Team

Leading Abacus allows Chas to focus on the aspects of building he loves most: working with clients to fulfill their aspirations, collaborating with design partners, and balancing design with constructibility and budgetary realities. His proficiency in the art of building is enhanced by a deep understanding of architectural intent and engineering requirements: he is a master builder. Chas has the rare knack of being able to visualize a new project in its constructed form, and simultaneously to visualize it through the lens of the homeowner and the lives to be lived within.

After graduating from Claremont McKenna College, Chas joined the management team of a large construction company. He quickly worked his way up through the ranks to become VP in charge of estimating, project management, and contract negotiations. At Abacus, Chas revels in thinking outside the box. Possibilities are often opened up by his creative and at times nonlinear ideas.

Andrew is a third-generation builder who has worked in the construction business for over 25 years. With his perpetually sharp pencil, he excels at construction management. Andrew systematically analyzes projects from three perspectives. First, the conceptual: “What is the goal?“ Second, the logistical: “How are we going to build this?” And third, the critical: “What might derail us?”

A graduate of UC Berkeley, Andrew is an articulate advocate for design integrity, which he considers his job to ensure. His experience managing high-end residential projects dovetails perfectly with Abacus’ standards, as does his dry sense of humor. He enjoys the complexity of custom work and the challenge of harmoniously melding innumerable details.

Raman is a third-generation builder and Abacus’ standard-bearer for sustainable design and construction. As a project manager, Raman seamlessly combines over a decade of technical construction experience with his fluency in the newest energy efficient materials and practices. Raman is 110% solution-oriented, yet always manages to fit in a tad of humor and a tangent of philosophy. He is an avid listener and a clear, concise communicator with all project stakeholders.

Raman completed his Master’s degree at Stanford in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 2019. Prior to rejoining Abacus in 2022, Raman worked for three years on the project management team of a Bay Area general contractor with numerous landmark projects under their tool belt. Raman is currently converting his own fixer-upper to super-sustainability.

Tom is the consummate field supervisor—he's highly organized and knows his projects inside and out. He consistently balances precision and flexibility, anticipating and adapting. Tom believes in playing to everyone’s strong suit and encouraging them to raise their own game. He ensures that the Abacus crew, subcontractors, and other specialists all work in unison toward the common goal: delivering a top-quality project on time and within budget.

Tom and his siblings grew up intrigued by their father’s architectural plans, frequently spread out on the family’s dining table. Thus, it comes as no surprise that he became a builder. Tom deftly uses insights gained over decades of experience to navigate the intricacies of complex projects.

Laurie is an experienced office manager, wearing several administrative hats simultaneously. As our “control tower,” she is great at keeping everyone updated using all the tools at her disposal. Laurie is well organized and totally tenacious about research and resolution.

Laurie manages our A/P, A/R, and HR; by her own admission, she loves spreadsheets. Our accountant refers to Laurie as “the pivot point.” She ensures seamless project progress by scheduling appointments for permits and inspections, and by checking and double checking that subcontractors and suppliers will be delivering when we need them to. Laurie’s can-do attitude is in fact a “will-do” attitude.

The skills and attitude of our crew are central to our progress every day and to the ultimate success of every project. The average tenure of crew members exceeds ten years. This continuity streamlines our efficiency and also promotes an unusually close team dynamic.

A key demand on our crew is to execute one-of-a-kind details with both competence and confidence, to deliver distinctively beautiful results to our clients. We make sure everyone understands where his or her work fits into the sequence and how it impacts whatever comes next. Our crew works hard and smart, and their integrity is one of our great strengths.