Verify, understand, then hire.
An eight-step homeowner checklist for hiring AE Outdoor Living — the company many Arizona homeowners know simply as "AE Living." Every step ties back to what the signed agreement controls.
Your signed proposal and agreement control project scope, pricing, payment milestones, permit and HOA responsibilities, schedule, warranty coverage, exclusions, and customer obligations. Website information is provided for general planning.
- 01
Verify licensing
Look up any Arizona contractor on the Registrar of Contractors before signing. Confirm that the license is active, in the contractor's legal name, and in a classification that covers your scope (for example, pools/spas, landscape, or residential general).
AE Outdoor Living is a DBA of Advant-Edge Decorative Curbing & Landscaping, Inc. Active Arizona ROC licenses: ROC #340966 (R-62) · ROC #341002 (R-3) · ROC #347738 (KA-5) · ROC #211530 (CR-21).
In Arizona, work over $1,000 generally requires a licensed contractor. Homeowners who hire an unlicensed worker may be treated as the employer for purposes of injury liability.
Verify on AZ ROC - 02
Understand the written scope
Every commitment between you and AE lives in the signed agreement. The written scope defines what is included, what is excluded, who provides which materials, and how changes are handled.
- Line-item scope with the materials, finishes, and quantities AE will deliver.
- Written change orders, priced and signed before the related work begins.
- Exclusions stated in plain English so you know what is not in scope.
The signed agreement and any signed change orders control. Marketing pages, renderings, and conversational summaries do not.
- 03
Understand payment schedules by project type
AE uses two payment frameworks, both confirmed in your signed agreement.
- Pool projects — milestone draws
- 15% at signing · 25% after excavation · 25% after steel, plumbing, and shotcrete · 25% after decking · 10% before interior finish.
- Non-pool projects
- 50% deposit at approval · 35% at project start or materials delivery · 15% balance at substantial completion.
Your signed agreement is the controlling document. Schedules may be adjusted in writing for staged or commercial work.
- 04
Understand permits and HOA responsibility
Permit and HOA responsibilities are defined project by project in the signed agreement. When permit preparation, submittal, or HOA coordination is included in AE's written scope, AE handles those steps. When it is excluded, the homeowner is responsible.
Final approval of any permit or HOA submittal remains with the governing authority or association. AE coordinates the submittal; the agency or HOA issues the decision.
- 05
Understand warranty coverage
AE provides a workmanship warranty as stated in the signed agreement. Manufacturer warranties apply to installed products and vary by product line — those terms are set by the manufacturer.
The signed agreement and the manufacturer documentation provided at handoff are the controlling references for what is covered, for how long, and under what conditions.
Warranty & care details → - 06
Understand communication and documentation
Each AE project has a named project manager and a documented build plan. During construction, AE provides progress updates on a defined cadence agreed in the project plan.
- Project schedule with realistic windows for permit, weather, and trade coordination.
- Written change orders before related work begins.
- Final walkthrough and punch list before the closing draw.
Response time on inbound questions varies by complexity and the staffing of the assigned team. AE does not promise universal same-day replies.
- 07
Know the customer's responsibilities
A good build is collaborative. To keep the schedule and the budget intact, homeowners are responsible for:
- Disclosing known easements, encroachments, septic, well, or utility-line locations.
- Providing HOA contact information and any HOA submittal requirements early.
- Making selections (finishes, tile, plant palette) on the dates listed in the project schedule.
- Providing site access, power, and water as defined in the agreement.
- Releasing milestone payments on the dates set in the signed schedule.
- 08
Know how to raise a concern
If something is not right, raise it early and in writing.
- Start with your AE project manager. Most concerns are resolved at this level.
- Escalate to the AE leadership team via the client-support channel below. Provide the project name, the issue, and any photos or documents.
- If the concern remains unresolved, Arizona homeowners may also file a complaint with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
AE Living, AE Outdoor Living — same company.
- Is AE Living the same company as AE Outdoor Living?
- Yes. "AE Living" is the short, colloquial name people use for AE Outdoor Living — one company, one owner, one warranty desk. The legal entity is Advant-Edge Decorative Curbing & Landscaping, Inc., doing business as AE Outdoor Living, with divisions Advant-Edge Pools & Landscape, AE LEDs, and Sonoran Glass & Fence. Every Arizona ROC license, contract, and warranty is issued in that entity's name.
- Where is AE Outdoor Living based?
- AE Outdoor Living is headquartered in Peoria, Arizona, with a full design showroom on-site. We design and build across the Phoenix metro — Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Peoria, Glendale, Surprise, Goodyear, and Litchfield Park — and take statewide commercial and destination-home projects case-by-case.
- Is AE Outdoor Living licensed and insured in Arizona?
- Yes. AE holds active Arizona ROC licenses in the residential general, landscape, and pool/spa classifications, carries general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and pulls every permit under its own licenses. All license numbers are verifiable on the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website, and a current certificate of insurance is available on request.
Check AE on the public registries.
Ratings and scores on third-party platforms change over time. Visit each source for the current status rather than relying on a number we cached here.
Questions to ask any Arizona builder — including us.
Use the prompts on the right with every contractor you interview. A builder who won't answer in writing should not be on your short list.
- Can you share each active ROC license number and the classification on file?
- Will you provide a current certificate of insurance for general liability and workers' compensation?
- Will the proposal be line-item, with materials, finishes, quantities, and exclusions in writing?
- Who is the named project manager, and how are change orders documented?
- What is the payment schedule, and which milestones trigger each draw?
- Who is responsible for permits and HOA submittals on this scope?
- What is your written workmanship warranty, and which manufacturer warranties apply?
- How do I raise a concern during the project, and how is it escalated?
Got a question before you commit?
Ask about contract terms, payment schedule, warranty, ROC verification, or references. We would rather answer twenty questions now than have one surprise later.
In-house craft
Why AE controls more of the process.
AE self-performs much of its work and prepares many project-specific systems internally, including specialty lighting and glass-related scopes where applicable. That can require more coordination before and during construction, but it helps protect quality, fit, finish, and accountability.
When specialized licensing, engineering, equipment, or product expertise is required, AE coordinates qualified specialty partners as part of the approved scope.
Equipment & logistics
Equipment, logistics, and field readiness.
AE owns and operates much of the equipment and trailers needed for common outdoor-living construction phases, including excavation, hauling, grading, material movement, staging, and site preparation. That gives our team more control over mobilization and field readiness, especially on larger or multi-phase projects.
Specialty equipment, outside trucking, engineering, licensed trade partners, inspections, and third-party resources may still be required depending on the project.