Altogether, 12 new homes in the Western Bay and the Papamoa College have become national gold reserve finalists - it was the third most represented region in the country behind Auckland and Waikato.
Harwood Homes never won a category at the regional level last month - though it did pick up the People's Choice award - but its smart construction earned three golds and places in the country's top 100 new homes.
The People's Choice in the Bay awards was the Papamoa house styled like a cob cottage with bagged brick exterior, and schist chimney and columns for the main entrance.
The three-bedroom, 244 sq m house in the Pacific Cove subdivision is contesting the New Homes $350,000-$450,000 category.
Harwood Homes then shaped a 276 sq m house around a small hill in Lynley Park, Omokoroa. The basement garage went into the hillside and a large deck was built on top to provide sweeping views of the Kaimais and upper harbour.
The three-bedroom house is a national contender in the New Homes $450,000-$600,000 category.
Harwood Homes' entry in the $600,000-$1 million category is the colonial home built in Rangiuru Rd near Te Puke.
The four-bedroom, 355 sq m house was built with bevelled back weatherboard and a corrugated iron roof, and a verandah wraps around three sides.
Mr Harwood said it was a very themed home from the tap fittings to the shape of the tiles, and it replicated the 1910 era. "Some of the kiwifruit was cleared to position the house to take in the views of Maketu and Motiti Island."
Harwood Homes is currently employing up to 10 tradesmen and building eight houses from Omokoroa to Matata, including five in Tauranga.
"We are riding through the economic downturn reasonably well," said Mr Harwood, who has entered the house of the year awards for 15 successive years.
He said there was a chance of winning a national category, but just getting in the top 100 and winning a gold reserve was reward enough.
"Because of the strict criteria in judging, you get a good handle on where you sit and what you are producing.
"We see the awards as a way of adding value to our customers' homes," he said.
Harwood Homes has local competition in the $600,000-$1 million category from Shaw Builders, with the house it built in Oceanview Rd.
Shaw is the only Bay contender in the New Homes $1-$2 million category with two houses - one in Matua which won the regional supreme award and the other in Te Ngaio Rd, Mount Maunganui.
Two other local builders have two entries in the national finals. Landmark Homes BOP, operated by Tauranga franchisee Dean Haggie, is in the New Homes $600,000-$1 million category for the house it built in The Avenues, and in the James Hardie Show Home division for the Monaco-designed house in Bethlehem.
Asset Homes NZ, owned by Clive and Janell Walmsley, is in the $450,000-$600,000 category for the two homes it built in the Bethlehem St Michaels subdivision.
Other national finalists from the Western Bay are: New Homes $350,000-$450,000, Kuriger Builders Tauranga for house in Bethlehem; New Homes over $2 million, Edinbridge Resources for a house at Mount; and Commercial Education Project, Hawkins Construction for the Papamoa College.
The national winners will be announced at the gala dinner in Auckland on November 19.
