Core Outdoor Living

Core Outdoor Living built a beautiful deck for us six years ago. Recently, two of the steps deteriorated because of water damage. At no charge to us, Core Outdoor came to the house and fixed the problem. They responded quickly. The job was expertly done. We highly recommend this company for both the quality of their work and their outstanding customer service.

First class company from top to bottom, start to finish. We were referred to Core Outdoor for a large porch project. We knew the size of the porch that we wanted, but that was about it. Core helped us with every other detail along the way and we ended up getting a nicer porch than we could have imagined. It took a couple of months to get us in their schedule. Once the crew started working - lead by Ben - they didn't stop until it was complete (~2 weeks). The finishing on this porch is perfectly thought out on their part - these guys really focused on the details and it shows in the final product. There were some odd angles to work around (including a chimney, bump-out, etc.) and their final design makes it all seamless. Whenever we had a question, the office staff was super quick to answer. The couple of minor concerns we raised were addressed immediately. We were looking for a company to take this job and run with it - allowing us to stay out of the way and leave it to the pros. Core totally accomplished that for us. This was the largest project we've done, but Core made it the least stressful project, too. Ben and his crew knocked it out of the park.

It went very smoothly from start to finish. Core Outdoor has a very professional team and was very good at guiding us through key decisions, maintaining flexibility, and helping us to achieve an outstanding end product! Daren and Jeff provided good up front guidance, Kim in the office was very courteous and responsive, and our on-site team lead by Ben was excellent and showed a high degree of pride in their work. They are very detail-oriented and deliver what they promise!

Darren and his team designed and built a fabulous two-level deck for us last year. The entire team and office was extremely professional and saw to it that no details were overlooked. They battled the county permits office for us to ensure our design was approved and they had great suggestions as the project moved along. We are so thrilled with the end product and would certainly recommend this company to anyone looking for a quality job!

Core Outdoor Living installed a 18x20 Equinox roofing system on our deck in May. We could not be happier with it. Their service, professionalism and attention to detail exceeded our expectations. It has literally added almost 400 square feet of additional "living" space to our home as we use our deck all the time now. In fact, we just threw a large July 4th get together and had everyone on the deck. When it started raining later in the afternoon, not a problem! We just closed the louvres! And the ability to put a ceiling fan up has driven practically all mosquitos away while keeping everyone nice and cool! It's the perfect solution! Thank you Daren, Debbie, Laura, and Quinton at Core Outdoor Living! Sincerely, Peter and Jeanne

Their estimate covered all the relevant details, and was itemized to reflect the different sub-projects within the larger exterior renovations project. Again, Daren & Laura were prompt in getting back to me and ultimately in providing me with a rough estimate. A 5-star experience thus far.

We began our contact with COL in October of 2014. We asked 3-4 companies for their estimates. COL seemed to us to be the best deal for what they offered to do. Here are the details of our project: They demolished our existing wood deck, which was about 300 square feet, elevated, with a staircase of about 14 steps. They built a new deck, approximately the same size. Composite material About 2/3 of the new deck was screened in, with a high quality screen door, strong screen material, a ceiling fan, and electrical wiring throughout. The uncovered sections had accent lighting in the posts, and in the stairs. Ben was the project leader on site. His communication with us was very good, and he was very clear about the ongoing status, and keeping us informed about next steps. When we received the initial estimate, COL came out to meet with us, and they made some very good recommendations on design, which helped with both the visual aesthetics as well as helping to keep the price down. There were other companies that were slightly cheaper, but COL really seemed to be the most qualified and professional. Screened in decks are just really expensive - no getting around that. They finished the job just before New Years Eve, 2014. Total time on site was about 4 weeks. They seemed to make good progress every day that weather permitted. The permit and HOA process went very smoothly with COL's help. The final product looks really amazing. Overall, I would strongly recommend COL to any neighbor looking to get a really nice deck built.

Daren, Jeff, Laura & Bob were all fantastic from start to finish. We bid the job out to three people and after my first conversation with Daren I wanted to hire them. He called was available at all time, and talked through the project, wanted to see picture of my back yard and wanted to make sure they could really take on the project before committing to something they might not be able to do. Jeff came out and looked things over and figured out a great plan. They came to me with a proposal with different options (deck or patio) and got started almost immediately. Every night when I came home things were completely cleaned up and they worked so quickly it was amazing! I had trouble deciding on my sitting wall and they gave me suggestions of shops to go look in person, then when I was still struggling, they looked through other jobs and found exactly what I was describing. I LOVE what Bob did, it's so great. The patio is beautiful and their suggestion, they put in these large stone stairs that are perfect. Every time I had a question, I would email Laura and/or Daren and got responses same day! When I decided I also wanted to do a sport court, they recommended a cement guy and even took care of meeting with him when I was at work to get a bid on the project. Their recommendation was great and we love what was done with out sport court. Jeff talked through ideas about walls, and the proper drainage and really took over the major part of planning for the sport court at no cost to me, which was such a huge help. After the patio was done, I had realized I had forgotten to order lights when they were going to install for free. Once I mentioned it, they said to just let them know when they were in and they would be back...and they did, just a day or two after my lights arrived. Everything has turned out so great, we love it and have never had a better experience than working with the entire CORE team!

