Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Cottage Home & Property Showcase is Muskoka's premier Real Estate Magazine: Featuring real estate listings from the entire current edition, advertisers' directory, related real estate links, related industry articles and advertising contact information.
Citation preview
COTTAGE HOME & PROPERTYREAL ESTATE
October 2008 www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
HUNTSVILLE • BRACEBRIDGE • GRAVENHURST • MUSKOKA LAKESLAKE OF BAYS • PARRY SOUND • ALMAGUIN • GEORGIAN BAY
Showcase
www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
Muskoka retreatMuskoka retreat
Black RockBlack Rocklandscapinglandscaping
705-375-0608RR #1, Hamer Bay Rd., Mactier www.blackrocklandscaping.com
HOT TUBWAREHOUSE
HOT TUBWAREHOUSE
BB rraa cc eebb rr ii dd ggee 77 00 55 -- 66 44 55 -- 88 66 11 33ww ww ww.. hh oo tt tt uu bbwwaa rree hh oo uu ss ee.. cc aa ii nn ffoo @@ hh oo tt tt uu bbwwaa rree hh oo uu ss ee.. cc aa
SSppaassHHoott TTuubbss
PPooooll SSuuppppll iieessRReennttaa llssPPaarr ttss &&
SSeerrvv iicceess
DECOR STUDIO15 Main Street,Huntsville (705) 788-2612
STORE HOURS: Tues. to Sat. 10-4, Thurs. & Fri. 10-6
Sunday by appointment
DECOR STUDIO15 Main Street,Huntsville (705) 788-2612
STORE HOURS: Tues. to Sat. 10-4, Thurs. & Fri. 10-6
Sunday by appointment
muskoka water front
www.royal lepagemuskoka.com705-765-6855 800-763-3398
Located at the Locks in Port Carl ing
Unsurpassed privacy & magnificent long lake views in this Glenavy Pt area property. Develop your dream waterfront estate! Sandy shallow cove & rocky point surrounded by deep water. Recently approved for severance into two 303 ft straightline lots.
South, West, Northwest-THE best exposures on the lakes! Build your dream cottage & 2 storey boathouse on this stunning point of land. Point Stenning features rock plateaus, sandy coves & sand beachfront. Please call for your private viewing.
Brand new Lake Joseph retreat. Custom built from top to bottom. Quality throughout. Spacious 4,000 sq.’ executive cottage w/4 bdrms. & 4 baths. Matching 2 slip boathouse w/upper accommo-dation, FP & sundeck. Triple car garage. Private lot with hardwood forest and dramatic rock ridge. Easy access to Hwy 400.
Exceptional family compound potential!! Pristine 2400 sq.ft winterized cottage, 152 ft lot plus adjoining 180 ft, 1 acre lot available at $499,000. Spacious floor plan - great room w/wood fp, ensuite bth, eat-in kitchen w/bay & sep. pantry. Sunny & level park-like lots w/long view out of protected bay. Bunkie & water's edge cabana.
Private, gentle sloping property with 270 ft frontage, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3-car garage, 2 slip boathouse, 2 fireplaces; 1 wood, 1 propane. Easy access to Hwy. 400, Parry Sound Airport or golfing at Rocky Crest or Lake Joseph Club.
This completely renovated, S/W facing 7 bdrm cottage is situated on a level 1.4 acre lot w/225 ft of w/f. All new ext. wood siding, shingles, windows & doors. New int. in pine, new kit. & spacious sundeck, furnace & air. Sgle sl. BH, bunkie & much more!
Located on quiet Little Lake Joe. Family cottage with pine lined interior, stone FP, post & beam screened room. Open concept living area, 4 bdrms & 2 baths. Boathouse plus separate swim dock. Deep & shallow water. Furniture & appliance package included.
Virtual tour at: www.virtualproperties.ca/r8714/index1.htm View to Stonewall Isl., Lk Muskoka. Impeccable 3 bdrm, 2-4 pce. bath, 1/2 log wint. cottage. Single B/H w/swim dock. Hard-packed sand & deeper shore. New garage w/bunkie above & 3 pce. bath
Build 2 Storey Dream Boathouse & cottage on 300 ft Frontage(4ac). Unique site with towering pines affording ultimate views & privacy. Large Building site has been cleared to the table bedrock and ready to build on for the extended family. Gentle rockshelf shore w/ deeper water. Building Plans available
Magnificent sunsets & view from this 3 bdrm chalet style cottage built for year round use. Gentle lot w/single boathouse & sundeck having sand & deeper water at the shore. Year round municipal road.
