A Wagga builder has won bragging rights for his business after taking out one of the Housing Industry Association’s most-prestigious awards last night.
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Harrison’s Joinery was celebrated as the best of the best at the Wagga Rules Club after winning the Riverina Home of the Year for their immaculate renovation of a 1927 Californian bungalow.
The renovation saw the property brought back to life into the 21st century with its original features restored, and the back opened and extended onto an outdoor living section with a pool
Business owner Geoff Harrison was ecstatic and couldn’t contain himself when his name was called out on stage for the big prize.
He said he was happy he met the client’s brief for the renovation and extension, which was to preserve and restore as much of the original house as possible before making the later extension fit better with current contemporary living styles.
“To achieve this, we opened up the back of the house to flow better into the outside entertaining area and pool,” he said.
“We added an additional bedroom and bedroom that can also be used as a separate granny flat or home office.
“Then we tried to tie the old with the new by using a mix of traditional and contemporary finishes and furniture throughout the home.”
The 2017 awards saw the introduction of a new category: Young Builder of the Year, to recognise up and coming members of the industry, which was won by Jai Warden.
Winners of the major categories will go on to compete at the ACT and Southern NSW Housing Awards in Canberra on October 28 and if successful, to the national awards in 2018.
HIA southern NSW and ACT executive director Greg Weller said the evening was a way to identify and honour the region’s best builders and renovators.
“Nights such as the annual Riverina housing awards are a wonderful occasion for the entire industry to come together and recognise the great achievements from the past 12 months across a range of categories of building and design,” he said.
“Winning a housing award is reflection of significant effort and investment in all aspects of a residential building business, and can really make you stand out from the field.
“Quality of building, excellent design, use of materials and general professionalism all go into creating a potential winner.”
The awards evening was topped off by the attendance of popular entertainer and comedian Tommy Little.
For a full list of winners and finalists for the 2017 HIA Riverina Awards, head to housinglocal.com.au.
