The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) experienced a “flood” of enquiries during its attendance at the Homebuilding and Renovating Show at Birmingham NEC.
The BWF, which shared a stand at the exhibition with wood. for good, said particular interest was shown in windows, timber frame, I-beams, wood flooring and staircases.
More than 8,000 pieces of promotional literature were handed out among the show’s 45,000 visitors, along with referrals to many wood product suppliers and distributors among the BWF membership.
BWF director Richard Lambert said: “Latest estimates show that self-builders currently account for 10% of the new build housing stock in the UK. That’s getting on for 20,000 houses per year, a very significant market that we can’t afford to ignore.”
He said self-builders were particularly attractive to the BWF because they placed a high premium on design and were prepared to pay for well-crafted products which improved the look of their homes, such as timber windows and staircases.
