Unlike Tresor’s recently sold modern home, the Pearl Street renovation will lean heavily on tradition. Fischbeck says he hopes the facelift will give the house another 100 or 200 years of life while doing little damage to the environment.

Fischbeck’s professional background is as unique as Tresor’s homes. He worked as a financial system analyst with a major accounting firm until 2007, when he seized on an opportunity to work with his nephew Jeff and older brother Ken who has been building high-quality homes for decades. Together they launched Tresor, which translates to treasure in French.

For Fischbeck, a married father of four, it was an exciting risk and opportunity. His vision for Tresor was to create niche homes, “building bigger, better properties to outdo each one in the process.”

Fischbeck surrounded himself with family: Jeff, a partner, is in charge of sales, his niece Brittney is a designer, his nephew Michael is the project manager, and Ken, a partner, oversees construction.

“I love working with family,” Fischbeck said. “We are all really committed, so we often forget we are family.”

Fischbeck and nephew Jeff often mixed business with pleasure by taking clients on fishing and surfing trips.

“Doing stuff with our clients that they would normally never do is really our way of having a good time and not feeling guilty about it,” he says. “Total synergy!” As for the future for Tresor, Fischbeck’s goal to continue to develop incredible properties, wherever they can be found. He found that building homes in Laguna Beach — known for its exacting development standards and involved citizenry — has been challenging, but improving as Tresor’s reputation for quality spread.

“There’s plenty of red tape to deal with along with grouchy neighbors,” Fischbeck said. “That changes daily, though.

“I did have a dream that we were building some contemporary LEED homes outside of Shanghai the other night. Maybe a premonition?” What a dreamer.

GREER WYLDER is the founder and president of greersoc.com, a free daily e-mail service that provides the latest in Orange County fashion, dining, music, events and trends. Her blog can be viewed www.greersoc.com and she can be contacted at greer@greersoc.com.