STUNNING! Custom 4 bdrm/4 bath contemporary home on over 8 acres of granite & forest yet minutes to Bracebridge. Over 3500 sq.ft. of artistic luxury. Complete ICF construction & passive solar heat. Must be seen!
Lake Rosseau 700+ feet$4,595,000
Ready for Spring 2009$4,250,000
Lake Rosseau 2 Estate Lots - 705 ft.$3,295,000
Newer Cottage, Great View$1,089,000
Lake Muskoka 278 feet!$1,049,000
J U D Y PA R K S * judeparks@gmai l . com7 0 5 - 7 7 4 - 3 5 3 5
D O N E VA N S *www.Muskok aLake sR ea lEs t a t e . com7 0 5 - 6 4 6 - 4 4 1 5
PA U L H E E N A N * / L I N D A R A T K O V S K Y *4 1 6 - 2 5 8 - 2 4 2 4 / 7 0 5 - 7 0 6 - 1 9 4 4
S U E M O R R I S * *www.rea l e s t a t e -muskok a . com7 0 5 - 6 4 4 - 3 7 1 2
H E L M U T K R U C K E L *7 0 5 - 7 6 4 - 1 0 8 2
B R I A N C O O K * & W E N D Y C O O K * *
w w w . m u s k o k a l a k e s c o t t a g e h u n t e r . c o m7 0 5 - 6 4 4 - 7 2 9 2
Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated
West View Lake Rosseau$797,000
Exclusive Ziska Rd area!$795,000
Lake Muskoka Opportunity$399,000
** Broker *Sales Representative
D O N N A R E I D * *www.donnare id . ca7 0 5 - 6 4 4 - 7 8 6 6
Meticulously maintained & beautifully furnished turn key offering. Vaulted pine ceiling in liv/din rm w/wall of glass, 4 bdrms, screened Musk Rm, sitting area w/airtight stove. Recessed off main channel in the Joseph River w/ 230 ft frontage, rock and pine shore. BH deck 25 x 18. [email protected]
PA U L H E E N A N * / L I N D A R A T K O V S K Y *4 1 6 - 2 5 8 - 2 4 2 4 / 7 0 5 - 7 0 6 - 1 9 4 4
North Lake Joseph$1,675,000
Lake Muskoka Family Cottage$1,149,000
Due West on Lake Rosseau!!$1,099,000
D AV I D D I N E L L E *dine l l e@muskok a . com7 0 5 - 6 4 6 - 4 8 8 8
D O N E VA N S *www.Muskok aLake sR ea lEs t a t e . com7 0 5 - 6 4 6 - 4 4 1 5
D AV I D D I N E L L E *dine l l e@muskok a . com7 0 5 - 6 4 6 - 4 8 8 8
Luxuriously Private Setting$849,500
PA U L H E E N A N * / L I N D A R A T K O V S K Y *4 1 6 - 2 5 8 - 2 4 2 4 / 7 0 5 - 7 0 6 - 1 9 4 4
October 2008 1www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
Muskoka Magazine is published byCottage Country Communications, a
division of Osprey Media Publishing Inc.which is a part of:
Published nine times per year:February, April, May,
June, July, August, SeptemberOctober/November and December.
Copyright© 2008,Osprey Media Publishing Inc.
All rights reserved.Reproduction of any material publishedin Cottage Home & Property Showcaseis strictly prohibited without the written
permission of the publisher. Thepublisher assumes no responsibility
for unsolicited material.Printed in Canada.
GST Number: 828666354RT0050
Canada Post Publication Sales ProductAgreement Number 40025080
Address changes should be sentto the address below.
