If people are judged by the company they keep, the builders and designers at the recent Construction Achievements and Renovations of Excellence Awards are fine folks indeed.
The annual CARE awards, hosted by the Victoria Home Builders Association, celebrate the talent of local design and construction companies and individuals.
“The CARE Awards is the premier housing awards event celebrating the very best in West Coast design and construction,” said Casey Edge, executive director of the association.
The association, which represents 189 builders, designers, trades and suppliers in the region, invites submissions for competition in 51 categories. The building or renovation categories range from Best Single Family Detached Custom Home to Best Interior. The entries are evaluated by an independent panel of out-of-town judges.
The entries are judged on specific criteria including unique design, function, creative use of space, compatibility with the environment, energy efficiency, effective land use and cost.
The public also had an opportunity to get involved, voting for the People’s Choice Award over the summer. The most ballots were cast for the James View Residence, by GT Mann Contracting Ltd.
The winners and runners-up were fêted at a banquet on Sept. 14 at the Fairmont Empress hotel.
The big winner this year was The Dwell on Despard, a project by Urban Core Ventures. The new house won gold in six categories: Project of the Year, Best Contemporary Kitchen 250 to 300 square feet, Best Interior over 5,000 square feet, Best Master Suite over 500 square feet, Best Media Room and Best Outdoor Living Space over $100,000.
Other multiple Gold winners included Zebra Design, Città Group, BTH Construction Ltd., Method Built Homes, Christopher Developments Inc., Terry Johal Developments Ltd., GT Mann Contracting Ltd., Maximilian Huxley Construction Ltd., Falcon Heights Contracting, and Coastal Construction.
“Congratulations to the CARE Awards Gold winners combining exceptional craftsmanship with environmental sustainability,” said awards chairman Cam Hayward. “These projects demonstrate the range of possibilities for today’s consumers considering a new home or renovation.”
Pictures of the winners will appear Oct. 12 in the Times Colonist and in November’s Western Living magazine. Gold and Silver projects will appear online next Friday at careawards.com.