2022 Master Builders–Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards entries now open

With Christmas and New Year preparations well underway, many Western Australians will be considering building their first, second or even third home, or embarking on a renovation of an existing property to upgrade their living environment or accommodate an expanded family.

This process requires research, including online, print, word of mouth and getting out there to display villages to see what the building industry has to offer.

Most builders believe they build the best houses and renovations in whatever segment of the housing industry they operate in and will highlight recent Master Builders awards they have won demonstrating excellence in construction.

The Master Builders awards are open to all builder members and focus on the quality of workmanship and craftsmanship. The diversity and quality of Western Australian homes are world-class, which characterises our high standard of living and lifestyle.

The traditional skills of a master builder are all about craftsmanship, exquisite trade skills and pride in the job. Therefore, it is important to have judges who are registered builders and can distinguish between good, better and the best workmanship from one house to another.

Master Builders awards are unique because it focuses solely on the quality of workmanship and craftmanship shown in houses and residential projects across the state. Around 27 judges – all registered builders – travel around the state to select the winners.

The industry has seen a revival in recent times and many of our top builders are looking forward to promoting their wonderful workmanship through winning a Master Builders award, which can differentiate one builder from another.

When you embark on your research, we hope that you take more time in choosing the builder of your next project and choose a member of Master Builders WA. Not all builders are the same and prospective homebuyers need to know that.

I am pleased to announce the 2022 Master Builders-Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards entries are now open and will be closing at 5pm on Monday December 20, 2021.

In April next year, around 800 Master Builders and their guests will attend our 42nd Master Builders-Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards, which provides an amazing showcase of what the WA housing industry is capable of.

The winners, including the best regional home, will be announced in New Homes after the event. Each of the award-winning builders deserve the highest accolades, as it is extremely competitive.

Some of our winners will be entered into Master Builders’ national awards, which will be announced later in 2022.

If you are embarking on a New Year’s resolution and thinking of building or renovating, you should check out the finalists and winners from the 2021 Master Builders-Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards, stay tuned for the winners of the 2022 awards and ask your builder if they are a Master Builder.

For previous publications and winners go to www.mbawa.com/media/publications.

If you are interested in becoming a member and entering the awards, visit www.mbawa.com.

Q&A with MBA Housing and Construction Director Jason Robertson

The Question

I’m about to get my house built and have heard that sometimes building materials are stolen from sites. Is this true? And, if so, how does that impact me as a homeowner?

The Answer

Sadly, it does happen.

Onsite theft of building products and materials, and even vandalism, is an occurrence we see far too often.

Builders seek to do everything they can to help prevent theft on building sites, with a host of measures.

You asked how it impacts the homeowner – as with most things, there is a cost. In such instances, this can translate into increased insurance premiums and the like for the builder, or additional mitigation measures such as enhanced security, which equally comes at a price.

As a whole, in terms of industry-wide, estimates have put the dollar cost in the millions per year.

These costs will be borne by the builder, as a direct result of the actions of others.

It can also impact the homeowner through further delays in getting their house built, due to the builder having to address an insurance claim or obtain new products and materials to finish the job.

Also, depending upon the stage

of the build, the builder may have to deal with getting trades back to complete the specific job.

The bottom line is, where site theft occurs, both the builder and the homeowner suffer.

Wherever possible, it’s always encouraged for those in our communities to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 00 if there appears to be suspicious activity on a residential building site.

CONTACT Master Builders WA, 9476 9800 www.mbawa.com