How to contact us:Mail: P.O. Box 180,
Bracebridge ON P1L 1T6Street Address:
195 Ecclestone Dr., BracebridgePhone: (705) 646-1314
Fax: (705) 645-6424E-mail: [email protected]
www.cottagehomeshowcase.com
COTTAGE HOME & PROPERTY
ShowcaseDonald Smith
Publisher
Melissa KosowanEditor
Matthew SitlerAssistant Editor
Andrew HoshkiwStaff Photographer
Mary Lee ZimmerAdvertising Sales Manager
Donna AnsleyCurtis Armstrong
Gord KidderLaurie Johle
Martha GillanSpence McGrathAdvertising Sales
Marc BonitatibusProduction Manager
Addie CollinsKim Knight
Design Department
Joan HorsleyAngy GliddonKen NortheySusan Smith
Reader Sales and Service
Allan CookAndrew Hind
Karen WehrsteinContributors
5 CONDO LIFESTYLE LEAVES MORETIME FOR MUSKOKABy Allan Cook
13 MUSKOKA BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
16 MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGYEFFICIENTBy Karen Wehrstein
26 THE WHOLE STORY ON FRACTIONALOWNERSHIPBy Andrew Hind
22 DESIGNS FOR LIVING32 YOUR PANEL OF PROFESSIONALS
For more information see inside back cover.
About Our Cover:Photograph courtesy of B.H.FergieJudge Inc.
JUDGES CONTRACTING LTD.LTD.JC DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION • RESTORATION
Jay Richardon • Sharon Hunter Aiken • George Aiken • Marilyn Mannion • Renne Bakema • Tom McDonald • Diane McKeeJim Gardiner • Jeff Buddo • Sandra Buckley - Branch Manager • Jamie Blair • Paul Crammond • Carole-Lynn Sterne • Ian Waldie
Lesley-Anne Goodfellow • Dan Imrie • Ben Imrie • Garth McNaughton • Stephen Leonard
David Samborski • Joan Keenleyside • Iris Gardiner • Sandy Waldie • Linda Skinner • Chris Kapches - Vice President & Legal CounselCatherine Deluce - President & CEO • Megan McLeod • Susan Brown • Maria Tingey • Joe Quinn
See our properties for sale in The Muskoka Magazine
Port Carling • p: 705.765.6878 f: 705.765.7330Foot’s Bay • p: 705.375.9191 f: 705.375.9192Lake of Bays • p: 705.635.2118 f: 705.635.3803
JAY RICHARDSON • SHARON HUNTER AIKEN • GEORGE AIKEN • ROGER PILKEY • MARILYN MANNION • RENNE BAKEMA • TOM MCDONALD • DIANE MCKEE
JIM GARDINER • JEFF BUDDO • SANDRA BUCKLEY - BRANCH MANAGER • JAMIE BLAIR • PAUL CRAMMOND • E.J. GORDON • CAROLE-LYNN STERNE • IAN WALDIE
LESLEY-ANNE GOODFELLOW • DAN IMRIE • BEN IMRIE • GARTH MCNAUGHTON • STEPHEN LEONARD
DAVID SAMBORSKI • JOAN KEENLEYSIDE • IRIS GARDINER • SANDY WALDIE • LINDA SKINNER • CHRIS KAPCHES - SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & LEGAL COUNSEL
CATHERINE DELUCE - PRESIDENT & CEO • MEGAN MCLEOD • SUSAN BROWN • MARIA TINGEY • JOE QUINN
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE2 October 2008
October 2008 3www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
(705) 789-6568 • (705) 789-1646CL: (705) 788-4315 • CL: (705) 788-8633E-mail: [email protected]
Bill McGrath & Sher McGrathBroker of Record Sales Representative
FAIRY LAKE, HUNTSVILLE6,500 sq. ft. executive waterfront property. 2 hours from Toronto – 7bdrms with ensuites. Owners’ separate suite. Large, great room. Recroom on lower walkout. Quality throughout. Most furnishingsincluded. Superb beach. Separate granny suite... lots of room forextended family & guests. Superb location for golfers. Two stone fire-places. 5 minutes to center of town.
MARY LAKE – NOW $749,000IMMEDIATE CLOSE
200 Feet of Western Sunset Exposure. Pine kitchen w/breakfast nook &fam. rm with riverstone fireplace. Fabulous tanning deck. Covered BoatSlip. 4+ bdrms. Original 1917 farmhouse in part of cottage. 2 Fireplaces.Large garage for all of the toys.
