Ross Faulkner of Faulkner Construction was elated when he found out his Clevedon home was named the national winner of the Outdoor Living Award at the Registered Master Builders 2015 House of the Year competition.
The home also won a Gold Award at the Auckland Registered Master Builders 2015 House of the Year competition for the SafetyMate Renovation Award over $500,000.
Mr Faulkner says they were quite surprised by the win as they missed out on winning the Award at the Auckland Registered Master Builders House of the Year.
“It was definitely a wonderful experience winning the Outdoor Living Award. This was our first national award so it’s definitely the pinnacle of our career,” he says.
Mr Faulkner explains that the extensive features of the area contributed to its win.
“The space has everything you could want in an outdoor area — it’s an incredible piece of architecture,” he says.
Mr Faulkner says the creation of the tennis court was a key challenge of the build.
“We had to remove a huge amount of soil to build in the tennis court. It was a major logistical exercise getting the trucks in and out due to the property’s limited access,” he says.
Judges were impressed with the extensive features and functionality of the area.
“What more could you want in an outdoor living space — a 12m swimming pool, spa pool, pool pavilion, and tennis court, all built into the stunning backdrop of the Clevedon Scenic Reserve,” the judges said.
“The space was designed around the existing house where gabion walls were employed as a landscaping element to define the new pavilion.
“The pavilion opens up into an amazing indoor or outdoor living space, allowing for the ever-changing weather.
“This is a truly magic area for rest and recreation,” the judges said.
Mr Faulkner says winning the award has been a great stepping stone to carry their business into the future.
“It has certainly raised our profile in the industry, and it will open up a lot of doors to similar projects which is fantastic,” he says.
Mr Faulkner praises the Registered Master Builders Association for their credibility in the industry, and their support in helping builders become businessmen.
Although Faulkner Construction has not entered the 2016 House of the Year, they are looking to enter three builds in next year’s competition.
The Awards are made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, Master Build Services, GIB, Nulook, Future-Proof Building, Carters, Plumbing World, Resene and Bunnings Trade.
