The 2023 competition is now open!

JUDGES NEEDED (CLICK FOR DETAILS)

 


About the Competition

The CHBA National Awards for Housing Excellence competition recognizes the best in Canadian new homes, renovations, community development, and residential marketing. This national competition receives hundreds of entries each year from rural areas and large cities, and from small family-run businesses and larger developers. Categories feature a range of categories for many different types of homes, including entry-level homes, attached and detached, production and custom homes, renovations at different price points, net zero homes and renovations, modular construction, and a variety of marketing awards. The entry period for the 2023 competition will open in late August. Get a sneak peek of this year's categories and entry requirements below.

Are you following @CHBANational?
Entrants, finalists, and winners are often showcased on CHBA's social media accounts, especially Instagram. Follow us for daily inspiration. If we share your project, we'll tag your company.

Media Inquiries

Are you a member of the media and would like to receive the embargoed list of winners once they're available in January? Please contact CHBA at [email protected] to be added to our housing awards press release distribution list.

Get Started


STEP 1: Make sure your company is eligible (and get your Membership ID number)
If you're a member in a local or provincial home builders' association, then you're a member at the national level of CHBA as well and are eligible to enter the competition provided your project is located within your local HBA (see location requirements below). You will need your Company Membership ID for the entry process.

Look up your company membership ID here

STEP 2: Check out the categories and awards information
Everything you need to know about competition requirements, fees, tips, and entry questions is below!

STEP 3: Select your projects
Whether you're building or renovating modest entry-level homes or luxurious custom residences, the categories in this competition are designed to be judged based on who your project is for and how well you met those goals. So pick the unique, innovative, budget-minded, or stunning projects and enter them! Remember that the more you enter, the greater your chance to win the coveted "big" awards: the Design Excellence Award, Renovation Excellence Award, or Marketing Excellence Award.

STEP 4: Start your entry
Our Awards Platform is designed for you to create an account and jump right in.

STEP 5: Enter by October 17th
There are no extensions for this competition! We are not bluffing! The deadline is October 17th at 6PM Eastern time.

2023 Competition Information

2023 Categories

New Home Awards

These awards recognize the excellent architectural qualities of new homes including overall exterior and interior design, use of building forms and materials, creative use of space, functionality of floor plan and overall appeal to a target market.


Mid- to High-Rise Buildings
Note: Mid- to High-Rise is defined as four storeys and higher. These categories showcase the entire building and its amenities as well as a sampling of individual units.

  • Best Mid- to High-Rise Building (Completed)
  • Best Mid- to High-Rise Building (Planned)  (note: this category is not eligible for the Design Excellence Award)


Attached Homes
Note: these categories are for low-rise homes (three storeys and lower). Each entry showcases an individual home/unit. Homes can be custom or production.

  • Best Attached Low-Rise Home under 1,500 square feet
  • Best Attached Low-Rise Home 1,500 – 1,800 square feet
  • Best Attached Low-Rise Home 1,800 square feet and over

Detached Homes
Note: these categories are for low-rise homes (three storeys and lower).

  • Best Detached Production Home Under 1,800 square feet
  • Best Detached Production Home 1,800 to 2,100 square feet 
  • Best Detached Production Home 2,101 to 2,400 square feet
  • Best Detached Production Home 2,401 to 2,800 square feet
  • Best Detached Production Home Over 2,800 square feet

  • Best Detached Custom Home Under 2,5000 square feet
  • Best Detached Custom Home 2,501 to 3,000 square feet
  • Best Detached Custom Home 3,001 to 4,000 square feet
  • Best Detached Custom Home 4,001 to 5,000 square feet
  • Best Detached Custom Home Over 5,000 square feet


Entry-Level Home Award
This award recognizes excellence in the architectural qualities of new homes that are designed and built to be affordable to those entering the housing market (e.g. marketing to first-time buyers, new Canadians, etc.) including overall exterior and interior design, use of building forms and materials, creative use of space, functionality of floor plan, and overall appeal to the entry-level home market. Homes entered into this category must have a list price that does not exceed the maximum list price for their geographic region as indicated in this chart, which is based on the lowest 20% of absorbed single-detached and semi-detached dwellings (from CMHC data) or based on the upper limit of CMHC's First Time Home Buyer Incentive (whichever is lower). They can be attached or detached homes.

