WORDS RICHARD WEBBER PHOTOS BRUCE HEMMING
When Paul and Nikki Blunden embarked on renovating an uninspiring 1920s detached property in Berkshire, they realised there might be a few obstacles along the way. But the biggest test they faced was preventing the shell of their new house from falling down. “The project involved gutting the entire interior, leaving just the front and side walls, plus two thirds of the roof”, says Paul. “At one point, the structure was held up with Acrow props while we waited for the steels, the delivery of which was delayed. The site manager was worried he’d arrive on site one morning to find a pile of rubble – mind you, he didn’t tell us that until the supports had been installed, thank goodness!”