KALEM'S STORY
Kalem Uttinger
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
From about the age of 10, I was following my dad around on our lifestyle block, watching him build, fix, and figure things out. There was always something going on. Fences, sheds, repairs, new ideas. I wasn’t just watching either. As soon as I was old enough, I was helping. That’s where it started for me.
I left school early to start an apprenticeship helping my dad, Bruce Miller. Bruce was old school. A perfectionist. His mindset was simple. Do it once, do it right. No shortcuts. That stuck with me.
After two years working with dad, I went to work for Atrium Homes in Tauranga. That’s where things stepped up. Alan Shaw, the owner, took me under his wing and pushed me. He got me thinking differently about building. Not just how to do the work, but how to do it properly.
He encouraged me to enter the Certified Builders Apprentice of the Year competition. I ended up placing third in New Zealand. That was a turning point. It gave me confidence, but more importantly, it showed me the level I wanted to operate at.
Not everything went smoothly though...
On one project, we were building a large retaining wall just 1.5 metres off a house. We installed 8 metre sheet piles to support things while we worked. At the time, everything seemed fine. But later, we realised part of the house had sunk slightly.
That was a tough moment.
We had to stop, assess everything properly, and figure out the right way forward. In the end, we jacked the house back up, re-levelled the walls, and used self-levelling compound to correct the floors. It took time. It was stressful. But we owned it and fixed it properly.
That experience changed how I approach projects. Now, we’re far more proactive about assessing impact early, especially when working close to existing structures. We don’t wait and hope. We check.
That’s the difference.
Today, JKL Architectural Builders has been running for 10 years. I’m a Licensed Building Practitioner, and I’m proud of the work we’re doing, especially our current Ocean Beach Road renovation. It’s a 650 square metre architecturally designed home, and every detail matters. It’s the kind of project where there’s nowhere to hide, and that’s exactly how we like it.
What drives me hasn’t really changed since I was a kid...
I enjoy helping people create something better than they imagined. Not just building a house, but creating something that fits their lifestyle properly. Every project has its challenges, and I enjoy solving those problems. That’s a big part of it for me.
There’s also a real sense of pride in stepping back at the end of a project and saying, we built that. And knowing the client is genuinely happy with the result.
Outside of work, I’m still based on the same lifestyle block I grew up on. I’ve built my own home there, and I’m close with my family. We still have regular dinners together, and now my siblings are part of the JKL team as well, which says a lot about how we operate.
When I’m not on site, I’m usually doing something active. Wakeboarding, surfing, dirt bikes, mountain biking, or in the gym. I like being outdoors, pushing myself a bit, and spending time with good people.
At the end of the day, I keep doing this because I enjoy it. The work, the challenge, the people, and the constant learning. No two projects are the same, and that’s what keeps it interesting.
And for our clients, it means they’re working with someone who actually cares about getting it right.
