CHDA 2011 deadlines have been extended!
Online registration deadline: Dec. 10, 2010
Completed entry deadline: Dec. 22. 2010
[ Frequently Asked Questions ]
[ Eligibility ]
Custom home builders, remodelers, architects, designers, and other industry professionals may submit residential projects completed after Jan. 1, 2006. Other building industry professionals may submit projects on behalf of an architect or designer. Hanley Wood employees, their relatives, and regular contributors to the magazine are not eligible.
Entries must be true custom houses—that is, houses commissioned, designed, and built for specific clients and specific sites. Projects that have already received a CUSTOM HOME Design Award are not eligible.
Can I enter a project that was entered for last year’s competition?
Yes. The only stipulations are that projects must have been completed after Jan. 1, 2006, and that they did not receive an award.
Can I enter a project that has won other awards or been previously published?
Yes.
Can I enter the same house in more than one category (for example, custom home and custom kitchen or bath)?
Yes.
Do you accept entries from outside the United States?
Yes. Entries from outside the U.S. are welcomed.
[ Categories and Fees ]
Entry fees are $125 per category. Entry fees will not be refunded after Dec. 3, 2010.
Categories:
1. Custom Home / Less Than 3,000 Square Feet
2. Custom Home / 3,000 to 5,000 Square Feet
3. Custom Home / More Than 5,000 Square Feet
4. Custom Kitchen
5. Custom Bath
6. Renovation (residential remodeling or addition)
7. Accessory Building (pool house, stable, garden house, guesthouse, etc.)
8. Custom Detail (a specific detail from a custom home)
9. Outdoor Spaces (built outdoor areas such as pool decks and outdoor kitchens)
10. On the Boards (any unbuilt custom residential project not yet completed)
[ How to Enter ]
Complete the online registration using Internet Explorer as your browser. (Firefox and Safari users may find they are unable to successfully complete the registration process.) You’ll then be sent an entry packet via e-mail. Each packet will include entry forms and detailed instructions for organizing your entry. You must print out, bind (spiral or wire binding is required), and submit your entry forms along with color photos and drawings or plans. A CD containing all completed entry forms and high-resolution files of photos, plans, and drawings is required. You can download entry forms by clicking on the link under the heading “Assembling Your Entry Packet.”
When is the deadline for online registration?
Registration at www.chdesignawards.com will end Dec. 10, 2010. You must register online even if you pay by check. Requests for late registration can be submitted by e-mail to CHDA@hanleywood.com.
What if the online registration isn’t working?
If you have trouble with online registration, please call 202.736.3402 or e-mail CHDA@hanleywood.com.
Can refunds be given once I’ve registered?
Refunds can be requested until Dec. 3, 2010. No refunds can be processed after that date, but credit for future awards programs can be given on a case-by-case basis.
[ Assembling Your Entry Packet ]
No binders will be mailed this year. All entry forms (with the exception of those noted below), photographs, plans, and drawings should be presented in a coverless, spiral/wire-bound booklet no larger than 8.5×11 inches and no thicker than 1.5 inches in size.
The contact and credits form, photo release form, and product specification sheet should be separated from the remaining entry forms, stapled together, and attached to the front of the bound booklet with a secure, removable clip. The cover sheet included in the entry materials should be the first page of the bound booklet and must be clearly visible.
How will I receive entry materials?
After completing your online registration, you will be sent an e-mail with downloadable Microsoft Word and PDF entry forms and instructions. You will also be able to click here to download the forms as a writable PDF.
Why no binders?
The vinyl binders used in past competitions are toxic to produce and cannot be recycled. We are always looking for more eco-friendly ways to improve the competition.
How will I receive my entry number assignment?
Judging for the CUSTOM HOME Design Awards is blind, so all submissions are tracked by individual entry numbers. You will be sent an e-mail listing one number for each entry you submit; you must list this number along with the category number on every photo, plan, drawing, and form you submit with your completed entry packet. Your CD of submitted images must also be labeled with your entry number and category. Even if you enter the same house in more than one category, each entry will have a different entry number.
Is my confirmation number the same as my entry number?
No. Once you register online and hit “Submit,” you will receive an e-mail with your confirmation number. This number should only be used if you need to re-enter the system and alter your registration. Your confirmation number is completely different from your entry number (or numbers).
Can I change my entry to a different category after submitting my entry form?
Yes. Write the new category number and category name on your entry packet forms and e-mail CHDA@hanleywood.com with the category change and your entry number. Please note: Your entry number will stay the same.
