A former factory worker sold almost everything he owned to buy an abandoned water tower and turn it into a sleek home. He wants to sell it next year — but won't settle for less than $2.4 million.

• The water tower was converted into a four bedroom home by Robert Hunt.

• The cost of buying the property is estimated by Hunt to be around $800,000.

• He has been living in the house since May and is planning to sell it in the summer.

Robert Hunt was determined to make the water tower a success.

Hunt was browsing through real-estate listings when he came across an old water tower. He had been looking for a place to fix up and was very interested in the listing.

It was close to where I lived. Hunt said that the price was good for the size of the property and the land that came with it.

People close to him were not so sure.

Hunt told Insider that his friends and family thought he was crazy to think about it. Everyone would do it if it was easy.

He bought the property at Cloverly Cross in November of last year.

The water tower had been empty for a long time. There was no room, no walls, and no windows in the empty space inside the tower.

The interiors were almost bare, except for a few electric panels and water pipes.

It was difficult to describe when I saw it. The only way to get to the top of the tank was up a ladder in the center of the tower.

He said that he had to guess what the views would look like because there were no windows.

Hunt said that he almost imagined the layout, which is not far off what it is today.

The water tower was being worked on by Hunt. The property was transformed into a home over the course of two and a half years.

Hunt was working on the house with a friend of his at the time.

After six months of working full-time, Hunt quit his job and sold his house to become a full-time worker.

Hunt lived at his girlfriend's home about 10 miles away from where he moved into a mobile home on-site.

Hunt said he was like a laborer throughout the conversion, doing bits and pieces and project-managing it.

"I had three property rentals before, rented out to tenants, and I'd do the odd do-it-yourself painting, decorating, helped with kitchens and bathrooms, but I'm not in a trade."

Hunt admits that this project was another couple of levels up from everything else that he's done before.

You pick up a few skills as you go. He said that he's at that location.

Hunt estimated that he spent around half a million dollars on the conversion. When the renovation was done, he moved into the tower.

The water tower was turned into a three-storey home by Hunt. He painted the base of the house white and covered the tower in black to give it a different look.

The panoramic views of the English countryside can be seen from the windows.

The layout inside and the windows were all my ideas. Hunt said that there was an architect involved, but they just drew up the majority of what he wanted.

The house has a circular floor plan.

Hunt's plants are located on the first floor. He said there was a spare bedroom and a bathroom.

The bathroom was designed by Hunt in a room that was once part of the access shaft of the water tower.

Hunt admits that the project was challenging in more than one way.

It was difficult to complete even the simplest tasks because of the harsh weather during winter.

The weather can be draining when it's a week of wind and rain.

Hunt likes to use the master bathroom on the second floor.

The master bathroom is black. Hunt said there is a black freestanding bathtub in front of a large window that overlooks the landscape outside.

He said he was happy with it because it was quite bold. "People think it's going to be too dark, but you have big windows, big views, and it's worked out well."

The dining room is on the highest floor. There are windows all around the walls of the space.

Hunt kept some of the original exposed concrete in the interiors.

He said that the insulation was covered by black.

There is a dining area on the highest floor. The original water tower access shaft can be seen through a glass panel in the center of the table.

If you look up from the ground floor bathroom, you can see the original access shaft with the ladder still inside.

Hunt says that the ladder is still functional even though it has been shortened and turned into a feature.

It isn't like a day-to-day thing down there. He said it's only for if you want to clean it.

The curved walls of the water tower were one of the hardest parts of the project.

"It's what you don't see behind the walls that are difficult, like curving the plasterboard, the timber, and the plywood on the outside," Hunt said. It's all custom pieces, nothing is meant to be round.

Hunt says that it will take twice as long and cost twice as much as you think.

It's hard to know exactly everything that's involved because I wasn't a builder.

He was able to consult his friend about the conversion despite that.

Hunt said that having someone like that as a friend or as an advisor is useful.

Hunt thinks that the renovations were worth it even though it took longer and cost more than he thought.

I'd say to go for it. If you want to live for the rest of your life, then anything property-wise is worth doing.

Hunt wants to sell the house next summer, but he isn't ready to accept just any offer.

Hunt sold his home and his rentals to raise money for the project. The profits from the sale of the water tower will be used to repay his parents, he said.

Something with potential is what it could be. I like that it's a bit different, but I won't match it. This is a big project.

There is a house in the area. Bideford is fifteen minutes away by car.

Hunt expects the buyer to be either a city person who wants to move to the countryside or a second home.

He says that the property has been valued at over $1 million by two different agents, but he's still looking for more.

He said he wouldn't sell it for less than $2 million.

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