Claire Lloyd has been a member of the Homebuilding & Renovating team for 14 years. She’s currently in the midst of another renovation.

Nearly 15 years ago, just before I started working for this magazine, I attended my first Homebuilding & Renovating Show. Eager to learn more, I hopped between the many masterclasses and seminars on offer; and I came away better informed and full of ideas.

It’s quite remarkable how things have changed since then. In 2022 we have hundreds, if not hundreds of thousands, of ideas at our fingertips, and we can make all manner of purchases for our building projects online.

However, a two-year hiatus from shows has made me really appreciate their place. The virtual world can’t quite compete with the experience of seeing high-ticket items in person, or meeting the supplier of your timber frame kit or a potential architect face to face. And while we’re seemingly surrounded by information and ‘advice’, the opportunity to sit down with an expert, ask a question specific to your build or get a second opinion on your plans, on a one-to-one basis, can’t be beaten. As such, we’re delighted to see the return of the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show this month. You can read about the Show highlights over on page 22 — and grab a couple of free tickets by following the link below.

Quickly onto this issue, former builder turned solicitor Chris Reeves reveals how to resolve a dispute over building work, should the worst arise on site (page 108); planning consultant Simon Rix answers your top planning questions (page 88); and Assistant Editor Amy Reeves interviews one family about their new home, built to Passivhaus standards on an incredible budget of just £115k (page 172).