Cesar Vargas, president of C. Vargas Construction LLC in Bridgeville, described his relationship with clients this way: “We like to act as a bridge… between their dreams and what they enjoy in their outdoor living space.”
His own dream, he said, is to provide this beautiful area of Delaware with the best outdoor living spaces, custom masonry and the best experience when it comes to customer service.
The National Award-winning design of the Vanderwende Acres Wedding Venue by C. Vargas Stoneworks.
Vargas and his wife, Lilliana, moved to Pennsylvania from Costa Rica. He began work as a mason in 2004, then moved to Delaware where he worked as a subcontractor before starting his own business in 2006. In 2014, he revamped the business, switching his focus to design and build outdoor living spaces.
Now he offers professional design and build services for complete and functional outdoor areas, exciting fire and water features, outdoor kitchens, pool decks, outdoor lighting and total backyard oasis, driveways and front property enhancements, as well as custom stone and masonry.
“What I love about it is we extend the living part of the house to the outside. It helps people enjoy their home better, longer,” he said. “I’m passionate about it. I see what I can do to better the lives of the people who live in a home by adding outdoor spaces so they can enjoy it more, whether a pool, outdoor kitchen, cozy fireplace or fire pit, or lighting for safety or enjoyment into the night.”
People are spending more time with their families outside, he noted. “With COVID, everyone is leaning toward an outdoor oasis so they don’t have to go away from home as much, but can still get together. That helped our business. It falls into the passion we have to build outdoor spaces.”
He continued, “Building a custom outdoor space means building a peaceful sanctuary, a place where you will go at the end of the day to forget about your stressful job, create memories with your loved ones, and hang out with friends. That’s why your new outdoor living space has to be special. It has to meet your every need and reflect your individual taste.”
Vargas is the head designer. He is self-taught, having done a lot of reading and watched a lot of videos. “I wanted to learn design so I could provide something more for the people who hire us, to give them a visual of what they can have. It brings more value to what we do.”
C. Vargas Construction combines unique, exquisite art and technology with creative design, quality materials, precise construction methods and passionate team members to create structures you will enjoy for years to come.
Vargas started the business in his home, making one room into an office and hiring a secretary. When the business started to grow, Lilliana decided to work full time with him. She is in charge of all estimating.
A year ago, they decided to invest in a location where they could not only design and carry on other business functions, but provide a show center for their customers. Inside and outside, their building at 401 Market Street in Bridgeville is a showroom, complete with fireplace. In a conference room, Vargas sets up his computer to display 3-D images on a big screen TV, using virtual reality to show clients what his company can do to make their dream come true. New software will make it possible to project what an outdoor space would look like in multiple seasons of the year.
Vargas has never advertised before. By providing quality work and good customer service, he gets word-of-mouth referrals from happy clients. “We are blessed with a lot of customers like the Vanderwendes, great people who came to us, not because we tried to sell them something but because they knew the quality we bring to a job,” Vargas said. Jimmy and Donna Vanderwende are owners of Vanderwende Acres in Bridgeville, where a former dairy barn has been transformed into a rustic but elegant wedding venue. C. Vargas Stoneworks created for them a beautiful patio, complete with an enormous stone fireplace which can serve as a backdrop when the bride and groom exchange their vows and a fire pit encircled by a stone wall suitable for seating that adds to the ambiance.
Vargas is certified as a hardscaping installer by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI), which holds a convention in Kentucky every year. He won a Hardscape North America Award for a commercial project — Vanderwende Acres — in 2018 and another in 2020 for a project in Laurel.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized with so many other excellent companies and designers in United States and Canada!” Vargas said. “Thanks to our team, our clients and our suppliers for always being willing to go one step further.”
Vargas added, “Our genuine love for artistic and quality work shows within every piece that we design and build. All of our work is 100 percent custom-made and created with only the finest materials.”
Because of his background, he incorporates a lot of masonry into his designs — concrete footers, stone, block and brick — which make patios stronger.
He loves natural stone veneer, which looks great combined with most other types of construction material. “When you choose natural stone, every piece is unique, and our skilled stone masons can blend, chip, chisel and modify the pieces to get the perfect fit,” he said.
Permeable pavers are a fantastic way to manage rainwater and improve the sustainability of your home. Vargas is environmentally conscious, using a special state-of-the-art joint compound between patio pavers that lets the water permeate.
The company promotes a family culture for its 10 employees. It’s “family first.” Vargas is also involved in the community, helping sponsor the Apple Scrapple Festival. And twice a year, all his employees volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. “We try to be involved where we can,” he said.
C. Vargas Construction is completely booked for 2022, but is taking orders for projects for 2023. Check out the gallery at www.cvargasconstruction.com, then call 302-470-2004 to see what dream Cesar Vargas and his team can bridge for you.
