The finalists have been named for the Ottawa housing awards and now you get to be the judge.
The Housing Design Awards put on each fall by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) is a highlight of the season and eagerly awaited by many in the industry. Last week, the association announced 184 finalists in 53 categories from 267 entries overall.
Winners for most of those categories will be named at a gala dinner in October, but there’s one award that is chosen by the public — the Ottawa Citizen’s People’s Choice Award — and voting for that winner begins today.
“The Ottawa Citizen’s People’s Choice Award recognizes the community’s favourite project of 2018 and celebrates the very best of the Ottawa housing industry,” says GOHBA executive director Jason Burggraaf.
What am I voting on?
Ultimately, you’re helping to chose what is the most popular or appealing project to the public. Love gorgeous kitchens? Then that might be your favourite. A fan of transformative renovations? Then maybe that will be your top choice.
Entries range from new homes to renovations, to kitchens, bathrooms, basements, outdoor spaces and more.
How do I vote?
Because there are so many projects to choose from, voting is done in five preliminary rounds, grouped into related categories, with the top choices in each of those rounds making up the contenders in a final round of voting that coincides with the Ottawa Fall Home Show at the end of September.
Voting is done online with five days set aside for each round, from 9 a.m. Wednesdays to 11:59 p.m. Sundays. You’re encouraged to vote in each round.
Here’s a schedule of voting times and categories for the preliminary rounds:
Aug. 22-26: production homes, condos and the green production home of the year
Aug. 29-Sept. 2: custom homes and the green custom home of the year
Sept. 5-9: renovations and housing details
Sept. 12-16: bathrooms
Sept. 19-23: kitchens
Sept. 26-30: final voting
For the final round to choose the ultimate winner, voting can be done either online or in person at the home show.
The first round that begins today includes production homes (multi-home developments) ranging from townhomes to singles to awards for best communities, as well as condo buildings, individual condo units and innovative homes that focus on energy efficiency.
This group has 51 finalists in 15 categories with some beautiful projects to judge. Here’s a sampling:
Minto Communities, Monterey model: finalist for production home attached, 2,000 sq. ft. or less.
Uniform Urban Developments, Hobin Architecture & 2H Interior Design, Lawrence model: finalist for production home, attached 2,001 sq. ft. or more.
Corvinelli Homes, Coral model: finalist for production home, single detached, 2,000 sq. ft. or less.
eQ Homes, Hamilton model: finalist for production home, single detached, 2,001-2,600 sq. ft., $500,000 and under.
Cardel Homes, Cornell model: finalist for production home, single detached, 2,001-2,600 sq. ft., $500,000+.
Caivan Communities, Fox Run Series II, Plan 2 model: finalist for production home, single detached, 2,601-3,500 sq. ft., $750,000 and under.
RND Construction & Christopher Simmonds Architect, Meadow model: finalist for two categories this round — production home, single detached, 2,601-3,500 sq. ft., $750,001 + as well as green production home of the year.
Minto Communities, Red Maple (and the 2017 dream home in the Dream of a Lifetime lottery): finalist for production home, single detached, 3,501 sq. ft. or more.
Cardel Homes, Longfields: finalist for new community, built.
Hobin Architecture & Tamarack Homes, 10 Rosemount Ave.: finalist for mid-rise building, 5-9 storeys.
Brigil, 460 St. Laurent: finalist for high-rise building, 10 storeys or more.
Southam Design: finalist for mid to high-rise suite, 501 sq. ft. or more.
Ready to check out all the entries and make your choice? Go to the voting site.
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