Avec Construction Inc

Great! Alex was very responsive as the program manager and Franco and Marcus were very professional in all their carpentry work!

Great experience with AVEC. Very responsive and took their time to explain everything for my home makeover. Got the job done exactly as I had requested and very timely.

We are a property manager in Washington DC and have engaged AVEC Construction for multiple projects revolving around masonry repair work. This particular project they repaired brick masonry where a home had a leak getting in from the exterior. They also repaired the patio, it looks great. This was done quickly (~2 days of work) and they showed up on time and ready to work! We will be using AVEC Construction again.

I contacted Avec for an inspection of my current deck. They showed me pictures and videos of problem areas and I decided the best course of action was to fully replace the deck. They provided multiple options and when I asked for a recommendation, they recommended an option that best fit my needs and wasn’t the most expensive. I appreciated how quickly they responded to my requests and how easy they made the whole process. I would use them again!

I was extremely impressed with the work AVEC did on my deck railings. They listened to the small details of what I wanted and were able to execute. In addition, I had a short time frame for them to work with but they were able to complete it prior to my deadline while communicating continuously though the entire process.

We learned about AVEC through friends who have a beautiful screened-in porch, and we later contracted AVEC to build us a new deck and screened-in porch. The whole experience was fantastic, and AVEC was very attentive to our needs and worked closely with us at every step. We now have a deck and porch that exceed our expectations in every way and is so nice that we are already spending much of our time there just enjoying it. With all of the professional touches (skylights, recessed lights, wall-mount stainless steel heaters, tongue-in-groove wood on the house wall and ceiling, Trex decking and wrapped columns, etc.) it really looks much more like an addition to the house rather than a just a standard deck/porch. The deck and porch really transform the whole house. There are four individuals we worked with on a regular basis. Alex was the first person we met and we liked him from the get-go. He is extremely personable and knowledgeable, exactly the kind of person to best manage customer relations. There were never any big issues really but even the little concerns we had Alex always sorted out quickly and professionally. He always had time for us and took care of us. He is just an outstanding person. He was, for us, the face of the company, and we couldn't have been happier working with Alex and getting to know him as a person. Hernan was the on-site manager and got everything going (demolition, footers, and decking footprint) prior to taking some planned vacation. He was excellent. We remember him saying 'you can't see this yet in your minds but I can and it is really going to be a beautiful structure'. He was correct. Then there are Rudy and Melki, the two men who essentially built the entire thing. They were wonderful. Very courteous, very friendly, very helpful, very responsive. Rudy is a genius, and his years of experience working in this field really showed - there was nothing he could not do. Rudy was very good at explaining things. Melki was also incredible— soft-spoken and confident. These men are physically strong and extremely hard-working. There are often multiple ways to do something and Rudy always asked us which way we wanted it done. They never took shortcuts. They always took time before leaving to clean up the job site. If we wanted something a certain way, even if it was not really the standard way that they normally did things, they would accommodate us. For example, the stairs down off the deck are normally built a certain way but we had a faucet that we wanted to be on a landing so they re-engineered things and built some custom stairs that are just perfect. We talked with them every day and came to enjoy interacting with them so much that we actually missed that when the job was over. Thank you AVEC for transforming our house in such a beautiful way. We could not be happier with the outcome.

