A & L Construction

Superb overall experience. Timely, efficient, high-quality work in both planning and construction phases. Highly recommended.

The planning and construction of this project was pure pleasure from start to finish. When co-owner Bill Lahait first arrived to assess the job for an estimate, I had no idea what I wanted or what was possible to build in the area available. Bill spent several hours with me assessing my likes and dislikes, discussing various options and taking measurements. A few weeks later, he emailed me 3 options drawn to scale with an estimate for each. (I had also contacted 2 other A-rated companies for estimates. Each spent about 15 minutes with me and presented me with a plan that I can only term 'a room in a box' - needless to say, I spent about 15 seconds rejecting them). Bill's plans clearly showed that he had listened to my needs and concerns and incorporated them into his designs. Earl, my construction manager, was a wonder to behold. A true artisan, his craftsmanship, work ethic and attention to detail are second to none. He arrived early each morning and worked straight through until dusk, cleaning up any mess before leaving for the day. He was always open to my questions no matter how trivial, and kept me apprised of the scheduling of the inspectors, roofers and electrician. I love my new porch and deck. They are both beautiful and inviting, and my neighbors are sorry that they didn't use A & L Construction to construct theirs.

The project went beautifully. Three men worked their hearts out for 4 days in blistering heat. The work was very neatly done - precise cuts of the wood and nail holes filled in. They were very tidy, cleaned up after the work. I couldn't be happier.

Too many details to list. Suffice it to say, whatever was required was done quickly, professionally, and the results nothing short of spectacular.

The representative was punctual, cordial, and responsive to my needs. However I did not think it was a good deal offer, as the sketch was not detailed, and left confusion as to what the finished product would look like . The cost seemed high, so I elected to interview 2 other contractors after A & L Construction. The project was done by someone not on Angie's List

Keith arrived on schedule and had the work done within about an hour. The deck and porch look great and were all set for a great outdoor season.

While tearing down the deck, severe water damage was discovered on the back of the house. I was contacted immediately to discuss a solution and the damage was repaired. The deck looks spectacular and I could not be more pleased with the professionalism, quality of workmanship, top-notch service and pricing. I highly recommend A&L and will not hesitate to contact them for future services.

From my initial phone call to Keith, he came to do an estimate, sent drawings and estimate, selected a builder and supporting services, and the job was completed in less than 3 weeks!

This company listened to what we wanted and drew up plans for what it would like. We also received a blue print ahead of time. They were on time everyday, finished on time and did great work. I was very happy and pleased wit their work. If I ever had questions they always answered them and we felt like their top priority. I will use them again.

We got a total of five estimates for screening in the deck. A&L was very professional and one of the best. They were the only ones to bring a portfolio of their work. Keith answered our questions and gave us a well documented proposal. We haven't screened in the deck because it cost more than I expected but I would have felt good about hiring A&L to do it. I have recommended A&L to others.

They did a rough drawing of what a screen porch could like for us. Everything went fine but we ended up not doing the project.

Excellent. Do call if you want to deal with delightful, reasonable, honest individuals who you can trust to be in your home without worry. Kristin

We contacted the company to request drawings and an estimate for a paver patio in our small backyard. It took weeks to get the drawings and estimate back, which was surprising since they were not terribly professional or competitive. The drawing was just that--a hand drawn sketch that I could have done myself. As for the quote, it was a good deal (~30%) higher than the contractor we eventually went with. The gentleman we worked with, Bill Lahait, was a very nice guy, but unfortunately, that fact was overshadowed by his slow response time and subpar quality of the drawings and quote. In this case, it was true that we got what we paid for. Fortunately, the other contractors we worked with provided free estimates with more detailed professional computer generated drawings. The benefit of the experience was to have another estimate, so I guess that was worth it.

He said that in a couple of days, he would email me an estimate on the work. That was 3 weeks ago. I haven't heard a call, seen an email, or heard anything from them about it since.

We are reviewing our quotes and will update when more information is available.

First, I joined Angie's list because I wanted to find true and genuine people with real life experience securing a carpentry construction company, and who were giving personal feedback about the service. The whole reason I joined Angies list was for this project! This is the first time that I used this kind of referral service. I admit to being worried/skeptical about doing this project. I put it off for as long as I could. I had hired contractors in the past and was extremely unhappy with them. I HATE working with contractors who say/think they can do anything. I wanted a company who specialized in this, and who was not afraid of decks on the second floor. This is the highest praise I can think of for a professional/contractor. A&L Construction has once again made me a true believer in that there are companies and people who are professional, fair and, most important of all, MASTERFUL at what they do. My deck was scary broken down. It was built poorly by the home builder. It lasted 22 years, but with some significant maintenance along the way. It had done damage to my home where the deck was joined. The whole job was shabby. I wouldn't even let people walk on it any more until I did something drastic. And for me, making a near $7,000 commitment was drastic! I was both leery of finding a qualified contractor and even more leery about shelling out this much money. I just didn't have the financial cushion for there to be any mistakes investing in this project. When it comes to large projects like this .. I coward out a lot! So believe me when I say that Keith did a spectacular job of making me feel confident in A&L's abilities to do this project. Keith was professional, reasonable and thorough in discussion options with me. While he did not "push" or try scare tactics (nothing puts me off more than that kind of "sell") he was great at telling me the pros and cons, best times to do things. He steered me away from some more costly options that I was considering, gave me suggestions of where to better invest. In the end, he gave me a good, fair (not cheap budget... FAIR) price for the work. And then the day came when Earl showed up to do the deck! Earl ... yes .. just ... Earl! I was OMG'ing every which way, envisioning huge lumber logs falling on top of Earl .. trying to IMAGINE how one guy was going to balance these 20' monsters across the whole back of my house ... not to mention move it all by himself! Let me tell you, Earl is a machine! I have never seen one person so masterful and disciplined in his work ethic doing this work. By the first afternoon I was no longer worried .. I was simply fascinated. Earl got that deck up beautifully. He even helped saw the little things and just took care of them. For example, he straightened out a light, fixed my deck door. He even decided that, even though the plans did not explicitly state to do it, I needed a step down from the deck door to the floor. What an amazing professional pride and consideration of my specific situation. My new deck is fantastic! It is incredibly strong and stable, beautifully detailed, the envy of my "hood". So, thank you A&L for your professionalism. I am so going to "deck out" my new deck, as I am planning on living on it for the next 7 months! N.B.: FIND YOUR PLAT if you are going to do a deck! It will make it all go much easier.

