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The Build It Awards is the only independent UK scheme celebrating the very best of self build and renovation. Every year, our panel of industry experts convenes to scrutinise hundreds of products, projects and services. Only the very best in each category make it through to the high-quality shortlist – let alone going on to be crowned winners.
What does that mean for you? Well, our vetting process means you can gain confidence in your specification decisions. Each entry undergoes in-depth assessment, so you know the winners are the cream of the self build and renovation crop, complete with an expert-backed Build It Awards seal of approval.
Here we give you the run-down on our 2025 Build It Award-winning products and services, from the best windows to fantastic stoves, staircases glazed doors and more.
We would like to say thank you to all of our 2025 Build It Awards sponsors, and our headline sponsor BuildStore. Click here to find out more about our Build It Awards judges & sponsors.
Onyx for the Athos & Olympus Woodburning Stoves
Available in the traditional Athos design or the more contemporary Olympus version, this UK-made range of woodburning and multi-fuel stoves delivers a pleasing blend of style and performance. Offering a nominal output of 5kW (wide models) or 4.8kW and up to 82% efficiency (A+ rated), it is fully Ecodesign compliant and DEFRA exempt for use in smoke control areas.
Importantly for those who want to integrate a woodburner in an airtight home, it can be fitted with an external air supply kit – so the air for combustion can be piped directly in rather than relying on vents in the room.
Cupa Pizarras for Readyslate
Newly launched in January 2025, Readyslate comprises pre-assembled panels of six high-quality natural slates, mounted on a waterproof membrane. Two thicknesses (5mm and 7mm) are available to respond to different aesthetic priorities and the local vernacular. The lightweight system can be used at angles down to 12.5° – significantly lower than the 20° recommended for standard slate tiles.
What the judges said: Enhancing the design versatility of one of the UK’s best loved building materials – slate – the judges were impressed by this modular solution, which makes it possible to add a quality finish to very shallow-pitched roofs.
The Unico System UK for the Unico 1218 SDHV HVAC System
All-in-one heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) solutions have long been popular in countries like the USA, but are only now beginning to gain greater traction in the UK. Enabling you to centrally and responsively control the climate of your home, The Unico System is a premier example. Installed with a heat pump, it provides efficient, draught-free and consistent heating and cooling throughout the home.
What the judges said: The judges were particularly taken with the fit-and-forget nature of the system – which features ducts from the main unit down into living spaces, discreet outlets and quiet operation.
R-Wall for its R-Wall Insulating Concrete Formwork
R-Wall is a British-made ICF system designed to enhance sustainability and performance. Using high-strength closed-cell XPS insulation rather than traditional EPS, it delivers outstanding thermal performance, zero cold bridging and long-term moisture resistance – including for basements. U-values as low as 0.09 W/m²K are achievable, with the system routinely exceeding Passivhaus standards.
What the judges said: The judges praised the system’s use of 93% recycled plastic and industrial CO2 waste as a blowing agent, alongside the focus on local sourcing and the flexibility to switch to alternative internal materials, such as plywood, as required.
Below Ground Solutions for the Biorock Ecorock 5010 Non-Powered Treatment Plant
Silent and odourless in operation, with no need for an electric connection, the Ecorock can be installed as a standalone new system or straight replacement to an existing septic tank in areas where mains drainage isn’t available. Alternatively, it can also be retrofitted as an add-on to an existing suitably-sized septic tank system.
What the judges said: The judges always like a product that solves a genuine problem for self builders and renovators – and that’s certainly the case with the Ecorock, an off-grid alternative to old septic tanks that represents value-for-money both upfront and over its lifetime.
Mixergy for the iHP X Heat Pump Cylinder
The Mixergy iHP X is a high-performance integrated heat pump cylinder engineered to deliver rapid, low-carbon hot water. It combines a top-mounted R290 refrigerant heat pump with Mixergy’s patented top-down heating technology, enabling the system to heat only the water required – dramatically improving efficiency and responsiveness compared to other heat pump cylinders.
What the judges said: The judges were impressed with the iHP X’s swift reheat times, enabled by a clever design that draws water from the bottom of the cylinder and returns it to the top. From a 10°C start, it can deliver usable hot water (over 50°C) within just 30 minutes.
Brookeswood Joinery for its Heritage Flush Casement
Every element has been engineered to replicate traditional timber detailing, from the ultra-slim 63mm frame depth – enabled by the use of 8.3mm-thick LandVac vacuum glazing – to the refined lamb’s tongue mouldings and slender astragal bars. The range is made from engineered timber and factory-finished with a durable three-coat microporous paint system.
