Driveway entry view to a custom home design built by this Muskoka home builder.

MUSKOKA HOME BUILDER

Waterfront Welcome Home
(Twp. of Muskoka Lakes)

LAKE MUSKOKA SEASONAL WATERFRONT HOME

WATERFRONT WELCOME

The Owners of the Waterfront Welcome Home contacted Classic Muskoka Homes with the idea of an addition to this seasonal home on Lake Muskoka.

During preliminary design with Classic Muskoka Homes, the Owners decided that we would undertake to replace the building's pier foundation with a walkout basement.

The proposed walkout basement would enable sleeping rooms to be relocated to the Basement level, creating space for an open-concept living area on the First Floor level.

The construction work was broken down into three phases: Phase 1 - Foundation replacement, Phase 2 - Demolition & wood framing, Phase 3 - Building services & finishes.

Excavation during Phase 1 required coordination of work with a specialized Building Mover sub-contractor, followed-up with team-work by a Rock Drilling & Blasting contractor and an Excavation contractor who cleared bedrock for the new foundation.

The Owners of this custom home selected a unique brass door knocker in that looks dramatic under night lighting conditions. Late afternoon sun shines on this cottage property on Lake Muskoka. Demolition and building moving work got underway on this build in the Fall of 2017. The building movers swing steel beams into place to lift and support the wood frame building. The Nudura insulated concrete formwork (I.C.F.) foundation was completed early in 2018. The building movers replaced the building onto its new foundation. Welded structural steel was integrated with wood frame construction to allow the 15-foot bifolding door in the Living Room to be properly supported. Tall wall wood frame walls enclose the stairwell connecting the original main floor to the new walkout basement floor level of this Muskoka home. With windows and doors installed, work can begin on service rough-ins and preparation for interior finishes. Late Spring sunshine hints at the warmth of Summer that approaches during this home's construction. Timberthane exterior siding products give the Screened Porch a distinguished look in Ink Black and Antique White colours. An elliptic curved soffit in the Covered Entry allows the light fixture to radiate illumination without a direct view of the bulb at night. Earth sheltering on three sides of the foundation walls keeps the basement living space cool and comfortable throughout Summer heat waves. The elevated vantage point fromt the sun deck gives a sense of being in among the tree tops. The line of sight out to the open lake from the sun deck and Living Room is a highlight of this waterfront home in Muskoka. Powder-coated aluminum railings incorporating glass panels give this narrow 10-foot deck a sense of greater width. The 15-foot bifolding glass doors with roll-up insect screen allow the cottage interior to feel like a large, very comfortable outdoor space while offering the comforts of home. The wood-burning fireplace serves as a visual anchor for the Living Room portion of the open-concept common living area. The view through the trees to the lake has classic Muskoka cottage country appeal. The three season Porch offers outdoor dining without the nuisance of mosquitos and black flies. The fireplace insert from Valcourt can be used with an open front, or with the glass guillotine door closed fully due to outdoor combustion air supply. A rustic reclaimed barn timber, complete with original timberframe mortise joinery has been miter-cut using a chainsaw and installed to wrap all three sides of the masonry fireplace. A hybrid approach to kitchen design employed IKEA cabinet boxes and decorated them with custom cabinet door and drawer faces. Modern stainless steel appliances look great in this waterfront home's kitchen. White upper cabinets give the kitchen a bright feel while the navy blue base cabinets anchor the kitchen visually. Natural pine v-match paneling is finished with a white-wash finish, sometimes called pickled pine. Vertical painted v-match paneling throughout the home interior contrasts against white ceilings, window and door trim. The Master Bedroom of this cottage overlooks Lake Muskoka. An ensuite bathroom makes the Master Bedroom suite a fully-appointed space for rest and relaxation. Tiled shower with rainfall showerhead and hand-held spray wand in the Master Bathroom. The freestanding bathing tub is centred on a window overlooking the forested yard. Engineered oak hardwood flooring is continuous throughout all floor areas in the cottage except bathrooms. Recessed light fixtures in the walkout basement maximize available floor to ceiling height. The bright, neutral interior colour scheme of the walls and ceilings contrasts pleasantly with the Red Oak flooring. Windows on adjacent walls make the Den and Television room a bright, well-ventilated interior space. A telescopic sliding double barn-style door is a perfect moveable partition between a semi-private space and the common areas of this Muskoka home. Good lighting and a quailty ceramic tile installation make this combined bath and shower a highlight of the bathroom.

An insulated concrete formwork (ICF) foundation was constructed and when complete, the existing cottage was relocated by the Building Mover onto the new foundation.  With the foundation in-place, the rest of the project proceeded with relative ease.  Construction was concluded in July of 2021.

Contact us today to begin planning, designing, pricing, or building your seasonal home or cottage in Muskoka!

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We are at the cottage and everything looks great.  You've done a really nice job.  We're very grateful for your attention to detail - thank you!Lake Muskoka

CONSTRUCTION PROJECT PHOTO GALLERY

COTTAGES

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HOMES

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CUSTOM COTTAGES

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BATHROOMS

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GARAGES

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BOATHOUSES

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PHOTO DETAILS - MUSKOKA HOME CONSTRUCTION

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

Location:
Lake Muskoka,
Township of Muskoka Lakes

Floor Area: 2,400 s.f.

  • First Floor: 1,200 s.f.
  • Walkout Basement: 1,200 s.f.

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2 1/2

CREDITS

Architectural Design:
Classic Muskoka Homes

Structural Engineer:
Kontek Engineering Ltd.

Interior Designer:
Owner

Construction:
Classic Muskoka Homes

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