The categories for the 2027 competition are below. Simply select the category you desire to entry to begin submitting your project.
You may also download a PDF version of the categories, entry and judging criteria.
Space Renovation Categories
Best Basement Renovation
This award recognizes the best residential basement renovation that addresses the client’s needs within their budget as it relates to site considerations, renovation solutions, features, and any special problems relating to the existing structure or site.
Best Washroom Renovation
This award recognizes the best residential washroom renovation that addresses the client’s needs within their budget as it relates to site considerations, renovation solutions, features, and any special problems relating to the existing structure or site.
Best Kitchen Renovation under $100,000
This award recognizes the best residential kitchen renovation, under $100,000, that addresses the client’s needs within their budget as it relates to site considerations, renovation solutions, features, and any special problems relating to the existing structure or site.
Best Kitchen Renovation over $100,000
This award recognizes the best residential kitchen renovation, over $100,000, that addresses the client’s needs within their budget as it relates to site considerations, renovation solutions, features, and any special problems relating to the existing structure or site.
Home Renovation Categories
Best Renovation (no addition) under $300,000
This award recognizes the best residential renovation, without an addition, under $300,000.
Best Renovation (no addition) over $300,000
This award recognizes the best residential renovation, without an addition, over $300,000.
Best Renovation (with addition) under $500,000
These awards recognize the best residential renovation with an addition, under $500,000.
Best Renovation (with addition) over $500,000
This award recognizes the best residential renovation with an addition over $500,000.
Best Innovative Renovation
This award recognizes the best innovative residential renovation that showcases unique and creative solutions. Laneway suites, nanny suites, duplexes or triplexes or any other “non-traditional” residential renovation can be included in this category.
Best Exterior Home Renovation
This award recognizes the best residential exterior home renovation (excluding landscaping).
Best Adaptiv Renovation
This category is open to any renovation (home, institutional, commercial, government or facility) or custom home design.
Adaptiv design, also referred to accessible or ‘aging in place’ design, has proven to make life easier for everyone, particularly those who frequently experience challenges navigating built spaces. From the elderly person who relies on a walker, to parents pushing strollers, to those using wheelchairs, adaptiv design helps support independence, spontaneity, and safety.
Through the strategic placement of the functions, activities and elements that make up a building and through the manipulation of space, light, colour, texture and materials, architecture helps all users to make positive and purposeful choices for independent movement. Architects, designers, facility owners, developers and other key decision-makers play an important role in removing the barriers that people with disabilities and those wishing to stay in their homes longer, face everywhere, every day.
Entries must exemplify the best in adaptive design and accessibility modification in areas of site design, building circulation, building entrances and features that the focus on maximizing safety and convenience meeting client current and future needs.
Best New ADU/Secondary Suite
This award recognizes the best newly constructed Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU), Secondary Suite, Garden Suite, Laneway House or similar accessory residential unit. Eligible projects must be new construction built from the ground up. The project may be custom-built, modular or prefabricated.
This category does not include the renovation, conversion or adaptation of an existing space or structure
into an ADU or Secondary Suite. Those projects should be entered in Renovated ADU category.
Best Renovated ADU
This award recognizes the best renovation or conversion of an existing space or structure into an Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU), Secondary Suite, Garden Suite, Laneway House, or similar accessory residential unit. Eligible projects may include the conversion of an existing basement, garage, portion of a home, ancillary structure or other existing space into a self-contained residential unit.
The defining characteristic of this category is that the ADU was created through the renovation, conversion or adaptation of an existing space or structure.
This category does not include newly constructed ADUs built from the ground up. Those projects should be entered in New ADU / Secondary Suite.
Review our FAQ on New versus Renovated ADU categories.
Commercial Renovation Categories
Best Commercial Renovation
This award category recognizes the latest excellence and innovation in commercial renovation projects. To qualify, project entries in this category must be commercial or mixed commercial-residential.
Custom Home Categories
Best Custom Home under $2 Million
This award recognizes the best custom home over $2 million (not including price of land). Projects previously submitted to the Awards, which won in these categories are ineligible.
Best Custom Home over $2 Million
This award recognizes the best custom home over $2 million (not including price of land). Projects previously submitted to the Awards, which won in these categories are ineligible.
Exemplary Performance Categories
Renovator of the Year
This award highlights the renovation company that sets the standard for the rest of the renovation sector by its leadership in improving the overall image of the renovation industry. The company must also submit at least one entry within the other renovation categories to be eligible.
Custom Home Builder of the Year
This award highlights the custom home builder company that sets the standard for the rest of the
custom home building sector by its leadership in improving the overall image of the custom home
building industry. The company must also submit at least one entry within one of the other custom
home builder categories to be eligible.