Tonight sees the return of the hit Channel 4 architectural show Grand Designs which sees ambitious individuals build their dream family home. 

From mansion-sized homes built out of clay and mud to concert cubes and former water towers, the show has seen an array of impressive builds across its 22 series. 

And the first episode of the new series is no different, as a Manchester couple learns the dos and don'ts of building your own home the hard way. 

Manchester couple builds their dream home on tonight's Grand Designs

Manchester film producer Colin and his wife Adele dream of constructing a modernist mansion that host Kevin McCloud describes as a "Swedish bombshell with curves to draw attention".

Taking the family back to their routes, the couple is building their curved glass home in south Manchester near the 'footballer belt'. 

Opting not to use the D.I.Y approach, the couple hire a Swedish architect, an Italian interior design company along with a Latvian building company to make their dream a reality. 

But it seems their dream is harder to achieve than they first thought, as they learn the hard truth of why you shouldn't pay builders everything up front. 

The couple's choice to avoid local builders and hire cheaper foreign labour results in the pair being disappointed as their promises are not delivered. 

McCloud has seen a lot of ambitious projects over the last 22 series and it seems nothing surprising anymore, but the couple's misfortunes do see the veteran designer tell them "I think this project is doomed."

How to watch Grand Designs

You can catch the new series on Channel 4 and All 4 at 9pm starting on Wednesday, August 31 and then airing weekly.

Watch Grand Design on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight.