Expensive grand home builds that ended in disaster

From dream project to construction nightmare

We all know that self-build and renovation projects come with plenty of obstacles, but for some unlucky homeowners unforeseen circumstances can lead to major construction disasters.

Around the world, these bold buildings all faced their fair share of difficulties. From a Georgian townhouse that dramatically collapsed, to a mansion bigger than Buckingham Palace that has sat unfinished for almost 40 years, these might just be the world's most challenging home building projects.

Mohamed Hadid's mega-mansion, California, USA

You'd be forgiven for thinking that any home built by Jordanian-American real estate developer Mohamed Hadid, father to models Gigi and Bella Hadid, would be an immense success, yet his enormous mega-mansion in Bel Air was anything but.

When Hadid bought the site in 2011, he apparently had the intention of creating a 14,000-square-foot property, but by 2014 the scheme had somehow grown significantly into a 70-foot tall, six-storey building – all without the necessary paperwork in place...

Mohamed Hadid's mega-mansion, California, USA

Authorities in Los Angeles revoked Hadid's building permits after they discovered a series of unapproved additions, such as an extra floor underneath the basement and an unauthorised secondary swimming pool. Even though the house should have been demolished as soon as the permits were revoked, Hadid forged on.

In 2017 he was sentenced to 200 hours of community service for criminal charges related to illegal construction. Then, in 2018, several of Hadid's neighbours brought a lawsuit against him after fears the hillside home could collapse. The suit was finally resolved in September 2021, when a judge awarded Hadid's neighbours $2.9 million (£2.1m) in compensation.

Mohamed Hadid's mega-mansion, California, USA

Hadid was ordered to demolish the mansion. In January 2021, he placed it on the market for just $8.5 million (£6.1m), on the condition that it would be bulldozed upon the completion of the sale.

The high-end development, seen here via YouTuber Billionaire Drone, was later reduced to $8 million (£5.7m) but was finally auctioned off with no reserve, which means a sale will go through, regardless of price. Bidders had to put down a 3% deposit and show proof of funds, according to Forbes. It finally sold in December 2021 for $5 million (£4m) with Premier Estates Auction Co., purchased by Sahara Construction, according to the LA Times.

Kellie's Castle, Perak, Malaysia

This striking castle may look like it belongs in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, but it's actually in the Kinta District of Perak in Malaysia. However, the beautiful stately home has a tragic story behind it.

In the early 20th century, 21-year-old Scotsman William Kellie Smith moved to Malaysia, known then as British Malaya, to seek his fortune. William soon met his wife Agnes and the couple started a family, so William decided to build a house in Perak.

Kellie's Castle, Perak, Malaysia

The owner of a rubber plantation, William wanted the property to be the biggest in the country, with a six-storey tower, an indoor tennis court and Malaya’s very first elevator. Blending Roman, Moorish and Indo-Saracenic Revival styles, 70 workers began constructing the unusual house, importing brick and marble from India and luxury tiles from Italy.

Yet before the work could be finished, William caught pneumonia and passed away during a trip to Lisbon in 1926 where he was meant to collect the home's much-anticipated elevator.

Kellie's Castle, Perak, Malaysia

In a state of grief, Agnes couldn’t face completing the property and moved back to Scotland. The estate was sold to a coffee trader, British company Harrisons and Crosfield, who used the land but left the unfinished castle abandoned for decades.

During the initial construction of the property, several workers are said to have died of Spanish flu and many believe that their spirits still haunt Kellie’s Castle to this day. Yet the derelict building is open to visitors, although many report a sense of unease as they explore.

Georgian townhouse, London, UK

We all know that space in the British capital is in short supply, especially if you're on a tight budget. The owners of this grand Georgian townhouse in Barnes, southwest London, decided to make more room by digging down beneath their house, as well as carrying out extensive building works across other floors.

A decision came to commission a basement extension, which required the ground below their multimillion-pound pad to be excavated.

Georgian townhouse, London, UK

Once owned by British popstar Duffy, the property caved in on itself in November 2015 during the construction. No longer supported by its foundations, the luxurious home literally crumbled into the empty void left by the basement excavation.

Described as collapsing like a tower of cards, the six-bedroom townhouse was completely destroyed but luckily no one was injured during the incident. How's that for a property nightmare?

Georgian townhouse, London, UK

Sadly, this isn't the only regal residence to have collapsed in southwest London due to poor construction work. In fact, this large dwelling can be found just a few miles away in Kingston Vale.

The property, which had also been undergoing extensive renovation works, collapsed due to a poorly-supported basement. Crumbling down in the middle of the night in April 2017, the building was left in complete ruins. Photography shared by local police shows the extent of the damage.

Boldt Castle, New York, USA

On Heart Island in the Thousand Islands region of New York, Boldt Castle was commissioned at the start of the 20th century by George C. Boldt, the millionaire proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Leaving no expense spared, 300 workers began constructing the six-level, 120-room residence, which was designed to include secret tunnels, Italian gardens, a drawbridge and turrets.

Boldt Castle, New York, USA

The dramatic castle was designed to highlight George's love for his wife Louise, but in January 1904 tragedy struck. George telegraphed his team of workers and told them to immediately stop construction. Louise had died suddenly, leaving George completely heartbroken.

