Building a new home is no small task, and choosing a builder can be overwhelming.
Between setting a budget, picking an architectural style and development applications, it can be difficult to know who the best builder for the job is.
Luckily, the Master Builders Association (MBA) has done the legwork. Its annual excellence awards were held on Friday, September 11 and showcased the best of the best of Canberra's building industry.
Judge Simon Butt said this year's winner showed the industry was starting to achieve better quality builds with more innovation, and it was happening across all price points.
"We're seeing across the board the improvement in quality of workmanship and sustainability and innovation," Mr Butt said.
In particular, he said builders were taking on the task of learning to use new, environmentally-friendly building materials as customer needs changed.
"You can't just learn how to use timber, steel and brickwork, you've got to know how to use composite materials, how they fit together," he said.
Here are this year's winners:
If you're looking to build from the ground up, or thinking about taking on the increasingly popular knock-down rebuild, these six projects and their builders were the best of the best in 2026.
Category winner: More than $4 million
Canberra-based Gen5 Constructions joined forces with NSW-based Habitat Constructions to build a fully-certified passive house in the heart of Turner.
From the outside, the house may not look like much, but the inside reveals luxury European oak panelling, pozzolan-cured bricks and 20-millimetre Tundra grey stone benchtops.
According to the MBA, however, the build's true achievements are harder to see: triple-glazed windows, super-insulated walls and even an underground spring, which means the house's supply of non-potable water is fully self-sufficient.
Dean Kensit, one of the judges for the category, said the house was a "benchmark project that successfully integrates advanced building performance with a highly complex and refined architectural outcome."
Category winner: $2 million to $4 million
Designed for a family of mountain bikers, the residents of Solas House can look over both Mount Ainslie and Civic from their wrap-around balcony.
Just minutes from Canberra's city centre, the panoramic views give the impression of living in a mountain tree house.
Category winner: $1 million to $2 million
Concrete is the "star" of this home, according to the MBA, but it was far from the only unique material used.
Polished concrete, custom pink aggregate, Italian marble, microcement and exposed steel all add texture and contrast to the five-bedroom multi-generational home in Deakin.
Category winner: $750,000 to $1 million
The builder of this mid-century home used brass fixtures and handles salvaged from his own grandfather's 1970s house.
Recycled timber and eco-friendly cork flooring pay homage to mid-century design, which is complemented by the Palm Springs-inspired landscape outside.
The house, situated at 183A Miller Street in O'Connor, has been listed for sale.
Category winner: $500,000 to $750,000
Battling against a seven-metre slant on the site, the builders of this one-bedroom house in Macgregor took advantage of the slope to lift the living spaces above the street.
The result is sweeping views of the Lower Molonglo Nature Reserve from the "architectural marvel", according to the MBA.
Category winner: $350,000 to $500,000
Sustainability was not sacrificed in this budget build, with a solar energy system, DC-coupled battery and double-glazed windows.
The result was a "more complex and technically resolved outcome" than the others in the price category.
If you're not ready to take on a full house build, but need an upgrade to your existing home, these are the top builders in the ACT for extensions and renovations who took out MBA awards:
Category winner: More than $2.5 million
Balancing the restoration of a 1940s home with modern aesthetics was top of mind for the team behind this renovation.
The facades, timber floors, feature brickwork, fireplaces, cornices, skirting boards and ceiling roses were all restored as part of the renovation, while the new family room improved ventilation and created a connection between the inside and outside areas of the home.
Category winner: $1 million to $2.5 million
Vdara Construction makes its second appearance on this year's list of winners for its renovation and extension of this 1970s home in Weetangera.
Among the revitalised spaces was the underground cellar, which has been reimagined as a gallery-like space with wall panelling built from the original jarrah roof.
Category winner: $450,000 to $1 million
Curved walls, arched corridor ceilings and bespoke joinery transformed this double-brick house in Deakin into a modern, open-plan home.
Increased ceiling heights and improved glazing helped bring the now three-bedroom home into the modern era.
Category winner: $250,000 to $450,000
The team responsible for the renovation of this Nicholls home created a multi-generational home out of a standard house.
The front lounge room was turned into a self-contained wing with its own living area, kitchenette, bathroom and two bedrooms. Meanwhile, a study was transformed into a butler's pantry.
Category winner: Less than $250,000
Plumbing, drainage and structural elements all had to be rethought during the redesign of this family home in Conder, where moving the bathroom and toilet unlocked space for a larger bedroom and living area.
Mark Cole took out the award for young builder of the year. Mr Cole started Freedom Built four years ago after 14 years in the building industry.
"I wanted to prove that homes could be built differently," Mr Cole said.
"Calmer on site, more honest on paper, healthier in the walls, and better for the families who would live in them. Quality, for me, is what you do when no one is looking."
You don't have to trust the MBA on this one - one of Mr Cole's apprentices spoke to The Canberra Times about her experience in the industry just a few months ago.
