Winning an inaugural HIA-CSR Australian Housing Award is a thrill, but backing it up with another the very next year? That’s a rare and remarkable feat.

That’s exactly what Adelaide firm Crew Built has achieved. After taking out the debut 2024 HIA Australian Start-up Business award, the firm’s Managing Director, Kieran Flanigan, returned to the national stage in 2025 – this time as the winner of the inaugural HIA Australian Emerging Builder award.

This brand-new category recognises the next generation of stand-out builders, and Kieran is a fitting recipient. With deep, hands-on experience, a sharp business mind, and a commitment to quality, he exemplifies what the award was created to celebrate.

According to the HIA judges, Kieran’s professional growth is ‘truly impressive’, with a successful business built on his drive to achieve and excel. His thorough approach, combined with industry knowledge and broad experience, is complemented by a customer-centric focus and passion for his craft.

In 2020, armed with two decades of industry experience, Kieran launched Crew Built – a South Australian building firm specialising in bespoke residential projects. With advanced industry qualifications in construction management and a dual trade in both carpentry and plumbing – including senior roles across the residential, commercial, industrial and civil sectors – Kieran set out to build not just homes, but a company defined by trust, quality and long-term vision.

His journey started young. At 16, he enrolled in prevocational construction trade courses while still in high school, working alongside small custom builders. ‘I knew this was the industry I was made for,’ says this 36-year-old.

He completed a carpentry apprenticeship at the age of 18, followed by a second trade in plumbing and gas fitting. Over the years, he’s done it all – from site prep and pouring and finishing concrete slabs to fit-out and finishes, with everything in between. 

After a stretch managing large-scale multimillion-dollar landmark commercial projects as a senior site manager, Kieran was ready to strike out on his own. ‘I felt it was the right moment to create something personal; something that reflected my standards and my vision of what a great builder could be.’

Crew Built began as a lean, hands-on operation. For the first two years, Kieran and his tight-knit team managed and built most projects themselves. ‘We didn’t want our clients’ jobs stalling due to trade shortages or cost escalations,’ he says. ‘Taking on the work ourselves meant that protecting timelines, maintaining quality and preserving margins.’

The strategy worked. Crew Built doubled its turnover in its second and third year, relying on word-of-mouth referrals. Today, it’s trusted by architects, developers and private clients for its tailored delivery and solid reputation. Growth has been steady and strategic, built on strong systems, financial discipline and a clear long-term vision.

After winning this highly coveted award at the recent HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards in Melbourne, Kieran shared some simple but powerful advice: ‘Build with the enthusiasm as every project is your first, and the legacy as if it was your last.’

With more than 20 years of experience and two HIA Awards, Kieran Flanigan is proof that when you lead with quality, vision and integrity, success follows.

First published on 26 September 2025