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Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
Outdoor Living Design & Build in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
Old Town Alexandria is the real thing — cobblestone blocks like Captain's Row, brick rowhouses dating to the 1700s and 1800s, and a waterfront laid out in 1749. Almost every exterior change visible from a street, alley, or the waterfront falls under Board of Architectural Review (BAR) review, so a rear-yard patio or pergola needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before the city will issue a permit. We design and build the whole outdoor space around that reality, not after discovering it mid-project.
The Short Answer
Outdoor living projects in Old Town Alexandria (ZIP 22314) start at $18,000. Old Town sits inside the Old and Historic Alexandria District, one of the two locally regulated historic districts where Alexandria's Board of Architectural Review has authority, so exterior work visible from a public street, alley, or the waterfront — a new patio wall, a taller fence, a pergola — generally needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before the City of Alexandria issues a building permit through its APEX portal. Minor, code-compliant work can often clear through staff-level administrative approval in days; larger additions need a full BAR public hearing that typically runs about two months. We build both timelines into your schedule and prepare the drawings as part of the design phase.
- $18,000complete outdoor living projects, starting at
- One plandesigned as a whole, not a patchwork
- Permits handledcounty and HOA review sequenced for you
- 24–48hwritten, line-item quote
What's Included
Design & Build, One Cohesive Plan
- On-site design consultation & property assessment
- One plan for patio, kitchen, fire feature & lighting
- BAR-ready drawings and Certificate of Appropriateness submittal for the Old and Historic Alexandria District
- City of Alexandria APEX permit filing handled start to finish
- Same crew from first plan to final walkthrough
- Written, line-item quote within 24–48 hours
Local Knowledge
What Building In Old Town Actually Involves
- Old and Historic Alexandria DistrictOld Town is inside the Old and Historic Alexandria District, one of the oldest locally designated historic districts in the country, established in 1946. Exterior work visible from a public street, alley, or the waterfront generally needs Board of Architectural Review approval before a building permit is issued.
- BAR Review: Administrative vs. Public HearingStraightforward, code-compliant projects can often qualify for staff-level administrative approval that clears in days. Larger additions, new construction, or anything altering the historic character need a full BAR public hearing, which typically runs about two months from submission.
- Permits Run Through APEXThe City of Alexandria's Permitting & Land Use System (APEX) handles building permit applications, plan review, and inspections. Where BAR approval is required, it happens before the permit application can move forward.
- Small Historic Lots & Brick ConstructionRowhouse yards near Yates Gardens and King Street run narrow and deep, often walled in brick, with mature trees and older utility runs that need protection during construction. Every square foot of a design has to work harder on a lot this size.
Why Homeowners Choose Us
Design and Build, Under One Roof
BAR Application Experience
We prepare Certificate of Appropriateness drawings and submissions for the Old and Historic Alexandria District as part of the design phase, not as an afterthought.
APEX Permit Fluency
We file directly through the City of Alexandria’s APEX system and track plan review and inspections start to finish.
Built for Narrow Historic Lots
Patios, kitchens, and fire features are designed to fit rowhouse-scale yards without wasted space or awkward transitions.
Licensed & Insured
Fully licensed and insured in Virginia, with workers' comp and general liability on every Old Town job.
Areas We Serve
Outdoor Living Design & Build — Areas We Serve in Old Town Alexandria
We build outdoor living spaces throughout Old Town Alexandria’s historic core, from rowhouse yards near King Street to homes along the waterfront. ZIP 22314 covers most of the neighborhood we serve.
What Neighbors Say
Trusted on Backyards Like Yours
“We assumed BAR approval would take months and stall the whole project. They filed the Certificate of Appropriateness alongside our permit paperwork and the patio was underway faster than we expected.”
“Our rowhouse yard near King Street is maybe 18 feet wide. They designed the fire feature, the dining space, and the path back to the kitchen door as one layout instead of three separate ideas.”
“Building this close to the waterfront, drainage was our biggest worry. They graded the whole yard properly and it's never pooled against the house.”
Explore More
Pairs Well With
Old Town Alexandria, Answered
Outdoor Living Design & Build FAQs
Will my Old Town project need Board of Architectural Review (BAR) approval?
Almost certainly, if the work is visible from a street, alley, or the waterfront. Old Town sits inside the Old and Historic Alexandria District, and the BAR must approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alterations before the city issues a building permit. Straightforward projects can often qualify for a faster staff-level administrative review; larger additions need a full public hearing.
How long does BAR review actually take?
It depends on scope. Minor, code-compliant changes can clear through administrative approval in a matter of days. Projects that require a full BAR public hearing — larger additions, new construction, or anything altering the historic character — typically take around two months from submission to approval. We build that timeline into your schedule up front.
Do you handle the City of Alexandria permit process, or is that on me?
It's on us. We manage the APEX permit application, the BAR Certificate of Appropriateness submittal where it applies, and inspection scheduling, so you have one point of contact from design through final walkthrough.
Can you fit a full outdoor kitchen and fire feature on a narrow Old Town lot?
Yes. Rowhouse yards near Yates Gardens and King Street typically run narrow and deep. We design the kitchen, dining space, fire feature, and pathways as one connected sequence so the layout uses the full lot instead of leaving gaps between features.
How do you handle drainage this close to the Potomac waterfront?
We grade the site and plan drainage before any hardscape goes in. Older Old Town lots often slope toward the alley or rear property line, so we set every patio and foundation on an engineered, properly sloped base so water moves away from a historic foundation instead of pooling against it.
What’s actually included in a design-build outdoor living project in Old Town?
One integrated plan and one build: patio or deck, outdoor kitchen, fire feature, pergola, landscape lighting, and plantings — all designed around your BAR requirements and set on engineered foundations sized for a historic lot.
How is Lawn Theory different from a general contractor doing a patio in Old Town?
We design the whole space and prepare the BAR submission before anyone breaks ground, then build it as one system instead of coordinating a mason, a carpenter, and a landscaper separately. You get one point of contact, a written line-item quote in 24–48 hours, and BAR/APEX handling built into the schedule.
Ready to Build Something That Lasts?
Get Your Free Old Town Alexandria Quote
Tell us about your backyard and we'll send a written, line-item quote — usually within 24–48 hours.
Planning Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria in this area? Confirm any permit or HOA requirements with the City of Alexandria before Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria begins.
Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria: What to Expect
When you book Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria, every job starts with a clear, written scope -- no surprise add-ons once work begins. We show up on schedule, protect the surrounding property, and walk the finished work with you before we call it done.
Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria from Lawn Theory means a dedicated local crew, upfront pricing, and a final walkthrough before we call the job done -- the same standard behind every Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria project we take on.
Ready for Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria? Call or text (703) 650-5655 for a free quote today.
Outdoor Living Design Build Old Town Alexandria backed by our veteran-owned, licensed & insured guarantee.