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James Trahan

Phoenix Custom Builder Takes Projects from Conception to Completion

3 MIN READ

Brought to you by Trex

March 12, 2013

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Bill Timmerman

Trahan and his staff from 180 Degrees provided design and constr… Read More Trahan and his staff from 180 Degrees provided design and construction services for this interior renovation project.

Bill Timmerman

Individual rooms in this open plan are differentiated through th… Read More Individual rooms in this open plan are differentiated through the use of varied ceiling heights and finishes.

Bill Timmerman

Natural materials like stone and wood add warmth to the sleek de… Read More Natural materials like stone and wood add warmth to the sleek design.

Bill Timmerman

Tight construction and clever orientation prevent this glass hou… Read More Tight construction and clever orientation prevent this glass house from suffering from heat gain.

Bill Timmerman

The house was desgined by architect Michael P. Johnson and built… Read More The house was desgined by architect Michael P. Johnson and built by 180 Degrees.

Bill Timmerman

Interior walls step back from the exterior envelope to leave the… Read More Interior walls step back from the exterior envelope to leave the expanse of glass unbroken through the length of the house.

Bill Timmerman

Light bars run along the top of the operable window walls so tha… Read More Light bars run along the top of the operable window walls so that the glazing doesn't become reflective at night.

Michael Baxter | Baxter Imaging

Another renovation where 180 Degrees acted only as the contracto… Read More Another renovation where 180 Degrees acted only as the contractor.

Michael Baxter | Baxter Imaging

The company fabricates a lot of custom products in-house, includ… Read More The company fabricates a lot of custom products in-house, including this sunshade.

Michael Baxter | Baxter Imaging

Trahan and crew also fabricated these floating cabinets, which k… Read More Trahan and crew also fabricated these floating cabinets, which keep the floor plan open and make the rooms look more spacious.

Jim Christy

Nearly solid walls face the street and the southwest elevation o… Read More Nearly solid walls face the street and the southwest elevation on this new house designed and built by 180 Degrees.

Jim Christy

While the back wall is practically all glass facing the private … Read More While the back wall is practically all glass facing the private pool courtyard.

James Trahan graduated with multiple honors from Louisiana State University and is a past recipient of the AIA Young Architects Award. The up-and-coming architect began his career at a small firm in Phoenix designing mostly light commercial projects. Trahan enjoyed the work, but was frustrated by frequent communication disconnects with contractors. Rather than complain about the problem, he decided to fix it by becoming a licensed contractor and starting his own design/build firm. “I actually took the residential licensing test by mistake,” Trahan admits, but he’s glad he did because it was a house that launched his fledgling firm into the stratosphere of Phoenix’s construction elite.

“I originally intended to only build projects we designed,” Trahan explains, “but we won a competition with a house we did and suddenly all of these prominent architects were asking us to build their designs.” As the firm’s client list grew, Trahan began hiring, but he sought out recent architecture graduates rather than experienced contractors. The strategy was to avoid communication issues by selecting people who could already interpret plans and be taught the rest. “I hired staff with architecture backgrounds,” Trahan says, “so they’d understand what I or another architect were talking about in our designs.”

Each new employee at 180 Degrees goes through intensive training. The program is similar to an apprenticeship, but covers all steps of producing a building from conception to completion. The staff member who designs a particular project follows it through construction, serving as architect, project manager, client liaison, site supervisor, craftsperson, and more. In addition to teaching each employee every job, this arrangement means that the person who knows the project best also is the one building it.

The training creates better builders because they understand the concepts behind the design. It also improves their architecture skills because they know how things go together. The approach creates a group of designer/builders who are capable of creating highly complex projects. The company incorporates extensive 3D modeling into their designs as well as projects where they act only as the general contractor.

“We do our own drawings even when we get construction drawings from architects,” Trahan says. “We basically go back and rebuild a project with three-dimensional drawings so we know exactly how it works and goes together.”

Trahan’s training philosophy generates perks for clients as well. Because the employees have all built something, they all know exactly what things cost from a custom detail to an entire house. The company is widely respected for its ability to complete a project on time and within budget. It helps with cost estimates that a lot of fabrication is done in house, which also yields higher quality and ability to handle complex designs. “We have about a 4,000-square-foot warehouse where we do custom design and fabrication of furniture, cast concrete, glass installation, and specialty finishes,” Trahan explains. He adds that many architects choose the firm because of its hands-on approach to training employees and building houses. “We understand the complexity of modern architecture and how the infrastructure must be flawless for the final finishes to be flawless.”

In 2008, Trahan’s company received the Arizona AIA Contractor of the Year Award—proof that although his career path has changed slightly since graduation, Trahan hasn’t stopped putting award-winning effort into his work.