Meet the Team.
Every Discovery Homes project is delivered by the same small, trusted team. We don't subcontract our core work out to strangers. The people you meet at the start are the people who build your home.
Ben Grady
Director & Licensed Building Practitioner
With close to 40 years of experience in the building trade and 30 years building across Blenheim and Marlborough, Ben is the driving force behind Discovery Homes. As a past president of Certified Builders Marlborough and a long-standing Registered Master Builder, his reputation is built on transparency, accountability, and a relentless focus on quality.
Unlike many directors, Ben is genuinely hands-on. He personally oversees every project, providing direct oversight, mentoring the team, and making sure every build is delivered to his standard. He's the kind of builder who will give you a straight answer, tell you what he thinks, and back it up with the work.
Outside the toolbelt
Ben is a true Marlborough local who loves everything the region has to offer. You'll find him in his Mancave making knives, fly fishing, surfcasting or fishing from his boat in the Sounds, when he is not on a building site. Which probably explains why he builds homes that work so well in this environment.
Luke Shanks
Lead Builder, Qualified
Luke is a highly experienced qualified builder who leads day-to-day operations on-site for Discovery Homes. With over a decade in the industry and seven years qualified, he brings technical precision and steady leadership to every project. Luke is the person who makes sure the job gets done right, every stage, every detail.
Outside the toolbelt
Originally from Auckland's North Shore, Luke moved to Marlborough for a better pace of life and hasn't looked back. He's a keen outdoorsman: deer hunting, pig hunting, and fishing in the Sounds are his preferred ways to wind down.
Jesse Eising
Apprentice Builder, Final Year
Jesse is a Marlborough local who has been with Ben since he was 16. After gaining experience in other sectors, he came back to Discovery Homes to finish his trade, because he knew this was where he'd learn to do it properly.
Outside the toolbelt
Jesse plays rugby for the Bojacks in Havelock and spends his spare time hunting with his pig dogs. Like the rest of the team, he's happiest when he's somewhere outdoors.
William Daniel
Apprentice Builder
William is in his second year of his apprenticeship and a proud graduate of the Marlborough Boys' College Gateway programme. He's exactly the kind of next-generation tradesperson Ben set out to mentor: keen, capable, and learning the right way from the start.
Outside the toolbelt
You'll find William at the speedway racing dirt track cars, or cooling off at the Wairau River in summer.
Doug
Chief Morale Officer
Doug joined the Discovery Homes team and immediately set about raising standards. He brings an infectious enthusiasm to every site visit, an unwavering commitment to being patted, and a level of morale that no human employee has yet matched.
Outside the toolbelt
Doug enjoys barking at the courier van, sleeping in sunny spots, and reviewing timber deliveries.
Investing in the next generation.
Discovery Homes is a proud supporter of the Marlborough Boys' College Gateway programme, giving young Marlborough people a genuine pathway into the building trade, learning the right way from day one.
Build with us
Ready to work with this team?
Talk to Ben directly. Every build starts with a straight conversation.