Core Outdoor Living

Can you give 6 stars? If so, this is the one place I would issue an extra star. We recently had a screened-in porch built by Core Outdoor. I could not have had a better experience. From the first contact, there is nothing but listening, professionalism, and responsiveness. No upselling pressure, no cutting corners to make budget, just honest conversation. The work? Top notch. They have built a thousand of these, and it shows. They take pride in their work. Mid-project modifications? Easily worked through, with a clear-mindedness on reality vs budget. They clean up, fully and carefully. And throughout, they communicate clearly, quickly, and thoughtfully. Last minute minor stuff that you notice after completion that is not to your liking? They come back without a word, even though they have the last payment. The porch has a good chance of out lasting the house. Thankfully, our system rewards honest, hardworking--and least I forget, talented--people. These folks deserve it. Don't get three estimates, just get on their waiting list.

Core helped design and build a deck and patio for our house. We got on their flex schedule and got a 10% discount—though it took about 8 months for us to get the project started. Their price was very reasonable compared to 10+ quotes we got. They were one of the few that used Timbertech Azek decking material. Both the deck and patio were done in two weeks after they started. Their communication was outstanding—probably the best I’ve dealt with for home contractors. We’re very pleased with the detail and quality of the work. We highly recommend them.

We contacted Core Outdoor for our new deck based on the ratings on Consumers' Checkbook and are so glad we did. We got on their list in late May 2020; soon thereafter we learned that they were not taking any more clients for the year. We initially were hoping to build a screen porch using the footprint of an existing deck. The project manager was up-front about the costs and complexities of doing so, based on the slope of our yard and other factors, so we opted for Plan B: replacing the existing deck, which was built in the mid-1980s, was poorly designed and required too much maintenance (replacing rotting wood, painting/staining, etc.). The team at Core was responsive to all our questions and kept in touch about every change related to timing, availability of materials, etc. (We chose the Flex option, which lowered the price a bit in exchange for flexibiity in the start date, depending on the construction crew's availability — all we knew for sure was that it would be completed by December 2020, which was fine with us.) As we got deeper in to the planning and construction, they had excellent ideas that made their initial plan even better. The crew started work in late October and finished less than a week later (including time for county inspections). And when the project was over, they did a great job of cleaning up. In short: Core has our highest recommendation. Our deck is fabulous. We can't wait for warmer weather to arrive (I'm writing this in early March 2021) so we can use it daily!

Core Outdoor Living was highly recommended when we were looking to build our deck. The entire process was so smooth and easy! I spent a lot of time talking to Daren all about the various options, the materials, the process, etc. He patiently answered all my questions, provided me with tons of examples of their previous work. I loved being able to meet with them, see samples of the materials in person, and collaborate on the design. We had a vague idea of what we wanted in our deck so the other quotes we received were fairly general. Core took it up a notch. They gave us a few ideas to maximize our space (and the value of our deck) and gave us a few design options to choose from. We opted to enroll in the flex schedule option. The weather did not cooperate but nonetheless, our crew chief Carlos and project manager Laura were very apologetic and maintained great communication. The workmanship is top notch! Despite the weather delays, our deck was still finished well in advance of the agreed upon completion date. We love our deck and are so happy we chose Core!!

We had Core design and build a screened porch, deck, and stone patio to replace our aging deck and to make a small grassy area usable. Daren and his design team did a great job with various ideas and options. He was very helpful providing design suggestions, such as infrared heating in the screened porch, or passing on ideas that wouldn’t work well, while being sensitive to budget and without being pushy. These design decisions ended up working perfectly! Kim was extremely responsive communicating progress and answering questions. She was on top of the project every step of the way. Although we had to apply for a special county permit, which took six months to process, Core was ready to build as soon as it was approved. Ben and his construction team were super nice and professional, and were one of the happiest crew we’ve ever seen on the job – we think a very good sign for how well Core is run top-down. The resulting build looks beautiful and is of extremely high quality; we feel that it will last for a very long time. Everyone who has seen it comments on how nice it looks. We highly recommend Core!

Thank you for a great experience. We are so pleased with our porch and patio. The superb workmanship is evident. The project proceeded rapidly within budget and on schedule at every point. Everyone was quite helpful and patient with our questions. All of you were especially good keeping us informed at all stages. All around, it was a pleasure working with you. We are very eager for the weather to turn, so we can begin to enjoy our new living area.

Core Outdoor built us a beautiful patio, fire pit and grill station with a pergola top. They also built a small deck leading from our home to the patio and we love it. The overall design is perfect for us, and everything was so well planned and executed. Jeff and his crew were truly amazing. It’s been seven years now and it still feels new. We have referred Core to several friends who were also thrilled.

Had our 20 year deck updated with trex and installed trex “rain-free” to create usable dry spaces underneath the decks and had paver patios installed with under-deck ceiling and lights Project done on time, on budget, and extremely professional. These guys worked very hard, kept focus on the details, kept us up-to-date all the time, and kept the area neat during the project. Extremely professional group of people. We would highly recommend to anybody. Have already hired them to update our front porch, too

Beautiful deck; however, there were a few bumps in the road with county inspector with some points justified and others not. The process could have been handled more efficiently with having an employee available onsite with each inspection to have an in-person conversation rather than multiple days of trying to reach inspector by phone. Having said this, the final result is fabulous and I am planning on completing another outdoor project with Core.

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 was an absolute pleasure working with Core Outdoor Living on our new deck and patio project. Daren and Laura were a pleasure to work with on the design and project scheduling. They both had great ideas and made the design process progress smoothly and stress free. Having Jeff on-site everyday was so reassuring. He and his crew were fantastic. They arrived punctually each day and their work was meticulous. The second phase of our project was installing a stone patio and Bob's work was equally impressive. He took the time to be sure it was perfect. We could not be happier with our new backyard space!

Core Outdoor Living recently completed a deck and patio project for us and we could not be happier with the finished project! It was a total game changer for our backyard and ability to have an enjoyable outdoor living space. The Core team was the absolute best to work with and it is clear why they are the best at what they do. They are professional in every aspect of the process and their craftsmanship is first class. Colin worked patiently with us as we worked through several different design ideas and helped us to settle on the very best option for functionality and aesthetic. The back office staff communicated promptly and effectively and was always one step ahead in the planning process. Jeff is a true craftsman with the deck build and Bob was incredible to watch with the stone work for our patio. To have an owner onsite every day, physically involved in the project has its obvious benefits and we truly appreciated that aspect. These guys get my highest rating! Thank you Core Outdoor Team