Core Outdoor Living

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.

I contact Core Outdoor Living using their website, and they responded quickly to obtain more information about our project. After sending them photos of our site and a copy of our plat, I received several options with high-level estimates. The Core Outdoor Living team provided the information quickly, and included a great deal of detail (including reference photos). Ultimately, we ended up selecting another service provided based on cost, but I was very impressed with the professionalism and courtesy of the Core Outdoor Living team.

In short, they did a great job. We are completely happy with the finished product and have received many compliments on the patio, wall, walkway, etc. I spoke to three different companies (in person), received bids and designs from all of them, and haven't second guessed the decision to use Core once. I worked with Darren, Jeff, and Laura. They were all professional, responsive, and easy to work with. We changed the design a couple of times, and I'm sure I tested their patience once or twice, but they never showed it. Core's prices were right in line with competitors. Stop looking at and interviewing other firms and go with them. I spent a lot of time before committing because of the amount of money involved - the finished product is 100% worth it. I hope to never move and need a new patio, but if I do they'll get the work.

Core Outdoor Solutions worked very quickly and efficiently. I love the way the deck looks now and also that it is maintenance-free and the materials are environmentally friendly.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING CONTRACTOR, it will be hard for others to follow in their footsteps. I contacted 4 companies that service our county, and was impressed with Core Outdoor Living (COL) from the beginning. We worked with Daren (Co-owner) who took the time, e-mails and phone calls to help educate me on the intricacies and process of building the deck. Daren?s integrity and professionalism stood out from the beginning and carried out throughout the process. Daren made several visits to the house to walk the lot, and share his ideas. Daren by far had the most creative designs and thoughts, and as he described what he was envisioning he watched our reactions to help get a feel of our opinions before we ever spoke, which was amazing. Other companies produced designs for boxed decks with little imagination or creativity. Daren made us feel like he and the company were fully invested in our project from the beginning. COL continued the same enthusiasm and involvement after the contract was signed, which was something that I didn?t think the other contractors would have done. Daren suggested a different style of railing that would take advantage of our lot (wooded behind the house) by reducing the bulkiness of the railing. This was a major change in our neighborhood and I was skeptical if it would get through a very meticulous HOA process. Daren went to great lengths preparing multiple packages for the HOA submission, and accompanying us to the HOA director?s office to advocate for the new railing (powder-coated iron). We got our railing approved and it was worth every amount of effort. Our project started on time, and Jeff (co-owner) was the foreman. Jeff was very engaging and offered several additional suggestions about how to improve our deck and patio. Throughout the project Jeff and the rest of COL kept me informed on the progress of the project, requirements (very little) that they needed out of me, and completion timeline. Each member of Jeff?s crew were extremely professional and took pride in their work, and were invested as if it were their home. Bob, the masonry lead, was also truly amazing and did a fantastic job and probably took too much time perfecting his work from a business perspective, but it was much appreciated from the homeowner?s perspective. One problem came up during the project. I bring this up not as a negative but an example of the integrity that COL possesses as a strength. There were several change orders that happened during the construction process. There was a discrepancy in the total number of changes at the end of the project. Because of the interaction between Jeff and myself, the formal process of changes wasn?t followed resulting in the discrepancy. This is where most companies would dig in their heels and try and get every penny out of the homeowner. Daren was nothing but a professional and we sat down and came up with a fair (for both sides) solution. The deck is incredible, but for their reaction to this problem alone I would recommend them. Our deck, patio, and sidewalk look marvelous and stand out. I don?t think any other company could have come close to the final product that Core Outdoor Living produced. This along with the professionalism and integrity will make them a hard act to follow. They should be your first and only call.

Professional, high quality work completed within a week, which was several days faster than expected. Kept the customer informed throughout the process, and made adjustments at the customer's request.

They were not selected to do the project. They only provided an estimate.

Extremely pleased with all aspects of the job. Everyone we dealt with was responsive and helpful. The job was done on time. Very good materials and quality of work.

If you want a contractor that does great work, is patient and helpful through the design process, communicates well and often, shows up when they say, finishes on time, has a great crew which is respectful, responsive, hard working and clean, then hire Core Outdoor Living. You will not be disappointed. We love our new space and the process was not only painless but I would even say it was pleasant.

Core is the most professional company we have ever dealt with with regard to remodeling. We previously had extensive work done on our kitchen, bedroom and basement by another company which was satisfactory but nothing like the wonderful experience with Core. From my first phone call I could sense that the owner and his staff love what they do and take pride in how they do it. As with all projects, there were a few bumps along the way (whoops...our original deck had no permit...) but all issues were handled fairly, efficiently, patiently and with a full explanation of the problem and options. The project manager checked in with us at least weekly, let us know of any weather or materials delay as did the project chief, Ben. Ben runs a GREAT crew of friendly craftsmen (not just workers) who truly created a thing of beauty in the form of our deck. The woodworking is superb! And as the final days of the project approached (ON TIME!) and we made up our punchlist of questions we were amazed to find that Ben had already anticipated each one so, in the end, we had no punchlist! Ben and crew left our yard immaculate not only at the end of the project but at the end of each day. I would recommend Core to anyone who wants to be treated as a valued customer and enjoys working with people who truly care about what they do, how they do it and your project. And everyone from the receptionist to the owner are really nice people to boot! The whole experience was, dare I say it. fun and when is the last time you heard someone use the word "fun" in connection with a home renovation project? We are customers for life.

