106 | Honesty and integrity foundation for growth The company delivers a broad range of projects, from small renovations to new-home builds and large commercial contracts. BUILDING Gilbanks Character Builds T T Kim Newth “You need to be honest and open about what you’re doing and how much things cost – honesty and integrity is just such a big part of construction and it really does go a long way.” From small beginnings in 2016, Gillbanks Character Builds Limited has flourished to become an established construction company with a reputation for hard work, reliability and quality results throughout Kerikeri and the wider district. Company founder Jordan Gillbanks was born and raised in the Bay of Islands, and got his first taste of the building sector through working as a timber supply yard employee in Kerikeri. In 2007, he moved to Auckland to work as a labourer for a commercial construction company. He then did his apprenticeship with a residential builder in Auckland Central, before moving back to Kerikeri and starting his own building company in 2016. “During my apprenticeship, I was doing a lot of work on villas, bungalows and character homes around Herne Bay and Ponsonby. The name for my business, Gillbanks Character Builds, naturally grew out of that experience,” says Jordan. “It helped me find a niche when I was starting out, and continues to speak to the craft and care we bring to our projects today.” Gillbanks Character Builds is a New Zealand Certified Builder and a member of Whāriki, Māori business network. The company delivers a broad range of projects, from small renovations to new-home builds and large commercial contracts. Jordan started off working on his own in his Kerikeri business, mostly undertaking smaller residential jobs. As his reputation grew, so did the scale of projects. He then started to employ and train a number of apprentices, as well as employing qualified builders. “Today, we are a team of seven. One of our larger projects in recent years was at a retirement village in Kerikeri, working over a couple of stages. We built over 27 homes there. At the other end of the scale, we do all sorts of bits and pieces, such as building new decks. We often have repeat clients, including developers, coming back to us for more work. We really appreciate that loyalty – working with these clients is a highlight for us.” While 2025 was another hard year for the construction sector, Jordan says there are more large projects starting to come through. “We recently finished first-stage construction on a major project for a private school in Kerikeri, delivered over eight months. “This was a large-scale classroom block extension with new bathrooms, an art studio and quiet rooms. “Our team has worked really hard to build this impressive first stage, and we’re now getting ready to do the second stage at that school.” Jordan says a good local reputation is worth a lot in today’s competitive market. “You need to be honest and open about what you’re doing and how much things cost – honesty and integrity is just such a big part of construction and it really does go a long way.” With his love of fishing, diving and surfing, the Kerikeri lifestyle suits Jordan very well and the team is often out and about servicing some of the region’s spectacular oceanside properties. Jordan’s parents also live in Kerikeri, where his father works at PlaceMakers. ‘I like being able to pop in there, get materials and say hi to him as well.” 021 274 2972 info@ashbyscaffolding.co.nz RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | CIVIL Ashby Scaffolding Ltd supplies professional scaffolding services to the Northland Region. Contact us to get your project safely off the ground! PROUDLY SUPPORTING GILBANKS CHARACTER BUILDERS
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