(703) 443-2699

Our Mission

Carmen Pretopapa

President & Owner

Product & Price

We recognize there is a low, middle, and high range when it comes to price and quality. 

American Exteriors & Masonry strive to provide the highest quality products and services for a fair and reasonable price.

Quality of Product

Our customers require products that are above average in quality. As a consumer, if you are considering having a Trex, Composite or Wood Deck or maybe Screened Room, Flagstone, Brick, Paver or Concrete Patio built on your home, the last thing you want to do is go to Deck or Concrete Paver School. How could one possibly learn all the things needed to install these things and how do you know when you have enough information to make the decisions that go into all the different facets of multiple products projects?

After being in the industry for over 50 years, I know the manufactures that stand behind their products, and which do not. 

I know from personal experience. 

Be assured that if we recommend a brand or product, it’s because we have likely used them in the past and know their history. 

The Design Process

Consumers want to be very active in the design of their Deck, Screened Room and Patio, or whatever the Outdoor Living Project they are considering, after all, you have to live with it long after we’re gone, and the project is installed.

How they do It

The feedback we get from our clients is the salesman needed a few minutes to take measurements, ask a few questions and take it back to the office to have the designer draw up an appealing design. Hopefully, they can get it back to you in the next few weeks with the original drawing, hopefully. Typically, they want to get back in your house to do changes, go back to the office and re-draw and make another visit until you agree on a final design. All that in order to be able to have the price calculated by the “Big Boss” back at the office. The process will typically carry out over weeks. At that point, you would typically receive a quote by email and it’s time to figure out the nuances of the quote. A very difficult task to say the least.

Who Should Be Present for the Consultation?

Firstly, we understand that everyone has different ideas as to what they want to accomplish.  One might be thinking of a Wood Deck the other may want a Trex or Composite Deck. After fifty years of doing so many presentations that would make your head spin, I learned that if one wants the red one, the other wants the green one. I realized years ago that we are wasting the clients time if we only speak to one or the other. We find that we can take a lot of time out of the process by having all homeowners and interested parties at the consultation so we can meld all of our ideas together. Thus, no confusion when we hit the installation process.

How We Do It

Our experience is that when we go to the yard and start designing, it can take many iterations before we find the one that is suited for that particular client. As we design a project, everything looks good until we realize that the Kitchen and Grill is directly in the path of your favorite view, or the slope is too great, and the Fireplace must be moved to the other side of the Flagstone Patio. Most times, there are multiple changes as we go through in the design process as we are also taking into consideration the client’s issues and ideas, so we can make those changes on the first visit.

Design Concepts

We design using focal points for starters. We want to line up different planes from the house or yard feature to the Patio or Deck, making things look like it was there when they built the home. We believe less is more. We’re not going to cram things into the design just for the sake of putting in a Stone Grill or Kitchen, a Fire Pit or Fireplace that doesn’t fit the overall aesthetes of the home. We also consider weather patterns so smoke from the Fireplace or Fire Pit is not traveling to your family or your guests. We will tell you when we think your project is too small or too large, we want it to fit the space properly.

We’ll go in depth of what products we recommend and why. For example, we will show you multiple railing selections and Trex or Composite Deck products, Concrete Pavers and Stone choices, discuss the good and bad with each, and find the one that is right for you and not our profit margin.

Pricing

In most scenarios, we will be able to give you a design and a price as we still at your table. 

Our clients find it a great advantage and time saver to be able to decipher a proposal with the Design Consultant sitting in the room with them as opposed to assume a definition of a particular esoteric term that can be taken to mean the complete opposite.

You can then determine if it fits your budget, or we can discuss ways to make it fit your budget. It’s easy to do when the Design Consultant is there as your guide. For the record, we will never ask you what your budget is. It’s not our business and we won’t ask how much the other guy was charging. Again, not our business. 

We can conclude most of the process in one sitting. When we are finished talking, you will likely know exactly what you want and why you want it.

Congratulations, you just went to Deck and Patio School!

Product & Price

We recognize there is a low, middle, and high range when it comes to price and quality. 

American Exteriors & Masonry strive to provide the highest quality products and services for a fair and reasonable price.

Quality Of Product

Our customers require products that are above average in quality. As a consumer, if you are considering having a Trex, Composite or Wood Deck or maybe Screened Room, Flagstone, Brick, Paver or Concrete Patio built on your home, the last thing you want to do is go to Deck or Concrete Paver School. How could one possibly learn all the things needed to install these things and how do you know when you have enough information to make the decisions that go into all the different facets of multiple products projects?

After being in the industry for over 50 years, I know the manufactures that stand behind their products, and which do not. 

I know from personal experience. 

Be assured that if we recommend a brand or product, it’s because we have likely used them in the past and know their history. 

The Design Process

Consumers want to be very active in the design of their Deck, Screened Room and Patio, or whatever the Outdoor Living Project they are considering, after all, you have to live with it long after we’re gone, and the project is installed.

