The home of inspiration, expert advice and homebuilding specialists returns to the NEC in full force

A visit to The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, one of Britain’s biggest self build and renovation events, from 27-30 March at the NEC in Birmingham is a must for those building a new home from scratch or tackling a renovation project. For 2014, the exhibition, aimed at the serious self builder, is re-energising itself with a host of new features including the Energy Saving Home and Sustainable Homes Show. Visitors will be inundated with niche products and over 500 specialist exhibitors that you won’t find on the high street.

Piers Taylor, award-winning RIBA architect and co-presenter of BBC2 series The House that £100k Built, will be making his debut appearance at the show this year by joining one of the country’s leading property experts, Michael Holmes, editor-in-chief of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, and Charlie Luxton, sustainable architectural designer and presenter of More4’s Building the Dream, who makes a comeback for the first time since 2011 to educate and inspire visitors about the innovations and trends within the industry. Piers is joining the show to share his knowledge on striking the balance between high quality architecture and amazing value when building your own home, including the importance of investing time and money in design detail and recommendations on selecting the right designer. For bespoke advice, attendees can take advantage of a free 15 minute consultation with Piers in the Ask The Experts zone.

Reducing energy and making financial savings is increasingly at the forefront of Britons’ minds, and this year, the first ever interactive consumer Energy Saving Home is making its debut at the NEC. The Energy Saving Home is a walk-through experience offering insight into the latest technologies to help you save money and control your household energy consumption. Eco living is made simple by guiding consumers around the Energy Saving Home, equipped with all the expertise, knowledge and first-class products you’ll need to retrofit your house. In addition, a series of 15-minute seminars will run alongside this purpose-built feature to educate visitors on how to maximise the savings on their home.

The best possible time to think about sustainability is when you are in the planning stages of building or renovating your home. This year’s new Sustainable Homes Show is where serious builders will gain a greater understanding of how to incorporate ecological materials such as organic insulation, sustainable wood flooring, solvent-free paints and rainwater harvesting systems into your project. Visitors will unearth the best products and technologies for 2014 and meet credible tradesmen, all in the one dedicated mini-show.

Charlie Luxton offers 12 years’ experience in designing eco homes and has a passion for environmentally friendly community projects. Charlie will be on hand to guide home builders through the steps involved in making greener decisions when considering home improvements.

All the experts provide credible commentary and recommendations for every aspect of your project, ranging from design, finance, renewables, energy sustainability, restoration and legal issues. The team of specialist property experts to join Michael Holmes, Piers Taylor and Charlie Luxton this year also includes: Jason Orme, editor of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine; Roger Hunt, award-winning writer and eco expert; David Snell, self build and plot finding expert; Chris Reeves, chartered builder and lawyer; Hugo Tugman, architectural designer and Real Homes magazine design expert; and Bob Branscombe, chartered surveyor and builder.

For fresh comprehensive tips and solutions tailored to your requirements, head over to The Advice Centre where you will discover all the expertise you need to achieve your project. Within this centre, visitors can book a free 15 minute consultation with a property specialist from the Ask The Experts, Ask The Architects or The Planning Clinic teams. Make the most of your session and come well prepared with the questions you want to ask – remember to bring your plans with you.

Each year, Ask The Experts continues to be one of the most popular features among show goers. The Homebuilding & Renovating magazine specialists will be on hand throughout the weekend with invaluable information and advice, no matter how complex your project is. Running into difficulties or confusion over planning permission applications? Homebuilding & Renovating magazine expert Sally Tagg and her team of leading planning experts from Foxley Tagg will also be available at The Planning Clinic to provide customers with an insight into the most recently updated rules, regulations and bespoke advice to put your woes at ease. Visitors can also attend Sally’s daily planning permission seminar in the Self Build Theatre.

Ask the Architects enables guests to meet certified RIBA architects such as Piers Taylor who will consult on design ideas and the intricacies behind the build process from site analysis to developing a construction brief for your contractors. Don’t miss your opportunity to chat to a member of the team to help get your project off the ground.

Specialist companies and the experienced Homebuilding & Renovating magazine experts ensure visitors are supplied with valuable insight and inspirational recommendations to assist you in creating your dream property. The experts will present their specialist field with in-depth presentations throughout the Masterclass Programme. There are 52 sessions in total during the show covering a variety of topics including: custom build homes; finding a reliable builder; eco-refurbishment; landscape design; finance; smart home; and permitted development rights. Each 20-minute session is free, no need to book, just make sure you arrive early so that you get a seat!

Attendees can also choose from eight free daily seminar sessions taking place in the Self Build Theatre and Eco Home Theatre where the show’s key experts share their first-hand industry expertise for 30 minutes. Whether you’re a novice or a serial self builder, these sessions provide details on how to add space and value, reveal self build secrets and offer renewable energy options for the home.

No matter how small or large your project, visitors will leave with an abundance of credible information to help you along with your self build or renovation plans.

Standard tickets are £12 if booked before 3pm on 26 March or £16 on the door (a £1.75 transaction fee applies). Children under 16 go free. Tickets also allow entry into both the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show and the new Home Improvement Show, taking place in the same hall.

For more information and tickets, visit www.homebuildingshow.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 581 1377.