People lucky enough to have one love getting away to the cottage, but that shouldn't mean taking a holiday from good building practices. There are some cottage-country contractors who - just like in the city - are willing to take advantage of owners. They work for cash, build without permits and fly pretty much by the seat of their pants.
Maybe it's the fresh air. Or maybe they think no one is watching out there. Whatever it is, the result is often some of the worst work you'll find. I have seen such things as a large cottage built on a loose cinder-block foundation with no footings, a low-pitched roof in a heavy snow area covered with asphalt shingles, and wood siding installed below grade - an invitation to rot.
Contractors
If you need work done on your cottage, getting a good reference for a contractor from someone you trust means even more than it does in the city. The contracting network is very small in cottage country, so everyone has a reputation - one way or the other. It won't take long to identify the guys who run legitimate operations. The problem for you is that they will be very busy, and probably won't be able to get to your job for weeks, if not months.
It will be worth the wait. There is a reason why he's busy, and a reason why the other guy isn't. The busy guy has the subtrades that like to work for him, so he's not scrambling to hire unfamiliar or unqualified people. He knows his limits and will do only a certain amount of business each year. He has probably been serving the area for a long time, and knows almost every plot of land, every supplier and every local delay, screw-up and hitch possible. He has the respect of the building inspector. He's the guy you want.
Don't bother trying to bring in a general contractor from the outside to speed things up, either. The community is small, and an outsider will have a hard time getting local trades to work for him at a good price, if they will work for him at all. I won't say cottage-country building is a closed shop, but, as in any business situations, relationships count for something, and a new general contractor will have to earn the trust of the subtrades before he can be competitive.
Permits
Every renovation needs a municipal building permit, but in cottage country, you'll also need to deal with the provincial and possibly federal government when planning your job.
A good local contractor will know about the government bodies that deal with the local environment. All of cottage country is regulated by a conservation authority or environmental-protection group separate from the local building-permit office.
They are concerned with the water table and the protection of lakes and rivers. There will be 100-year flood-plain setbacks, specific regulations regarding septic tanks or septic beds, and restrictions on things such as outhouse placement - the kind of things you don't see any more in the city. You want to make sure your contractor won't get caught halfway through a job by some obscure bylaw that changes all your plans.
And then there are the authorities that govern the lakes and rivers themselves. They fall under federal jurisdiction. If you want to build something on the water, such as a dock or boat house, it will probably require separate permission from them.
Grandfathering
The municipal building department will have its regulations based on the provincial building code.
These will be similar to city requirements, with the exception that they will likely contain a host of grandfather clauses.
Grandfathering is a necessary strategy in cottage country for getting buildings up to code and in compliance with more progressive environmental policies and code updates. For example, you may find out that in your area, all you are allowed to do to your boathouse is repair it or tear it down - not build a new one, because they aren't allowed on the water any more.
There are enough of these kinds of limits that if you are contemplating buying a cottage, your first order of business should be to find out what kind of grandfathering issues there are for you to deal with.
Surprises
Maybe you'll be told that you can't dig a new well because under current bylaws, which weren't in place with the old one as dug, your lot doesn't have enough room for a well. And so you have to hook up to municipal water, which will cost five times more.
Getting reliable power at a reasonable price also can be a challenge in cottage country. Delivering electric power over the longer distances means you'll pay more than homeowners in urban areas. You should also prepare yourself for the possibility of the hefty additional expenses of running new lines and poles to your property. Or, you could consider alternative energy sources, such as solar or wind.
I tell everyone planning a renovation - educate yourself. And when it comes to building in cottage country, there's even more to learn.
Cottage checklist
Before you buy in cottage country, find out:
- What grandfathering issues might arise over the property you are considering
- Who the busy contractors are in the area
- How reliable the power supply is
- What body governs provincial concerns over environmental protection
- What body oversees lakes and rivers
- Who the building inspector is in your neighbourhood
Mike Holmes is the host of Holmes on Homes on HGTV. E-mail Mike at mikeholmes@holmesonhomes.com or go to www.holmesonhomes.com .