Jason Orme was the long-time Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating and is now Editorial Director. He has been writing about self-build and renovation for 18-years and during that time has given advice to hundreds of people taking on major building projects to their homes. He is an expert on all aspects of building or renovating from construction systems and finding land to energy efficiency and dealing with builders and in recent years has advised the Government on ways to make self-building easier for everyone. In addition, he is the author of The Self-Build Dream and a popular broadcast expert on the subject. Having self-built at the age of 28, he is currently renovating and extending his 1960s home in Staffordshire.

For more information please visit Jason Orme's page: http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/jasonorme

Michael is Director of Content at Homebuilding & Renovating (Print, Digital and Live), Chair of the National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA), presenter of multiple property TV shows and author of Renovating for Profit (Ebury).

Michael is one of the country's leading property experts. He was presenter of Channel 5's ‘I Own Britain's Best Home’ and previously presented ITV's ‘Don't Move Improve’ and ‘Good Bid Good Buy’, as well as ‘Build, Buy or Restore?’ and ‘How to Build A House’ for Discovery RealTime. As well as being Director of Content at Homebuilding & Renovating, Real Homes and Period Living Magazines, Michael has undertaken over 30 building projects including two self-builds and is currently renovating a grade II listed farmhouse.

Michael has presented over a hundred and fifty property shows for BBC, ITV1, Channel 5, UK TV Style, and Discovery RealTime, including ‘I Own Britain's Best Home’; ‘Don't Move Improve’; ‘Trading Up’; ‘Good Bid, Good Buy’; ‘Build, Buy or Restore?’; ‘How to Build A House’; and ‘Hard Sell’.

Michael's first book, Renovating for Profit (Ebury Press), is the definitive guide to home renovations that make a real difference to the value of your property.

For more information please visit Michael Holmes' page: https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/author/michael-holmes/

Managing Director Foxley Tagg Planning Limited established 2000

Executive Committee Member National Self Build Association.

Foxley Tagg has a successful track record of achieving planning permission for its wide variety of clients including individual self builders and also land owners seeking to unlock the development potential of their land.

On a practical level Foxley Tagg has significant expertise, specialist knowledge and substantial experience when providing professional advice for self and custom builders seeking to build their own home and those who wish to refurbish and extend their properties.

Our role, as a fundamental part the self-build route map, is to make the whole process as smooth as possible by identifying the potential planning pitfalls in advance and ensuring that they are properly addressed at the start of your project to avoid potentially costly and time consuming mistakes. We seek to minimise risk to our clients in this way and offer best value to help achieve positive outcomes.

Foxley Tagg have a well-respected history of submitting successful planning applications based on sound policy logic and following constructive discussions to find solutions with Local Planning Authorities. Practical front line experience within the ranks of Foxley Tagg, gathered within a variety of Local Authority districts from rural through semi-rural to major conurbations, which has refined our approach and provided clear insight into the Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) methodology and mind-set.

Sally’s explanation of the role of the planner for Self Builders

By:

• Interpreting both National and local plan policies to identify planning feasibility for your site.
• Managing pre-application discussions with the LPA
• Submitting successful planning applications
• Negotiating technical issues to achieve positive solutions. 

Sally’s advice will;

• Save your project time and money.
• Add value to your site.
• Unlock capital value from your site.
• Enable your dreams to be realised.
• Navigate the Planning Process maximising the outcomes.

Tim is the eco-expert for Homebuilding and Renovating magazine, regularly contributes to a number of other magazines, and regularly presents seminars and master classes on ecological house building and renewable energy.  Tim’s first book Simply Sustainable was published in Spring 2008.  In 2011, Tim's second book The Sustainable Building Bible was published.

Tim’s career started in 1969 as a carpenter’s apprentice and he moved quickly up the hierarchy to site manager working on housing and commercial projects in London and the Home Counties.  Tim’s interest in renewable energy and sustainability started in 1975; this was inspired by visits to the Festival Hall heat pump and the Edmonton heat-from-waste projects.  This initial burst of enthusiasm lead to converting his own coast house in Kent.

A career shift gave him a 10 year spell as a management consultant helping clients, including building companies, estate agents and property developers to achieve best practice standards.  He moved to a small-holding in Wales in 2000 where he became involved in property development.  This was another opportunity to further explore sustainable development.  In 2004, he found Weather Works to focus on helping private and commercial clients develop sustainable properties and energy efficient strategies.