Local builders win top awards

TWO Coffs Coast building companies picked up awards at the regional Master Builders' Association Awards.

Paul Gabauer Building and Construction Management won the award for

the Best Commercial Project in the

$3-$5 million category at the 2011 MBA Excellence in Residential and Commercial and Northern Region Project Awards for their work on the redevelopment the Yamba Shores Tavern, working to a design by Coffs Harbour firm Schimminger Architects.

Three Sixty Building, which is based at Boambee, won the award for the Best Renovation/Addition in the $50,000-$100,000 category for their work on a ground floor patio extension and first floor deck extension on an unusual Sapphire home, working to a design by Coffs Harbour firm Studio 22.

Project manager for Paul Gabauer Building, Joe Gabauer, said the tavern project, which stretched over 12 months, was challenging because it had to be split into two stages, required construction of temporary facilities to allow continuous trading and included doubling the size of a deck built over the Clarence River.

Paul Gabauer Building and Construction Management has been operating on the Coffs Coast for about 30 years and has built some notable luxury homes and small commercial projects, including the Korora house recently bought by mining millionaire Nathan Tinkler; a house for entrepreneur Dick Smith at Repton, which won a 2008 MBA Award, and Woolgoolga's 5 Star Supermarket.

A new star in the local building game is Three Sixty Building, a new family company established last year by young couple Mick Fielding and his wife, Carmel.

Mick is the son of Allan and Helen Fielding of Allan Fielding Homes. The couple moved back to their home town of Coffs Harbour from Sydney last year to start their own business and their baby daughter, Isabelle, was born on the same day her parents won the MBA Award.