Some nights give you a reason to stop for a moment and appreciate how far you’ve come. For Dellwood Constructions team, the 2026 Master Builders Gold Coast Housing & Construction Awards was one of those nights.
Dellwood Constructions won the Home Renovation Project from $350,000 up to $500,000 award for Project Songbird in Burleigh Waters and Steve won an individual award named as the winner of the Xact Accounting Rising Star Award.
For a business that is only two and a half years old, it was a pretty special night. But the story behind the awards goes back a lot further.
It took me back to when Dellwood Constructions was just an idea – a conversation between my family and me about building a business that reflected the way we believed building should be done.
From the Tools to Dellwood
Steve started his career as a formwork carpenter. Over more than 20 years in the building industry, he worked his way through to foreman and site manager, working on commercial projects across the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Those years gave him a solid grounding in construction and plenty of experience working with different teams, projects and challenges. Steve also went on to study in Project Management and holds an Open Builders Licence.
After years working long hours for others, he decided it was time to start something of his own. Dellwood Constructions was born from that decision. The idea wasn’t to become the biggest builder around. Steve wanted to create a business where he could use the experience he’d gained over the years while working more closely with clients and having a more personal approach to building.
It was also about family. Mel has been alongside Steve since the beginning, helping with the business behind the scenes while Steve continues to spend most of his time working with clients, trades and the team. Building a business together hasn’t always been easy, but there is plenty to be proud of.
Project Songbird
When Project Songbird was announced as the winner of the was named the winner of the Home Renovation Project from $350,000 up to $500,000 category it was a great moment for the Dellwood Constructions team.
Songbird was a full home renovation and involved working closely with the homeowners to transform their existing home into something that worked much better for the way they wanted to live. As anyone who has renovated an existing home will know, things don’t always go exactly to plan once you start opening things up. There are decisions to make, problems to solve and plenty of details to work through along the way.
For the team, the best part of the project was working with the homeowners and seeing everything come together. Having the finished project recognised by Master Builders was a great bonus.
Read the Project Songbird project reveal here.
The Rising Star Award
There was another reason for the team to celebrate when Steve’s name was announced as the winner of the Xact Accounting Rising Star Award.
The Master Builders judges had spent time with Steve on site and were impressed by the way he approached his projects, particularly his planning, project delivery and overall execution. They described him as an asset to the building industry. For Steve, that feedback probably means as much as the award itself.
His career started with him learning the trade on the tools, and over the years he has continued to build on that experience. The award was recognition of where that hard work has led him.
Steve isn’t one to make a big fuss about himself, so having the people around him there to share it with was an important part of the night too.
Read the Xact Accounting Rising Star Award announcement here.
Two Awards, Two Different Stories
Looking at the two awards together, they represent two different parts of what Dellwood Constructions is about.
The Rising Star Award recognises Steve and the experience and work he brings to the industry. The Songbird award recognises the work of the wider Dellwood team and the people involved in delivering a project for a client. Both are something the team is proud of.
Starting a building company from scratch was a big decision for Steve and Mel. There have been plenty of long days, plenty of things to learn and plenty of people who have helped along the way. Clients who trusted Dellwood with their homes. Trades and suppliers who have supported the business. Family and friends who have been there from the beginning. And a team that continues to turn up and get the job done.
And Now, Back to Work
Awards nights are a chance to dress up, celebrate and take a moment to look back. The awards are something Steve, Mel and the Dellwood team will be proud of for a long time.
But come Monday, Steve and the team were back doing what they do best – meeting clients, walking through projects, working with the team and figuring out how to get the job done properly.