Unable to carry on with the project without Louise by his side, George never returned to the island, leaving the incomplete castle behind as a monument of his love.

Boldt Castle, New York, USA

For more than 70 years, Boldt Castle was left abandoned, subjected to battering winds and intense rain, while vandals damaged the property further.

The tragic structure's luck was to change, however, when in 1977, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought the historic estate and spent millions of dollars restoring it. It's now open to the public between May and October, keeping Louise's memory alive.

Versailles Mansion, Florida, USA

Jackie Siegel and her mogul husband David began work on this mega-mansion in 2004. Known as the Versailles of Florida, the property was set to be the largest home in America and one of the most luxurious in the world.

However, after multiple delays and complications with construction over the last 20+ years, the structure, said to be valued at $100 million (£72m), remains unfinished and uninhabited to this day.

Versailles Mansion, Florida, USA

Work was halted on several occasions due to unforeseen circumstances. David’s business was hit by the economic crash in 2008, before the couple's 18-year-old daughter Victoria tragically passed away in 2015. To make matters worse, a fire broke out in one of the property’s elevators in early 2019. Ironically, this meant that renovation works had to be carried out before the property had even been completed.

Despite Jackie previously stating that the house would be complete by mid-2022, it remains unfinished. However, she's been busy elsewhere, with a documentary and musical (starring Kristin Chenoweth no less) about her home build making her a big name. She occasionally shares the home's progress on her Instagram like this picture where she promises: "...For all those people asking, yes, we are finishing Versailles. Lol...I can’t wait to show you all the progress we’ve made!"

Versailles Mansion, Florida, USA

Jackie, possibly known better now as 'The Queen of Versailles', has since gone viral for building a replica private jet cabin in her living room. According to the Daily Mail, Jackie faced backlash for being 'out of touch with the real world' but claimed the model set up was for an event to celebrate her late daughter.

Should the family's project be finally finished, the home is set to accommodate 14 bedrooms, 11 kitchens, 30 bathrooms, a 30-car garage, a bowling alley, five swimming pools, a video arcade, ballroom, cinema, gym and spa, and a 20,000-bottle wine cellar.

Chesil Cliff House, Devon, UK

Another of British TV's Grand Designs homes, the story behind Chesil Cliff House in England has led to it being described as the show's 'saddest ever episode'. Costing owners Edward and Hazel Short £3.2 million ($4.4m) to build, the home faced numerous setbacks during the construction process, the first being a matter of finances.

Sitting on a prominent clifftop plot overlooking the beach of Croyde, North Devon, the unusual building has also been dubbed grotesque by many due to its harsh concrete façade and huge circular tower, reminiscent of a lighthouse.

Chesil Cliff House, Devon, UK

Edward borrowed money to buy the plot, which was already home to an old house, which he demolished to build his dream home. Edward's wife didn't quite share his enthusiasm for the scheme. Delays stalled construction, leading the couple to accumulate debts. They even built a secondary home on the site but ended up selling it to finance the spiralling costs of Chesil Cliff House.

Edward and his wife separated during the project due to the stress the build placed on their marriage, drawing an end to the couple's life together. But that wasn't the end for the house...

Chesil Cliff House, Devon, UK

The property was on the market in 2023 with Knight Frank for a reported £10 million ($12.6m), with rumours of the buyer being Harry Styles according to The Independent, but no sale was finalised.

In January 2024, The Mirror suggested that Michael Jackson's former bodyguard Matt Fiddes had expressed interest. The five-bedroom property, now known as The Crest & Crest View, is labelled a "once in a lifetime opportunity" and is back on the market for much lower £5.25 million ($6.2m) with Savills. Will it get its happy ending? Watch this space...

Cape Romano Dome House, Florida, USA

In 1981, retired oil engineer Bob Lee decided to build himself the ultimate vacation property in Cape Romano, Florida. His vision was for a series of connected concrete domes and Bob surveyed several locations before purchasing the plot on which to build his dream home.

Before embarking on the ambitious project, he even created a full-scale replica in Tennessee to iron out any construction issues.

Cape Romano Dome House, Florida, USA

Known as the Cape Romano Dome House, the property was designed to be hurricane-proof, self-sufficient and eco-friendly. Built on stilts, Lee hoped the innovative holiday home could be heated by fires, which would sit on concrete ledges beneath every room.

Meanwhile, the rounded roofs would allow for rainwater to be reused, as well as protect the structure from the area's intense climate. Sadly though, the windows couldn't survive Hurricane Andrew, which hit in 1992...

Cape Romano Dome House, Florida, USA

The driving wind and rain blew out the glass, completely destroying the interiors. Bob and his family had no choice but to abandon the house. To make matters worse, the freak weather and natural erosion slowly caused the island to change shape, submerging it in water.

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma hit Florida, further eroding the coastline and damaging the home's foundations. Then, in 2022, the remains of Cape Romano were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. It was the end for this unusual property.

Winchester Mystery House, California, USA

Known as the Winchester Mystery House, this grand property can be found in San Jose, California. Now a historic landmark, the building has a long and fascinating story. Once the private home of Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, the estate was built in the wake of the deaths of Sarah's husband and infant daughter.

