Sound and vision


A major renovation of a hilltop bungalow in Devon opened up fantastic estuary views for the growing family of a music producer, while doubling as an occasional recording studio


By James Parker


an equally successful music producer. While still being engaged fully in the music world he has also spent a large chunk of his time renovating properties, with the latest being his family’s home in Teignmouth, Devon. And this one is a bit more than a bivouac. Whether self-builds are as exciting as being


P


signed to the same record label as Nirvana and playing international tours is debatable, but something tells you he finds it just as fulfilling. Now that he has – with the help of his wife Sam and assorted family and friends – managed to turn a 1950s bungalow into a desirable modern home with stunning views, you can see why. Paul, originally from Leeds, picked up a lot of


construction nous early, having originally worked in the building trade when he left school – tem- porary jobs which enabled him to pursue his


18 selfbuilder & homemaker www.sbhonline.co.uk


aul Yeadon has had a varied life so far, from fronting a pretty well-regarded rock band called Bivouac in the 1990s to being


music career. He says that he only got into prop- erty renovation “out of convenience,” adding that it was the only way he and Sam could get on the housing ladder at the time. Paul admits that they were “lucky they did it in


the 1990s, as we rode the housing boom, and as our knowledge expanded, so did the budget.” Despite the need for a certain degree of knowledge however, he thinks that the main fear putting potential self-builders off is that it “seems so far out of their comfort zone, whereas really most things are achievable, and whilst this is our biggest project it's no ‘Grand Designs’. Our book shelves and many window and doors sills are made from scaffold planks, our roll-top cast iron bath was £50 off Gumtree and the kitchen is Howdens' cheapest and it looks great!” He adds that keeping up to date with knowl-


edge of materials, such as when you are visiting the builders merchant, can be a challenge: “The main difficulty now is that products evolve so


quickly, and it’s knowing what’s out there to use and having the vocabulary needed.” In addi- tion, your own needs change. With a young daughter and another baby on the way, Paul is constructing the finishing touch to the renovation, an entrance porch, as they are “sick of all the coats, shoes and prams in the kitchen.” He says this has illustrated just how things


have changed in terms of products: “The first time I did a porch, there were no cavity closers. There are new things that Building Regs say you have to have, but which didn’t used to exist, and if you don’t know, how are you going to know?” The porch is something of an experiment inspired by a shed Paul saw at a National Trust property; he plans to clad it in contrasting black-stained scaffolding boards, with a grey galvanized steel roof. In the case of meeting Building Regs on this


project, which was not without its complications and saw Paul tackling a lot of the construction


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