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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: 22nd April 2026
Price: £40
Where: Great British Woodshop, West Byfleet
This practical two-hour course teaches the techniques of plasterboarding. Learn skills including how to cut and fix plasterboard to walls and ceilings, tape joints, deal with internal and external corners, mix plastering materials, fix holes and touch-ups, seal the wall and prep for painting.
When: 25th & 26th April 2026
Price: £260
Where: Great British Woodshop, West Byfleet
This two-day foundation electrical course is for those with little or no experience. The course covers practical tasks like two-way switching and wiring a consumer unit, and theoretical tasks like calculating cable sizing and basic testing procedures.
When: 28th April 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
In this virtual training course, Build It’s Content Director Chris Batesmith walks you through how to plan and implement the best energy efficiency upgrades for your home – from insulation & draughtproofing decisions through to heating strategies, ventilation & air quality, windows & doors, sustainable materials and more. You’ll also learn about the importance of developing a robust retrofit strategy, the pros and cons of a phased approach to efficiency upgrades, where to focus your budget and common pitfalls to avoid.
When: 7th-8th May 2026
Price: £495
Where: Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire
This two-day course will teach the essentials of historic brickwork repair from Lynn Mathias, one of the country’s leading experts in traditional brickwork. Through a combination of live demonstrations and hands-on sessions, you will learn how to assess, prepare, and repair traditional brick walls. You will come away with the ability to identify and repair damage to historic brickwork to retain the beauty and structural integrity of your masonry, while staving off further decay.
When: 14th May 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
In this Build It virtual training course, our MD Calum Taylor arms you with the tools you need to successfully manage a project – whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro. This course covers everything from deciding how involved you want to be through to effective scheduling, budgeting and cashflow, assessing quotes and contractors, managing build quality, avoiding common project management mistakes and more.
When: 4th-5th June 2026
Price: £495
Where: Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire
During this two-day hands on course, you will learn the essentials of flint working techniques and traditional flint wall repair from specialist Lynn Mathias. Through a combination of live demonstrations and hands-on sessions, you will learn how to assess, prepare and repair traditional flint walls. You will be working on a 17th -century garden wall in the grounds of Hatfield House, giving you the opportunity to try out your new skills on real historic masonry.
When: 5th-6th June 2026
Price: FREE
Where: Essex
When you arrive for your appointment, you will be greeted by the homeowners Steve and Susanne alongside members of the Oakwrights team before enjoying a guided tour of their home. This is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the, look, feel and practicality of a low-energy oak frame home and talk through your ideas for your home with one of the Architectural Design team.
When: 20th June 2026
Price: £175
Where: Great British Woodshop, Surrey
This day class is suitable for beginners. Learn basic woodwork skills and how to use the essential tools. DIY skills include hanging shelves, using a variety of different fixings, and practical joinery for the homeowner. The course covers drawing plans and working from them, timber selection for your project, how to sharpen tools and much more.
When: 25th June 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
Hosted by Build It’s professional planning consultant, Julia Riddle, this course covers the home renovation and extension projects you can complete without formal planning consent. This in-depth training session takes a deep dive into 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: 30th and 31st May 2026
Price: £12
Where: The Three Counties Showground, Malvern
Brand new show for 2026! 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!
When: 8th September 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
Delivered by Mark Stevenson, former Chair of NaCSBA, this Build It virtual training course focuses on one of the biggest hurdles to self building: finding a plot. Learn where to look, how to narrow your search parameters, what to look for in a good building site – and what to avoid – and how to assess whether the plot you love has genuine planning potential to accommodate your tailor-made new home. Put yourself a step ahead and become a plot hunting pro with this expert in-depth masterclass!
When: 12th and 13th September 2026
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!
When: 8th October 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
Ready to submit your planning application? Delivered by Build It’s planning consultant, Julia Riddle, this course will arm you with the knowledge and strategies you need to win the permission you want. Covering everything from when you need planning permission through to how to apply, factors that will affect planning decisions and insider tactics to maximise your chance of success – this session is a must if you want to move forward with your project!
When: 27th October 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
So you’ve gained planning permission for your dream home – what next? With decisions coming thick and fast, this next stage brings a host of challenges for self builders. In this Build It virtual training course, former chair of NaCSBA Mark Stevenson leads you through the key steps you’ll need to tick off the list. From developing the design into a buildable reality through to finalising surveys, preparing your plot, managing budgets and quotes, and how to assemble the right building team.
When: 1st December 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
Hosted by Build It’s professional planning consultant, Julia Riddle, this course covers the home renovation and extension projects you can complete without formal planning consent. This in-depth training session takes a deep dive into 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: 10th December 2026
Price: £40
Where: Virtual
In this Build It virtual training course, our MD Calum Taylor arms you with the tools you need to successfully manage a project – whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro. This course covers everything from deciding how involved you want to be through to effective scheduling, budgeting and cashflow, assessing quotes and contractors, managing build quality, avoiding common project management mistakes and more.
Do you have an event you think we might be interested in sharing with our readers? Email us the details!
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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)