MY FAVORITE HOBBIES
Surfing, cycling, swimming, playing saxophone, and tinkering in my home studio.
MY FAVORITE BUILDING
The Magney House, designed by Architect Glenn Murcutt
WHY I LOVE WHAT I DO
I get to imagine the whole construction process ahead of time, building the entire building in my head before ground is even broken, and I am also pretty good with numbers.
MY CLIFFNOTE BIO
Evan Wagner is a Capitola-based preconstruction expert, estimator, and project manager with more than 25 years of experience in high-end residential and sustainable building. After a long career in New York City, Evan recently relocated to the Central Coast and now works with Fuse, supporting custom residential projects with rigorous preconstruction development, clear documentation, and disciplined cost control.
Educated in Architecture at UC Berkeley and Real Estate Development at Columbia University, Evan brings a rare combination of design literacy, financial modeling, and hands-on building experience. He has managed and estimated a wide range of residential projects, from full gut renovations of historic townhouses to new, sustainable multifamily and custom homes. His work has been featured in Architectural Digest and Veranda.
At Fuse, Evan focuses on the critical front end of projects—developing scopes of work, quantity take-offs, trade bid packages, and realistic budgets that allow design ambitions to be executed without unpleasant surprises. His background as both a builder and an owner’s representative gives him a practical, detail-driven approach to aligning architects, trades, and clients around a shared understanding of scope, cost, and quality.
Evan is a Certified Professional Estimator (ASPE) and Passive House Tradesperson. He is known for building efficient, transparent systems and for fostering collaborative project teams that keep projects moving smoothly from design through construction.