Marlborough building companies won gold awards in the Nelson Marlborough Region Registered Master Builders PlaceMakers 2012 House of the Year awards announced in Nelson on Friday night.

Andrew Lawson Builder and Clarke Construction claimed golds for homes built in Blenheim and Renwick respectively, for between $600,000 and $1 million.

Mr Lawson, who this year stepped down after two years as president of Master Builders, likened Home of the Year to a wine competition. Gold medals were awarded for homes that scored at least 90 per cent of the points available, based on workmanship, design and functionality.

The house his company won gold for was built beside the Taylor River near the centre of Blenheim, for a woman who had retired from a farm and wanted plenty of space for grandchildren to stay, Mr Lawson said.

A planned renovation turned into a rebuild, finishing with a two storeyed house with the main bedroom and living room upstairs and three bedrooms downstairs. Marlborough architect Jimma Dillon designed the house to make the most of a view over the river and walkway, he said.

A lift connected the two levels.

"While the lady is very mobile now, the design had to be future-proofed," Mr Lawson said.

Ant Clarke of Clarke Construction said claiming gold reassured the company and clients that they were doing a great job.

Their award-winning house was a Renwick, Marlborough base for a professional couple working and living in Wellington, he said. Designed by Wulf Borrmeister of Christchurch, it incorporated modern design features including a cantilevered level which appeared to float above the ground floor.

Attention to detail and quality workmanship, gave this eight-month building project the edge, Mr Clarke said.

Asked why Marlborough lagged behind Nelson in the medal tally, Mr Clarke said entering cost more than $1000 but the paybacks were good. If someone wanting to build a home was tossing up between two companies, a medal might be the deciding factor.

Last year Clarke Construction won the national title for renovation of the year for a home in Old Renwick Rd and both the Marlborough supreme house of the year and supreme renovation of the year.

Blenheim building company GJ Gardner Homes won two silver awards and TH Barnes & Co a silver for renovation. DM Building Ltd of Blenheim won a bronze award.

Harris Builders, in Nelson, took out the PlaceMakers Supreme Award for the House of the Year for its build of a home in Monaco, Nelson in the New Homes $600,000 - $1 million category. The 13 gold award winners from the Nelson Marlborough region be judged against winners from 11 other regions, in a national final.

This is the first year the Nelson and Marlborough competitions have been combined and commercial entries have been separated out with entries to open in August.

Registered Master Builders2012 Nelson Marlborough House of the Year results

PlaceMakers supreme award and Nelson Marlborough Association Registered Master Builders 2012 House of the Year: Harris Builders (Monaco)

PlaceMakers Supreme Award and Nelson Marlborough Association Registered Master Builders 2012 Renovation of the Year: Brockie Renovations (Atawhai)

PlaceMakers Renovation Award up to $250,000: Brockie Renovations (Atawhai) gold, Brockie Renovations (Nelson) silver.

PlaceMakers Renovation Award $250,000 - $500,000: T H Barnes & Co Limited (Rapaura) silver.

Department of Building and Housing New Homes under $250,000: A1 Homes Tasman (Nelson) gold Category Winner, Jennian Homes Nelson Bays Ltd (The Wood) silver , Stonewood Homes Nelson Limited (Atawhai) silver .

New Homes $250,000 - $350,000: Stonewood Homes Nelson Limited (Motueka) gold Category Winner, Jennian Homes Nelson Bays Ltd (Takaka) silver, A1 Homes Tasman (St Arnaud) bronze.

New Homes $350,000 - $450,000: Inhaus Developments Limited (Mahana) gold Category Winner, G J Gardner Homes (Marlborough) (Rarangi) silver, Stonewood Homes Nelson Limited (Tasman) bronze.

New Homes $450,000 - $600,000: D M Building Ltd (Blenheim) bronze, Jennian Homes Nelson Bays Ltd (Richmond) bronze, K Fowler Homes (Nelson) Limited (Tasman Heights) bronze.

New Homes $600,000 - $1 million: Harris Builders (Monaco) gold Category Winner, Andrew Lawson Builder (Blenheim) gold, Clarke Construction (Renwick) gold, Hybrid Homes and Living Limited (Atawhai) gold.

New Homes $1 million - $2 million: Foothold Developments Building Projects Limited (Redwood Valley) silver.

James Hardie Show Home Award: G J Gardner Homes Marlborough (Blenheim) silver.

Sustatinable Homes under $500,000: Hybrid Homes and Living Limited (Hope) gold Category Winner, Inhaus Developments Limited (Mahana) gold.

Sustainable Homes $500,000 to $1 million: Hybrid Homes and Living Limited (Atawhai) gold Category Winner, Harris Builders (Monaco) gold, Hybrid Homes and Living Limited (Atawhai) gold.

- The Marlborough Express

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