Cottage Country Realty Inc.Brokerage
PENINSULA LAKE COTTAGE/HOME
This great pine lined cottage is absolutelycharming with level child friendly lot andsouth facing views for all day sun. 5 Bdrm plusa 2 bdrm bunkie with washroom. Double cargarage for all of the toys. $789,000
HARD TO FIND BUILDING LOT ON PENINSULA LAKE
Level lot with south all day sun exposure. Cur-rently has a tennis court on the lot. Good treeline. New septic already in place. Build yourdream cottage here. $369,000
NNEEWWPPRRIICCEE
$$779999,,000000
WATERFRONT ON LAKE OF BAYSWITHOUT THE HIGH PRICE
Want to be on the lake but not pay the hightaxes, this is it. Superbly maintained one ownerhome/cottage. 3 bdrms 2 baths, double garage,hard sand bottom beach with dock and smallstorage bldg at waters edge. A definite must see... great value... $459,900
$$11,,669955,,000000
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE4 October 2008
Shelley HenwoodSales Representative
Cell (705) 783-8777Office (705) 789-6568
Fax (705) 789-8775
Custom built home. 3 bdrms, 3 bath 2600 sqft home. Beautiful pine kitchen opens to din-ing & livingrm w/double natural gas fire-place that comforts both livingrm & mas-terbdrm. Master w/spacious ensuite & pri-vate deck. Full finished basement w/2bdrms, 4 pc bath & recroom. Main floorLaundry, Double car garage. Asking
BEAUTIFUL NORMERICATIMBERFRAME HOME
10 MINUTES FROMDOWNTOWN HUNTSVILLE
Over 2 acres! Open concept, custom kitchenw/granite counter tops & stainless steel appli-ances. Living & diningroom w/floor to ceil-ing windows. 3 bdrms, 3 bthrms, w/masterloft offering views of Vernon Lake. Fully fin-ished walkout lower level w/2 bdrms & rec-room. *Bonus* 280 ft. waterfront lot acrossthe road on Vernon Lake. 5 minute boat rideor drive to downtown Huntsville.Asking $749,000.
www.century21.ca
Cottage Country Realty Inc.Brokerage
29 King William Street, Huntsville Ontario
AuraleeBroughtonSales Representative
705-706-0005
Deeded waterfront on beautiful Three Mile Lake. Renovated 3 bed-room, 2 bathroom home on a level lot with deeded 20’ access to sandbeach across road. Large Master with a deck and gorgeous view oflake, hardwood floors, walk-in closet and claw foot tub are just someof the features. Enjoy the lake without the taxes! $239,900 CallAuralee 705-706-0005.
Office: 705-789-6568www.muskokaforsale.com
$239,900
Severance possibilities on this well treed 34 ace lot located on SouthWaseosa Lake Rd. Mature maples located at back of property. Over800 feet of frontage on a year round road. Desirable area close toHuntsville. Asking 119,500. Call Auralee 705-706-0005.
$119,500
Cottage Country Realty Inc.Brokerage
29 King William Street, Huntsville Ontario
WyattWilliamsonSales Representative
705-783-1061
Great hunting or “get-away” property. 100 acres closeto Huntsville with a mix of hard & soft woods. A stone’sthrow off of the main road via unopened road allowance.Come take a look. Motivated seller. $54,900
20 acre parcel of land encompassing a 10 acre lake.Easy access with hydro and phone lines at property.Only 15 minutes from Huntsville. Blackwell Lake is wait-ing for you! $249,000
BRING AN OFFER! PRIVATE PARADISE!
October 2008 5www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
It used to be that there were only two ways toown a piece of Muskoka; you owned a house andlived here year-round, or you owned a cottage, andtried to make it up as often as possible during theseasons it was practical. As Muskoka became moreaccessible over the years, those cottages wereupgraded and the families that owned them wereable to stay longer, even during the winter.
Eventually, a new way to own real estate inMuskoka arrived in the 1980s; the resort condo-minium. First seen at Deerhurst and Grandviewresorts, these were true vacation properties. Pur-chasers could use them during certain times of theyear and could rent out the rest of the yearthrough the resort for the chance to make someincome from their investment.
