Building DIY Gardening

That time of year again, the Big Green Home Show in Swindon off the M4. Many exhibits, seminars, Expert Alley (Ask The Experts) where you can get answers to your home renovation questions.
Dates: Fri 29 to Sun 31 October 2010
Where:
The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Swindon
Open from 9.30-17.00.
Car: M4 at junction 16, signposted Swindon [...]

I get asked this – hire a builder for building jobs, or try do it yourself – DIY?
Some jobs are too big for DIY because

too skilled or large scale – needs many builders to do it
needs special equipment – diggers, scaffolding, etc
needs builders professional insurance or professional sign-off – safety is most important

But most [...]

Upcoming course at National Self Build Centre off M4 in Swindon.
These look very interesting indeed.
Saturday 10th July, Sunday 11th July, 2010.
These are seminars so just drop in, tickets for the weekend event from:
Making More Space in your home tips >
See our DIY Building on adding space and remodeling a home >

This is an interesting competition with good prizes, to get ideas for renovating or replacing a large low cost housing development on the edge of George Town Penang, an island off north west Malaysia. It is open to architects, town planners and also students of the above.
It is jointly organized by the Penang State Government, [...]

We have finally put our Article Directory live >
It is easy to join – just create an account by registering your basic details, then add articles with images, videos, text, and links.

There are many sections including
* Architecture & Design
* Building & Construction, Plant equipment, Tools, Lease, Hire & Buy
* Building Advice
* Green advice & Info
* [...]

Eco Workshops are to help self builders, DIY people and renovators understand the green issues affecting them and their projects.
Dave Hilton an eco expert is giving a talk, along with many others. This is at Buildstore exhibition centre at Swindon off M4 junction 16 >.
For a ticket see here >
See also our Building [...]

These proposals were set out a while back but we’ve been busy. The basic scheme is better than people expected with these figures:
A feed in tariff (FIT) allows home produced electricity from solar, wind, GSHP or water (etc) to compete on the grid, as national grid supplies are heavily subsidised.
Electricity is paid at a set [...]

Penang is a UNESCO world heritage city but has an over supply of high rise condos while many old buildings are left to rot, or even worse, turned into swift houses (or swifthouses) (where swifts are factory farmed for bird nest soup ingredients – the nest – in old buildings that no one can afford [...]

The UK’s biggest and most extensively supported show for DIY, building, self-build, renovation, remodeling and home improvement.
All the services, products, advice, and ideas to help you improve your home, office, garden or business. There are over 450 specialised companies for plot finding, finance, energy saving, wooden frame, gardens, lofts etc.
All in one easy to [...]

Interesting seminars coming up on how to be on good terms with the people working on your building or large DIY job.
Some people have the ‘cowboy builders‘ idea stuck in their head from watching TV scare programmes and so they start off badly with builders or contractors.
Things always go wrong and always cost [...]