Warrnambool tradesman wins Master Builders Victoria Award for custom home

Redpath Building Solutions constructed the custom-built home, which won the Master Builders Victoria (MBV) South West Best Custom Home $400,000-$500,000 award on Friday night.

The award was presented at a gala event at The Pier in Geelong, which was attended by 150 people from across the region.

Redpath Building Solutions operates out of Allansford and the team works mainly in Warrnambool on house and land builds and custom homes, as well as other smaller jobs.

Owner and custom builder Bart Redpath, said it was an amazing feeling to be named the category winner.

"It was a very humbling experience as the quality of other nominees for the award was very high," Mr Redpath said.

Mr Redpath said he was proud of his young staff members Justin Turner, Jonas and Isaac Welsh and the main subcontractors involved in the project and was grateful for his wife Linda's "undivided support".

It's the first MBV award for the business, after coming runner-up many years ago for a Port Fairy riverside home in Gipps Street at an previous awards ceremony.

"I'm very humbled as the competition was outstanding," Mr Redpath said.

He said the recognition showed the business was doing the right thing and "heading the right way with industry expectations".

"Building is a business where a builder's service is a culmination of efforts by many trades and subcontractors, so they all get to share a piece of the award for their involvement," he said.

The winning three-bedroom home, in Warrnambool's Coastal Village off Hopkins Point Road, featured high-end finishes while remaining functional and liveable.

Together with local draftsman Jonathan Ryan's flair, the pair designed a home using some high-end finishes. He said being a custom home, it went further than just the design, with the cladding and finishes being "customised, invented or one-of-a kind".

Mr Redpath said some materials were very cost effective which allowed the hero materials to shine through.

"I've always believed in simplicity and how certain hero materials bring a calming ambience, especially timber and raw or matt materials," Mr Redpath said.

"The judges both came up and congratulated us last night praising the whole job but in particular, the timber wall."

He said the clients wanted metal cladding, render and timber finishes outside and requested polished concrete to be used throughout.

They also requested a prominent timber feature inside which Mr Redpath made from new and reclaimed timber from railway sheds and wool stores from the district.

"We came up with a unique combination of contrasting timber of varying widths and thicknesses in Australian hardwoods, both new and recycled, to effectively create a 'painting' for the longest wall in the home," Mr Redpath said.

Mindful of Warrnambool's weather, the clients wanted a home that was warm with plenty of natural light and open outdoor living with wind protection, which was achieved in the design.

Retirees Dennis and Dorothy Murphy relocated to the south-west about a year ago and said they couldn't thank Mr Redpath and all the contractors enough for the work they'd done.

Mr Murphy said Mr Redpath kept in touch with them every step of the way and he enjoyed the process.

"I got to know Bart and I didn't know another soul in Warrnambool," Mr Murphy said. "It was the best move we ever made. He's built us a wonderful, beautiful home."

"It was good fun. I got to know all the contractors and it was good fun. There was no stress building this house whatsoever."

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