Magic Story
Jacob’s Journey
I’m Jacob, the owner of Down To Earth Construction, and my journey into the building industry began at the age of five. I would spend countless hours in my Uncle Chub's workshop in Towoomba Australia, cutting shapes on his jigsaw and watching him craft beautiful wooden toys. Those early experiences ignited a passion for creating with my hands that has only grown over the years.
My mother met a kiwi man and my family relocated to Taranaki, New Zealand, when I was 11 years old. Here I was introduced to farm life and developed a strong work ethic.
We lived in a small cottage which desperately needed renovation. Fortunately, dad was a builder, and we took on the project ourselves. I fell in love with the work. It was incredibly rewarding to see our daily progress and enjoy the benefits of our labor through a new kitchen, bathroom, and two extra rooms. This experience solidified my career path. I was going to be a builder.
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Managing Director
Jacob Stallman
My professional journey began not as a builder but as a drainlayer/plumber when an opportunity arose through a family friend in Hamilton. I got lots of experience working in teams and moved into foreman roles learning about timelines and responsibility. After completing my apprenticeship, I realized that underground work wasn't fulfilling enough for me and I dreamed of building beautiful homes to be seen and appreciated.
I returned to my passion and pursued a carpentry apprenticeship, where I honed my skills building bespoke homes at HandCraft Homes alongside a close friend in the Waikato. He had a wealth of knowledge and his love for the construction industry was infectious. I soon had the same disease. I made the leap to begin my own business in 2018, bought my first digger and truck and started laying drains in the Waikato for the network of builders I had been working with over the years. This was an amazing experience and laid the foundation of my business knowledge. I had to learn quickly the importance of systems, structure, management and financial knowhow, needed to run a successful business and the importance of building and maintaining strong, professional relationships.
I met my wife Kate in Tauranga, leaving the foggy days of Hamilton behind. I embraced the sunny beach life of Tauranga and purchased a fencing, retaining, and decking business to find my feet in a new area. This venture provided an invaluable platform to expand my business knowledge, as I interacted with a diverse range of clients daily and learnt the value of delivering on every promise. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with different personalities and hearing their stories. There was no greater satisfaction than realizing a client's vision and transforming their unusable backyard into a functional entertaining space.
As my workload increased, I hired additional carpenters to meet the growing demand. With a strong team in place, we were able to shift our focus towards new builds. This niche allows my team to truly excel, delivering bespoke homes all over the Bay of Plenty with an unwavering commitment to quality and timely completion.
I'm fortunate to have a wonderful family – my wife Kate, our three-year-old son Mitch, and our one-year-old Gus. We love spending time outdoors, exploring the beautiful beaches and lakes New Zealand has to offer, often with a surfboard and guitar in tow. We love living in Tauranga, Kate was born and raised here and we both love being part of the community whether that be at Mount rugby club or the local BFT Gym the people are always so friendly and welcoming.
I take pride in our meticulous approach to every project, our 287-Point Quality Control Checklist and weekly toolbox meetings ensure that we deliver exceptional results on time, every time. Over time we have built great relationships with subtrades and merchants (Mount Itm, Epic Windows, Torake Plaster and Paint) that we trust making the building experience smooth. Respect, professionalism, quality, communication and transparency are the cornerstones of Down to Earth Construction. We're committed to providing you with a truly positive and "Down to Earth" experience.
Building someone's dream home is incredibly rewarding, and my team at Down to Earth shares this passion. Together, we've successfully completed over 20 projects in Tauranga. We call Tauranga home and take great pride in every project we undertake. For your peace of mind, your investment can be placed in a trust account, ensuring that your funds are used solely for your project. Also we take pride in offering a service that not only guides you through the preliminary phase but also has the team on the ground to execute the mission.
I believe that strong relationships are as crucial as building quality homes. If you're ready to embark on your home-building journey with a trustworthy and communicative carpenter, I could have your project underway within the next three months. I'm here to help, and I look forward to creating something amazing with you.
Let’s build something great together
Reach out now and experience the Down to Earth difference.