The National Association of the Remodeling Industry has named Allen Associates in Santa Barbara the 2013 Southwest Regional Contractor of the Year in two categories of its annual awards competition: Entire House $250,000 to $500,000, and Entire House Over $1 Million with Green Project Recognition.
“It is a great honor to be recognized for our craftsmanship, innovation and problem-solving ability by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry,” said Bryan Henson, president of Allen Associates. “This is an extremely competitive award program, where our projects were compared to those of other builders from throughout the Southwest.”
The two award-winning projects are:
Entire House $250,000 to $500,000
Located in the Butterfly Beach neighborhood of Montecito, this whole house remodel was a wonderful transformation of a classic, 1950s California ranch-style beach bungalow into a modern villa retreat. The remodel opened up the kitchen to the dining and living rooms to create one larger space. Two old bedrooms, one that was the original garage, were converted into one master bedroom and bath.
These changes, along with new light finishes, custom-made windows and French doors, created an open plan that is light and airy with a feel of casual elegance. The project architect was Neumann, Mendro, Andrulaitus Architects of Carpinteria.
Entire House Over $1 Million with Green Project Recognition
This house and garage — located in the Spanish Hills neighborhood of Camarillo — were originally built on a hillside orchard in the late 1960s.
The new owners wanted to preserve the structure’s basic forms while updating their mid-century modern home. A small addition to the master bedroom wing was the only expansion of the original footprint. Two new structures — a guesthouse and workshop — were constructed. This project was also honored for its green building elements, which significantly improved the health, comfort and energy efficiency of the home. The architect for this project was Thompson Naylor Architects of Santa Barbara.
Allen Associates will be presented these awards at NARI’s Evening of ExcellenceSM reception on April 12 at the Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza in Kansas City, Mo. National award winners will also be announced at this event.
Competing projects were completed between July 1, 2011, and Nov. 30, 2012. An impartial panel of judges, experts within the remodeling industry and associated fields, selected winners based on each entrant’s binders, which include “before and after” photography and project descriptions. Judging focused on problem solving, functionality, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation, degree of difficulty and entry presentation.
To be considered for a CotY Award, a company must be an NARI member in good standing. The entries of this year’s competition totaled more than $71 million worth of remodeling projects. NARI members represent an elite group of the approximately 800,000 companies and individuals in the United States identifying themselves as remodelers.
— Karen Feeney is the marketing manager for Allen Associates Construction.