Save £1000s on professional advice
Early Bird Offer! Free tickets to meet independent experts at this summer's Build It Live
Save £24 - Book Now!Early Bird Offer! Free tickets to meet independent experts at this summer's Build It Live
Save £24 - Book Now!Estimate your project costs instantly with Build It's interactive self-build cost calculator
Calculate NowGet an accurate, detailed cost breakdown of your project
Submit plans
Keen to research your next self build, home extension or renovation project? Need specific advice or want to learn some hands-on skills?
There’s a wealth of events out there to help you make a success of your scheme – including our advice and inspiration-packed Build It Live shows.
Here’s our pick of key events on now for self builders and renovators:
When: 25th and 26th April 2025
Price: FREE
Where: NSBRC, Swindon
This free workshop will ensure you have the right team behind you for your Passivhaus home. With a full timetable of seminars, question time sessions and live guided tours from the NSBRC technical experts, highlights include an introduction to Passivhaus, surgeries on airtightness, insulation ventilation and windows and doors, real life case studies and question time.
When: 3rd May 2025
Price: £210
Where: The Goodlife Centre, London
This short home electrics workshop is for absolute beginners and covers the most common requests that homeowners, landlords and tenants want to know more about in their homes. The course covers skills such as changing switches to dimmers, look behind socket plates and understanding how to change ceiling pendants.
When: 15th May 2025
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
In this two-hour course delivered by our self build and renovation expert, Build It’s MD, Calum Taylor, learn the tools you need to successfully manage a project – whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro. This zoom masterclass covers deciding how involved you want to be, effective scheduling, budgeting and cashflow, assessing quotes and contractors, managing build quality, avoiding common project management mistakes and more.
When: 17th May 2025
Price: £85
Where: Walworth Garden, London
This workshop guides you through the approaches and essential knowledge that will help you to become a successful gardener. It covers growing media, compost and soil, pruning, the basics of propagation, pests and diseases, what to grow that’s easy and considerations for planning your growing schedule. Ideal for those with little or no gardening experience.
When: 24th May 2025
Price: £125
Where: Centre for Alternative Technology
With no prior knowledge needed, this one-day course will explore the basics of how to support wildlife in your garden or outdoor space – from choosing the right plants, planning, maintenance and beyond. With ever increasing loss of biodiversity worldwide, every bit of green space can make a difference. Spend the day preparing the gardens at CAT for the season ahead while learning how to create a haven for wildlife.
When: 31st May 2025
Price: FREE
Where: NSBRC, Swindon
One of four eco workshops, this one focuses on building systems and project management. This workshop will help you understand your options and ensure you end up with the home that delivers against your original design brief, budget and expectations. It covers the role that the self builder plays in the construction process, whether it be self-project managing, package managing or using sub-contractors – addressing the merits and drawbacks of each route.
When: 1st June 2025
Price: £210
Where: The Goodlife Centre, London
Designed for absolute beginners with no prior experience necessary, learn how to tackle some basic plumbing tasks around the home in this practical, hands-on workshop. Learn how to isolate water supply, fix a leaky tap, rescue something from a U bend and unclog a blocked sink – all the basic essentials that you need to be able to do yourself without the expense of calling someone in.
When: 7th and 8th June 2025
Price: £12
Where: Bicester Motion Events Centre, Oxfordshire
A one-stop shop for all things self build, renovation and home improvement, Build It Live is designed to provide anyone with a property project with the inspiration, advice and information they need to make it a success.
When: 10th June 2025
Price: £80
Where: Neon Saw, Brighton and Hove
This workshop is for anyone who is keen to carry out some DIY work but doesn’t know where to start. In a safe and supportive environment you’ll be able to try out a variety of tools and techniques to help you on your way. It covers everything from planning, measuring, marking out, holding and cutting timber, up to successfully drilling and plugging a wall to make a secure fixing.
When: 19th June 2025
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
In this in-depth two-hour course, Build It’s professional planning consultant Julia Riddle gives you a clear steer on the home renovation and extension projects you can complete without formal planning consent. Delivered via Zoom, Julia takes a look at the rules and restrictions around no-planning projects – from extensions and loft conversions through to energy-saving upgrades, replacement doors and windows, outbuildings, internal works and more.
When: 13th and 14th September 2025
Price: £12
Where: Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Meet 100s of key suppliers, source the right materials for your project, attend free seminars, workshops and demonstrations, book one-to-one sessions with industry experts and buy yourself a plot of land, all under one roof at Build It Live!
Do you have an event you think we might be interested in sharing with our readers? Email us the details!
Login/register to save Article for later
Hallo, i’ve just joined, and i wonder how you can submit relevant events for inclusion in this list please? Thankyou
Gemma
Hi Gemma. Thanks for your question – I’ve now added our email address to this page so you can get in touch with the team if you have an event you think may be relevant to our readers.
Chris (editor, Build It magazine)