A new home in St Arnaud and a renovation in Blenheim have been named this year’s finest upper South Island homes, winning Supreme Awards in the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast Registered Master Builders 2014 House of the Year.

Harris Builders took out four regional awards, including a Gold Award and category win for the James Hardie New Homes $450,000 - $600,000 award, as well as the Craftsmanship Award and the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast Registered Master Builders Supreme Award for 2014 House of the Year.

Roger Hogg Builders was awarded the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast Registered Master Builders 2014 Renovation of the Year award, as well as a Gold Award and overall category win for the Future-Proof Building Renovation Award over $500,000.

The judges applauded Harris Builders for a build they say is a perfect response to the client’s brief.

“The brief to the builder was to create a holiday home that catered to summer days on the lake and winter days in the snow. Using extensive cedar and metal cladding, the unique materials and impeccable craftsmanship work together to create a home that ticks all the boxes,” they said.

“A stand out feature of this home is the use of plate steel for a feature panel on the front of the house, creating a rustic look and feel. The end result is a magnificent home that really suits its environment, and is a credit to a talented builder.”

Roger Hogg Builders’ winning renovation impressed judges who said the builder succeeded in incorporating modern features while still retaining the existing character of the home.

“The retention of period character in this renovation was well achieved through all areas of the house, particularly in family living spaces,” they said.

“Boasting meticulous attention to detail throughout and an extremely high level of workmanship, the merge of old with new is capped off with a beautiful modern timber joinery system. This is a renovation to be proud of.”

The results were announced at a gala dinner on Saturday, 2 August at Rutherford Hotel in Nelson. The event was attended by members of the local building industry and the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast Registered Master Builders.

There were 12 Gold Award winners from the Marlborough, Nelson and West Coast Region which will now be assessed alongside Gold Award winners from across the country to find the National Gold Reserve finalists, to be announced in early September.

National category winners and the Registered Master Builders Supreme Awards for Renovation of the Year and House of the Year will be announced at a gala dinner in Auckland in November.

The Awards are made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, James Hardie, GIB, Nulook, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, Future-Proof Building, Carters, ITM, Plumbing World, Resene, Westpac and Master Build Services.

For more information about the competition, click here.