornate and colourful American Gothic home in the Titirangi bush. Fifth generation builder Steve Sygrove and his wife, Chrissy, have a passion for things pretty, floral and pink. Their unique build in the Titirangi bush near Auckland is a handcrafted American Gothic style house complete with ornate detailing like a Juliette balcony, spandrels, a horseshow window, lacework valences, and interior walls made of fabric. Steve rallies against the bureaucracy that is stifling the creativity in his craft and expects this grand dame of a building will be his swansong.

5Season 1

S1.E5 ∙ Wellington: 45° House

Sun, Nov 1, 2015

Chris meets architect Nic Ballara, who's planning to build a house on a steep 45-degree slope overlooking Wellington. Nic Ballara clearly has a head for heights as he starts to build a family home for him and his wife Callie and their 12-year-old daughter. Nic's site in the earthquake prone city of Wellington is so steep that it looks virtually impossible to build on, however Nic is convinced he has a solution and is determined to build his first home there. A logistical nightmare lies ahead as this Grand Design looks to be an uphill battle throughout.

6Season 1

S1.E6 ∙ Auckland: Clifftop House

Sun, Nov 8, 2015

Chris meets Hamish and Diane Divett, who are rebuilding their house on the most unlikely spot - on the edge of a crumbling cliff top that plummets 40 metres to the sea below. Surfing Pastor Hamish Divett and his psychologist wife Diane have lived by the ocean for years, but in a dark, south-facing house that failed to take full advantage of the beautiful vista. To get the view they desperately desire, the couple have decided to push structural and logical planning to the limits. By building on a crumbling cliff with a sheer drop to the sea below, the Divetts will push their team to the edge to see this Grand Design though to completion.

7Season 1

S1.E7 ∙ Wanaka: Straw Bale House

Sun, Nov 15, 2015

After years of living apart with their separate children, Mike and Catherine are finally building an extraordinary straw bale together on top of a rocky outcrop in central Otego. Between them, Mike and Cathy have seven children from their previous marriages. With the last child finally moved out of home, the couple are going to build a Grand Design in which they will live alone together for the first time. They will be calling on Catherine's skills as one of the few female joiners in the country and Mike's talents as an inventor to build a unique straw bale and hemp house on an exposed rocky outcrop near Wanaka.

8Season 1

S1.E8 ∙ Auckland: American Barns

Sun, Nov 22, 2015

The series finale sees Marty import two old American barns from New York valley, which are raised by heritage builders and merged with a design for a modern home. Timber merchant Marty Verry and his Venezuelan wife Morella have imported two historic New York barn frames that could be considered the oldest buildings in New Zealand. With plans to assemble the barn on the couples' rural site on the outskirts of Auckland, they intend them to become part of a modernist mansion acting as a tribute to the different timber Marty loves. But will the new homes honour the history they are built on or is this Grand Design set to take on a life of its own?

1Season 2

S2.E1 ∙ Point Chevalier: The Concreteologist

Sun, Sep 25, 2016

Builder and self-titled concreteologist Ross Bannan plans to push concrete to new limits to create a towering architectural home for his family on the cliffs of Auckland suburb Pt Chevalier.

2Season 2

S2.E2 ∙ New Plymouth: Hemp Home

Sun, Oct 2, 2016

New Plymouth couple Greg Whitham and Gayle Avery want to build a rustic French farmhouse style home for their extended family and they want to do this using hemp.

3Season 2

S2.E3 ∙ Northland: Rusty House

Sun, Oct 9, 2016

Steve Wilson and Wendy Grell want to get out of the city and live the quiet life. So they've demolished the old family holiday home and are building a permanent home in a small, isolated Northland bay.

4Season 2

S2.E4 ∙ Kapiti Coast: Stilt House

Sun, Oct 16, 2016

Engineer David Fitzmaurice moved to Christchurch with his wife Joyce to work on the reconstruction of the city after the devastating earthquakes and he plans to build a home there from shipping containers.

5Season 2

S2.E5 ∙ Ponsonby: French House

Sun, Oct 23, 2016

The suburb of Ponsonby is full of pretty historic wooden villas and the locals are very protective of them. So when Francophiles Sarah and Philippe Lods decide to build a modernist home they have some challenges ahead.

6Season 2

S2.E6 ∙ Queenstown: Modern Day Castle

Sun, Oct 30, 2016

Andy Macbeth and Jo Denton are Christchurch earthquake refugees who are building a new life and modern-day fortress against the elements in alpine Queenstown.

7Season 2

S2.E7 ∙ Christchurch: Shipping Container Home

Sun, Nov 6, 2016

With predicted rising sea levels, Wellington's wild Kapiti coastline is in danger of eventually being washed away. But that's not stopping Guy Marriage and his cousins from building an experimental home.

8Season 2

S2.E8 ∙ South Brighton: Earthquake Rebuild

Sun, Nov 13, 2016

A Christchurch family is determined to stay in South Brighton despite ongoing earthquakes, Andrei and Abby Martin are going to demolish their damaged cottage and build a prototype earthquake-proof home that can withstand shakes.

