MEET THE TEAM
Togetherness makes us stronger. Meet the extraordinary people behind your extraordinary architectural home.
CREATING SPACES THAT INSPIRE
JKL ARCHITECTURAL BUILDERS
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kalem Uttinger
Building has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up working alongside my dad on our family lifestyle block, where I learned the value of hard work, attention to detail, and doing things properly the first time.
I’m passionate about quality craftsmanship, problem-solving, and creating homes that not only look exceptional, but genuinely work for the people living in them.
For me, building has never just been about construction — it’s about helping clients create something they’re proud to call home.
The JKL team
John Palareit
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Thornton and have been building for over 30 years. From a young age, I loved sketching buildings, drawing plans, and working with timber, which naturally led me into a career designing and building unique projects.
First Thing I Ever Built
An outdoor chair.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I enjoy collaborating with others and seeing ideas come together through craftsmanship and precision.
My Specialty on Site
Precision work and detailed timber craftsmanship.
Life Outside of Work
Cycling, architecture, history, nature, and exploring new places on bikes.
Why I Joined JKL
I joined JKL for the opportunity to work on interesting projects alongside great people — something I still think is the best part of the job today.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d be a professional bike racer.
Favourite Tool
Tape measure.
Jarni Miller
Background & Experience
i’m originally from Tauranga and have been building for around 4 years. I got into the trade because I wanted to be able to build my own house one day. Alongside being on the tools, I’ve also been helping develop a custom app for JKL to create a more tailored project management system for the team.
First Thing I Ever Built
A chair.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I enjoy seeing the visual progress on site and watching a project come together over time.
My Specialty on Site
Straightening walls and working with Ecoply and weatherproofing materials.
Life Outside of Work
Going to the gym. Working on custom coding & design projects
Why I Joined JKL
I joined JKL because the boss is my brother, but the best part about working here is definitely the team.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d be an architect.
Hidden Talent
Apparently reversing a trailer.
Favourite Tool
Paslode nail gun.
Stephen Greider
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Switzerland and have been building for around 12 years. Growing up on a farm meant I was always hands-on — fixing things, building, and learning how to work with tools from a young age.
First Thing I Ever Built
I think it was a dog house… although it was a long time ago now.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I enjoy seeing a finished project and being able to look back at what I’ve created or helped create. I especially enjoy the finishing stage and detailed work.
My Specialty on Site
Finishing and detail work.
Life Outside of Work
Mountain biking, free diving, hiking, and hunting.
Why I Joined JKL
I joined JKL because of the opportunity to work on beautiful projects with a team that values quality and perfection. The environment is great, everyone gets along well, and there’s a real team mentality on site.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d either be a draftsman… or a millionaire.
Favourite Tool
Router.
Felix
Joseph Wallace
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Papamoa and have been building for around 8 years. Apparently even at pre-school I was always grabbing the toy tool belt, so I think building came naturally to me growing up on a dairy farm and being around physical work from a young age.
First Thing I Ever Built
A skate ramp.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
There’s something really rewarding about building because it challenges you both physically and mentally. I enjoy the process of planning, problem solving, and then executing work to a high standard. I especially enjoy seeing unique ideas and plans come to life.
My Specialty on Site
I’ve always enjoyed installing exposed plywood interior linings and detailed finishing work.
Life Outside of Work
Hunting, diving, spearfishing, and hanging out with my dog.
Why I Joined JKL
I was really intrigued by the type of projects JKL was known for, and after hearing great things from someone already on the team, I decided to join. It’s turned out to be a great choice. The team culture and strong forward planning create a low-stress environment where everyone can thrive and do quality work — which isn’t all that common in the building industry.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d probably be a dairy or deer farmer.
Favourite Tool
Track saw.
Daniel
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Beachlands and have been building for almost 10 years. I got into the trade because I loved the variety of work and the fact that every project teaches you something new.
First Thing I Ever Built
A foldable 3-step ladder.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I enjoy the finishing stage the most — seeing everything come together and standing back to admire the finished result.
My Specialty on Site
Finishing work, especially architraves, skirting, hanging doors, and timber cladding.
Life Outside of Work
Golf, woodworking, and free diving.
Why I Joined JKL
I joined JKL because of the company’s strong values, quality craftsmanship, and great team culture. I really enjoy how organised the team is and how everyone works together to solve problems and deliver exceptional work.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d be an architect.
Favourite Tool
Thicknesser.
Aaron Holt
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Glenfield and have been building for around 10 years. I’ve always enjoyed hands-on work, problem solving, and seeing projects come together from start to finish.
First Thing I Ever Built
Probably a deck… or something close to it.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I enjoy the problem solving side of building and seeing the progress happen throughout a project. My favourite stage is everything after the gib has been installed, when the finishing work starts coming together.
My Specialty on Site
Straightening substrates and getting everything set up properly for the finishing stages.
Life Outside of Work
Surfing and skating.
Why I Joined JKL
I joined JKL because of the good crew, the organisation on site, and the high standard of work the team produces. The positive work environment and strong team culture are definitely the best parts about working here.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d probably be a stay-at-home dad.
Favourite Tool
Jigsaw.
Anthony
Background & Experience
I grew up mostly around the Kaimais and Matarangi. I got offered an apprenticeship with JKL a couple of years ago, but building has always been around me — my dad’s a builder by trade and built our family home, so I’ve always had an interest in it.
