From Vision to Victory: The Story of Our Wellington Craftsmanship Award Win
- Corey Brown
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
More Than a Trophy: The Story of Our First House of the Year
A week has passed since the 2025 Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards, and I’m still smiling. Last Saturday night, our company, Kiwi Built, was honoured with three awards for a project we poured our hearts into for over three years. But the trophies, as incredible as they are, don’t tell the whole story. They don’t tell you about the challenges, the partnerships, or the immense pride of a team that came together to build something truly special.
This was our first time entering the awards, and while it's all still fresh, I wanted to share the story of this journey.
Table of Contents
The Spark: A Modern Villa with an Old Soul
It all started over three years ago with an introduction from an architect we’ve worked with for years, Mona from Callidus. The opportunity was to build a brand new home, but one with the character and beauty of a classic Wellington villa. In an era of modern architectural homes, the chance to build a character home with traditional details is rare, and as someone who is very old-school at heart, I was incredibly excited.
For a reasonably new company, the scale and cost of the project were bigger than anything we had tackled before. I wasn’t sure we’d get the job, but for whatever reason, the owner, Jeremy, decided he wanted us to build it. I was over the moon.
From that moment, I knew this project was destined for the House of the Year. I made sure every single person involved—our team, our subcontractors—knew that this was the goal. Everyone had to bring their A-game. Communication was everything; before we even started on the bathrooms, we had a meeting in each empty room—myself, the architect, the plumber, the electrician, and the tiler—all giving our opinions on how to achieve the absolute best result.
The Craft: Overcoming On-Site Challenges
Building a home of this complexity inevitably comes with challenges. One of the trickiest parts was the underground garage. It was 2.4 metres out of the ground, and supporting the formwork for the concrete slab above it was a complex problem. Because the structure was a fair distance from the bank, the formwork had to be completely self-supporting, with no bracing from the ground far away.
I had to draw on my background in civil engineering, adapting a technique I used to use for building bridges and reservoirs. It was a solution that not only worked perfectly but also created an integrated handrail. When I showed the photos of the setup to the builder judge, I could tell by his interest that it was something unique. That’s the kind of problem-solving our team thrives on.
The Scrutiny: A Search for Fergus
The judging day itself was surprisingly pleasant. The judges we had were fantastic. To break the ice, the owner, Jeremy, set them a playful challenge: he said he'd give them extra points if they could find "Fergus" somewhere in the house. He didn’t tell them it was a carving, just that they had to find the family dog, Fergus.
It created a bit of a game for them, and I think they really enjoyed searching for it. Finding that little detail led to a great conversation afterwards. It felt less like an inspection and more like sharing something we were proud of.
The Celebration: An Unforgettable Night
Going into the awards night, our only goal was to win a Gold. That, for us, would have been the perfect recognition for all the hard work. When they called our name for Gold, I was stoked. My wife was filming, and I remember being so nervous just going up on stage.
After that, the pressure was off. We had a good feeling about the Wiser Smart Home Award—we’d been told that at the time of completion, it was the biggest smart home in New Zealand—but we weren’t really thinking about it. When we won that too, I had to give my first-ever speech, which was extremely nerve-wracking.
We honestly thought we were done for the night. Someone else had already won the supreme award for our category, so we weren't filming or paying close attention when the supreme Craftsmanship Award was being announced. And then, they called out "Kiwi Built."
The feeling was amazing. The entire room just erupted. I couldn't help myself; I just threw my hands in the air. Two of our team members, Ryan and our painter, Marc, came up on stage with me, and you could see the emotion on their faces. Later that night, one of the judges came up to me personally and said that of all the homes she’d judged over the years, ours was one of the most beautiful she had ever seen. That was phenomenal to hear.
The Real Win: A Proud Team
The best part of this whole experience has been sharing the success. Our painter, Marc, is a man who is so passionate about his work. He’s messaged me several times this week just to say how over the moon he is. As I’ve told him and every one of our subcontractors, this isn't just our award—it's theirs. It belongs to every single person who put their passion and commitment into this house, including my brother in Australia who was a huge part of the build.
Looking back, the biggest feeling I’m taking away is an immense pride in the team we’ve built. We have an amazing group of subcontractors who we work with exclusively, and it feels like a family. They communicate, they know their jobs, and they make sure they don't make anyone else's job harder.
That, combined with the trust from amazing clients like Jeremy and Tristan, is the real foundation for success. It sounds like they are already looking for land in the Wairarapa, so who knows, maybe we’ll get to do it all over again.
Explore the Award-Winning Project
You've read the story of the journey. Now, explore the result in detail. Our project showcase page features a gallery of professional photos, close-ups of the craftsmanship, and the complete story of this incredible home.