About Discovery House Homes
Our mission is to serve God, our family, our community, our trade partners, and our valued customers. As a company and individuals, we pray daily for guidance with a strong desire to serve the greater good in all areas of our business and personal lives.
Where It All Began
With more than twenty years of mountain home-building experience and completing more than three hundred custom homes, Cale and Jim Crawford, the co-founders of Discovery House Homes, have cultivated an unparalleled reputation for integrity, hard work, and know-how in the custom mountain home building industry.
Before founding Discovery House Homes, the Discovery partners spent many years in ownership and leadership positions within other construction and custom home-building companies before making the decision to create something unique with Discovery House Homes.
A New Direction
The Discovery founders uncovered numerous ways that mountain home building could be done more efficiently and economically. They realized with their diversified experience and skills, they could make it possible for more people to enjoy a custom mountain home. To solve this challenge, they founded Discovery House Homes in 2020, where they have developed and deployed a unique design-build process that makes mountain living possible for everyone. Now anyone can custom-design their mountain dreams—on time and within budget.
Mountain Living Beckons
Your Journey Begins Here.
If living in the mountains is your dream, let Discovery House Homes make it a reality! We can deliver quality construction on a custom luxury home within a budget and on a timeline that will surprise you. Ready for mountain living? Discovery House Homes wants to be your neighbor and home building partner. We would be honored to welcome you to our community.
Meet Our Team
Cale Crawford
Managing Partner
Cale Crawford
Reputation Matters
Cale began his construction career prior to college focused on residential and commercial concrete foundations. After leaving Western Carolina University, Cale was recruited to Florida where he furthered his focus on construction as a project manager. In Florida, Cale managed high-end residential, industrial, commercial, and classified government projects. This diverse experience led him back to the mountains where he joined an established custom home design-build company as lead project manager. In Cale’s role, he was personally responsible for overseeing every aspect of the custom home building process with projects ranging from $300,000 – $2,000,000. In 2019 Cale made the decision to pursue his general contractor’s license which created the foundation for launching Discovery House Homes in 2020.
Cale is active at church as a small group leader for high school seniors and runs the computers for the band and youth minister. Through both church and business, Cale leads by example. When not building houses, you can find Cale spending time with his wife/family, relaxing by the pool, exercising, or simply enjoying the mountains.
Jim Crawford
Partner
Jim Crawford
Experience Matters.
Jim has worked in the home building and home restoration (remodeling) business for over 40 years. He began his building career, hands-on by working with a carpenter building homes before moving on to a building supply company making and installing kitchen cabinets. This experience led Jim to start his own home restoration and building supply business where he provided and installed everything from windows to siding and decks. After 10 years of successfully growing and ultimately selling this business, Jim felt God calling him and his family to the mountains in Hiawassee, GA. After arriving in the mountains, Jim became a partner and construction manager in a custom home design-build company and ultimately built more than 200 custom homes. After a successful exit of this company, Jim joined his son Cale to launch Discovery House Homes in 2020.
Jim is active in church and has been married to his wife, Sheila for 43 years. They have one son, Cale and daughter in law, Taylor. When not building houses, Jim enjoys fishing (both trout and lake), hiking and riding his motorcycle in the mountains of North Georgia and Western North Carolina.
Ed Oravetz
Partner
Ed Oravetz
Relationships Matter
Ed, born and raised in Texas, has been an entrepreneur his entire adult life. His passion for business started immediately after high school when he launched his first company. Over the proceeding 30+ years, Ed was extremely active in starting, building, and ultimately exiting multiple businesses including insurance, technology, and restaurants. After selling his insurance company, Ed and his family started migrating from Texas to the mountains of Western North Carolina at which time they found a very special lot to build their eventual retirement home. After interviewing many builders, Ed and his wife eventually chose the company where Jim and Cale played a leadership role. This relationship not only blossomed professionally, but personally as well and Ed eventually became a partner in that same custom home design-build company. During the construction process, Ed worked closely with Cale as both an owner of the company and as a customer, as Cale was the lead project manager on his personal residence. In 2020, Ed and his wife, Kim, sold their restaurants in Houston and moved to the mountains full time which led to an opportunity to join Cale and Jim at Discovery House Homes.
Ed values his Christian beliefs and has been married to his wife Kim since 1992. Together, they have four grown boys, one of which went home to the Lord in 2007. When not building mountain dreams, Ed loves spending time with family, experimenting with his smoker while making his favorite Texas style BBQ, and spending as much time as possible on the river… fishing, kayaking, and tubing.
