As the South West continues to be an attractive destination for retirees, home improvement within the area is thriving. A total of 46,000 planning applications were made in the region in 2018 and an average project spend of £1,300 was allocated to altering and improving the home, according to recent research by Barbour ABI.
With the area being positioned as an appealing retirement hotspot, self-builders and renovators can get a head-start in creating their forever home or transforming every space in their existing dwelling at the South West Homebuilding & Renovating Show. The event is returning to The Bath & West Showground from 16-17 November 2019 with personalised advice, products and services to support consumers in turning their property dreams into reality.
The event, sponsored by Idealcombi, the Danish contemporary window company, will provide visitors with access to a plethora of industry expertise via 12 free seminar sessions at the Seminar Theatre and 12 daily masterclasses at the Masterclass Theatre on topics from finding your way through the planning maze to managing your own project. In addition, over 140 companies will introduce their most recent products and services covering a wide range of sectors including architecture; roofing; landscaping; home technology and security; kitchens; bathrooms; doors and windows; home insulation; planning permission; ventilation and much more.
Visitors who are keen to discuss their ideas and plans with UK-leading property experts are encouraged to stop by the Ask the Expert area inside The Advice Centre, sponsored by Internorm, Europe’s leading window brand. Specialists include director of content for Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, Michael Holmes; content director of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, Jason Orme; planning expert Sally Tagg; building expert Bob Branscombe; eco expert David Hilton; finance expert Tom McSherry, and self-build expert Allan Corfield.
The Advice Centre will also house the Ask the Builder zone, where members of The Federation of Master Builders will extend tips to visitors on hiring accredited construction workers. For those interested in learning more about the design, planning and construction process, the Ask the Architect is also a must-see zone within The Advice Centre, in which chartered specialists from RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) will provide tailored advice and support via one-on-one consultations.
A crucial element of starting a home improvement project is obtaining planning permission. At The Planning Clinic, Sally Tagg and her team of experts from Foxley Tagg will offer updated information on current regulations and laws, which will help people progress with their application.
One-day tickets are £8 in advance or £12 on the door and two-day tickets are £12 in advance and £16 on the door (children under 16 go free). For further information visit www.homebuildingshow.co.uk/somerset or call the ticket hotline on 0844 874 0485 (transaction fee of £1.50 applies; calls cost 7p per minute).
