Outdoor Building Concepts

Doug Vickstrom did end up completing the project and stayed on budget. And I like my new shed/goat barn. But unfortunately his rudeness and lack of communication skills overshadowed the good. It was a stressful time. We agreed on a completion date before signing the contract. He even told me the project would only take 2 weeks to complete. But he drug his feet, only working a handful of days, and finally finished 2 months late! So the “On Time” part of his slogan is a lie.

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Canceled order - no space for addition

Since Doug Vickstrom built a wonderful barn for us I have used his services again and again.I really appreciate hi9s excellent work.

It was fine. The porch was not closed in. Two guys came out and it took them about a month to do the job off and on. In general, we were happy with them. I wasn't completely happy with some of the finishing touches. Caulking holes or touching up paint didn't really get done. We felt like they could have given more attention to detail on that. But it was alright. I asked them to return and finish them but they never did.I would use them again but I would micromanage them.

The provider came to my house a month after the date she initially agreed to. She said it would take about 1 month to do the work because of the Angie's List response. It has been over 1 year and I have not heard anything. I paid for the design and she has not contacted me. I have tried calling and emailing and have received nothing.

Doug and Sharon from Outdoor Building Concepts were very friendly and extremely professional. We talked with several different contractors but settled on OBC because they took the time to thoroughly discuss and plan out the deck we wanted. They were willing to design and price out several different plans, and worked with us to reach the final design that we loved. Pricing was very reasonable for what we wanted to have built. There were several delays during the construction, but these were mostly due to the weather and lumber supplier and were beyond OBC's control. Overall the quality of their work was great, communication was top notch, interactions were very professional, and the job was completed in a reasonable time frame. I would definitely recommend them.

It went really well, we like them a lot. They were punctual and professional and we will use them again.

The quality of the work is excellent. They cleaned up well, and left no trace of their presence. It took awhile to get on their schedule, but once there I was very pleased with the experience. I would use them again.

You couldn't possibly ask for friendlier, more courteous professionals. Always prompt and VERY active at listening to what clients are saying they want and need for their home improvement projects.

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great! came out and met with us, provided a draft and estimate within a week and even followed up later to make sure we were still interested.

An absolute pleasure to work with them. Very professional demeanor, knowledgeable assessment, excellent design recommendations. Contracted to complete the project.

Very good, easy to talk with people

I was happy with their level of communication and the ideas they proposed. They are great to work with and would not have a problem hiring them in the future. Their prices seemed fair. However, it seemed to me their design capabilities was geared more towards a more traditional or country style home. The example photos were of more traditional homes with basic deck designs rather than interesting designs with varying curves and design elements that I had expected for a classier home. The model they printed was from a basic computer program rather than an advanced CAD drawing. It was difficult to picture the completed project. For example, the computer drawing had the roof in an area architecturally impossible due to other windows and features of the home. Overall, I'd use them for basic work on a traditional home but avoid them for designs with higher-end homes where you're looking for truly unique and appealing designs.

The couple that came out were very friendly and took measurements and discussed what could be done with the property. A few weeks went by, and I hadn't heard anything, and honestly forgot about the service. Fast-forward to November; I asked for the plans and the estimate in an email in which I was understanding and friendly as I could be in an email. I received a cold email and voicemail back mentioning the plans were sent months ago. I checked all records, and saw that I had not received anything at all. Simple enough, the individual who ultimately sent me the estimate may have sent them before, but certainly not to my email address. Flubbing an email address is not unheard of, but being a bit more pleasant in the manner how you respond to potential customers goes a long way. Regardless, the estimate provided was detailed, and the 3D images were nice. The project would have been over 10k, which I cannot justify, and even if it was half that cost, I personally, would not be spending that kind of money for a front porch of a rental.

Excellent. I enjoyed meeting the Vickstroms and was impressed with their professional approach.

I contacted OBC over a week after I purchased The Big Deal and was told that they were extremely busy due to the add and that it would be three weeks before we could meet and that would be after they got back from vacation. This was not a problem for me as I just started a new job and was busy myself. Perhaps I forgot the time we agreed to meet weeks later but I expected to greet them at 6pm on a Friday but they came before noon that day without calling to confirm. Again, this may have been my fault. I called several times the next week to see what happened before I got a call back and was scolded for making them drive an hour out of the way for nothing. I apologized but Mrs Vickerson still seemed upset with me. This led me to offer to call the whole thing off when I was informed that the $ I paid went to Angies List not them. I hadn't even asked for my money back however. Mrs Vickerson then told me I could send her pictures of the area I wanted work done on and she would then send the drawing and estimate. I sent the info and was sent back an emailed file I wasn't able to open. We corrected this by phone and I opened a drawing which could have been done on an etch-a-sketch. It didn't even depict the same kind of house I live in or the type of roof style I had asked for. I decided to let the matter die.

The Big Deal purchased at $39, valued at approximately $700, was not in agreement with what I thought I was purchasing. I definitely think that their ad for the Big Deal needs to be revised because it's somewhat misleading. Ultimately, I felt like I paid $39 for what was equivalent of a free estimate that most contractors provide when bidding for a job. Therefore, I filed for a refund. Here's a explanation of how I based my rating decision for each category in regards to the deal (as required by Angie's List): The Price: N/A -- They quoted a price on the estimate to demo and rebuild our deck; however, I will not grade their estimate since we are not moving forward with their proposal. The Quality: N/A -- Once again, they did not do actual work for me, so this is not applicable for a grade Responsiveness: D -- In all fairness, I did tell Doug and Sharon that we were not in a rush in our initial consult on August 11. However, it seemed that we really had to do all the initiating of getting responses from them. We were finally provided an estimate on October 13. The length of the turnaround period for delivery of the Big Deal offer I felt was excessive. Punctuality: A -- We had two meetings at our house, and they were punctual for both meetings. Professionalism: B -- Sharon and Doug of Outdoor Building Concepts seem like very nice folks who have worked hard to earn their positive feedback from clients past, so I do not want to hurt their workmanship reputation based on my feedback for the Big Deal offer as I did not actually have any work done by them. Overall experience: C -- I am giving my experience with this Big Deal offer a C because the deal was misleading. The savings from and value of the deal, as I understand it now, is really comprehensive only if you hire them for the project. What is provided initially is really just an estimate for the job. I don't feel like I should have been charged $39 for simply receiving an estimate for work proposal. However, I filed for and received a full refund which resolves this matter satisfactorily.

Doug and Sharon have always been extremely quick to respond to our needs and work within our time frames. They are very flexible and are able to work within our budget while helping us keep the end "goal" in mind. We have 3 small boys and Doug has been great about making suggestions that prioritize safety for our family. The work has always been performed as promised and on time. We have been especially impressed with the woodwork that he has done. We have used this company several times and we plan to keep doing so as we continue to make improvements.

It was always a very happy experience with everything I have asked them to do. They started promptly and finished in great time and I get great joy going out to the barn every morning.

The contractor, did an outstanding job managing the project and expectations. Very professional.

Great. Doug and Sharon are great to work with. They are very responsive, detail oriented and helpful. We started with some kitchen renovation and kept returning to them for additional projects. I recommend them to others without any hesitation.

Doug and Sharon are a great team and were fun to work with. They had great ideas to add to ours. They were always prompt and professional and very hands on. They brought a refreshing atmosphere that is hard to find.