Home – but not as we know it!

There's no denying that conversions are an exciting prospect. Short of building something from scratch, it's the nearest you'll get to a Grand Designs home.

But whether it's an old factory, windmill or church, don't forget that an unusual property may not have been designed to live in. This means that noise, insulation and the space itself can present something of a challenge. Properties of historical interest such as windmills and water towers and other listed buildings will also be subject to planning restrictions by English Heritage and other institutions, and this could adversely affect the kind of changes you can make and the cost of the conversion. If you're converting a commercial property like a factory or church, you'll need permission to convert it for residential use.

Tempted to have a look? We had a snoop around and came up with the following unique homes: a gun tower on Burgh Island in Devon with a guide price of £70,000 at auction while a cowshed in Tavistock is up for £90,000.

Or, if you'd rather leave the conversion work to someone else, how about a railway carriage, complete with kitchen, dressing room, en-suite shower room, conservatory and veranda in Dawlish Warren (guide price £215,000), and a converted Victorian water tower in Plumstead, southeast London, which has recently come on the market at an asking price of £1,395,000.

[Property details and prices are subject to current markets October 2008]

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