I was referred to Core Outdoor from of our HOA list of contractors. I reviewed their info on Angie's List and decided to contact them for an estimate. We had received other estimates. Although the other estimates were a bit lower, we were more impressed with the Core Staff. They were willing to research issues regarding our setback lines and survey issues to ensure there were no problems with the proposed design. They pulled all permits and assisted with our HOA application. They were not pushy about getting us to sign a contract, which was my concern with one of the contractors. They kept us informed throughtout the process and were patient as we dealt with getting our application through our HOA and getting the right scale copy of our plat survey. They coordinated all Miss Utility and other adminstrative matters. They kept us informed of the progress and notified me on days that the weather was bad and they were unable to work. Despite the cold weather and snow, they stayed on target. They coordinated electrical work that was needed for outside lighting. They made the entire process very easy for us. I would refer them to any of my neighbors and would hire again for work in the future. The entire staff - Daren, Laura and Aaron were outstanding. I consider myself a critical consumer and they passed all tests with the highest grades! So if you need an outdoor living space added or redone, Core Outdoor is the way to go!!!!

Core was straightforward and easy to work with from the beginning. Even before I signed a contract, they offered to reseach the septic system layout at the health department. In their experience, this could have been a major problem if not dealt with early in the process.THey only charged me a couple of hundred dollars for their time to do this. I am an architect, so I had done some layouts of my own and shared these with Core. I worked closely with Daren and his head carpenter, Jeff Strite to get the design refined to eaxactly what I wanted. THey were very careful to explain that ipe wood is NOT low maintainence, as many believe. I had almost setted on composite, but I went with ipe in the end, as I felt it would add more value to my home and look better. THe permitting process went smoothly because they had done thier homework. In the end , we did not have to stay 10' away from the septic line coming out of the house, thus allowing less expensive framing. Demolition of the old deck was done in a single day, and all old material hauled off. THey hand dug foundations ( some 5'- 6' deep!) and built an incredibly robust structure. New codes require that the deck is not structurally attached to the house if it is a certain height or size, so it is free-standing, with just a ledger board to anchor the decking against the house. THe old deck was achored ONLY to my brick veneer and nOT to the house structure as it should have been. It also had only 3 actually footings, and was partially resting on my septic tank. Jeff and his foreman were very good, making sure I was informed of all decisions and any issues that affected the design. The end product is fantastic- THe ipe is all continous lengths , with no butt joints. They screw the deck down, countersink the holes, and plug them. It looks like fine furniture. THe powder coated "Fortress" iron rails look great and make the deck look much more open than wood rails. The steps all have small LED lights with are requiredby code now, and look great. THe only issues that came up were relocating my AC unit, which was on my old deck. It could have coordinated a bit better, but in the end we got it done quickly enough to not hold up the work. Also, Ipe produces lots of fine dust when cut, so be prepared for a bit of a mess. They did some addtional work not in the original contract such as gravel under the deck, a/c platforn and a trash platform. all this was done with a very reasonalby addtional costs. Overall, I am very happy. The price of 50 k sounds high, but it was less that others and is fair considering the size (75 0 sf) and extensive use of ipe. I would easily recommend Core to anyone looking for a deck. MZ

Job was started on time and completed ahead of schedule. Workers were courteous an friendly. Teamwork was evident throughout the process. Stonework had to be refitted due to the new step design and was accomplished with extremely professional results. Completely satisfied with the end result.

My experience with Core Outdoor Living was a pleasure every step of the way. They were one of many companies I contacted to provide ideas and estimates for my patio and walkway needs and they clearly were the best choice from my initial meeting. Darren Langhorne performed the initial consult to me and came up with ideas that really resonated with my needs that the other contractors did not. He had a great vision for not only the aesthetics of the patio and walkway but also the functionality of the space. Darren asked good probing questions that helped me really get an idea of how i should use the space and this resulted in a design and product that I'm extremely happy with. Once I agreed to move forward with Core Outdoor Living, Darren and his staff kept me well informed about every aspect of the job. I was very pleased with their ability to begin work within two weeks of my decision to commit to them and felt comfortable that the timelines they established at the beginning of the job would be met.. Once construction began, Core's stone mason Bob proved to live up to Darren's description of him as an artisan,. Bob's craftsmanship exceeded my expectations and I was very pleased with his daily updates and consults with me to refine the finer details of the patio and the walkway. Throughout the project, I enjoyed seeing Darren and Bob's vision come to fruition. I strongly recommend Core Outdoor Living for anyone's outdoor needs. The construction of my patio and walkway felt like more of an experience that I had an active role in than a contracted job.

We got 3 quotes for our deck project and decided to go with Core Outdoor. We're so happy we did. Daren and his team were amazing. They helped us through some initial obstacles and always kept us informed along the way. The team building the deck were great; professional and talented. The deck looks beautiful and the finishing touches were an unexpected surprise.