I’m building massive £15m mansions for Prem footballers… From 5G stadiums to Bond-style secret rooms, the requirements are incredible

What’s the point of being a billionaire in this day and age if your house doesn’t have a supercar lift — or a swimming pool filled with Himalayan salt water?

Yes, Britain has officially gone crazy with mega-mansions, as an influx of stunning – and ridiculous – properties hit our streets and screens.

While TV viewers can’t head out to see high-end property shows including Selling Sunset, Grand Designs and Crazy Rich Agents, we’re also chomping at the bit to enter raffles like Omaze, which offers regular punters the chance to snap up lavish and stylish outfits. Role.

The luxury home market is also booming, with London last year recording record sales of homes costing £5 million and above.

But what does it actually take to bring a millionaire’s greatest designs to life?

Daniel Asheville is one of the new generation of “big builders” whose expertise in building massive projects from the ground up has made them a social media sensation.

After founding his first construction company in 2006, he began posting videos on his Instagram account and YouTube channel, where he now has nearly 500,000 subscribers.

His work has earned him celebrity clients such as former Premier League footballer Jack Wilshere and pop star Taio Cruz, and has now attracted the attention of National Geographic.

His new show, Building Impossible with Daniel Ashville, explores the world’s most extravagant construction projects, with the first episode going behind the scenes of the £1.5bn Icon of the Seas cruise ship.

We don our hard hats to join him in Guildford, Surrey, for a tour of his latest build – a stunning mega-mansion that could be yours… for a cool £15 million.

Millionaires row

For decades, Guildford has been a haven for top athletes, business executives and celebrities, boasting more £1m-plus properties than anywhere else outside London.

Here, it is not uncommon to see private helicopters circling above rows of massive mansions, including the nearly completed site that greets us from behind a leafy gated enclave.

With a secret games room, facial recognition pools and a 5G football pitch, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve arrived at the home of one of the Premier League’s best footballers.

In fact, the property is so exclusive that it is only rented to major Hollywood stars who film in the city for short periods of time.

In order to survive, they simply have to pay a whopping £250,000 a month.

While building this house, Daniel says he listened to the vision of the owners who told him “how they wanted to live.”

“It’s all about the spaces, the flow between rooms, and how the house is used,” he explains. “We ask customers what they want from their home and what it means to them.

“It’s very important that you don’t work around your house – your house should work around you.”

Bomb-proof shutters and the “deal room”

Every inch of the home goes above and beyond to offer its residents luxury beyond their wildest dreams.

The foyer, complete with a grand spiral staircase and a magnificent chandelier, leads to an office with bomb-resistant shutters that can withstand the heaviest explosives.

There is also a Deal Room, a popular feature among elite homeowners – where business agreements and deals are signed.

In the living area there is a TV wall that comes with a 105-inch screen that can be completely controlled from a mobile phone.

Instead of traditional wallpaper, the entertainment room is decorated with luxurious, shiny fabrics.

A large fireplace looms in the corner, while a huge aquarium containing exotic fish is the only separator between the kitchen and the living room.

A few meters away is the huge indoor swimming pool, with a sauna room hidden in one corner. To be able to access the area, you must be approved through facial recognition software – ideal for families with children.

Upstairs, in the huge master bedroom, the walls contain a secret compartment for valuables and blinds that can be controlled from anywhere with the touch of a button on a mobile phone.

And what’s a huge palace without a huge wardrobe? Clothes can be neatly hidden behind huge mirrors that protect them from mold and dust.

According to Daniel, luxury homeowners are now doing away with revealing clothes and installing huge mirrors in their spaces.

One of the most impressive features of the property is the game room located on the third floor. There you will find a bar, a snooker table, a balcony with a great view and a secret door leading to the poker room.

To gain access, you will need to enter the PIN on the James Bond statue to open the door. Once inside, you find yourself immersed in a soundproof room with a dance pole.

5G football stadium

The grand interiors aren’t the only selling point, as there is a treasure trove of features surrounding the home as well.

In the backyard there is a huge garden with perfectly manicured lawns, next to which is a professional football field with 5G technology. To put it in perspective, a 3G stadium is enough to get FIFA approval, which puts this ahead of many famous stadiums around the world.

A short walk leads to the fully-equipped “smart gym,” which comes equipped with LED lights that move to the beat of the music.

Away from the gym, you can swim in the house’s massive 18-metre pool, where I stretched my building muscles by laying down a few tiles.

Of course, it is expected that the house owner will come with his own collection of luxury cars, so there is a designated parking space for Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and other luxury cars.

Impressive credentials

From a young age, getting into the construction industry was always Daniel’s ultimate goal.

“It was always about ‘How do I build it?’ I was a kid with a Lego set with sets. Every truck I saw, I stopped and stared, every construction site I saw I tried to stick my head into it,” he told me. “…I’ve always been obsessed with construction and engineering.”

He now has a huge warehouse in West Drayton for his company, Asheville, which deals in new buildings, aggregates and concrete.

National Geographic executives saw the videos he shot during the lockdowns and gave him the opportunity to make his own show.

Back in the deal room, he told me that starting a property like this from scratch is much faster than renovating.

“(If it’s new, it means) you’re working with a blank slate. When you renovate a property, you’re dealing with the challenges and standards of the structure you have,” he says.

“A lot of times, you’re trying to protect the building from the outside, and then you’re working around it.”

For aspirants who may be inspired by his journey, Daniel’s advice is to master your craft.

“It’s not about looking at the skyscraper, it’s about looking at doing the small element you’re working on perfectly first,” he says.

Building the Impossible with Danielle Asheville airs Thursdays at 8pm on National Geographic.