Winning any award is always satisfying, but when you’re taking out accolades in every area of your business, you know you’re doing something right.
That’s what Maree van de Water and her team has done in 2020! In a year of firsts, the team at Sentinel Homes Auckland North/West have been recognised in a range of awards for excellence across the board. Maree puts that down to a variety of factors.
The first is creating great partnerships between clients, designers and the builder.
“When the quality of the build is amplified by the quality of the design it represents phenomenal value for the client.”
That’s all underpinned by refined processes, excellent communication and Maree’s insatiable thirst to do more for her clients.
Here’s where Maree and her team have been cleaning up.
When you’re up against crowd-favourite food and drink brands it’s hard to see how a building company could compete in a popular vote.
That’s why it’s so impressive that out of 500 entrants, Sentinel Homes was one of just seven finalists in the Auckland North/West awards. To be named a finalist shows that they’re highly thought of by their community, stakeholders, staff and customers.
Maree says that’s because they focus on taking care of people and delivering on promises.
“We partner with our clients for a long time. We’re on a journey together, and working as a team is what produces those exceptional outcomes,” she says.
While 2019 was a record year for Sentinel Homes at the RMB House of the Year Awards, Maree has taken things one step further in 2020.
The Auckland North/West team have matched last year’s gold medal tally and added to it, with two golds, a silver, a bronze and two regional category wins.
That haul comes with an extra pat on the back – this year the houses were entered into the New Home category, rather than into Volume Build. This meant they were judged against custom-designed builds with far longer timelines and bigger budgets.
“We work under a lot more restrictions, so it’s fantastic to still be coming out on top,” says Maree.
She says it proves that a volume builder can create homes with excellent, bespoke design, while still retaining the transparency and simplicity in the building process.
“These homes have some seriously cool, bespoke design features. It’s about understanding how to work with materials to make it look ‘wow’ without blowing the budget.”
Maree points to one of the gold-category winners as an example. The two-way fire, which separates the dining from the living room, creates an architectural impact you’d expect from a high-end, custom build. This feeling is carried through by the clever layout of the home, which wraps around a pool and patio.
“It’s a flawless home that really takes family life to the next level,” she says.
Another of the North/West builds has been noticed by Trends Ideas Magazine. Their design award nods are usually reserved for high-end, architect-led designer builds, so claiming a finalist spot, then taking home a Highly Commended ranking is a huge win.
The home – Maree’s new show home – presents her “design aesthetic on a plate.” The judges noted the choice of metallic and concrete-effect paints and on-trend wallpaper that created harmony and flow.
Closer to home, Maree and her team also won big at this year’s Sentinel Homes Awards.
Her business was named Franchisee of the Year, which is awarded to the business that demonstrates excellence across all areas. They are exceptional ambassadors for the brand, proactive in sales, marketing and other initiatives, work as a team and live the Sentinel Homes values.
Auckland North/West met these criteria and more – and for the second year running, were also awarded the Brent Gilchrist Construction Cup for the most consents granted.
With an impressive list of recognitions, awards and accolades, it’s hard to believe that Maree has been at the helm of Auckland North/West for only three years. In that time, she’s taken an already strong business to a whole new level.
But Maree isn’t resting on her laurels. 2021 is set to be another fantastic year, with some great homes already in the planning or building stages. She’s also excited about who else she’ll get to partner with to design and build their award-winning home.
If you’d like your new home design to rank amongst some of the best in the country, from a team dedicated to delivering a smooth-running project, get in touch with the Sentinel Homes team today.
Let’s get together for a free, no-pressure meeting with one of our team, at your place or ours.
We can't wait to hear your ideas!
