Major update on Grand Designs’ ‘saddest ever house’ as saga could finally be over

One of the most notorious builds in Grand Designs history might finally have found an ending thanks to a major update in the matter of Chesil Cliff House.

It's a property viewers of the popular Channel 4 show dubbed the 'saddest ever house' because of the toll building it took on Ed Short, who started out with a plan to build a place by the sea in 18 months for £1.8 million.

However, Ed said he felt 'cursed' at times as the project spiralled out of control, costing him several years and millions of pounds more than he could ever have anticipated.

Ed's family never got to live in Chesil Cliff House, and during construction he split up with his wife Hazel while he also got deeper into debt trying to complete the seaside home.

He eventually put the North Devon house up for sale, and in a big update, it sounds like this years-long nightmare is finally over.

Could the saga finally be over? (Channel 4)

According to Homebuilding & Renovating, Chesil Cliff House has finally been sold, saying that Savills told them a deal for the place had been 'secured and completed' last year.

Ed had initially listed the property on the market for £10 million, but later on, the price dropped to around £5.25 million, though it is not clear whether or not whoever bought the house got it for that value.

Even after it went onto the market, there were further problems with the place, as structural problems were found with the drive to Chesil Cliff House.

The property being based by the seaside turned out to be a major headache for Ed throughout the build, as he said he discovered there was a 'really vulnerable cliff in front of the house' which made digging it out to lay foundations a big challenge.

While Ed's Grand Designs build may have gone very differently to his initial hopes this update will hopefully allow him to finally close the book on the ambitious project.

Apparently after a major ordeal a deal to sell Chesil Cliff House has gone through (Match Property)

'It's a story of somebody's life falling apart'

One particular fan of Ed is Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud, who told LADbible he thought the man made 'huge errors' throughout the project but ultimately thinks the story is 'one of redemption'.

He said he admired the man's 'honesty' and 'absolute integrity', explaining: "His honesty and his integrity kind of drove the show.

"In the original film at the end of it we say this is a story of hubris, it's a story of overreaching, it's a story of somebody's life falling apart, their relationships falling apart.

Ed Short said the house was 'a nightmare' from the start (Channel 4)

“And he got all that, he was the first to say that. So it didn’t make it hard for me to say that in the closing moments of the film, I didn't feel I was betraying his trust, because he was so open and transparent."

As Kevin said, 'he got there in the end'.

LADbible has contacted Savills for comment.