Hints & Tips

The kbbreview Industry Awards are easy to enter but you have to be the best to win, so what exactly are the judges looking for?

The judging process for the kbbreview Industry Awards is unique in the kitchen and bathroom sector. We believe that just judging from submitted entries does not give a true picture of a design or business.

So for the design categories the shortlisted finalists are invited down to the RIBA headquarters in London to present their designs to the judging panel in person and answer their questions.

And in the business categories judges visit the finalists to see the showrooms and talk to the retailers in person.

But what are the judges looking for from the submitted entries?

1) Size isn't important
The judges are not looking for who's got the biggest turnover or budget, they want to know what you've done with the resources available. The smallest high street showroom has as much chance as anyone else if they're an outstanding outfit that's run well with clever ideas. The winners of the 2009 Master Retailer Awards were modest businesses in terms of size, but great examples of how it should be done.

2) Just the facts
You need to back up your arguments with solid facts and figures. You only have 1,000 words, which sounds a lot but is less than a couple of sheets of A4. Use bullet points to highlight key facts - turnover, budget, client briefs etc. Judges look for details, not superlatives. Use the guide questions in the category details to shape your entry.

3) Floor the opposition
It is highly advisable to use floorplans wherever possible - anything that makes it easier for the judges to visualise the showroom or design. This is particularly important in the design categories where judges need to use projections and floorplans to gauge space.

4) Picture success
Make sure your photos show as much of your showroom or design project as possible. For the showroom, make sure you include a view from outside, and view across the whole interior if possible.

5) Giving the quote
For the design categories, the quoted budget figure must represent the entire final cost of the project including installation, products and VAT. The judges are looking for how well you've used that budget and whether the client has got value for money.


6) Take a look at last year's winning entries here to see how they did it.


7) If you have any questions or queries at all, don't hesitate to email awards@kbbreview.com or call 0208 515 2113 and we'll do our best to help you.