Cesar Vargas, owner 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.
Vargas and his wife, Lilliana, moved from Costa Rica. He began work as a mason in 2004, and gained knowledge within his 8 years of experience. In 2014, he revamped the business, switching his focus to design and build exceptional outdoor living spaces. Now he offers professional design and build services for complete and functional outdoor areas, exciting fire and water features, outdoor kitchens, pavilions, pool decks, pool houses, 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. “Living on the Eastern Shore allows us to enjoy the outdoors year round.”
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.
In 2021, 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.
“In 2023, we felt a need to provide our clients a more extensive showroom, so we decided to build it,” he added. They built an exterior fireplace, sitting wall, fire pit, and many paver areas with different patterns and colors. “On top of that, you should be expecting to enjoy our new boutique garden center –The Garden On Market– as well as a beautiful outdoor kitchen with a pavilion,” he continued.
By providing quality work and good customer service, he gets word-of-mouth referrals from happy clients.
Cesar 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 and 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% 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 has a couple of open spaces for 2024 and taking new projects for 2025 and 2026. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram as –CVargasConstruction– and also, 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.