Jon Rickett
Chief Financial Officer
Jon Rickett
Details Matter
Jon’s business experience began at the age of 15 when he and Cale founded their own car detailing company. Since then, Jon has acquired a unique blend of experience in the fields of business, accounting, technology, and construction. For several years, Jon served as a Division Manager for a tax software company, gaining invaluable industry knowledge and leadership experience. Jon was later recruited to join a custom home construction company where he wore many hats. Jon gained experience in all aspects of the construction business, including sales, estimating, purchasing, design, selections, and accounting. He was also in charge of implementing and maintaining project management software, as well as handling all corporate IT tasks. Jon prides himself in his strong work ethic, desire to learn, and attention to detail. All this combined makes him perfectly suited to be a financial and business leader for Discovery.
Although Jon works hard, he strives to serve God and his family above all else. Jon has been married to his wife, Shea, since 2019. They have two daughters: Blakely and Olive. Jon is active at his church, serving on the Leadership Team, Tech Team, and Worship Team.
Ben Chapman
Project Manager
Ben Chapman
Passion Matters
Ben got his start on the sales and supply side of the home building industry in Nashville, TN over 10 years ago. Selling and supplying customers with everything from lumber, siding, doors, windows and everything in between. His driving passion has always been customer service and mutual satisfaction. Experienced in working alongside contractors to get them the right material, as well as helping homeowners to complete their projects, Ben is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Born and raised in Blairsville, GA, he and his wife along with their two daughters, moved back home to the mountains several years ago. Personal interests and hobbies include music, reading, long distance running, Braves baseball, and the Georgia Bulldogs. But more than anything else, Ben has a deep passion to see the glory of Jesus Christ be made known in North Georgia and far beyond. He and his family are active members in a local church body, and seek to know the God of Holy Scripture more and more each day. The study of God’s Word being his foundation, Ben seeks to do all things, including project managing and serving customers, all to the glory of God.
Darin Lloyd
Project Manager
Darin Lloyd
Integrity Matters
Born in New Jersey, raised in Florida, but found the North Georgia mountains as quickly as possible! Darin has been in various stages of the construction business for the last 24+ years including owning/operating a niche construction company. A core belief that communication is critical to success when working with customers makes Darin a great fit at Discovery House Homes. When not working, Darin can be found spending time with his lovely wife of 20 years, two teenage daughters and two boxers as well as hiking, fishing and hunting.
Kevin Grishaber
Construction Technician
Kevin Grishaber
Details Matter
Kevin, raised in Hayesville, NC has more than 15 years of construction and remodeling experience. With an incredibly strong work ethic and unique attention to detail, Kevin will have his hands on every home built by Discovery House. When you see Kevin, you are likely to see Dozer, his beloved dog and best friend who goes with him everywhere. In his free time, Kevin enjoys fishing and kayaking the Hiawassee River with friends and family.
Camryn Brown
Lead Designer
Camryn Brown
Design Matters
A bright, energetic, reliable Georgia girl! Camryn’s love of God and heart for serving others are the driving forces behind her passion for Interior Design. Camryn began her career in real estate at an early age. She has extensive knowledge regarding numerous different aspects of real estate, commercial/residential building, design, and property management.
Camryn worked as a successful realtor for 2 years in South GA prior to moving up to the beautiful North GA mountains! She has always built her businesses on the platform of honesty and integrity. As a natural in design, Camryn loves guiding clients through the process of designing their dream home!
Lisa Wolfkill
Accounting Coordinator
Lisa Wolfkill
Budgets Matter
Lisa was raised in Central Florida and has a background in purchasing as well as administrative experience. She worked as a Senior Buyer for the City of Leesburg, Florida, and performed highly detailed and professional work in the preparation and management of formal solicitations for everything from vehicle purchases to large construction projects.
Lisa and her husband enjoy traveling and seeing new places. In 2020, they decided to sell their house in Florida and travel the US in their travel trailer. They came back to Georgia to settle down and to be closer to family and friends. When Lisa is not working, you can find her with her husband hiking, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors.
Stephen Ralston
Exterior Operations Manager
Stephen Ralston
Exterior Operations Manager
Stephen brings over a decade of hands-on experience in building custom homes, where his attention to detail and commitment to quality craftsmanship have set him apart. In addition, he co-owned a custom cabinet and furniture shop, further honing his skills in precision and design. Known for his exceptional work ethic and dedication to excellence, Stephen ensures that every project is completed to the highest standards.
Beyond his professional life, Stephen has been happily married to his beautiful wife, Ashley, for 7 years, and together, they have a daughter. A devoted follower of Christ, Stephen is actively involved in his local church, where he continues to serve his community with the same passion and dedication he brings to his work.
Bo Hill
Construction Technician
Bo Hill
Construction Technician
Brendan, who prefers to be called Bo, was born and raised in Hayesville, NC has 2 boys and 1 daughter. With more than 20 years of experience that includes everything from new construction to remodeling, he has accumulated a wealth of construction valuable knowledge.
When not working, Bo can be found coaching youth football, at a wrestling match with his boys or out hunting and fishing.