Bottom line: A&L Construction hit a home run with our new deck and screened porch. Keith (owner) is honest, straight forward and very responsive. Earl (builder/carpenter) is a true craftsman, extremely friendly, and has an unbelievable work ethic. We would not hesitate to recommend A&L to anyone looking to have a screened porch and/or deck built. Interviewing Process & Estimates: In the summer of 2011 we decided to replace our old deteriorating rear deck on our single family home with a new deck and screened porch. Over the next few months we interviewed 6-7 screened porch builders, including A&L Construction, based solely on Angie's List reports and member recommendations. During the initial interview, Keith listened to our requests and made suggestions based on our input. We ultimately decided to put the porch in a slightly different location that originally planned based on Keith's suggestions. A&L's price relative to the other estimates we received was in the middle of the pack. They were not the cheapest, and not the most expensive by a mile (one estimate we received was $15K+ more than all others). Keith sent a hardcopy estimate via US mail with photos of similar porches they had built in the past. One thing to note about A&L's estimate compared to others is that electrical was not included - something to keep in mind. The ultimate deciding factor for us was when we had some questions about the estimate. Instead of just shooting us an email with a reply, Keith came back to our home and brought Earl, the builder, with him to answer all of our questions. This went a long way to help us feel comfortable with A&L, the materials used, build quality/craftsmanship, and overall build process. Materials: We decided to go with Trex on our deck/rail caps and added a privacy screen with plant hanger on one side. The screened porch was wrapped in Azek (white PVC trim) on the outside with sculpted arches over each screen. Cedar posts were used for all vertical posts inside the porch. According to Keith, they twist less than pine. The porch floor is tongue-and-groove pine. We opted during construction to upgrade to the floor clips ("DeckMaster") that mount underneath the floor so you do not see any nail/screw holes, and we're glad we did. Porch/Deck Construction: Our build took place around Christmas and New Years Day. The entire build of our porch a deck took only about 20 days - from demo of the old deck to spray sealing of the new deck and porch (the last step). This time included a few days off for Christmas and new years and a few for bad weather. Earl Kessler, the builder/carpenter, built 90% of the deck and porch by himself. Earl was extremely friendly, very professional, and always open for questions. His work ethic was very impressive. He'd arrive in the early morning and work until dark without any breaks! Keith showed up a few times during the build to touch base with Earl and see how things were going. Towards the end of the build, Earl brought in a few roofers to assist with the shingles, gutters, and downspouts. We can't say enough about Earl - a very impressive craftsman who does top quality work.

They started on time and finished on time--end of story!

He sent pictures and drawings for a porch quickly. He was very easy to talk with and had great ideas but I decided to not proceed with the work as of yet.

Keith was very responsive to the call for an estimate. We met promptly, talked through the project thoroughly. He listened to what we wanted, offered a few suggestions regarding placement of the screened porch, and took lots of notes to help with estimate. The itemized estimate was received quickly, and provided everything we needed for HOA approval. The actual work was done by Earl--he is a great guy, personable, professional and meticulous. Keith checked in often and kept us well informed throughout the process. The porch and deck are beyond great--not only finished on time and on budget (and beautiful!), but with incredible attention to detail that will make this area one we will be proud to use and enjoy!

Keith was very responsive. He promptly visited with us and assessed our desired project. He made some initial recommendations that we had not thought of and then quickly provided a quote. We had received quotes from several of the larger/franchise companies that were much higher for what turned out to be a smaller deck/porch size. Keith and Earl were very straight forward about the cost and time line for the project. Despite working during an incredible hot spell in Northern Virginia, Earl completed the job on time. The quality of his work is incredible. His attention to detail and expert craftsmanship are second to none. I have worked with many contractors on various projects and I can honestly say that A&L is the best I have every seen. I will use them again in the future as the need/desire arises.

I the whole process went very smoothly. It began with my describing what I thought that I wanted done with my yard. The company representative was very receptive to my ideas, and he made a number of excellent suggestions. When we had come to an understanding he sent me some pictures of patios similar to what we had discussed; and he also sent me an estimate. Shortly after that I was sent a contract which I agreed to. Within a few days of signing the contract, the work began, and was completed without incidence. The workmanship was most timely and professional. The craftsmen were very knowledgeable and skilled. I was also asked for input during the construction process. To sum it up, I am extremely pleased with the design and the work that was done in my yard.

It never got off the ground because they never came out to do an estimate despite several calls from me.

He is the best contractor I’ve ever hired for anything. He was easy to work with, did quality work, and he did it quickly—one guy built the entire thing in 12 days. He is unbelievable. They also did the entire job before asking for any money. Earl also sent back wood that he didn't feel was of the high quality that he wanted to put down--including sending some boards back that didn't have the same grain as the other boards that were already in place. There were no hidden costs. I did have some upgrades that we put in along the way, but he was very up front about the additional expenses. He is extremely honest and hard working.

They are very good experienced and professional people. I might consider using them in the future, when I plan to do the work. They were punctual and responsive.