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

Best contract project we've experienced--from initial contact through project completion, Daren responded very quickly to our inquiry and gave us excellent advice (color, shape, and material recommendations) for our new deck. We received two other estimates from contractors who did not give us anything close to the feeling of customer service we got in talking with Daren. Our deck was about $1500 more than the other two estimates, but the materials are much better and more attractive. Laura, the Operations Manager kept us apprised of developments and scheduling. Quinton and his crew did a marvelous job with install. They were quick and efficient. Our deck is simple, elegant (in an outdoorsy way ;), and gorgeous. I'm confident it will add value to our home when we are ready to sell. We are anxious for the weather to warm up so we can start grilling on the deck and spending more time out on it. We couldn't be happier with the whole experience. Thank you Core Outdoor Living!

From the first contact everyone at Core Outdoor Living was responsive, answered our questions, and did an overall marvelous job. Our project manager and the site manager were always available and quick to respond. What a great experience!

Our experience with Core Outdoor was excellent. They were highly responsive throughout. We ran into a few unexpected challenges during the work as the existing deck was removed and any issues were quickly resolved. I would recommend Core Outdoor to anyone with an upcoming deck project.

Core Outdoor Living was wonderful from the very first message. Their professionalism and active communications they provided throughout the whole project is what set them apart from the others. From the first meeting with Daren to do a site survey and design the layout of the deck. I provided him with the vision I was hoping to achieve with the completion of the deck. He listened and was able to design exactly what we were looking to install. In the proposal Daren was very thorough in explaining all the different options available (example: wood vs. composite). The project manager Sereina was helpful along the way in ensuring that Miss Utility was called, building permit requests were filed, HOA paperwork was filled out and sent to me for forwarding for approval. They addressed every requirement necessary to ensure that the HOA would approve my application. Laura was very helpful when Sereina was unavailable to answer questions or concerns. During the actual installation I couldn't ask for a better team leader, Quinton was very thorough in keeping us up-to-date on the progress of the construction and inspections. I can't say enough about the entire Core Outdoor Living team, their professionalism and communications throughout the entire project from the very beginning was spot on. They truly understand customer service. Thank you! Barbara Hanson

We had a really great experience with Core. We were very pleased with their responsiveness throughout the project from the start to the end. While they were not the cheapest provider, but they were the most professional and we felt the most confident with them. We had a few miscommunications during the project which led to a few initial mistakes, but those were immediately corrected. The crew showed up every day when they said they would. We were very pleased with the final product and everyone comments about how great the deck looks. We would have no qualms about using them again.

Best experience I?ve had working with a contractor/construction firm. From the initial design consultation, to the design changes I submitted, to the multiple submissions to the HOA and to the construction and quality of the new deck ....nothing but outstanding, simply put Core is the best !! The support team was outstanding, best communication and was always checking in with me to make sure all was going as planned. The construction team was outstanding. The quality of deck they built is beyond my expectations. I?ve had other neighbors comment on the beauty and quality of the new deck.

Core Outdoor Living was exceptional from Darren's first visit to our home. This job was delayed for months by Fairfax County permit issues, but once that got resolved, Core delivered a high-end screened in porch with composite flooring measuring 12x20 feet on budget and on time. They added a new staircase and 6x8 porch. Darren, Laura, and the rest of the Core team was exceptionally responsive every time I had a question or concern, the end product looked even better than hoped, and my neighbors are now all envious. I do think Core probably charges a bit more than we could have found elsewhere, hence the B grade for price, but I was prepared to pay extra for a contractor I could rely on. And it was worth it!

They started as soon as all the paperwork was done and completed, signed off on by the HOA and schedules allowed. We planned for mid sept and the schedule was pretty much right on track. I was amazed at how quick and efficient they were and had the hole dug and some framing up on the 1st day. They finish a job one at a time, and don't leave for a couple of days and then come back as some contractors do, and basically a 14 x 19 deck and 230 sq patio was done in about 4 days work. The materials used were high quality and better than some builders for more money. They do great work!

I would HIGHLY recommend Core Outdoor for any outdoor deck project you have no matter how complex it may be. Daren was extremely helpful in the design phase of the project and visited our site multiple times to help visualize the design. He provided excellent ideas and was very flexible to meet my needs. He also worked very well with the other contractor in integrating the deck work with the concrete paver patio. Laura provided excellent coordination and administration of the project to make sure that inspections were performed and permits were in place on time. She also helped coordinate electrical and plumbing work required as part of the overall project. Jeff Strite's team was superb. They were extremely professional, very prompt and thorough and highly effective and efficient. We were simply amazed that they were in and out in less than a week and the work was awesome. We could not be happier and the project turned out even better than expected. Thanks to Core Outdoor for the magnificent work. Please consider them if you have a outdoor project that you need done.

We had a new deck built on the back of our house by Core Outdoor. From the beginning to the end the company was extremely customer service oriented, professional, and easy to work with. They patiently worked with us through many design changes, and cost evaluations. All members of Core Outdoor went out of their way to make sure that all questions were answered, that we were aware of any and all options, and that we were completely satisifed. During the actual building process the professionalism continued. The work was started before anticipated, was done in a manner that took into consideration any inconvience to our neighbors, and when finished, was better than we expected. Part of our deck plan was to prepare for a screened porch in the future. We will definitely use Core Outdoor to do the porch in a couple years.

The project went extremely well. The work was outstanding. The workers were outstanding and they were extremely professional including cleaning up the work site on a daily basis. They completed the work in a timely manner in spite of several days of bad weather when they could not work. We really enjoy our deck now and it is much easier to maintain.

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.