Our dream home was on Grand Designs… nosey neighbours knock on our door all the time to look around
TWO pals who live in a whopping converted water tower say Grand Designs fans still knock on their door for a look around - a decade after the property featured on the show.
Jamie Hamer and housemate Susanna say nosey neighbours often visit the dream home in Kennington, South London, desperate to get a glimpse inside.
Avid viewers of the Channel 4 home renovation programme might remember the stunning property, which featured in the 100th episode.
The 100ft building, originally built in 1867, was completely run-down and full of dead pigeons when Leigh Osborne and Graham Voce bought it in 2011.
The ambitious pair paid £380,000 the abandoned property - but spent an eyewatering £2million renovating it into a luxury home.
Their restoration became one of the most popular Grand Designs episodes to date. And ever since, owners have been inundated with visits from locals and reporters.
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Even 10 years on, Jamie and Susanna say they'll still be contacted.
Jamie said: “We often get people ringing the doorbell asking if they can take a look around.
"Then some will ask where the buzzers for the other flats are. They’re surprised to find out it’s one home."
Luckily, those desperate for a look around will be able to pay a visit in this September as the home is opened to the public.
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The flashy property - described by Kevin McCloud as a "jaw-dropping showstopper" - will open its doors for the first time as part of the .
Visitors will be able to see the tower's beautiful 360 degree views of the capital for themselves. The property also boasts the largest sliding doors in the UK.
Since moving in, Jamie and Susanna have added a hottub to the roof terrace and put their own spin on the Grade II listed building.
It is believed the property sold for near the asking price of £2.75m, although a spokesperson for the estate agent declined to comment at the time.
Jamie told the when he brought the property: “I have always been fascinated by castles and this is the closest I’ll get to owning one in central London."
He said he was "browsing homes across London" on Rightmove when he spotted the home, and initially believed it was a "joke".
In a recent , he said: "I remember saying, ‘There’s no way this is a real home'.
"And I just had to see it. As soon as I walked in, I knew I was going to buy it – I just loved it.”
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The tower originally provided water to the nearby Lambeth Workhouse where more than 800 destitute families were once housed. Seven-year-old Charlie Chaplin lived there with his impoverished mother.
When faced with the ambitious project in the 2012 episode, Kevin McCloud referred to the ruined building as a "monster", a "beast" and a "crumbling giant".
