Anyone else going to the NEC next week?

[Feltwell]

Just out of interest - anyone else planning to go to the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show next week? I shall, probably on the Thursday. First time I've been, if anyone else is interested you can get free tickets online from various sources, if you turn up on the day you have to pay I think. http://www.castironairbricks.co.uk was mentioned on here recently as being one site with links to free tickets.

Beware extortionate NEC car parking - £8. I checked and it's only £10 for me to go on the train, so I'll do that, saves having to contend with the M6 traffic as well.

 

[Flyfisher]

I'd lost track of when this show was being held this year, but I was intending to go along because I'm having problems finding suitable people to advise/design/install my ideas for a heating system based around one of those heat-store thingies and the last time I went (some years ago now) there were loads of companies selling these things.

So thanks for the reminder but I've just embarked on two weeks of enforced public service, otherwise known as jury service. So not only did the budget stick me with VAT on my planned works but I'm now losing two weeks of work on the house and all with no compensation because I'm not currently earning anything (although my official self-employed status keeps me off the unemployed statistics and I continue to pay NI for the privilege).

Typical! :evil:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I've just embarked on two weeks of enforced public service, otherwise known as jury service.

Hang him! That'll teach the Pigeon-Murderer! If you can do it by day three, you may still get to the NEC

 

[Feltwell]

I've just embarked on two weeks of enforced public service, otherwise known as jury service.

What a pain. I've managed to avoid that "pleasure" so far.

There is a southern show in Surrey at the end of June, maybe you can get to that.

http://national.homebuildingshow.co...ign=National12 email - dynamic content week 9

 

[AMc]

otherwise known as jury service.

I've PMed you. I did jury service a while back. I am/was also self (un)employed and received some compensation for the loss of earnings so it's worth filling in the form and sending a covering letter that explains your circumstances.

My experience was that Jury service is a pain, but having seen it close up I'm glad the system exists. The legal system had allowed a very silly prosecution to get to court before we were allowed to apply some "common sense" and give the very obviously innocent defendant her life back after 18 months of anxiety and stress.

 

[Feltwell]

Well, I went today and the show contained the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good - lots of lovely oak timber frames on display.

The bad - "solve all your roofing problems by spraying our lovely foam all over the bottom of your clapped out roof", amongst a few other horrors.

The ugly - plastic fence panels? :shock: They looked every bit as bad as you'd expect plastic fence panels to look even when new, never mind after a few years of fading and warping. And plastic roof tiles - recycled yes, a few ticks in that green box, but they looked hideous.

Was it worth going?? Yes, just, but only because I'm only an hour away on the train and the entrance ticket was free. It's very heavily biased towards self-builders rather than those working on an existing building. I expected to see some new stuff of which I am not aware, and frankly I saw very little of that.

It's worth going if you've got a specific project in mind - for me it was sliding bi-fold doors, and there were LOTS of companies pushing those. Clearly my ambition for the old scullery on the back of Feltwell Towers (as discussed on a previous old thread) is very unoriginal and I am just a sheep, following the flock. Baa. Hasn't put me off though - worth going if nothing else to see the wide variation in quality, and it's confirmed my prejudice that aluminium is the only sensible long term option for the frame material.

Similarly, if you were interested in stoves, underfloor heating, air or ground source heat pumps or were thinking of an oak-framed extension or wanted to look at new bricks or roofing tiles then you'd be spoilt for choice.

 

[Penners]

to look at new bricks or roofing tiles

Well, it was a tussle, but I just managed to resist the attractions of a 7-hour round-trip drive to look at bricks.

 

[Feltwell]

Having individually cleaned an entire artic lorry load of reclaimed bricks when I did my garage, trust me I've no desire to look at them either!

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Well, it was a tussle

With your back?! :shock:

 

[Penners]

Oh, I shall pay for it - be in no doubt.

But please... I hate talking about my constant agony.