An extraordinary home in Rangitahi, Raglan, built by White Wood Homes, has been awarded the Supreme House of the Year Award at the recent 2026 Waikato House of the Year Awards.
The project also received the Mitre 10 Trade Craftsmanship Award, Kitchen Excellence Award, PDL Smart Home Award, The Floor Store Interior Design Award, and the APL New Home $1.5 million – $2 million category.
The judges described it as a home of “excellence and elegance in every respect,” giving praise to the bespoke entrance door, high ceilings, Venetian plastered walls, and beautifully detailed kitchen.
What stood out to the judges was the way craftsmanship, interior design, and smart home technology had been brought together with remarkable consistency from the first impression to final detail.
Eight talented builders across the Waikato region received top honours, with 16 projects earning Gold Awards, part of nearly 260 entries nationwide across seven regions.
GD Pringle Building received the Supreme Renovation of the Year Award for a remarkable home in Cambridge, while also winning the Renovation $1 million – $2 million category.
The judges praised the way it respected and enhanced its original character, with recreated coffered ceilings making an immediate statement in the newly opened living spaces.
Other stand-out features included the retained, green-tiled hearth, heavy stucco cladding, and carefully matched timber joinery, helping the new work sit naturally alongside the existing home. The accolades for GD Pringle Building didn’t stop there, with the project team also taking out the Resene New Home $2 million – $4 million category for a home in Hamilton.
For more than 30 years, Master Builders House of the Year has been the ultimate showcase of New Zealand’s top homes, highlighting excellence in design, craftsmanship and construction at every scale and budget.
Master Builders chief executive Ankit Sharma sys House of the Year is about more than recognising New Zealand’s top homes.
“They celebrate the teams behind them, the trust between homeowners and builders, and the craftsmanship and innovation that go into delivering stand-out builds,” Sharma says.
“What stands out this year is the confidence and care shown across such a wide range of project types and price points. Our members are not only delivering homes of an incredibly high standard, but are also helping shape what quality residential building looks like for New Zealand’s future.
“From thoughtful planning to quality detailing, the work recognised through House of the Year reflects an industry that continues to lift the bar.”
The House of the Year awards are proudly supported by Altus Window Systems, Bunnings Trade, GIB, Master Build 10-Year Guarantee, Mitre 10 Trade, PDL by Schneider Electric, Plumbing World, Resene, and APL Window Solutions.
