Where are Rob and Ruth from Grand Designs now? Thu 7 October 2021 09:47 Celine Byford
Michael King Rob and Ruth were the couple to appear on Grand Designs on October 6th, heading back to their Cumbrian roots to transform a home.
They hit news headlines when the Channel 4 show saw them completely restore a protected mill in a secluded valley, and make it totally modern.
Host Kevin McCloud led the way as viewers tuned in, eager to see how the crumbling walls would even hold a freshly redesigned property.
Following Rob and Ruth’s moment of fame, Reality Titbit done some digging to find out where they are now. Below are some post-filming updates.
Who are Rob and Ruth?
Robert Glass and Ruth Grimshaw are a couple, both born in Cumbria.
Both architects and self-builders, they currently run their own business service called Tape Design, which involved their self-build project.
Rob, 35, and Ruth, 27, met at Manchester University before moving to work in London. Since then, the pair have relocated back to Cumbria.
They recently appeared on Channel 4’s Grand Designs to bring to life a 200-year-old former mill, but it didn’t come easily…
Eco-building, massacre of trees. #GrandDesigns
— Dariusz Ski (@dskiuk2) October 6, 2021
Grand Designs: Cumbria
Based on the Lake District, the mill – namely Blacking Mill – was the place Rob and Ruth fell in love with, planning to restore it.
But fans were shocked when they had to knock down the entire thing within the first 15 minutes of the episode – as it wasn’t structurally sound.
The plan was to build around the existing stone walls inside a wooded valley, keeping the character of the initial building.
Rob and Ruth gave themselves a budget of £250,000, and planned to move in within the next 18 months.
As it is a scheduled ancient monument by Historic England, changing the structure meant they needed consent from the secretary of state.
So, they added an entirely new timber structure and set out to use the mill in their build, which cost them £110,000.
#granddesigns oh no, we've accidentally dropped the tree on the ruin. It will have to be knocked down.
— Ad 🦖 (@adynch) October 6, 2021
Where are Rob and Ruth now?
Rob and Ruth may have planned to move in within 18 months, but it actually took them six years of hard graft to get there.
With three of them years involving a film crew (Grand Designs), they are now happily enjoying living in their self-built home.
They are now living in a “future-proof, super efficient home the best they could and proving to themselves that they could do this”.
Their home has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and is 218 square metres.
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