First Thing I Ever Built
A deck — classic.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I really enjoy the puzzle-solving side of building. Figuring out how things fit together neatly, the best order to tackle tasks, and getting that little dopamine hit when something slides perfectly into place after a bit of thought.
My Specialty on Site
I’d say I’m more of a generalist/support class — I’ve got a bunch of random skills and enjoy helping make the people around me more effective.
Life Outside of Work
Reading, going to the gym, and hanging out with my dogs.
Why I Joined JKL
I already knew a few of the guys and thought the projects they were working on looked really cool. The best part about working here is definitely the crew — everyone’s on point — and the smoko spot is A+.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d probably be a beekeeper or an orchardist.
Favourite Tool
Probably my little Wolfbox air blower or my Makita multitool.
Isaac
Background & Experience
I grew up mostly around the Kaimai Ranges, as well as the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel. My father was a builder, but I didn’t get into building myself until I had the opportunity to start an apprenticeship with JKL two years ago.
First Thing I Ever Built
A chicken pen out of scrap materials. It’s still standing… although I’m pretty sure I could build a much better one now.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I really enjoy the planning and preparation side of building — when taking the extra time early on makes the next stages run smoothly, it’s super satisfying. I also love being able to appreciate great buildings, architecture, and craftsmanship with a much deeper understanding now that I’m in the trade.
My Specialty on Site
I’m pretty handy with a paint brush, and I’m usually the guy helping out whenever there’s a heavy lift involved 💪😉
Life Outside of Work
Art, the outdoors, and spending time with my three dogs — although they’re probably better suited to demolition than construction.
Why I Joined JKL
I already knew a few of the guys through friends, and I couldn’t think of better workmates than people who are already your mates. The atmosphere at JKL is awesome, and there are some seriously knowledgeable builders on the team who are great to learn from.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d still want to be making things — maybe metal fabrication or another type of woodworking trade.
Favourite Tool
My adjustable square, closely followed by the skilly (circular saw).
Elizabeth Morell
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Rerewhakaaitu–Rotorua and started building around 8 months ago after helping my stepdad with projects around the house. I jumped at the opportunity to start a building apprenticeship with JKL.
First Thing I Ever Built
A mountain bike jump and a bird box.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I love seeing plans on paper turn into a building that will last for years to come.
My Specialty on Site
Straightening walls and installing exterior Eco Ply.
Life Outside of Work
Hiking, camping, mountain biking, travelling, and spending time outdoors.
Why I Joined JKL
I enjoy the supportive team culture, strong communication on site, and being part of a workplace that values enjoying life alongside producing quality work.
If I Wasn’t Building…
I’d be a farmer.
Favourite Tool
Paslode nail gun.
Shania Miller
Background & Experience
I help keep the JKL sites clean, organised, and running smoothly so the team can focus on the build. At JKL, we take pride in maintaining immaculate sites, and I love being part of creating clean, tidy spaces that reflect the quality of work being done.
Favourite Part of the Job
I love keeping the site tidy, we get a lot of comments about how good our building sites look!
My Specialty on Site
Vacuuming, sweeping, and keeping everything tidy and under control.
Life Outside of Work
Reading, gaming, cooking, walking my dog, and spending time outdoors.
Why I Joined JKL
The team environment is awesome, plus the free snacks and the site dog are definitely highlights.
If I Wasn’t Doing This…
I’d probably be a gardener — I love being outdoors.
Favourite Tool
Vacuum cleaner.
Lejahn
Background & Experience
I’m originally from Tauranga and while I’m not exactly on the tools every day, I help keep JKL running behind the scenes with all the admin — whether that’s making sure the team gets paid or sending out those pesky invoices.
First Thing I Ever Built
A bookshelf at school… and yes, I got Excellence for it.
Favourite Part of the Building Process
I love watching a beautiful home come together and seeing all the layers of work behind the scenes that make everything look amazing and function perfectly in the end. It’s super satisfying seeing how much care and detail goes into every project at JKL — all the builders here are perfectionists.
My Specialty on Site
Chasing people up when invoices haven’t been sent through on time 🙂
Life Outside of Work
Snowboarding and spending a good day swimming at the river.
Why I Joined JKL
The boss is my big brother and he got sick of doing the bookwork, so I stepped up and did the right thing. The best part about working at JKL is definitely the people — all the guys are genuinely lovely and I couldn’t ask for a better team to work with.
If I Wasn’t Doing This…
I have a little pancake business of my own selling delicious pancakes, so I’d probably be doing that full-time… although I’ve definitely been tempted to become a builder myself.
Favourite Tool
The big round blade drop saw thing — that goes hard.
Learn more about the JKL team here
Our Values
Excellence
We don’t cut corners. We raise the bar. From the foundation to the finishing line, we build with pride and precision so your home not only looks incredible but performs beautifully for decades to come.
Integrity
We do what we say we will. Always. No vague timelines. No half-truths. Just clear, honest communication and full accountability because trust is earned on every job.
Collaboration
We build better when we build together. Whether it’s working with your architect or coordinating trades on site, we value clear communication and strong partnerships from start to finish.
Sustainability
We think long-term. Always.
We’re thoughtful about materials, waste, and energy use - designing homes that are healthy, efficient, and built for the future.
Book a call
Our director, Kalem Uttinger, will personally conduct the session, which is normally valued at $300. However, we are offering the session FREE to people that are seriously considering building a dream home to help them make informed decisions towards the next step.
