Voting is my duty

The awards season is upon us … and it seems everybody wants to know what we think. It’s not enough to let an esteemed panel of judges decide, they want OUR opinion, too.

But that’s okay. I like to vote. I consider it my civic duty. In fact, I consider the long-form census my civic duty, too. And I’ll answer questions of any pollster that calls or emails me. I even do those product survey things … I guess no one ever listens to me at home, so I think I have a better chance with Ipsos Reid.

So, I couldn’t resist when the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) recently sent me an email announcing the winners of their 2012 Design Excellence Award (there are 15 of them in Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, Waterloo, Mulmur, Nobel, Vaughan, Peterborough, Montreal and Phuket) and asking me which one I liked best.

But they want your opinion, too. You can click here to vote on your favourite architectural design before April 17 … but be warned, it’s tough to choose just one.

The rest of OAA’s awards will be announced at a ceremony in Ottawa Friday, May 11.

In keeping with the architectural theme — and industrial design and interior design — Azure magazine wants you to vote in 14 categories for their People’s Choice Awards. The winners will be announced in the magazine’s July/August issue. Just click here to enter.

BILD AWARDS

The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) recently announced the finalists for their awards gala Friday, April 17 (where, I might add, I get to present Builder of the Year. A big honour for me. Will it be Aspen Ridge Homes, Geranium Homes, Mattamy Homes, Monarch or Tridel?).

You can read the full list of finalists here.

But BILD, too, is getting into the action with a People’s Choice Award.

The finalists are Aspen Ridge Homes for Studio on Richmond; Brookfield Homes for Pathways; Castel Homes for Allure at the Gates of Aurora; CentreCourt Developments for Peter Street Condos; Lifetime Developments for the Yorkville; Lindvest Properties for B.street Condos; Madison Homes for The Madison; Rosehaven Homes for Woodland Trails; Treasure Hill Developments for block; and Urban Capital & Shram Homes for Trinity Bellwoods.

Click here to make your mark.

And yes, just in case you were wondering, I voted in all three cases. Sometimes twice.

Geranium Homes blooms with Grand SAM

 

Boaz Feiner (above in his kitchen), the president of Geranium Homes, is a fine man and a great cook (I know because he’s told me so many times, often offering to whip me up dinner). He’s also funny and bright … and now he’s got a Grand SAM Award to add to his already packed resumé.

Geranium Homes received the honour, the highest at the 2011 CHBA Sales and Marketing Awards in Mont-Tremblant, Que., last month. The Grand SAM recognizes the new home builder who demonstrates the highest level of excellence in both building and marketing.

“To have been nominated for this prestigious award was an honour," Feiner said. “And winning a National SAM Award is recognized in our industry as a major accomplishment.”

“We were thrilled,” Boaz said of the award, which “recognizes both our building as well as our marketing achievements.”

Geranium Homes was also a winner in the single detached home over 2,200 square feet for The Alderley model at their Forest Trail Estates community in Ballantrae.

Other Ontario winners at the CHBA Awards include:

Single detached home between 1,500 to 2,200 square feet: Doug Tarry Homes, St. Thomas, “The Kenwood”

Single detached home over 2,200 square feet: Geranium Homes, Markham, “Forest Trail Estates, The Alderley Model”

Home renovation: kitchen: Pioneer Craftsmen, Kitchener

Whole house renovation more than $500,000: Amsted Construction, Stittsville

Direct mail promotion: Brookfield Homes, Markham, “Pathways in Caledon East” Creative, concept and production BAM Builder Advertising and Marketing Inc.

Best website: Madison Homes, Toronto, “The Madison” Creative, concept and production: G. Ryan Design

Brochure/kit: Empire Communities, Vaughan, “Rain Condominiums” Creative, concept and production: Montana Steele Strategic Marketing

Best sales office: Camrost Felcorp Inc., Toronto, “Imperial Plaza” Creative, concept and production: Montana Steele Strategic Marketing, The Design Agency, Aareas Interactive, Solution Worx

The Riley Brethour Award (recognizing contributions at the national level in marketing and sales): Richard Luciani of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), Toronto

Nominees are the best of the best

The difference between a good award and great award is when the consumer chooses the winner.

And that certainly separates the Tarion Warranty Corp. awards for customer service excellence apart from the rest. Tarion is a private corporation established in 1976 to serve as the regulator of the new home building industry in Ontario.

Today, Tarion announced the finalists for the 2012 Tarion Awards of Excellence, the only awards in Ontario that recognize new home builders based solely on their customer service.

“The finalists exemplify a superior experience for new home buyers by providing first-in-class after-sales service,” Tarion president and CEO Howard Bogach said in a news release.

The award finalists were chosen by homeowners who took possession of a new home between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2011. Over 45,000 new homeowners were sent a Crunch Research comprehensive survey (in partnership with Harris Decima), and more than 7,000 homeowners responded, representing 16 per cent of consumers who bought a new home in Ontario during that time.

Survey questions focused on homeowners’ satisfaction with their builder, covering every stage in the homeowner-builder relationship. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 17.

And the finalists are . . .  

Highrise (100 highrise possessions or more per year: Claridge Homes,  Ottawa; Menkes Developments Ltd., Toronto; Monarch Corp., Toronto; The Daniels Corp., Toronto; Tridel, Toronto

Large volume (100 possessions or more per year): Arista Homes, Vaughan; Country Homes, Woodbridge; Fusion Homes, Guelph; Monarch Corp., Toronto; Mountainview Homes, Thorold

Medium volume (21-100 possessions or more per year): Fifthshire Homes Ltd..  Concord; LeBlanc Enterprises, Cobourg; Neilcorp Homes, Almonte; Sifton Properties, London; Wrighthaven Homes, Elora

Small volume (5-20 possessions or more per year): Cedarstone Homes, Ashton; George Milla Construction, Milla Homes, Waterloo; Klondike Homes, Waterloo; Medway Homes, Grand Bend; Triple T Holdings, Peterborough