Anh Nguyen: A Balanced Perspective
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
PORTOLA VALLEY — With a combination of architectural training and hands-on experience, Anh Nguyen brings a balanced perspective to the residential remodeling industry. “My background is in architecture and design,” he explains. “I did design and planning for the City of San Jose, and from there I took a job with the federal government managing large projects like building courthouses and federal buildings. After a while, I missed being out in the field and getting my hands dirty, so I decided to switch gears and get into residential remodeling. I started my company very small and handled most of the work myself, and over time we’ve expanded into a larger firm.”
Today, as owner of A Plus Builders LLC, Anh says his favorite part of his job is helping clients get what they want at a price they can afford. “Often, I’ll get customers whose visions are a bit far-fetched from a budget standpoint, so I enjoy helping them get as close to those visions as possible. To achieve this, I work closely with them at the design phase and help them select products and design features. At the end of the day, it’s very satisfying to deliver something they’re happy with at a price they can afford.”
A resident of Menlo Park (where he lives with his wife and three daughters), Anh spends his time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “I’m currently in the process of building two houses for my family, including a vacation home in Mariposa,” he details. “I’ve been developing that property for a while and we’re already starting to enjoy it, but there are still a lot of finishing touches I need to do.” Anh is also passionate about martial arts—he’s been practicing judo and jiu-jitsu for many years, and he recently got his daughters involved as well.
When asked what sets his company apart from the competition, Anh references his well-rounded expertise. “I have an uncommon combination of technical knowledge and on-the-job experience,” he says. “A lot of contractors have plenty of experience working in the field but lack proficiency in architectural design. Likewise, a lot of architects are great at drawing plans, but they lack an understanding of what it takes to actually build something. Having a master’s degree in architecture and many years of hands-on building experience enables me to envision projects and execute them in a practical way.”
When asked what he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Anh says he would continue to be involved in his company but in a different capacity. “My dream is to have multiple properties in a variety of architectural styles and use them to showcase our work. Whenever we have a client who is considering a certain feature or an architectural style for their home, they could stay at one of the properties as a ‘test-drive’ to try it before deciding to build it for themselves.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Savoury’s in Mariposa.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Belize.
Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Coffee.
Q: What’s your favorite TV show?
A: My all-time favorite show is “Frasier,” followed by “The West Wing.”
Q: If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future?
A: The future.
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