Awards guide · Alberta & Saskatchewan
Saskatoon Housing Excellence Photo Guide: Image Rules, Deadlines and How to Enter
For entrants planning the photography for SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards. Checked against Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association’s published rules on November 1, 2026.
The 35th SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards are open to Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association members, for projects in the Saskatoon CMA or in Saskatchewan north of the Town of Davidson. Entries for the 2027 awards closed Monday, November 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST ($100 + GST per submission); the next call is not published. Renderings, AI-generated images and virtual staging are not accepted; only basic editing is allowed.
At a glance
| Saskatoon Housing Excellence | |
|---|---|
| Organiser | Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association (SRHBA) |
| Who can enter | SRHBA members in good standing as of January 1, 2027. Renovation categories are open to Renovator Members; Builder Members must also be registered RenoMark members to enter them. |
| Where | Saskatoon CMA, or Saskatchewan north of the Town of Davidson |
| Eligible projects | Completed August 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026 (Sales Achievement: November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026; Customer Choice: July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). Not entered in a previous year. |
| Entry platform | Awardify (srhba.awardify.io) |
| Fee | $100 + GST per submission, by credit card at checkout. Association Awards need no submission. |
| Entry limits | No maximum entries per category |
| Next deadline | 2027 awards closed November 2, 2026, 11:59 PM CST; next call not published |
Source: 35th Housing Excellence Awards (Awardify), How To Enter.
Key dates
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Customer Choice entries (closed) | July 31 to September 25, 2026 |
| All other entries open | September 4, 2026 |
| Deadline (closed) | Monday, November 2, 2026, 11:59 PM CST |
| Online judging | November 12–26, 2026 |
| Gala | February 6, 2027, Prairieland Park, Saskatoon |
| Next call | Not published |
Photo requirements
| Rule | |
|---|---|
| Size and resolution | High-resolution images. Exact pixel and file-size limits are not published outside the entry platform. |
| Before and after | For renovation categories, provide before photos from the same angle as the after photos. |
| Staging, renderings and AI | Renderings are not accepted except in Best Renderings. AI-generated images and images altered to add, remove or materially change elements are not accepted unless a category allows them, including virtual staging and AI-generated décor, furnishings, landscaping, architectural features or finishes. |
| Editing | Basic editing such as cropping, straightening and adjusting lighting and colour is allowed if it does not materially change how the entry looks. |
| Logos, names and people | New home and renovation images must be unmarked: no logos or borders. The How to Enter page also asks for no logos in photos or floor plans. Marketing images may show logos. |
| Credit and permissions | The entrant confirms the photos are by its employees or that an independent photographer gave written consent, and must give the photographer’s name. A signed Homeowner Permission Form (PDF) is required for all renovation and custom home entries, even when the home is still in the builder’s possession. |
Categories
50 categories in Industry, Marketing, Renovation (6), Best New Home Spaces (4), Net Zero / Net Zero Ready (2), New Home, Design & Multi-Family (11) and Association (5, no submission) awards. Photo-heavy ones include Whole House Renovation, Best New Home Kitchen, Best Custom Home and Best Interior Decorating (Show Home).
How to enter
- Create a member profile on srhba.awardify.io and verify the email address.
- Draft answers in the optional Word entry forms, then start a new submission and pick the category.
- Fill in the form, upload photos, floor plans, building permit numbers and the company logo (PDF), with no company name in the write-up.
- Upload the Homeowner Permission Form for renovation and custom home entries.
- Add the entry to the cart and pay by credit card.
- Declare the submission final before November 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST; entries not declared final are disqualified.
How entries are judged
- At least 10 independent judges from across Canada (at times the United States), who are not SRHBA members, each score 2–4 categories online from November 12 to 26, 2026.
- Up to four finalists are chosen in each category, and small categories are judged the same way as large ones.
- Judges look at design innovation, functionality, quality of execution, sustainability, marketing effectiveness and the clarity and quality of submission materials.
- Renovation entries are scored on overall appeal and design (35 points), use of space and integration (35) and addressing challenges (30).
Planning the photography
- Furnish and dress rooms for real before the shoot: virtual staging and AI-generated décor or furnishings are not accepted.
- Keep retouching to cropping, straightening, light and colour; removing or adding elements is not allowed.
- Shoot renovation before photos from the angles you will use for the after photos.
- Remove builder signage and logos before shooting, since new home and renovation images must be unmarked.
- Give the entrant your written consent and your name, because the entry must name any independent photographer.
Not in the published rules
As of November 1, 2026 the organiser’s public documents do not state:
- Number of photos per category, file format, maximum file size, orientation and file naming (shown only inside the Awardify entry form)
- Date finalists are announced
- Whether people may appear in photos
- The 2028 (36th) awards call
Check the entry platform or ask the organiser before the shoot.
Using this as a photo brief
I photograph architecture and interiors in British Columbia, so for a project outside BC this page works best as a brief for a local architectural photographer. Send them the photo rules above, the categories you plan to enter and the deadline, and ask for:
- A shot list built from the category criteria, one image for each thing the judges score.
- Files exported to the Saskatoon Housing Excellence spec, already named and counted per category.
- A licence that covers the organiser’s promotional use of winning images, plus a ready credit line.
The awards photo calendar lists the other programmes the same photos can be re-exported for.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Saskatoon Housing Excellence Awards deadline?
Entries for the 35th SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards closed Monday, November 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST (Customer Choice closed September 25, 2026); the next call is not published. Online judging runs November 12–26, 2026 and the gala is February 6, 2027.
Can I use virtual staging in the SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards?
No. The SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards do not accept AI-generated images or images altered to add, remove or materially change elements, and that includes virtual staging and AI-generated décor or furnishings. Basic cropping, straightening and lighting and colour adjustments are allowed.
Do I need the photographer’s permission to enter the SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards?
Yes. SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards entrants confirm that the photos are by their own employees or that an independent photographer gave written consent, and they must give the photographer’s name.
How much does it cost to enter the SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards?
Each submission to the 35th SRHBA Housing Excellence Awards costs $100 + GST, paid by credit card at checkout. There is no limit on entries per category, and Association Awards need no submission.
This guide summarises Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association’s published rules and is not affiliated with Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association. The official documents take precedence.