1Season 3

S3.E1 ∙ Helensville: Imitation Villa

Wed, Sep 20, 2017

Kelly wants to recreate an ornate historic homestead in Helensville - just like one she fell in love with as a child. And she's not letting her six kids hold her back.

2Season 3

S3.E2 ∙ Mount Ruapehu: Log Home

Tue, Sep 26, 2017

Ski enthusiast Ash dreams of building a traditional European Log Cabin at the base of Mount Ruapehu. But will his daughter's input compromise his dream?

3Season 3

S3.E3 ∙ Slipper Island: Island Hideaway

Tue, Oct 3, 2017

Sky wants to build a remote, off-grid island sanctuary, where he and his family can escape the demands of mainland life.

4Season 3

S3.E4 ∙ Queenstown: Moving Mansion

Tue, Oct 10, 2017

Jamie and Melissa went to buy a staircase from a Christchurch villa and ended up buying the whole house. Now they must transport their massive manion overland to Queenstown.

5Season 3

S3.E5 ∙ Nelson: Black House

Tue, Oct 17, 2017

George and Yvonne are leaving Auckland to retire in Nelson. They've chosen a difficult site over a tidal estuary and George wants to paint the entire house black - inside and out.

6Season 3

S3.E6 ∙ Auckland: Vinegar Lane Apartment

Tue, Oct 24, 2017

A young Auckland couple borrow a fortune to build their first home - and along the way face delays, budget blow-outs, and becoming new parents.

7Season 3

S3.E7 ∙ Waiheke: Canopy House

Tue, Oct 31, 2017

Wedding dress designer Robyn and husband David have a dream to build a home that looks across a native canopy. But will getting materials to their Waiheke site make the build impossible?

8Season 3

S3.E8 ∙ Point Chevalier: Music Box House

Tue, Nov 7, 2017

Mahuia and Mindy are preparing to be first-time parents and want to build a family home that will double as a recording studio and a rooftop performance space.

1Season 4

S4.E1 ∙ Christchurch: Britten Stables

Wed, Oct 3, 2018

The daughter of world famous motorbike inventor, John Britten, takes on the multi-million dollar task of restoring the eclectic earthquake damaged family home.

2Season 4

S4.E2 ∙ Mangawhai: Jetty House

Wed, Oct 10, 2018

Antiques lover Patty scours the country for historic materials to build a contemporary home. Her journey throws up weighty challenges like what to do with a hundred year old wharf?

3Season 4

S4.E3 ∙ Hamner Springs: Tree House

Wed, Oct 17, 2018

Ric and Boio turn a tree house childhood dream into reality. But building in a pine forest where trees frequently blow over in winter storms complicates things.

4Season 4

S4.E4 ∙ Te Arai: Tuscan Lodge

Wed, Oct 24, 2018

Cathy and Vince strive to create a massive Italian style villa with petanque court and heated pool. But their budget takes on a life of its own.

5Season 4

S4.E5 ∙ Wellington: Green House

Wed, Oct 31, 2018

Sustainability experts Karl and Amelie have a dream to build a home heated from the sun. But on a steep, windy Wellington hillside site they're challenged right from the start.

6Season 4

S4.E6 ∙ Cranmer Square: Red House

Wed, Nov 7, 2018

Photographers Johannes and Jo face double trouble - a heritage restoration with the addition of an architectural statement home on the side.

7Season 4

S4.E7 ∙ Brighton: Beach House

Wed, Nov 14, 2018

Young builder Zac wants to save money by building his own home. The problem is he's promised his mum he'll build hers at the same time - and both are on top of a sand dune.

8Season 4

S4.E8 ∙ Kenepuru Sound: Pod House

Wed, Nov 21, 2018

Kate and Ian want to live in the remote Kenepuru Sound, but it's a place tradies won't go to. Instead, the pair build off site and truck the home along a dangerous road.

1Season 5

S5.E1 ∙ Burnt Timber Pavillion

Wed, Sep 11, 2019

Wanting to keep her parents close after their passing the wife is planning features to remind and honour their memory in this huge burnt wood clad mansion.

2Season 5

S5.E2 ∙ Suspended Glass Home

Tue, Sep 17, 2019

A site with a river running through it would put most people off. But not Harlem and Nicola who attempt to build a glass-house on a bridge over the water.

3Season 5

S5.E3 ∙ Wanaka Wedge

Tue, Sep 24, 2019

Musicians Justine Cormack and Marc Taddei swap their Auckland home for the mountains of Central Otago. They risk all by adapting an American design for the Southern Hemisphere.

4Season 5

S5.E4 ∙ Beach Escape

Wed, Oct 2, 2019

David and Tracey share a passion for architecture, but with diverging taste. Their joint home in Waipu Cove results in a clash of wills and an epic battle over the budget and infinity pool.

5Season 5

S5.E5 ∙ Taylors Mistake

Wed, Oct 9, 2019

Six years in the making, Craig Jarvis' tiny 65 square metre home overlooking Taylor's Mistake is Grand Designs' longest running house build. Hand built, but is it finally finished?

