Writer and broadcaster Michael Holmes is one of the country's leading property experts. As well as twenty years writing for magazines and newspapers, and presenting TV programmes about design and construction, Michael is an experienced self-builder and renovator, having completed over 27 projects ranging from renovating flats, to converting barns to building luxury country houses. He has built his own home three times and has also helped many families build, extend or remodel their home as a design consultant.

Michael is Editor in Chief of Homebuilding & Renovating , Britain’s best-selling self-build magazine, Period Living, the best-selling traditional homes title, and Real Homes, the leading home improvement title.

Michael has presented many successful television series including Channel 5’s ‘I Own Britain’s Best House’, ITV1's ‘Don't Move Improve’ and ‘Good Bid, Good Buy’ and  ‘Build, Buy or Restore’ and ‘How to Build a House’, for Discovery Realtime, plus several popular series for UK TV, C5 and BBC1.

Michael’s book ‘Renovating for Profit’ (Ebury Press) is the definitive guide to adding space and value to your home.

Howard Chapman is the Editor of Buildingtalk, one of the most comprehensive online news, product and technical information resources in the UK. He has a weekly e-newsletter received by over 33,000 building and construction professionals. He is also Managing Editor of ABC&D, a monthly magazine published in partnership with Buildingtalk. Prior to launching Buildingtalk in 2001, he worked for a number of years in design, marketing and PR within the industry.  He has a particular interest in promoting ecological and sustainable products that impact the built environment including the retrofitting of existing homes.

Jason Orme is the long-time Editor of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine. He lives in his self-built home in Worcestershire and has visited hundreds of other self-built homes throughout the UK.

David Dalby is a Chartered Surveyor with 40 years experience in the UK residential market.

He joined the RICS in July 2008 as Director of the Residential Professional Group, responsible for the development of standards and providing guidance on all aspects of the residential property market in both the public and private sectors, including sales & lettings, valuations & surveys, residential management, affordable housing and sustainability.

Prior to joining RICS he was Chief Surveyor for the residential lending arm of a major investment bank. During his career, he has been Training and Development Director for a national residential surveying firm, Regional Surveyor for a major Building Society, run his own survey & valuation practice, as well as being a partner in a multi-office estate agency and general practice company.

He was formerly Deputy Chairman of the RICS Regulatory Board, and a member of the CML Valuation Panel. He continues to sit on the ABBE Examination Panel.

David Snell has been in the property and self build industry for 48 years and still retains his passion for all things self build. He and his wife first self built in 1970 and they have gone on to do it a total of 12 times, so far. He is contributing editor to Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, the House Doctor for The Daily Telegraph and the author of many books, most notably Building Your Own Home. David is also a regular presenter of seminars at all of the Homebuilding & Renovating Exhibitions.

Julian Owen, a chartered architect, runs a busy practice in the East Midlands. He has designed and managed many ‘one-off’ houses, housing developments and home alterations as well as many non-domestic projects. He is chairman of ASBA architects, a national network he formed in 1992 which makes architects more accessible to people who wish to build or alter their homes. Has been a representative on the national council of the RIBA and is currently Chairman of the RIBA East Midlands Region. For five years he chaired the East Midlands branch of the Construction Industry Council which he set up in 2003. He is also a director of the UK-wide practice 1^st Architects Ltd. As well as writing many magazine articles, he has written books on self build, house design, home alterations and timber frame construction. For the past 10 years he has delivered talks and seminars at home improvement shows in London and Birmingham on topics such as house design, home renovation and working with architects. In 2003 he received an MBE for services to architecture.

For full information on Julian Owen Associates Architects, sample pages of Julian’s books and free factsheets on the design and construction process go to www.juilanowen.co.uk.

Mark has been involved in the construction industry since 1980 when he undertook an eco-renovation of his first house. He spent many years as a builder and developer before writing the Housebuilder's Bible in 1995, since when it has a appeared through 8 editions. He is Contributing editor on Homebulding & Renovating and is a regular speaker at their selfbuild exhibitions. He is particularly interested in low energy housing and related issues.

Robin Hood-Leeder is Director of Membership Services at the Federation of Master Builders. His responsibilities include the prestigious Master Builder of the Year awards, services and benefits for members and the FMB’s partnerships with major UK organisations.

Robin is an architect and his past roles have included Head of Construction Information for the Building Research Establishment, Head of Design at Redland Bricks and Senior Architect for the CWS Property Group.

He has contributed to the RIBA and CIOB Research & Innovation Committees and played a key role in the development of award-winning new products and literature in the construction industry. He has spoken at international conferences on the reduction of defects in the construction industry.