Philosophy

Odyssey Builders, Inc. of Seattle is an award-winning residential contractor that builds and remodels superior custom homes. We provide the highest quality construction, professional and honest business practices and exceptional attention to detail on all projects, large and small.

Our success results from our high standard of ethics: We extend honesty, respect and integrity to every person involved in our projects, and instill quality and thoughtfulness in every detail of the finished product.

Odyssey Builders emphasizes personal attention and uses a team approach to ensure clear communication with clients, architects and designers. Each project is administered by President David Crocker, who offers more than 30 years of experience building innovative, challenging projects and managing all aspects of construction from the design phase through completion. Well-equipped, skilled craftsmen and dedicated office staff ensure a safe, efficient jobsite and exceptional service.

We take particular pleasure in bringing together the many elements of a unique and challenging project to create a unified whole. Our absolute commitment to fine craftsmanship and project excellence is demonstrated by a long list of satisfied clients and outstanding homes.

Business Practices

Odyssey Builders holds itself to a high performance standard for every project and each contact with clients, designers, architects and subcontractors.

We pledge

To be accessible & responsive
To research & apply cutting-edge building technology
To conduct weekly team meetings
To maintain organized, safe and secure job sites
To be financially accountable
To pay suppliers monthly & track lien notices
To promptly address warranty and repair issues

Commitment to Green Building

Odyssey Builders is committed to creating homes that are good for our clients, reduce environmental impact and have excellent, sustainable value. A carefully crafted home made of quality materials will last longer and provide more value over time, saving on maintenance costs and minimizing resource use. We continually improve our green building techniques and:

Collaborate with professionals and clients who believe in sustainable and
environmentally friendly shelter
Research, learn and implement environmentally responsible construction techniques
Recycle and reuse deconstruction & waste materials as much as possible
Protect site, install storm water controls, silt fencing, wash out areas and other environmental controls
Provide experience in wetlands and shoreline management
Recommend and promote the use of environmentally friendly products such as
engineered wood, fiber cement siding, certified and salvaged finish lumber
Develop, in collaboration with water and moisture infiltration specialists, the best methods for keeping water out and providing breathable exterior wall systems
Carefully manage insulation and sealing of house exceeding code requirements
Suggest and provide resources for low VOC finish materials
Design and install complicated alternative energy systems, including low voltage, solar and on-demand hot water and photovoltaic cells
Promote and install rainwater cisterns for use in landscape irrigation
Fuel our dump truck with 99% BioDiesel

How and Why to Involve Your Builder Early!

Odyssey Builders offers and recommends our Price Planning service, an "insurance policy" that gives clients the ability to make design and construction decisions based on comprehensive and accurate information. Clients who use Price Planning select a builder during a project's conceptual stages to act as a cost and building consultant to the client, architect and any other designers.

The builder provides cost information and value engineering as the plans are being drawn, as well as input on new construction products and feasibility and cost of various building methods. The architect can focus on design and confidently leave accurate cost and construction analysis to Odyssey, refining the design as necessary to stay within the client’s budget.

Price Planning eliminates the common problems of bids that are significantly over budget or that underestimate project scope and quality level. When clients use Price Planning, the final budget is a realistic projection of the unique set of costs associated with each quality project. Clients reach the end of the planning process with confidence that the project is financially feasible and can be built as designed.

Price Planning also allows the client to assess compatibility with Odyssey before construction begins. Odyssey believes that a relationship of trust and mutual respect between client and builder is essential to the successful completion of a project. Price Planning will either develop this important working relationship or reveal its shortcomings.

Odyssey charges an hourly rate for Pricing Planning services. If a client retains Odyssey to build the project, Odyssey provides the entire Price Planning service FREE OF CHARGE! The client pays the fee only if the client contracts with someone else or abandons the project.

Odyssey’s Price Planning:

Begins anytime from conception until completion of schematic plans
Optimizes our team approach
Provides accurate cost information
Assesses feasibility of construction methods
Ensures a realistic budget for desired quality level
Assures continuity from design to construction

To help you can make an intelligent and informed decision Odyssey will happily explain our Price Planning services in more detail—with no obligation.

Dave Crocker, Owner and President

David Crocker is the president of Odyssey Builders, Inc. A New Jersey native, he completed an undergraduate geology degree from Middlebury College in Vermont and continued that field of study at the graduate level at UCLA. He took a year-long break from academia to work with his hands in 1973. That year lengthened into three and then into seven, as Dave did high-end custom woodworking and developed building and management expertise.

During the first four of those seven years, Dave joined and managed Spector Design, Inc., a San Diego custom design/woodwork business specializing in commercial and residential interiors. In 1977 he formed his own construction company in San Diego County, taking on projects with difficult siting requirements and closely controlled budgets which required a high level of problem solving and the development of innovative building methods.

In 1981 Dave formed Odyssey Builders, Inc. in Seattle, which began as a one-person operation and now has more than 20 employees. Project managers are Matt Cantrell, Doug Rees and Dick McDonald. Lead carpenters are Joe Anderton, Hugh Kimball, Bent Mangor, Brian Woods, Steve Damour, Rich Robinson and Mike Davison. With the exception of Business Manager Michele Cavanaugh and Bookkeeper Cheryl Redd-Cuthbert, every Odyssey employee is a carpenter.

A number of employees are also skilled artisans who, outside of their work with Odyssey, pursue specialized avocations including boat building, furniture building, mandolin & guitar making and ceramic art.