Daren and his team worked very closely with us through all parts of the project. We had a blank slate and Daren was very thoughtful (and honest) in talking about a possible design. Although we did get several estimates, from the first time we met Daren to discuss our project we knew we liked him the best. Before we even signed an agreement, he answered multiple questions (sorry Daren for all the emails/calls!) and came back multiple times to discuss the design. At one point, we even considered completely changing the side of the house where the patio would be built! Not only did Daren listen to our thoughts about this consideration, he walked through pros/cons of how to design the entire project. On top of all this, we wanted to have the project done by a specific date for an event we were planning at our home. Daren and the team at Core understood this and worked with us throughout the project to make sure they met our target date. We learned this level of effort wasn?t just to earn our business as the level of communication and willingness to discuss existed throughout the duration of the project. From day 1, the crew was very courteous and professional and let me just say Bob is a magician with stonework! They alerted me daily as to when they would be at the house and if an emergency came up, Gretchen or Laura would contact me immediately to let me know. The job was started early and finished a before our target date. I really can?t say enough great things Core, except for THANK YOU!!! We have an amazing outdoor space that we could have never imagined!

Everything went well from the interview, planning, material selection, time selection and all during the construction process; including the final inspection. The material was selected due to preference to have the project have a long use life (approximately 20-25 yrs). We had received several bids on different material and Core come in with the best Sq.Ft. costs, even beating out a wood decking only proposal. You need to decide in advance as to what you want in a project of this cost. Preplaning and material selection is critical to your satisfaction. If anyone has a problem with this firm, it has to be the individual owners problem. I have built additions, and patios at my other properties over the years, and I can say this with confidence--that this project has been the most enjoyable of all of them..

Amazing! They provided great recommendations for some unique deck situations. They were very responsive and completed our project within a tight timeline. The workmanship is top notch. Very professional staff. Would definitely use them again.

I can?t say enough about how pleased we are with our new deck and with Core Outdoor Living as our contractor. Core is a top-notch contractor and totally professional in all regards. From the planning/design/contract phase through project/operations management to demolition of our old deck to construction of our replacement deck, Core?s personnel at all levels performed exceptionally well, keeping us informed at each step of the way and they completed the project in a timely manner. At the outset, Daren provided several design ideas that we happily incorporated, as we would never have thought of them on our own. He prepared a detailed proposal that included precise descriptions of all materials that would be used so there would be no confusion about the intended construction design, materials & finishes. Laura (Operations Manager) provided helpful answers to all of our questions, emailed us an abundant amount of supplemental information and kept us apprised regarding progress and scheduling matters on a daily basis. Aaron Core?s on-site Project Manager and his crew (Justin and Andrew) were dedicated, highly skilled professionals. They were incredibly meticulous and did a wonderful job in building our new deck. Needless to say, we are delighted with Core Outdoor Living and we highly recommend them to anyone who is planning to build a new deck or undertake any other outdoor project. A final thought, I started our search for a deck contractor by requesting top level hypothetical quotes from two companies I found on Angie?s List. I gave them a general description of the project and dimensions of the deck I would be replacing. While pricing from the companies was close, I was very impressed with the thoroughness and level of detail provided by Core. So I decided to go with Core as they seemed to be the more serious, professional firm. I clearly made the right decision.

Daren and his team worked very closely with us through all phases of the project. We got several estimates. Core wasn't the highest or the lowest, but Daren was willing to work with us in phases so that we could get our open deck in place near term and plan for the screened in porch. Also, because Core's deep relationship with TimberTech, we were able to get new flooring that they just released. It is beautiful! The crew was very courteous and professional. They alerted me daily as to when they would be at the house and if an emergency came up, Laura, the project manager, called me immediately to let me know. The job was started early and finished a bit earlier than expected. I look forward to working with Core on the next phase of our project!

