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The prestigious Build It Awards is the only independent, expert-judged scheme celebrating the very best of UK self build and renovation. Each year, our panel of experts convenes to scrutinise hundreds of high-quality products, projects and services – with only the very best in each category making it through to our shortlist and, ultimately, to be crowned winners.
What does that mean for you? Well, our vetting process means you can gain confidence in your specification decisions. Each entry undergoes in-depth assessment, so you know the winners are the cream of the self build and renovation crop, complete with an expert-backed Build It Awards seal of approval.
Here we’re giving you the run-down on our 2024 Build It Award-winning products and services, from the best glazed doors to roofing materials and heat pumps to self build mortgage lenders.
Rationel for Aura Plus
A hugely popular glazing system, installed in many self build and renovation projects up and down the country, Aura Plus is an elegant and contemporary product that offers the full package. Available as flush faced casement windows, casement doors, patio doors and sliding doors, the range is a one-stop shop for your full home build – enabling consistency in design and sightlines.
Why did the judges vote for the Aura Plus? The judges were impressed that the window is available both double glazed and triple glazed (with U-values down to an excellent 0.75 W/m²K). This gives architects and homeowners the option to mix-and-match to suit their project goals.
Roseview Windows for Ultimate Rose
The Ultimate Rose is a timber-alternative PVCu sliding sash window. Capable of achieving U-values down to 1.2 W/m²K as a double-glazed product, it achieves modern performance while preserving the slender sash window look.
Nu-Heat for Nu-Deck
Nu-Deck combines the UFH system with a structural floor deck. Fixed to joists in the same way as standard chipboard flooring, it features pre-grooved channels to accept the 14mm pipework. An aluminium finish helps to diffuse the warmth evenly.
Catnic for SolarSeam
SolarSeam is a solar laminate that can be installed simultaneously with a standing seam metal roof. The fact it’s integrated into the main install reduces labour costs and negates the need for additional fixings. A 3.68kW SolarSeam system would typically require just over 31m² of roof space.
TeleBeam for TeleBeam Loft Conversion System
This system simplifies loft conversions. The system features lightweight telescopic beams, which can be installed by hand, and from a single side of the property if necessary, providing an instant structural floor for your attic and enabling the roof loads to be transmitted via vertical stud walls.
Kensa Heat Pumps for Shoebox NX Ground Source Heat Pump
Offering the power and efficiency of rival systems in a much smaller package, with the ability to supply both continuous heating and hot water, the Shoebox NX GSHP has a coefficient of performance of up to 4.36 and can produce four times more heat than it consumes in electricity.
First Step Designs for Custom Central Spine Staircase
This sculptural stair by First Step Designs features solid metal spindles, which are machined to sink 100mm into the treads without the need for additional support.
One judge said: “everything about it works, from the way it reflects the internal materials, through to the clever micro-concrete bottom step that creates a platform for the owners to display their artworks.”
EcoHaus for the Internorm HS330 Sliding Door
Designed specifically as a triple-glazed product, the Internorm HS330 system achieves U-values down to 0.73 W/m²K, making HS330 suitable for Passivhaus projects.
In the pictured project by EcoHaus, the doors are installed alongside swathes of matching fixed picture windows. The centrepiece is this stunning courtyard, which features 22.5m of continuous bespoke glazing, complete with corner glass-to-glass joints.
Gartec for Aritco HomeLift Compact Platform Lift
Starting at £18,500, this highly customisable design is easy to install (typically completed in just two days) in both new build and retrofit scenarios, and offers various user-friendly features – including real-time monitoring and maintenance alerts.
The judging panel was impressed by the changes Bath Building Society has made to its offering over the past 18 months.
Among these was the launch of a 95% product for land and build costs, opening up its lending to a different self build demographic.
Mendip Stoves for Loxton 3 Cooktop
Featuring a sleek steel construction with cast-iron door, the Loxton 3 woodburner is a stylish freestanding 4kW stove ideal for heating smaller rooms. It is Ecodesign compliant and capable of being installed close to combustibles, enabling greater choice over location.
Russwood for Architect Select Larch
Strong, durable, characterful and long-lasting, Siberian larch was once the go-to cladding choice for many self builders and renovators. Due to trade sanctions imposed on Russia, however, this once-prized timber is now in short supply on our shores.
Russwood impressed the judging panel by creating an alternative for the UK market. Priced from a competitive £50 per m², Architect Select Larch is made of European larch, which grows faster than Siberian-cultivated timber. The wood is therefore quarter-sawn for stability, which also creates an attractive vertical grain appearance.
We would like to say thank you to all of our sponsors of the Build It Awards 2024, and our headline sponsor BuildStore.
Category sponsors: Self-Build Zone, IDSystems, Stovax, YPSILON Outdoor, Custom Roof Lights.
General sponsors: PlotBrowser, The NaCSBA, The NSBRC.
Our Judges: Chris Batesmith, Jane Duncan, Mike Hardwick, Tim Doherty, Nigel Griffiths, Julian Owen, Tom McSherry, Calum Taylor, David Hilton.
Find out more about the Build It Awards by visiting the Build It Awards Website.
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