Atlanta, Ga. -- The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) announced the winners of its sixth annual NTCA Five-Star Contractor Project of the Year Awards at Coverings 2018 in Atlanta, Ga.
NTCA’s Five Star Contractor Awards were presented for both commercial and residential tile installations. Submissions were judged on the following criteria: Scope (size of project), Complexity (challenges), Technical Soundness (resolution of challenges) and Design and Presentation (overall appearance, layout and artistic value). This year’s judges included: Kent Klaser (Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants, San Diego, Calif.); Gregory Mowat (Forensic Tile Consultants, San Diego, Calif.); and Richard P. Goldberg (Professional Consultants International, Avon, Conn.). Sponsored by Daltile, NTCA Five Star Contractor Grand Prize Award winners received a custom plaque and were awarded two round-trip airfare tickets and a two-night hotel stay in Atlanta for Coverings.
Christian Brothers Flooring and Interiors (Lakeside, Calif.) was the recipient of the award for Commercial Project of the Year. The Mesa Commons installation in Irvine, Calif., resulted in a striking visual appearance, design, and layout, despite complex environmental challenges overcome during construction. To bring this spec to life, Christian Brothers had to overcome constraints caused by weather conditions up to 100 degrees and soaring exterior heights. The project was also exemplary in the use of porcelain tile to integrate interior and exterior design with common palette of colors, textures and features.
Visalia Ceramic Tile (Visalia, Calif.) received the Residential Project of the Year award. Workmanship and artistic qualities brought the Hoffman Residence in Fresno, Calif., to life. A challenging mixture of both natural stone and ceramic presented the opportunity for Visalia to showcase its Five Star Contractor skills. This residential project showcased new product and installation technologies, as well as the unique capability of tile assemblies to integrate other underlying building systems such as radiant heat and building envelope waterproofing.
David Allen (Raleigh, N.C.) was awarded the grand prize award for Commercial Elite Project of the Year (over $1 million). Nearly 80,000 sq ft of marble and tile were meticulously installed in the new Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Of the many complexities which presented themselves working in a metropolitan area, the narrow doorways offered a unique opportunity for this contractor to showcase innovative thinking. The team built custom narrow crates and stocked all of the materials required for each guest room into a single crate; saving time and labor on the job.
“Each of these winning installations, as well as the other submitted projects, clearly demonstrates the value of engaging an NTCA Five Star Contractor in such complex arenas,” said Bart Bettiga, executive director of the NTCA. “Job site issues such as a confined urban site, mixed product media, material delivery and staging restrictions, new technologies, creative coordination with other trades, and solving problems quickly are exemplary traits of our Five Star Contractors.”
Call for Entries for the 2019 Five Star Contractor Awards will begin January 15, 2019.
For more information, visit www.tile-assn.com.