We are a repeat customer with Core Outdoor Living. Both engagements were superb. The office staff is easy to deal with--I feel as if I'm friends with their office manager, even though we've only communicated by e-mail. We asked them to do two jobs last year, but then chose to contract for one. That went so well that we decided to do the second one this year. They agreed to complete the work at last year's price, even 12 months later. Then, when issues arose over whether we needed a permit, the offered VERY attractive terms to do do more than we originally agreed. When an unanticipated issue came up, they absorbed the cost. We needed to delay the work (a pair of cardinals decided to nest on the old deck at a most inconvenient time). Core Outdoor agreed to a no-cost delay less than 72-hours before the scheduled start, then fit us back into their schedule at a time convenient to us. Their on-site crew is polite, professional, and very hard working. We were amazed at their quality and speed. These people care about their product. I make furniture as a hobby, so recognize quality craftsmanship. Our deck was built like a fine cabinet. Communication throughout the project was near-instantaneous. Cleanup was spotless, including vacuuming sawdust off our yard. I will use Core Outdoor again. I strongly recommend them to others. You get what you pay for, and they are a best value provider.

Core was extremely communicative and responsive the entire time. We were assigned a project manager who went over all the pre-job details, got information for the permits, explained the payment terms, and kept us up to date on our schedule. She went over stone options and other material choices in plenty of time for them to be delivered before the job started. On job day one, the foreman was available to us for any questions, and work commenced at unbelievable speed. At the end of each day, the crew cleaned up the work areas diligently. I was excited to come home every night just to see what they had done that day. Our house is built on an incline. The screened porch is reached via the kitchen or outside stairs, and it's about seven feet above the ground. The original porch floor was wooden board that was shrinking and rotting. Core replaced that with Azek after re-leveling and reinforcing the floor joists. They also wrapped the existing roof posts in a permanent white vinyl that won't need maintenance. At our request, they did not replace the roof because we had reshingled it in recent years. The "side deck" off the porch was a small metal stairway that was rusty. Core demolished that and replaced it with Azek decking and a lighted stairway. The decking was broadened about a foot and extended to the end of the house. Core also added gravel underneath for outdoor storage of bikes and other items. The old brick patio was crumbling around the edges. Core removed that and a sandbox in order to expand the patio. They laid down a gravel bed for drainage and then laid the stone in an attractive random way. Then they build a sitting wall that really helps define the patio boundary. Because of the expanded patio area, some gutter drainage had to be routed differently, which they handled well. The spiral stair was more of a challenge, because the stair company we were going to use fell on hard times and couldn't help us. Core did additional research and found a reliable company that made a beautiful stair for us. Core installed it as soon as it came in. Despite the inclement weather in the early part of 2014, the project was still done on time. The end result is beautiful and contemporary. We enjoy using the new spaces, and they also look great from inside the house. If I had to do it all over again, I would do the same work with the same company. These are truly an impressive set of people.

The workmanship was terrific. They worked on it through the challenging winter months and got it all done in surprisingly good time, given how brutal the winter was. The finished product is beautiful and they were also very responsive to any concerns we raised.

Core Outdoor Living did a great job. From the first time we met Daren to discuss the project, we knew we liked them best. (Looked at 3 other contractors too). While other providers we met with seemed like they would do a good job structurally, Core Outdoor stood out with their combination of structure and design. There was a large focus on the aesthetics which we appreciated. The project took about 6 weeks through two major snow storms and a couple of smaller other ones. Ben led the team doing the actual work and they were great. Everything was kept as neat as possible, they were non disruptive to the neighbors and overall very professional. The team back at the office always kept me up to date and were very courteous. Great experience from beginning to end and we would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a screened porch or deck.

I had purchased my home about 18 months ago. It came with an existing deck. The county of Fairfax notified me that my deck was not up to code and had never been permitted. After contacting several other contractors, Core Outdoor was the only one that was able/willing to assess my problem, work with Fairfax County and come up with a creative solution that met Fairfax County code (without reconfiguring the back of my house). The management and employees of Core Outdoor were always friendly, professional and accomodating. A+ for customer service. And the quality of the work, to my eyes, is superb. My only disappointment is that Core Outdoor does not do work other than decks b/c I would love to work with them again. I highly recommend them to anyone needing deck work done.

Sometimes you just get lucky. Daren, Jeff, Gretchen, Laura and the entire team at Core Outdoor Living set the standard for customer service. They were generous with their time and expertise, and communication was timely, clear and complete. The deck replacement was fairly routine and proceeded quickly after initial weather delays. The roof was more challenging. Core Outdoor worked closely with the Equinox engineers to design the roof to meet my design requirements and then with Fairfax County who had never seen anything like this roof to get the permits. There were glitches along the way and Core Outdoor kept me apprised of progress and how they were dealing with both Equinox the county engineers. They flew an Equinox engineer in for the installation and then worked long, odd hours to ensure the deck was ready for a surprise party. We love our deck and roof and would hire and recommend Core Outdoor without hesitation.

