Ottawa has fielded an impressive 16 finalists for the coveted 2024 OHBA awards.
The OHBA Awards of Distinction, presented by the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, honour the best across the province in a range of categories, from production and custom homes to renovations, room design, marketing and more. There were more than 560 entries this year competing for 42 awards as well as several special awards. There are three finalists in each category.
Winners will be announced at the annual gala Sept. 24 in Niagara Falls.
The Ottawa finalists
Amsted Design-Build, a regular award winner at the national, provincial and local levels, has weighed in with four projects up for possible awards. Amsted is also competing for the coveted Ontario Renovator of the Year award, which it has won a record five times.
Amsted has three finalist projects in renovation categories as well as one in a custom home category: “Living in Colour,” a striking contender for custom home up to 3,000 square feet.
“Everyone at Amsted is celebrating this tremendous achievement,” says owner Steve Barkhouse. “To be recognized as one of the top three in Ontario in a diversity of categories, and with projects in the different geographic areas we now serve, is both humbling and motivating. Our consistency in this arena makes me immensely proud as an owner.”
Four finalist nods also went to RND Construction for its “Balmoral Green,” a striking net zero custom home that was named as one of the top five net zero custom homes in the country by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). Like Amsted, RND is a frequent trophy winner at all levels.
The project was also a finalist for the 2024 CHBA Awards and is in the running for this year’s Ottawa Housing Design Awards.
“This home was really difficult to design because it’s on a lot bounded by three streets and zoning regulations. We actually wound up with two yards, one in the front and one in the back, so we decided to put the courtyard out front,” says RND owner Roy Nandram.
“The home has a full secondary suite in the basement and is designed for aging in place. We used all our experience from the past 34 years to design this home.”
MORE: Ottawa winners at 2024 CHBA Awards
A British riding theme defines Minto Communities Ottawa’s Equestrian model, a finalist in both production home and new-home kitchen categories. Deep, rich colours, elaborate trim and other design and manufacturing choices by designer Tanya Collins and Laurysen Kitchens distinguish the home, which was the 2023 Minto dream home, the top prize in the annual CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery.
Minto’s Waverley is a contender in the model home, 2,501 square feet and more category, and the company is a finalist for projects elsewhere in Ontario.
Lagois Design-Build-Renovate has two finalist projects this year. One is for a bathroom renovation that created a serene ensuite with a freestanding tub for a couple with young children. The second is a kitchen re-do that created an open space with a Scandinavian feel and a view to the living and dining areas and exterior. Lagois is also competing for Renovator of the Year, an honour the company captured locally at last year’s Ottawa Housing Design Awards.
“Our team is excited, proud and humbled to be recognized amongst our industry with these OHBA nominations,” says owner and president, Jacob Kirst. “As owner of Lagois, this serves as a powerful affirmation that during the past four decades we have been focused on the right things.
“These nominations at the end of the day are a byproduct of the strong partnerships we create with our clients to ensure their vision is achieved.”
MORE: 2023 Ottawa Housing Design Awards
International award-winning design firm West of Main is competing for a bathroom renovation project, part of a whole-home makeover of a 1940s-era home, as well as contending in the kitchen renovation category, part of a comprehensive whole-home project with a Dutch Revival theme.
And Corvinelli Homes’ open-concept Winchester bungalow is battling it out for the one-storey production home trophy. The 1,565-square-foot home with a covered front porch and rear deck is available with two or three bedrooms.
See a full list of finalists.