What should I do if I’m not sure which category best fits my entry?
Enter your project in the category you feel is most appropriate. If the judges believe it belongs in another category, they will switch it to that category during judging. Your entry will not be penalized.
What is a custom detail?
Any aspect of the architectural design that is unique, even for a custom house. Click here for previous winners in this category or see our May/June 2010 issue.
Can the project statement exceed 150 words?
Statements longer than 150 words will not be penalized, but entrants are encouraged to keep statements as succinct as possible and to focus on the highlights of the entry.
What should I do if my photographer will not sign the release form?
Photographers are welcome to clarify the language or provide their own release. Images of winning projects will only be used in conjunction with the design awards, and will be published in CUSTOM HOME or CUSTOM HOME OUTDOORS magazine, posted on our website, and used for next year’s CHDA brochure. They will not be used outside of the awards without the photographer’s expressed permission.
Can I submit the entry packet without the photo release form?
Entry packets should be submitted with all completed forms as required. If there is a delay with the photo release form, you may submit your entry packet on or before the deadline and then fax or e-mail that form separately, when completed. Your entry will not be penalized if the photo release form arrives after the deadline date.
When is the deadline for submitting completed entry packets?
Completed entry packets must be received on or before Dec. 22, 2010.
[ Photo Requirements ]
Each entry requires the inclusion of professional-quality color photographs.
How many photos do I include with my entry packet?
Every entry (except for the On the Boards category and categories mentioned below) must include at least six professional-quality 8×10-inch or 8.5×11-inch color prints of the project’s important interior and exterior features. You may include more than six photos if you wish. Entries in the Renovation category also must include “before” photographs (any size), in addition to the other six required photographs.
Entries in the Custom Kitchen, Custom Bath, and Custom Detail categories must include at least two photographs.
Photos should be printed on card stock or heavy paper. Printing and presenting photos as spreads is acceptable. Printing on the front and back of the paper also is acceptable.
The top left corner of every spread must be labeled with your entry and category numbers.
All projects must be professionally photographed.
Do I need to submit plans and drawings?
A floor plan must be submitted for each entry in every category (except Custom Detail). Other plans and drawings, including site plans, schematic drawings, detail drawings, etc., also may be submitted but are REQUIRED in the On the Boards category. Homes entered in the Renovation category or any renovated Custom Kitchen or Custom Bath entries also must include “before” floor plans.
Can I submit color copies instead of prints?
Yes. However, these photographs are the jury’s means for evaluating each entry, so color copies must be clear, high-quality images that accurately convey a project’s important architectural features. Copies must be labeled on the back side with the entry and category numbers.
Can I use photographs I took myself?
Only if they are professional-quality photographs that can be reproduced for publication. Entrants should refer to previous winners or see our May/June 2010 issue for an idea of the standard of photography required.
Can I include photo captions?
Yes, brief captions detailing what’s shown are acceptable.
Do I need to include high-resolution images with my entry packet?
Yes. You must include a CD containing high-resolution files of all printed photographs, plans, and drawings submitted in the entry booklet, as well as digital versions of all completed entry forms. Minimum resolution requirements are 300 dpi (dots per inch) in RGB mode. Raw files are preferred, but TIFF format is fine. Do not compress files or make color corrections. Images should be 8×10 inches in size.
Please place the CD into a protective envelope (not a hard plastic case) and attach it to the front of the bound entry booklet with a secure, removable clip. The CD must be labeled with your entry and category numbers. Please do not use plastic cases.
[ Selection of Winners ]
A panel of respected builders and design professionals will select Grand and Merit award winners from entrants in 10 categories. One project will be chosen from among the Grand winners as the Custom Home of the Year.
When will the winners be announced?
Judging will take place at the end of January 2011. The list of winners will be posted online and e-mails announcing the results will be sent to all entrants in February 2011. Winners will be honored at the annual Best in Housing Awards Dinner held during the 2011 AIA Convention in New Orleans.
When will the winners be published?
Winning projects will be featured in the May/June 2011 issue of CUSTOM HOME or the Summer 2011 issue of CUSTOM HOME OUTDOORS and online at www.customhomeonline.com.
[ Contact Us ]
Call 202.736.3402 or e-mail CHDA@hanleywood.com.
[ Deadlines ]
Dec. 10, 2010 – Entry form and fee due
Dec. 3, 2010 – Last day to request a refund
Dec. 22, 2010 – Completed entry packets due
