H&R Show

We made our annual pilgrimage to the H&R Self-build & Renovation show at the NEC on Friday, and at long last we've got a project to talk about. We tried not to feel too smug as we drifted through the sea of would-be self-builders and renovators as they ambled around the endless stands of shiny building materials, 'instant' houses and 'smart' home gadgets.

Talked to some very helpful people about biomass boilers, hemp insulation (nobody panic if there's a fire, man!), solar hot water heaters and huge sliding glazing panels.

Also talked to a couple of possible kitchen suppliers but the elusive 'green' kitchen still seems very difficult to achieve. It seems that the marketplace assumes anybody wanting a solid wood kitchen wants to show off the wood in a country cottagey way - we want a contemporary look whilst using sustainable solid wood. Contemporary tends to mean foil finished (plastic coated) chipboard or MDF. Okay, so these often use offcuts (and loads of glue) to produce the board but they then wrap them in plastic!

Highlight of the day was being able to get out our extension plans and talk to a couple of timber frame manufacturers about them to see if they could give us a budget cost. A small Bristol based firm have suggested that we send them our plans once we've submitted them for planning so they can quote us. Carpenter Oak (look great but maybe a tad expensive) took our plans away to get a price for us, which should be interesting, or scary!

Quite fancy an EcoPod (not the coffin!) -http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/homesearch/latest/s/237/237717_eggheads_amazing_ecopod.html - think it'd look great by the chestnut tree!