How They Do It

The feedback we get from our clients is the designer needed a few minutes to take measurements, ask a few questions and take it back to the office to draw up an appealing design. Hopefully, they can get it back to you in the next few weeks with the original drawing, hopefully. Typically, they want to get back in your house to do changes, go back to the office and re-draw and make another visit until you agree on a final design. All that in order to be able to have the price calculated by someone back at the office. The process will typically carry out over weeks. At that point, you would typically receive a quote by email and it’s time to figure out the nuances of one quote. A very difficult task to say the least.

Who Should Be Present For The Consultation

Firstly, we understand that everyone has different ideas as to what they want to accomplish.  One might be thinking of a Wood Deck the other may want a Trex or Composite Deck. After fifty years of doing so many presentations that would make your head spin, I learned that if one wants the red one, the other wants the green one. I realized years ago that we are wasting the clients time if we only speak to one or the other. We find that we can take a lot of time out of the process by having all homeowners and interested parties at the consultation so we can meld all of our ideas together. Thus, no confusion when we hit the installation process.

How We Do It

Our experience is that when we go to the yard and start designing, it can take many iterations before we find the one that is suited for that particular client. As we design a project, everything looks good until we realize that the Kitchen and Grill is directly in the path of your favorite view, or the slope is too great, and the Fireplace must be moved to the other side of the Flagstone Patio. Most times there are multiple changes as we go through in the design process as we also taking into consideration the client’s issues and ideas, and we can make those changes on the first visit.

Design Concepts

We design using focal points for starters. We want to line up different planes from the house or yard feature to the patio making things look like it was there when they built the house. We believe less is more. We’re not going to cram things into the design just for the sake of putting in a Stone Grill or Kitchen, a Fire Pit or Fireplace that doesn’t fit the overall aesthetes of the home. We also consider weather patterns so smoke from the Fireplace or Fire Pit is not traveling to your family or your guests. We will tell you when we think your project is too small or too large to fit the space properly.

We’ll go in depth of what products we recommend and why. For example, we will show you multiple railing selections and Trex or Composite Deck products, Concrete Pavers and Stone choices, discuss the good and bad with each, and find the one that is right for you and not our profit margin.

Pricing

In most scenarios, we will be able to give you a design and a price as we still at your table. 

Our clients find it a great advantage to be able to decipher a proposal with the Design Consultant sitting in the room with them as opposed to assume a definition of a particular esoteric term that can be taken to mean the complete opposite.

You can then determine if it fits your budget, or we can discuss ways to make it fit your budget. It’s easy to do when the Design Consultant is there as your guide. For the record, we will never ask you what your budget is. It’s not our business and we won’t ask how much the other guy was charging. Again, not our business. 

We can conclude most of the process in one sitting. When we are finished talking, you will likely know exactly what you want and why.

Congratulations, you just went to Deck and Patio School!

Financing

We do have financing of all types from low dollar –  short term loans to re-fi’s and everything in between. We use a few National Loan Brokers and of the highest credibility who use only the best banks that you are already familiar with. It’s there if you choose.

Installation

After this many years of experience, we have vast knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work. For example, most all Concrete Paver Manufacturers have the same installation technique. The problem is that they are selling product and do not have any liability if the installation method fails. If it sinks, not their problem. If it’s not a manufacturer’s defect, not their problem. It’ my problem!
Since we know where these products fail and where they do not, we have devised a methodology of installation that goes way above the manufacturers recommended methods. We only use the best-in-class products and we put their installation practices on steroids so when we see you in public, we don’t have to go to the other end of the store to not be seen. We are proud to be a part of your gatherings so you can show all your friends and neighbors and to understand why we are simply better. Perfect? No, but our projects stand out in the yard. When you have to opportunity to look at theirs and ours at the same time it’s a demonstrable difference.
 

Warranties

Here’s where we really shine. Our warranties are the longest and most comprehensive in the industry.

Most companies have a two faceted warranty. The materials are warranted by the manufacturer for a certain period of time, and we all get the same warranty for the same Trex Decking, Concrete Paver or Flagstone. That is typically where the similarities end. 

We have the longest Workmanship warranty in the industry.

We also have a Labor Warranty (Defined differently than Workmanship Warranty – please discuss with your Design Consultant), and an Incidental Mishap Warranty.  Cap it off with our service

Service

We have never charged a customer for a service call—even if it was out of warranty. We can’t promise that we will always do service calls for free but so far, we have. No other company can say the same.

HOA Information

We provide drawings and all the data required for your HOA approval and we guarantee HOA approval or your money back. We pull all the necessary county building permits and will be responsible for passing all the necessary county code inspections for you. We work using the concept that we are a team, if you see something, say something. The first thing I was taught in the Navy was the only stupid question was the one you didn’t ask. Many times, things are not what they appear to be. Since we’re a team, ask and we’ll happily explain. We want a happy and enthusiastic customer in the end. Sometimes it takes time, but we’ll get there.

Environmental Responsibilities

We believe that our children’s future is our responsibility. Our firm will recycle whenever possible. All remaining construction debris is discarded in the county landfill to be sorted and disposed of properly.

Questions? Need More Information?

Contact us for a Free Design Consultation and Quote today by completing our online request form