Homes a hit with judges

Two homes in South Wairarapa have been named national finalists in the Registered Master Builders PlaceMakers 2012 House of the Year contest.

A1 Homes Wairarapa and DR Borman were named as regional winners and national finalists at a gala dinner at the Amora Hotel, Wellington, on Friday night.

Greytown building firm A1 Homes Wairarapa took the Wellington and Wairarapa regional Nulook Builder's Own Home Award and the PlaceMakers Bathroom Excellence Award for a home in Greytown.

Masterton company DR Borman received a regional Gold Award in the Sustainable Homes $500,000 to $1 million category and a Future Proof Building Energy Efficiency Award for a Featherston home.

In 2010 DR Borman captured a coveted prize - the Platinum Award for Outstanding Achievement and Building Excellence - for winning five or more national awards in the annual Registered Master Builders contests.

Only eight other companies in New Zealand had won a similar number of national prizes and it was the first time in two decades the Platinum Award had been handed out.

The Masterton company had to that date captured six national titles, 12 regional titles and had been national finalists 14 times since first entering the annual building showcase.

Peter Camp Builders Limited this year took out the PlaceMakers Supreme Award for the House of the Year in the Wellington Wairarapa region for an Ohariu home in the New Homes over $2 million category. The home also won the Sustainable Homes over $1 million category.

S&R; Residential Limited was awarded the PlaceMakers Supreme Award for the Renovation of the Year, as well as the Renovation Award over $500,000, the GIB Living Award and the Craftsmanship Award for its revamp of a Karori house.

There were 11 Gold Award winners from the Wellington and Wairarapa regions which will now be assessed alongside Gold Award winners from the other 11 regions of the competition to find the National Gold Reserve finalists, to be announced in September. National category winners, PlaceMakers Supreme Awards for the Renovation of the Year and the House of the Year, will be announced at a gala dinner in Auckland in November.

For more information about the competition, visit the Registered Master Builders website www.masterbuilder.org.nz.