HAPPY HOMEOWNER BUT TWO HEART ATTACKS

St Martin’s Church in Tipton, West Midlands THE PLAN: Builder Dean Marks converted an 18thcentury church into a modern five bedroom home with indoor swimming pool, gym and library for his daughter and wife Hilary. SPEND: £12,750 to buy the church in 1999, and a further £110,000 on renovating the property, which appeared on Grand Designs in 2007. SMOOTH SAILING? Hardly. Planning permission alone took more than four years, the property was repeatedly targeted by vandals during renovation and McCloud was hardly the motivational cheerleader.

‘Kevin McCloud and I had a few disagreements at first,’ says Dean. ‘He was saying I should use an architect but I pointed out that I was a working- class guy on a budget and that it would cost too much.’

McCloud said that, while he admired Dean’s commitment, ‘it broke my heart to see so much of the character, the integrity of this place disappear, to be replaced by some pretty hideous features and a rather clunky layout’. WOW FACTOR: Original stained-glass windows were restored and a glass observatory was built at the top, providing panoramic views stretching for as much as 14 miles. EMOTIONAL COST: Dean had two heart attacks brought on by exhaustion from the build, which also prompted his split with Hilary, who never got to live in the house. He said sacrificing quality time with her was ‘a small price to pay’. MONEY PIT OR MADE A PACKET? Dean reportedly still lives here but could make a mint if he sold up — even by 2011 it was valued at £1.3 million.