6Season 5

S5.E6 ∙ Medieval Castle

Wed, Oct 16, 2019

Creating a 50-metre long castle wall is just the first of many uphill battles a brave family faces as they tackle the gargantuan task of creating a Medieval Castle in north Canterbury.

7Season 5

S5.E7 ∙ Grand Designs Revisited

Wed, Oct 23, 2019

Chris Moller takes a tour of three exceptional Grand Designs homes from the last four seasons to see how they've developed and to ask the big question - was it all worth it?

8Season 5

S5.E8 ∙ Back to the Music Box

Wed, Oct 30, 2019

Mahuia and Mindy are preparing to be the first-time parents and want to build a family home that will double as a recording studio and a rooftop performance space. We take you back to the home doubling as a recording studio as Mahuia and Mindy try to find harmony between an inspirational music space and a place to raise their family.

9Season 5

S5.E9 ∙ The Concreteologist - Revisted

Wed, Nov 6, 2019

One of Grand Designs' most compelling builds, in which concretologist Ross risks life and limb to create a towering home for his family on the cliffs of Pt Chevalier.

1Season 6

S6.E1 ∙ Grand Tearooms Penthouse

Mon, Sep 14, 2020

Auckland couple Bridget and Steve Varney take on the challenge of converting Farmers' grand tea rooms built in 1930 into a New York style loft.

2Season 6

S6.E2 ∙ Piha Clifftop Retreat

Mon, Sep 21, 2020

Joseph and Susannah battle storms and complex topography as they attempt to build a coastal paradise on a steep site with stunning view of Piha.

3Season 6

S6.E3 ∙ Floating Beach Bach

Mon, Sep 28, 2020

Normally, you'd think twice about building extreme beachfront in Paekakariki - but it's a challenge top industrial designer Mark Pennington is ready to take on. Will Mark and Pip's dream home come to life or get washed away?

4Season 6

S6.E4 ∙ Feng Shui Palace

Mon, Oct 5, 2020

Kim Powell and Boon Yap scour Northland for the perfect spot to build a Feng Shui home. It's a rollercoaster ride.

5Season 6

S6.E5 ∙ Schist Vineyard

Mon, Oct 12, 2020

Roland and Lucienne Vanderwal join forces with their son Michiel to build a home out of local schist, in the middle of their central Otago vineyard.

6Season 6

S6.E6 ∙ Sounds Hideaway

Mon, Oct 19, 2020

An off the grid monolith in the Marlborough Sounds is a challenging build. But when you live 12,000 miles away like the O'Briens, it's nigh on impossible.

7Season 6

S6.E7 ∙ Lighthouse

Mon, Oct 26, 2020

Ex cops Sumita and Cameron Dale want to build a lighthouse with virtually no money. Will they pull it off? And what will the neighbours say?

8Season 6

S6.E8 ∙ Ultramodern Rooftop Home

Mon, Nov 2, 2020

Heritage building enthusiasts Ted and Ita Daniels create an ultra-modern rooftop apartment on top of one of the city's most beautiful renovations.

9Season 6

S6.E9 ∙ Copper Curve

Mon, Nov 9, 2020

Aaron and Christine Green create an unconventional, curvaceous creation in Cass Bay. It's as much of an artwork as it is a house, but at what cost?

1Season 7

S7.E1 ∙ Chatham Islands

Mon, Oct 17, 2022

After renting the local schoolhouse for 20 years, Chatham Islanders John and Bridget Preece are finally embarking on their own dream build. But will the challenges of building on a remote island prove to be their undoing?

2Season 7

S7.E2 ∙ Okaihau Family Home

Tue, Oct 25, 2022

In Kerikeri, local weekend market and café owners Warrick and Judy Hyland are building the biggest house they can on a budget.

3Season 7

S7.E3 ∙ Lake House

Tue, Nov 1, 2022

On the shores of Lake Tarawera, kiwifruit farmers Stew and Gill Moss are building a final family home in time for Gill's 60th birthday party.

4Season 7

S7.E4 ∙ Round House

Tue, Nov 8, 2022

Carefree childhood memories are the inspiration behind 32-year-old James Davis' complex build on the Kapiti Coast.

5Season 7

S7.E5 ∙ Container House

Tue, Nov 15, 2022

Tony Hodge discovers that building with the humble container is not as easy as he thought it would be on his vertiginous, bush-clad site on Waiheke Island.

6Season 7

S7.E6 ∙ Featherston Passive

Tue, Nov 22, 2022

In Featherston, Swedish architect Josefine Watterson tackles the challenge of creating a Passive House for her young family in pursuit of a more sustainable lifestyle.

7Season 7

S7.E7 ∙ Christchurch Castello

Tue, Nov 29, 2022

In North Canterbury, Phil Metaxas takes on the ambitious task of completing another man's dream - that of a post-modernist castle.

8Season 7

S7.E8 ∙ Sand Dune

Tue, Dec 6, 2022

Charles Webster, a man with a passion for technical engineering, and his wife Yvonne pour their energy into creating a home in the shape of a sand dune on the Coromandel Peninsula.