Hiring AVEC Construction is my biggest mistake as a homeowner. Their performance on this project brought so much stress and frustration that I would have been better off never doing this project at all. The way they communicate seems to be intentionally misleading and often borders on dishonesty. Going through our emails, there are dozens and dozens of broken promises and missed commitments. I would recommend using any other firm for your projects. In April 2023 I reached out to AVEC about replacing an old deck with a screened-in porch. The contract was signed in early May and I told multiple times, both in person and in writing, that this was a 3-4 week project. I was even given a firm completion date, May 26th, and told that this date included some buffer. This project was not completed until the last week of November, well after the weather became too cold to use the porch. Instead of having this porch to enjoy for the Spring, Summer, and Fall, I paid for a product I am not able to use for a full year after the project was started. Almost immediately, things started going wrong. The first drawings for the project were over a week late and had multiple major errors, including the basic dimensions for the project. The second set of drawings took another two weeks and still maintained errors. Throughout this process, it took AVEC 4-5 days to respond to emails and they never once answered calls to the listed phone number. The third set of drawings was finally correct and was submitted to the county. However, at this point, we had already missed the initial estimated completion date. The permitting phase of the project can only be called a disaster. The permit was submitted in the middle of June (for a project that was supposed to be completed three weeks earlier). From there, everything was delayed. AVEC blamed the county permitting office, saying it was severely backed up. At the end of June, the county requested an additional permit for floodplain work. County employees later told me this permit should have been submitted in the original package and simply wasn’t. From June 28th to August 15th, the permit was marked “Waiting for corrections”. County employees told me that the initial permit application had multiple mistakes and it kept being resubmitted with those same mistakes. The permits were not issued until August 18th. Throughout this time, communication with AVEC was infrequent. It often took weeks and multiple follow-up emails to get a response on how the project was progressing. While the county process was frustrating and added to the delay, AVEC never relayed the actual cause of the delays and never accepted responsibility. They claim to be unable to verify the county’s claims, but I have no reason to believe that a county employee would make up very specific information about a permit when called. The construction phase was also a mess. I was told separately by both the project manager and foreman that the process would be 1-2 weeks. Construction started the last week of August and the final items were completed in December. Originally the progress was good, but we quickly had delays. This included the deck being built in the wrong place so that it blocked a window. This required rework, the cost of which was passed on to me. In the process, they also disabled our AC unit, leaving the house at 80+ degrees for a weekend until it was fixed. The biggest issue was that the deck failed multiple inspections because the permits were not stamped by the county. AVEC told me the county permitting office chose not to stamp them because it was a “standard“ deck. The permitting office told me that AVEC failed to request them to be stamped and that it was not a standard deck because it had a roof. Considering that the definition of standard in the building code does not discuss roofs at all, I am more inclined to believe the permitting office’s version of events. This led to a long pause, during which my backyard was unusable and unsafe. Once the permit was finally re-issued, progress continued. During the pause, I was frequently told there were only 2 more days of work left. However, the deck was not completed for another month after work restarted, during which the crew did not show up when expected on at least 6 occasions. There were also several blatant lies from the project manager in writing. The most egregious was a claim that there were manufacturing defects with the deck boards and they needed to wait for new ones. In reality, they simply hadn’t ordered enough according to the foreman. At the end of the day, the deck is a fine product. There are a handful of spots where joints don’t quite match up, but I think that’s pretty normal. However, I’m sure I could have gotten the same product 6 months earlier and without the frustration of using any other builder.

Excellent work. Finished faster than expected with no surprises or issues. Support Avec Construction and hire them for your next job.

horrible experience, they were coming out to give me an estimate but didn't showed up despite multiple phone calls and even emails.

Needing to replace an old wooden patio with composite, we went back to the people who replaced our large deck several years ago, Avec Construction. The second experience was no different from the first. As far as customer service, prompt visits to review the project, several recommendations to improve the results, and many samples to choose the best product for the job, and a detailed spec drawing of the project. Once agreed to, work started in just a few weeks, and the team was outstanding. Several days were spent on the foundation and getting it perfect before completing the rest of the job. Exactly what you need for a patio or deck. There was communication continually throughout the project and we could not be more pleased dealing with the entire Avec team.

Our principal point of contact with Avec was the owner Kati Tolonen. My wife and I negotiated the contract with her including the scope and price. After providing her with the plat, she obtained the construction permit from Fairfax County and promptly began the work. Throughout the permitting and construction process, she kept us apprised of progress on a daily basis. When a deteriorated ring beam was discovered during the course of construction, she sent us photos, a recommended repair procedure and pricing. She also arranged the inspection of the foundation excavation and the final inspection by Fairfax County. Notwithstanding concerns about supply chain disruptions, the work was completed promptly and to our great satisfaction. Our role was to pay promptly which we did. Avec was also responsive to some minor punch list items which they corrected promptly.

Kati and the team at AVEC were AMAZING. Fast, communicative, professional, and very personable. Our deck was completed so much faster than we thought and turned out beautifully! Would 1000% recommend.

We spoke with several contractors regarding our existing deck, which is over 30 years old and was not well built. We wanted something that would require no maintenance and last at least that long. We also wanted a walkway from the steps of the deck to a 16x16' patio. When we first met with Kati, we were struck with how much time she made for us. While she was there to review the existing condition and take notes to produce an estimate, she described different materials, design changes and quickly assessed our existing structure. We went through several possible designs and asked for a proposal with several possible options. We selected Avec's proposal as we felt it was the best value for the price. As work began, the workmen were prompt, reliable and courteous. They didn't leave any debris or remaining materials. The deck and new patio they built was really spectacular. Really beautiful design elements. Small details like post selection, a delicate lattice work under the deck and a lighted steps (on a timer) were really nice touches. The patio and 10' walkway was nicely installed and the materials were top-notch. I cannot say enough about this company--really a pleasure to work with and we are loving this new part of our house.