New Home Spaces Awards

These awards recognize the excellent architectural qualities of specific spaces in a new home including interior design, use of building forms and materials, creative use of space, functionality of floor plan and overall appeal. Projects entered in their entirety into the New Home Awards may also be entered into any New Home Spaces categories.

  • Best Production Kitchen
  • Best Custom Kitchen
  • Best Bathroom (note: can be production or custom)
  • Best Primary Suite (note: can be production or custom)

Home Renovation Awards

Projects in the Kitchen, Bathroom and Single Room categories showcase a single room and may entail the reconfiguration of existing spaces and/or addition of new space.

Projects in the Basement category may showcase a single room or multiple rooms in below-grade basements, and may entail the reconfiguration of existing spaces and/or addition of new space.

Projects in the Exterior category must involve a renovation of the exterior of the home, though landscaping that is connected to the project may also be showcased. Example projects may include: a major upgrade to the front of the home, an outdoor kitchen or living space added into the backyard, etc.

Projects entered into Whole Home categories must involve more than one room (and is typically meant to encompass the main living areas of the house) and may entail interior and exterior work, including the reconfiguration of existing spaces and/or addition of new space. Projects that are entered as part of a Whole Home category can also be entered separately into the defined applicable spaces categories.

  • Best Kitchen Renovation – under $70,000
  • Best Kitchen Renovation – $70,000 to $100,000
  • Best Kitchen Renovation – Over $100,000
  • Best Bathroom Renovation
  • Best Basement Renovation
  • Best Exterior Renovation
  • Best Single Room Renovation (other than kitchen, bathroom, basement, exterior.)
  • Best Whole Home Renovation – under $200,000
  • Best Whole Home Renovation – $200,000 to $300,000
  • Best Whole Home Renovation – $300,001 to $500,000
  • Best Whole Home Renovation – $500,001 to $800,000
  • Best Whole Home Renovation – over $800,000

Marketing Awards

These awards recognize the best in marketing—attracting customer attention, generating traffic, and creating the confidence and environment favourable to home buying and/or renovating. Marketing Awards are offered in the following categories:

  • Best Signage
  • Best Brochure/Kit
  • Best Website
  • Best Digital Advertising Campaign
  • Best Print Ad
  • Best Short Video (less than 45 seconds)
  • Best Long Video (45 seconds and longer)
  • Best Sales Office
  • Best Interior Decorating (Model/Show Home)
  • Best Renderings
  • Best Branding and Identity
  • Best Virtual Tour Experience

Net Zero Home Awards

These homes are Qualified under the CHBA Net Zero Labelling Program (either Net Zero Ready or Net Zero). These awards recognize excellence in high performance homes that have an appealing aesthetic, including overall exterior and interior design, use of building forms and materials, creative use of space, and functionality of floor plan. In addition to being entered into a Net Zero Home Award category, Net Zero homes can also be entered into the corresponding New Home Award category or the Modular Innovation Award.

  • Best Custom or Renovated Net Zero Home
  • Best Production Net Zero Home

Community Development Awards

These awards recognize excellence in performance by developer and home builder members who create attractive, exciting, innovative and environmentally responsible communities.

  • Best New Community (the community can not have been entered previously)
  • Best Growing Community (for additional and substantial phases of communities previously entered)

Marketing Excellence Award

The Marketing Excellence Award recognizes a single home builder or developer member for their overall excellence in marketing, based on the highest total score for those companies that have entered a minimum of four (4) marketing categories and have won in at least one (1) of those categories. Your prospects of winning increase by making up to 3 entries in multiple marketing categories.

Renovation Excellence Award

The Renovation Excellence Award is the top award in Canada's residential renovation industry. The award recognizes outstanding performance by a single renovator member in the renovation of homes, based on the highest total score of those companies that have won at least one (1) Renovation Award and have entered a minimum of three (3) Renovation Award categories. Your prospects of winning increase by making up to 3 entries in multiple renovation categories.

Design Excellence Award

The Design Excellence Award is the pinnacle of achievement in the residential new home construction industry. The award recognizes outstanding performance by a single home builder or developer member in the design of new homes, based on the highest total score of those companies that have won at least one (1) New Home Award and have entered a minimum of three (3) New Home Award categories. Any points scored in the New Home Spaces categories are also included. Your prospects of winning increase by making up to 3 entries in multiple new home / new home details categories. Please note that Best Mid- to High-Rise Project (Planned) does not count towards the Design Excellence Award as project entered into that category are not yet completed.

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