CityNews speaks to some of the Housing Industry Association’s 2024 award winners on how they built their prize homes.

Each year the Housing Industry Association (HIA) awards bring together the top builders and designers in new-home construction.

The Housing Industry Association ACT & Southern NSW has recently announced this year’s winning homes, kitchens and bathrooms.

The HIA Awards identify, highlight and reward excellence throughout the housing industry, representing some of the finest tradespeople and their businesses across the country.

The awards are split into regions throughout Australia. Participants enter at their relevant regional level, selecting their preferred category, and are judged by a highly experienced team of building experts. Regional winners go on to compete in the national awards.

HIA has been representing the Australian residential building industry for more than 74 years.

Two awards are just the ‘fruit at the end’

Taking home two HIA awards, builder Sunny Malhotra says winning was just the “fruit at the end”.

“We are always trying to do the right thing by our clients and the community,” he says. “Winning won’t change our ethics.”

Winning the Display Home up to $500,000 Award and Custom Build Home $400,000-$600,000 Award, Sunny says they are already looking forward to what next year will bring.

“Our commitment is to be transparent and reliable for our clients,” he says.

“We are proud to be servicing the Canberra community.

“As locals ourselves, it brings us great pride to keep doing the right thing for the company, community and beyond.”

Utilising in-house professional consultants, Sunny says the family business has been operating since 2012 and has successfully completed more than 50 houses.

“We aren’t a cookie-cutter business,” he says.

“We customise the whole process from A-to-Z for our clients.”

The winning display home featured high ceilings, skylights, a firepit outside and an indoor fireplace.

“We have created a multi-generational house,” he says.

Sunny works alongside his wife Sara to create beautiful homes for their clients.

“We’re a great team,” he says. “We work on everything together.”

Sunny Homes. Call 0493 030306, visit sunnyhomes.com.au or email sales@sunnyhomes.com.au

Two awards and it’s all down to personalised service

Status Living has won two categories in the 2024 Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards for Renovation/Addition Project of the Year and the Renovation/Addition Project $700,000 to $1million.

Director Brent Redmayne says their awards can be credited to the company’s ability to deliver a personalised service.

“We were able to breathe new life and light into the home,” he says.

“We transformed the dated structure by expanding the living space into a more functional and practical area, suitable for our client’s lifestyle.”

According to the award citation: “The project involved a comprehensive transformation of a dated property into a modern and functional home, highlighting contemporary materials and construction techniques.”

Brent says: “By incorporating distinctive roof angles and carefully positioned windows, we successfully integrated modern design elements while preserving the building’s original character.

“The interior design features bold choices, and we particularly enjoy working with clients who embrace their unique style when personalising their space.”

The citation’s winning details also noted the “meticulous attention to detail throughout the renovation showcasing the dedication and skill of the team.

“Particular attention was paid to a large steel extension attached to the existing residence, which expanded the living area and improved functionality which resulted in a versatile home for families, as well as the angled ceiling, which flooded the space with natural light, further enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the home.”

Status Living. Call 0434 151928 or visit statusliving.com.au

‘Humbled’ Hector wins spec home award

Rydgeport Constructions has won the Spec Home of the Year Award and was a finalist in the Country Home of the Year and Kitchen of the Year Awards.

Owner Hector Aguirre Ruiz says he couldn’t have been more surprised or humbled by the award.

“We put ourselves in three categories, but never would have guessed we’d win,” he says.

“We were so excited but very surprised.”

Featuring big windows, a spacious kitchen and other “barn style” features, Hector says they were inspired to create a home that was perfect for a family.

“It’s designed to be big and welcoming,” he says.

Specialising in new homes, extensions and renovations, Rydgeport Constructions has been in operating for seven years, with Hector bringing a wealth of experience to the company.

He says he’s proud to work alongside his wife, Rebecca, who has been instrumental in the work he does with Rydgeport Constructions.

“Our ethics are to make sure that we are always doing and making the best product that we can provide,” says Hector.

“I enjoy what I do and we make sure that our clients are happy.”

The winning house took a total of 10 months, of which Hector says careful planning and implementation meant there were no delays.

Hector is now setting his sights on a house around the block to create a simpler style of barn house for another family to enjoy.

Rydgeport Constructions. Call 0417 027 455 or visit rydgeportconstructions.com.au