I would highly recommend AVEC Construction. The prices are very competitive and the company provides a personal touch. All projects are carefully supervised by the owners of the company and they kept in daily contact during the demolition and rebuild. The workers were highly trained, efficient and respectful. My deck and patio look amazing.

Kati, her husband and their crew were professional, friendly and attentive to all of our detailed requests and questions. We expect to hire them for another project in the fall.

Perfect! This is our second project with Avec -- great local business. Recommend without hesitation and would happily work with them again.

Avec Construction did a great job on our screened porch and back deck. The final result is beautiful, with excellent craftsmanship, and the process was smooth too. We knew we wanted to work with Avec after considering several contractors and meeting with Kati, who impressed us with her design help and direct and honest manner. We had to wait a little bit to get started due to their other projects, which was fine with us. Kati did a good job communicating, letting us know what was happening and was very responsive to our questions. PJ, Alexis and the whole crew worked hard and kept the construction site pretty tidy, considering our relatively small lot. Despite the uncertainties of pandemic supply chain, the project was started and substantially completed on time and on budget, so that we could enjoy our new space with friends and family six weeks after the start date. I would highly recommend Avec Construction for your porch/deck project

We are so very happy with our new deck done by Avec last month. We found out about Avec through the NextDoor app and engaged Kati (owner) for a proposal in spring 2021. Kati was forthright that it would be about a month before she could schedule coming to look at the current deck, 2-3 weeks before a proposal, and about 6 months before the work could be done. All of that was no problem with us and I'm so very glad that our timetables aligned. Kati really went to bat for us with a zoning/permit issue with Ffx County, got it resolved after many hours and communicated with us throughout. This was foreshadow of how well she communicated with us as we were on their schedule and as the work progressed. We have a great completely new deck (lumber with Trex deck boards and railing caps), built to code and solid foundation, great advice of design, and it was priced well- not much more than just "resurface" and "restore" bids from other contractors. One of the best contractor experiences I could have hoped for.

Our 15 year old deck needed a facelift. Working with AVEC was a wonderful, hassle-free experience. Our project manager, Kati, did a thorough assessment, answered all questions, and gave valuable advice on what materials would work best for our needs and budget. She was responsive to our questions and offered excellent suggestions. The workmen completed the remodel quickly and efficiently, and we are VERY pleased with the result!

Everything is beautiful. I love my new space. Kati and her crew are wonderful.

Fantastic; we are absolutely thrilled w/results all around. Kati, PJ, and their whole team (master carpenters, masons) took the time, thought, discussion w/us, and patience to get it all done right -- just as we envisioned. Total pros. Everything turned out perfect, allowing for variable weather, design process hiccups, and supply chain quirks. Kati's architectural insights at the front and and artistic touches at the back end of the planning/construction processes were critical a) for articulating our vision of wood/stone in the natural setting of our verdant, wooded back yard, and getting the plans just right -- long before work started; and b) ensuring that every detail contributed to the ultimate effect. In the end, nothing was out of place. In between, throughout the construction phase, we had constant, direct, multi-platform communications and coordination day-to-day. Kati, PJ and the job chiefs were absolute maestros: always on time, constantly checking and re-checking the details, ensuring top quality, and adherence to plans -- w/flexibility to make changes, in consultation, as new solutions emerged along the way. The same meticulous approach to the design process was applied during all construction phases. Our vision was always in the forefront; they worked w/us to achieve it in space. As a result, everything turned out as we had planned, but better than we had imagined. Thrilled, just thrilled w/the results. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

Avec did a great job. We are very pleased with the workmanship and overall quality of the job. Kati was a pleasure to work with in designing and getting the necessary approvals form the Reston Association. The work was scheduled promptly and completed on time.

All went great, they are very good at listening to my questions and concerns during the project -- sometimes when you see something being built you need to make tiny changes, right? Kati was very helpful and the guys building the deck were hard working and did a great job. Pricing seemed a bit high (I know lumber costs are up these days), but Kati did not charge extra for minor changes during the project. She even showed up after completion with some paint for the raw edge of the trex on our handrail - she didn't like the look of the raw edge -- I never noticed it. We would definitely use them again.

AVEC Construction was a joy to work with from the very beginning. During a very trying period owing to the epidemic, Kati T. and her team helped us design a new ground-level patio/deck that was what we wanted and within our budget. When construction could at last begin, the construction team worked quickly and well, and we are THRILLED with the results! Highly recommend AVEC Construction, inc.

We hired Kati to build our deck last year but due to Covid it was delayed until 2021. In March they started and we were very impressed with the expertise of the crew and Kati was great to communicate with when needed. The end result is a beautiful deck that we now get to enjoy and entertain family and friends on. We hope to hire Avec construction to build a fence for us. We highly recommend them.