Excellence in building: LightHouse Awards recognizes Lowcountry's finest builders
More than 250 people attended the 16th annual LightHouse Awards gala to learn who judges selected as the Lowcountry’s most talented builders. The awards gala, which is put on by the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association and presented by SunTrust Mortgage, took place Friday evening at the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island.
“The LightHouse Awards is truly like the Academy Awards for our local building industry. It gives builders the opportunity to be recognized for the hard work, talent and vision they put forward in building some of the most remarkable homes found in this area and beyond,” said Dan Monroe, chairman of the LightHouse Awards program since its inception. “We are so blessed as a community to have such imaginative Architects, quality Builders and exceptional Craftsman.”
First held in 1999, the LightHouse Awards are presented annually to builder members of the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association for the demonstration of quality craftsmanship and design excellence in the construction of homes throughout the Lowcountry.
This year 29 builders, including remodelers, custom builders and semi-custom builders submitted 97 qualifying entries and competed for awards in best bath, best kitchen, best exterior and best overall, best full remodel, best partial remodel. In addition, a number of newly created sales and marketing awards were given, including, best brochure, best company logo, best company website and best advertising campaign. Entry submissions were up more than more than 22 percent from 2014 and up 79 percent from 2011, in line with the area’s economic recovery.
Twelve judges were welcomed to Hilton Head Island in mid-September to physically judge the construction quality of each home entered. The 2015 LightHouse Awards judging panel included builders, remodelers, architects and other industry professionals from Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Split into four teams, the judges spent two full days visiting entries from Hilton Head Island to Fripp Island. Three additional judges, all construction and real estate sales and marketing professionals, were later enlisted to judge the LightHouse Awards program’s Sales & Marketing awards categories. In many instances, the separation between runner-up and winner was a fraction of a point.
Master of ceremonies Monty Jett announced award winners as attendees followed along to a visual presentation of entry homes and features. All members of the Home Builders Association, including building industry professionals, subcontractors and suppliers, who participated in the design and construction of each of the competing homes, were also recognized at the gala. Winners received marble obelisk awards representing lighthouses.
“For many of these builders, after spending 12 to 15 months or longer working on a project, where even the smallest detail could impact the overall outcome, the LightHouse Awards symbolize one of the highest of career honors, and is a true testament to their vision and talent,” Monroe said.
Led by Monroe, the 2015 LightHouse Awards Committee included Chris Cleland of Cleland Site Prep; Deborah Karambelas of Karambelas Enterprises; Deb Monroe of LowCountry Home Magazine; Bryan Mudrak of More Space Place; Betsy Nations; Anna Ruby of J. Banks Design; Richard Spiehs and Scott Stilwel of SunTrust Mortgage; and Beverly Thompson of LowCountry Home Magazine.
In addition to Title Sponsor SunTrust Mortgage, other sponsors included Capitol Materials, Ecofoam Insulation and Coatings, Hilton Head Monthly, Lansing Building Products, LowCountry Home Magazine, More Space Place, Palmetto Electric Cooperative, and The Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette. Special thanks also went to Avant Garde Imagery, Beach Properties of Hilton Head, Click Event Production, Custom Audio Video, Hilton Head Automotive, Mike Reichenbach Chevrolet, Monty Jett, Show Services, Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island and The Greenery.
Here is a list of the 2015 LightHouse Awards winners:
BEST OVERALL
Full Remodel
Category 1: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 2: Esposito Construction
Category 3: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 4: Total Design Concepts
Production Homes
Category 1: David Weekley Homes
Category 2: David Weekley Homes
Custom Homes
Category 1: Front Light Building Company
Category 2: Boshaw Residential
Category 3: Full Circle Construction Company
Category 4: Boshaw Residential
Category 5: Allen Patterson Residential
Category 6: H2 Builders
Category 7: Reminiscent Homes
Category 8: Lyle Construction
Category 9: Reclamation By Design
Category 10: Coastal Signature Homes
Category 11: H2 Builders
Category 12: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 13: H2 Builders
Category 14: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 15: Reclamation By Design
Category 16: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 17: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 18: Cambridge Building
Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 19: H2 Builders
Partial Remodel
Category 1: The Twelve Oaks Group
Best Innovation of Space: Partial remodel
The Twelve Oaks Group
Highest Degree of Difficulty: Partial remodel
Allen Patterson Residential
Best Brochure or Marketing Piece
David Weekley Homes
Best Company Logo
Logan Homes SC
Best Company Website
Logan Homes SC
Best Advertising/Marketing Campaign
H2 Builders
BEST EXTERIOR
Full Remodel
Category 2: RCH Construction
Category 3: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 4: Total Design Concepts
Production Homes
Category 1: David Weekley Homes
Category 2: K. Hovnanian Homes
Custom Homes
Category 1: Southern Coastal Homes
Category 2: Boshaw Residential
Category 3: Hilton Head Custom Homes
Category 4: Boshaw ResidentiaL
Category 5: Allen Patterson Residential
Category 6: Boshaw Residential; JM Designer Properties
Category 7: H2 Builders
Category 8: Arthur Rutenberg Homes
Category 9: Hammerhead Custom Builders
Category 10: Coastal Signature Homes
Category 11: Reclamation By Design
Category 12: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 13: H2 Builders
Category 14: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 15: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 16: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 17: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 18: Cambridge Building
Category 19: H2 Builders
BEST BATH
Full Remodel
Category 1: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 2: Esposito Construction
Category 3: Esposito Construction
Category 4: Total Design Concepts
Production Homes
Category 1: David Weekley Homes
Category 2: David Weekley Homes
Custom Homes
Category 1: Front Light Building Company
Category 2: Reminiscent Homes
Category 3: Full Circle Construction Company
Category 4: Boshaw Residential
Category 5: Allen Patterson Residential
Category 6: Arkiteknic Custom Homes
Category 7: Esposito Construction
Category 8: J. Matthews Construction
Category 9: Reclamation By Design
Category 10: Jerry Davis Custom Homes
Category 11: H2 Builders
Category 12: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 13: H2 Builders
Category 14: Randy Jeffcoat Builders
Category 15: Reclamation By Design
Category 16: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 17: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 18: Bunting Construction Company
Category 19: H2 Builders
BEST KITCHEN
Full Remodel
Category 1: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 2: Esposito Construction
Category 3: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 4: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Production Homes
Category 1: K. Hovnanian Homes
Category 2: David Weekley Homes
Custom Homes
Category 1: Front Light Building Company
Southern Coastal Homes
Category 2: Boshaw Residential
Category 3: Full Circle Construction Company
Category 4: Southern Coastal Homes
Category 5: Southern Coastal Homes
Category 6: H2 Builders
Category 7: Reminiscent Homes
Category 8: Lyle Construction
Category 9: Reclamation By Design
Category 10: Jerry Davis Custom Homes
Category 11: H2 Builders
Category 12: Brighton Builders
Category 13: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 14: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 15: Randy Jeffcoat Builders; Reclamation By Design
Category 16: Bunting Construction Company
Category 17: The Twelve Oaks Group
Category 18: Cameron & Cameron Custom Homes
Category 19: H2 Builders
This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Excellence in building: LightHouse Awards recognizes Lowcountry's finest builders."