The Core Outdoor crew were great. They were patient and helped us figure out what we wanted and would work best in our space and budget. The work teams were prompt, courteous and hardworking. They finished up very quickly and the craftsmanship were first rate. One facing board cracked after they installed it and they came and replaced it without issue.

Core Outdoor is a phenomenal company and exceeded our expectations in every way possible. Their customer service is fantastic. They responded immediately by email or phone call to my every question or request. They had a whole team of people working on our project and were amazing with their follow-through and attention to detail. Their level of creativity is superb. They came up with unique solutions to problems for us that no other company had been able to do. Their commitment to professionalism is outstanding. They showed up exactly when scheduled, thought of every detail possible and made abundantly sure that we were 100 percent satisfied with everything about our project, sometimes adding things out of their own pocket because they felt it was necessary. I have never worked with a more enthusiastic, energetic and fantastic group of people. We absolutely LOVE our new porch and patio and have referred Core to several friends already.

I left a message asking that someone call me back to arrange for an estimate for repairing our deck. I received a call back the next day and by followup e-mail the same day the woman that I spoke to said that someone would be by within the next two days to look at the deck. However, no one ever came by and then the following week I received a phone message from a gentleman saying he was calling to arrange a time to come by to conduct the estimate. By that time we had already decided to go with another company.

Our backyard had been getting pretty shabby looking as the pressure-treated deck and retaining walls were starting to rot and the pool and landscaping was in dire need of renovation. We decided a full backyard renovation was needed and embarked on what turned out to be an 18-month project counting all the planning and design work. We?ve done big renovation projects in other homes so I decided to save money by being my own designer and general contractor ? that way I could bring in the best talent I could find from Angie?s list for specific parts of the project. Core Outdoor was one of 3 firms we talked with about replacing the deck and building a pavilion as part of our multifaceted project. We had a total of 9 different contractors involved in various aspects of the project over 7 months of actual destruction/construction time. Daren spent a lot of time with us over several months preceding construction and provided great information that helped us with design elements and material selections. Once we started work, Jeff and his crew were out here for 3 chunks of time. The first was early on in February to tear down the old deck to make way for the excavation/concrete/stone contractor to dig out a large area for the new patio and build encircling retaining walls. The second was in June to build the new deck and the third was several weeks after that to build the pavilion once the patio pavers were all laid. I?ve worked with a lot of contractors over the years and Core was the absolute number 1 best communicator. All of our discussions were professional and constructive as we worked through various decision points, site issues and the myriad of questions that arise along the way. Even though they were only onsite maybe 3-4 weeks total I felt like Daren, Jeff and I were partners in making the vision real. What we got was top-quality construction, thoughtful and appealing material choices and in the end new outdoor living spaces that have proven to be relaxing, comfortable, and very pleasing. I?d recommend Core highly ? they?re not the cheapest guys in town but the time, energy and thoughtfulness they add to an already quality product makes them worth it.

We had been considering replacing our decks for some time and began the search for a good contractor on Angie's List. We recieved estimates from a number of contractors and decsided to work with Core. We met with Daren when he visited to prepare the estimate and had a number of subsequent telephone conversations with him. Core's estimate included a number of options concerning materials that could be used on the new decks, from completly using pressure treated wood to conbinations of composite materials with steel railings. Daren included pictures of the various materials used by Core on previous contracts within the written estimate and also had pictures available on his IPad for us to consider. Those visuals were very helpful to us in making our decisions concerning materials. We were not aware that so many of the materials were available. Another concern was dealing with the necessary permits required by Fairfax County. We were not aware that drawings were needed for the process. Core also worked with county inspectors when they visited several times. In the end we used a composite material for the flooring of the deck, steel railings for the decks and stairs, composite for the top rail and pressure treated wood for all other supports (a "hybrid" deck). Every step of the demolition and construction process was very well done. The professionalism and skill of the on-site crew was excellent. The crew was lead by Aaron, who was very good at communicating with us through the process. They did discover a small amount of rot in a portion of our siding and made the necessary repairs. Although the construction took several weeks, every day they cleaned/vacuumed the work site. Finally, we have dogs that will bolt given the chance and the staff was extremely conscientious about ensuring gates were latched. The office staff was also a critical part of this process. When we started the project, I spoke with Laura in the Core Outdoor office. I specifically asked her to keep me informed, i.e. no surprises. Laura and her colleagues did not disappoint me. They were great at keeping me up to date on the project, especially in working with the county. Core Outdoor earned top ratings with us.

Daren and his entire team were fantastic from start to finish. They took care of every detail large or small and the deck turned out beautifully! The quality and workmanship is top notch and we are very happy that we decided to go with Core Outdoor. Would highly recommend them and plan on using them in the future if needed.