Determined to make a fresh start, Sarah moved to San Jose and bought an old farmhouse, taking on what would become the world's longest renovation project.

Winchester Mystery House, California, USA

Sarah bought the fixer-upper property in 1886 and work continued until her death in September 1922. Over the decades, the small farmhouse was transformed into a sprawling 24,000-square-foot mansion, featuring 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors and 160 rooms.

There are upside-down columns, doors that open onto solid walls and even staircases that lead to dead ends. The building work is said to have cost Sarah $5 million (£3.6m) – that's $71 million (£51.2m) in today's money!

Winchester Mystery House, California, USA

No one really knows what possessed Sarah to spend all her time, effort and money on the complex building scheme. At the time, rumours of ghosts, psychics and mental health issues spiralled and many questions remain unanswered.

In fact, the property still isn't complete and many believe it to be haunted by paranormal spirits. Now an iconic piece of local architecture as well as a national US landmark, the Winchester Mystery House is truly one-of-a-kind.

Hamilton Palace, Sussex, UK

In the English town of Uckfield in Sussex, Hamilton Palace is a truly spectacular private mansion – or at least it was supposed to be when the project was started in 1985. Scaffolding remains in place around the grand structure; an eerie reminder of the home's disastrous construction journey.

The abandoned estate, which is larger than Buckingham Palace, was commissioned by disgraced British businessman Nicholas van Hoogstraten, who is said to have, at one time, owned thousands of buildings across the UK. The property magnate became a millionaire at the tender age of 22 and his net worth has been placed as high as £793 million ($1.1bn), according to Sussex Live.

Hamilton Palace, Sussex, UK

Costing around £40 million ($55.5m) to build, Hamilton Palace was once considered to be one of the most expensive (and largest) private houses built in Britain for a century, though no one has ever lived there. After almost four decades, the abandoned mansion is now all but crumbling, but remains fiercely protected by a team of security guards.

According to the palace's architect, Anthony Browne, van Hoogstraten has a reputation. One documentary quoted him saying that he was prepared to do "whatever is necessary" to get what he wants. The construction of the palace caused plenty of disputes with neighbours after van Hoogstraten decided to remove a public footpath that ran through the estate.

He also received a four-year prison sentence in 1968 for criminal damage, after a hand grenade was thrown into the home of a former business associate said to have owed him money. In 2002, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail after being found guilty of manslaughter, but the conviction was later quashed.

Hamilton Palace, Sussex, UK

While he was cleared in the criminal courts, van Hoogstraten was later found responsible for the killing in a £6 million ($8.3m) civil lawsuit. After backlash about the home's half-finished state, perhaps in part due to van Hoogstraten's legal issues, he was quoted as saying: "Hamilton Palace is far from 'crumbling' and was built to last for at least 2,000 years. The scaffolding only remains as a part of ongoing routine maintenance such a property would require until completion."

Nevertheless, the property has been dubbed the 'Ghost House of Sussex' by locals, reports The Sun, and it appears unlikely that the project will ever come to fruition.

The One, California, USA

When it comes to ambitious self-build projects, it would be hard to top The One, a mega-mansion nestled on a prestigious, five-acre hillside plot in the heart of Bel Air, Los Angeles. The brainchild of real estate developer Nile Niami, The One took over eight years to construct and, even though it's now sold, it came with a bumpy ride to a finalised sale and a shocking price slash.

Niami bought the plot in 2012 for $28 million (£20m) and enlisted 600 labourers to construct the mansion. Positioned to soak up the scenery, the pad benefits from 360-degree views from almost every window, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, Downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains. Spanning some 105,000 square feet, the OTT abode was designed by architect Paul McClean, while its interior design was undertaken by Kathryn Rotondi.

The One, California, USA

Designed and decorated with extensive marble and glass, the house is surrounded on three sides by a moat and a 400-foot-long jogging track. The estate also has 21 bedrooms (including a 5,500-square-foot master suite), 42 bathrooms, a 30-car auto gallery with two turntables and a four-lane bowling alley.

Costly features (such as a floor-to-ceiling aquarium) were scrapped after a series of financial and construction setbacks. In 2015, Niami spoke to GQ, revealing he planned to ask $500 million (£361m) for the home, but in January 2021 it reportedly hit the market for far less – $340 million (£245m). But the home hit the news for more reasons than its hefty price tag...

The One, California, USA

In March 2021, the LA Times stated that Hankey Capital, who lent Niami $82.5 million (£59m) to construct The One, was still waiting to be paid back. After being threatened with a notice of default and possible foreclosure, the property fell into receivership in August 2021 and was listed by realtor Williams & Williams.

Niami's debts, thought to be in the region of $165 million (£119m), resulted in Lanes Management taking possession of the property before Fashion Nova founder and CEO Richard Saghian made the winning bid at a bankruptcy auction for $126 million (£100m), according to Business Insider. But it's not over yet! Nile Niami’s Skyline Development announced it is looking for new investors to try and raise money for a counter bid so he can take back control of The One. The saga continues...