What the judges said: The judges loved this slimline window system’s combination of authentic aesthetics with modern glass and frame performance. The result is a system that achieves U-values down to 0.95 W/m²K in a window that offers the look of heritage single glazing.
Origin for the OS29+ Sliding Door
The precision-engineered system is available in over 150 RAL colours, with or without glazing bars, and in multiple panel configurations. The OS29+ is also certified to the PAS 24:2022 standard for security, and comes with a 20-year guarantee on all manufactured parts, including the powder-coated finish, when fitted by an Origin Accredited Partner.
What the judges said: The judges were impressed by the slim sightlines, good value and outstanding energy efficiency offered by this product, which can reach U-values down to 0.78 W/m²K when triple glazed.
Airflow Developments for the Adroit MVHR Range with Enthalpy Heat Exchanger
Airflow Developments’ Adroit MVHR range is a high-performance mechanical ventilation and heat recovery unit that’s available at a very competitive price point.
A certified Passivhaus component, the Adroit’s enthalpy heat exchanger enables optimal humidity levels, while the unit also offers digital controls, sensor integration and compatibility with building management systems, such as KNX.
Mansfield Building Society has been a consistent and prominent supporter of the self build market for years, through consistently high funding volumes and a flexible lending approach.
In 2025, the society not only delivered market-leading interest rates, but also put a major focus on opening up its criteria around modern methods of construction and cladding choices.
Category sponsor BuildStore
Handrail Creations for its Continuous Curved Timber Handrails & Metal Balustrades
Investing in a quality staircase is a sure-fire way to make an individual statement in your home. One option to get a premium look without going fully bespoke is to upgrade a kit or existing flight with luxurious finishing touches. Step in Handrail Creations, whose service starts from £300/m.
The company designs, manufactures and installs bespoke timber handrails, using cutting-edge technology and a variety of high-quality hardwoods to provide a full handrail and balustrade system. A site survey with 3D scanning ensures hyper-accurate measurements for the design team to work from, and a full suit of drawings is then produced for your approval prior to manufacture. The install and polish teams then ensure the final result is exactly how you envisaged.
Chris Batesmith is Build It’s content director and the chairperson of the Awards. A seasoned self builder and renovator, he’s dedicated over 15 years to championing self build as a mainstream option.
Jane Duncan is a chartered architect, founder of Jane Duncan Architects and former president of RIBA. She has first-hand self build experience, having designed and built her own sustainable home.
Mike Hardwick has become a well-respected self build expert since completing his own dream home. He is general manager of the National Custom & Self Build Association.
Tim Doherty was founding MD of the National Self Build & Renovation Centre. Now a RICS chartered surveyor, he built his family home and has spent over 30 years helping others do the same.
Nigel Griffiths specialises in sustainable construction and eco-renovation. He is the author of the Haynes Eco House Manual and advises public bodies and individual developers on their building projects.
Julian Owen is an architect and author of many books on how to design and build your own home. He founded the Association of Self Build Architects and runs Julian Owen Associates
Tom McSherry has worked in the financial services industry for 25 years, the last 10 of these at BuildStore. He has undertaken two major projects himself and speaks at self build shows throughout the year.
Calum Taylor is Build It’s publisher. He has completed six major home building projects in the last 30 years and has worked in the media serving the self build market for well over a decade
David Hilton is a renewables and ventilation installer, with over 35 years’ experience. He has a Masters in sustainable architecture, and is an authority on building fabrics, renewables and conventional heating.
Self-Build Zone is a multi-award-winning self build insurance provider, helping thousands of self builders protect their new builds, renovations, conversions and extensions with the correct site insurance and structural warranties for over 20 years.
The energy efficient Unico system is designed to transform the way we heat, cool, ventilate and improve the air quality in our houses. The perfect option for self build homes, where it can be planned into the building fabric, and many renovation projects.
21 Degrees’ products and services include: triple-glazed timber & alu-clad windows, entrance doors and glazed doors; advanced MVHR heat recovery ventilation; specialist airtightness and insulation products; and consultancy services for self builders and architects
For more than 20 years, IDSystems has set the standard for award-winning glazing products. From ultra-slim aluminium sliding doors to innovative slide-and-turn designs and bifolds, its systems have been installed on 1,000s of UK self builds, renovations and extensions.
Stovax & Gazco has been dedicated to the design and manufacture of exceptional stoves, fires and fireplaces for more than 40 years. Today, it is a leading UK stove and fireplace manufacturer, exporting to over 25 countries worldwide.
The National Custom & Self Build Association (NaCSBA) is the voice of the custom and self build sector, with a mission to substantially increase the number of people who are able to build or commission their own home.
The National Self Build & Renovation Centre is the UK’s only permanent venue for independent building advice and support, running a range of events and informative courses each year.
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