Best Kiwi Homes and Renovations Announced for 2019 at Registered Master Builders House of the Year Awards
•Spearhead Developments’ Cromwell Hawk House takes out Supreme New Home, Craftmanship, and CARTERS $1 – 1.5 million New
Home awards
•Spice Build’s Lower Hutt 135-year old church restoration takes out Supreme Renovation and Bunnings Renovation over $1
million awards
Celebrating building excellence in New Zealand, the prestigious Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition
awards the best homes, builders and craftsmen across our country for 2019.
Supreme House of the Year and Craftmanship Award
First-time competition entrant, Spearhead Developments of Central Otago took the top award for their work on the Hawk
House. The new build also took out the Craftmanship and CARTERS $1-1.5 million New Home awards.
Judges acknowledged this home to be a technical challenge in every respect. “The Hawk House is an architectural
masterpiece that sits high in the hills between Cromwell and Wakaka. Mimicking native hawks, the unique form and use of
natural material has created an incredible home that peacefully nestles into its stunning surrounding landscape.
“This is no ordinary bach. It is a home that surprises you at every turn”, says this year’s 2019 judges.
Supreme Renovation of the Year Award
Spice Build has won the Supreme Renovation Award with the restoration of a historic 135-year old church in Petone,
Wellington. The property was also runner-up for the Craftsmanship Award.
Judges said the renovation “Demonstrated a vision that is nothing short of exceptional.
“The build process saw a fantastic collaboration between the owner and builder, with a result that can only be described
as a masterpiece. It has perfectly retained the original character of the building, all while breathing new life into it
with a stunning apartment conversion”.
Special Award
The Special Award category was introduced last year to recognise outstanding projects or build elements.
Highly worthy of this accolade, Urban Homes claimed this award for its home in Kaipaki, Cambridge. Tasked to create a
home reminiscent of a DOC hut, hidden away on an idyllic riverside site, the judges said “The unassuming yet
sophisticated home has managed to blend its beauty appropriately with the neighbouring natural environment.
“Both the consideration given to this project and the owners’ dedication to preserving the natural beauty of this site
are absolutely commendable, and makes this home strongly deserving of this year’s Special Award.”
An additional 15 category and four lifestyle awards were also announced at a gala dinner attended by over 520 people
from the building and construction industry.
Registered Master Builders Chief Executive David Kelly says the organisation is proud to showcase the best of New
Zealand residential buildings.
“Master Builders have been building New Zealand’s homes and communities for nearly 130 years and the House of the Year
competition has recognised the very best of these homes for almost 30 years.
“As the building boom continues, we must ensure our focus is on building quality homes, quickly and efficiently across
all price brackets. As New Zealand’s leaders in residential building it is exciting to see innovative approaches coming
through in the homes showcased at this year’s awards. This competition sets the standard of what is possible and is an
inspiration to others across the sector.
“Master Builders congratulates our Supreme Award recipients, Spearhead Developments and Spice Build, and all the 2019
winners. It has been another year of outstanding builds.”
The Awards are made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, Master Build 10-Year Guarantee, GIB, CARTERS, Plumbing
World, Altus Window Systems, Resene and Bunnings Trade.
For more information about the competition, visit www.houseoftheyear.co.nz.
ENDS