In the late 1990s a new kind of condo began tocome to Muskoka, and Norm Goodfellow, con-tractor on a number of resort condominium proj-ects as well as buildings such as the Riverside Pub-lic School in Huntsville and the Algonquin ParkVisitor Centre, became part of the area’s first waveof residential condominium developments.
“We felt the area was lacking in quality multi-residential buildings,” says Julie Maw of Goodfel-low Construction.
Goodfellow Construction began exploringopportunities by developing the Dairy Lane town-houses in Huntsville.
“It was during this project that we became awareof the need for apartment-style, no-stairs condo-miniums, complete with elevator and under-ground parking, which at the time was almostnonexistent in Muskoka,” Maw says.
Goodfellow Construction then built the Algo-nquin Landing project in Huntsville and the 42-unit Drumkerry by the Falls condominium build-ing in Bracebridge before returning to Huntsvilleand building Vernon View, which is now almostcompletely sold out.
The company is currently completing the firstphase of Legends at the Falls, a 40-unit buildingjust a block away from Drumkerry in Bracebridge.Legends features spacious one and two-bedroomsuites, many with dens and spectacular views ofthe Bracebridge Falls. Located just a short walkfrom downtown, phase one also offers a large partyroom complete with full kitchen and large deckoverlooking the Muskoka River.
“We have always built one building at a time inan effort to make sure each building is the bestpossible building we can build,” Maw says. “Wesurvey our owners once they have moved in tofind out what we can improve upon.”
Noise control is one matter on the minds ofbuyers who know that they will be sharing walls,ceilings, and floors with others. Goodfellow Con-struction uses the Hambro concrete floor system,which allows superior sound suppression betweenfloors.
Over the years Goodfellow has been in thecondo development and construction business,
they have seen purchasers from all demographics.These include retirees leaving their cottagesbehind for the winter or altogether, first-timehomeowners, and professionals who travel fre-quently and need a carefree home base.
“We have even sold to a Scottish couple who fellin love with Muskoka but found maintaining acottage from another country daunting, so thiswas the right fit for them,” Maw says. “We used tobe Muskoka’s best-kept secret as far as quality, rea-sonably-priced condominiums were concerned,and now many of our sales come from word ofmouth from satisfied owners.”
There are styles of residential condos in Musko-ka to suit all types of buyers, from apartment-stylesuites in dedicated buildings to townhouses andbungalows. What defines any project as a “condo-minium” is the combination of individual owner-ship with communal management. A condo pur-chaser owns title to their individual unit, but theyare part of a corporation that oversees mainte-nance and upkeep of all shared facilities. A boardof directors is usually comprised of owners andresidents, and a management company retained tohandle repairs, administration and upkeep. Amonthly “condo fee” is paid by owners to coverthe cost of such services, and often water, gas, elec-
tricity, and other utilities as well.Care-free ownership is one of the most attractive
aspects of condo living, and while a number ofeasy-to-own residential condo projects are under-way throughout the region, the original vacation-condo concept is experiencing a renaissance of itsown at the Marriott Residence Inn at the Musko-ka Wharf. Buyers can purchase a suite at the new104-room, five-storey hotel, which is the work ofMuskoka developer Evanco.
“You own deeded title to the suite,” Barb Buck-ley of Evanco explains. “The difference is thatwhen you’re not there you’re earning revenue onyour property. The Marriot operates like anyhotel; guests stay in suites. Revenue is pooled so ifyour suite is booked or not you still get yourapportionate share of the total hotel revenue basedon square footage.”
Resort condos in the past have typically onlygenerated revenue for the owners when their spe-cific suite is occupied, making the Marriott rev-enue-sharing plan an attractive option. Buyers areentitled to up to two consecutive weeks a season,but many choose to take it a few days at a time, astheir lifestyles allow. If they wish to use it morethan their accumulated allotted time per year theydo not receive any revenue sharing from their extra
By Allan Cook
CONDO LIFESTYLE LEAVES MORE TIME FOR MUSKOKA
Legends at the Falls in Bracebridge is a 40-unit condo development by Goodfellow.
Phot
ogra
ph:
cour
tesy
of
Good
fello
w C
onst
ruct
ion
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE6 October 2008
Brent StapletonBroker, OwnerCell: [email protected]
COLDWELL BANKER DOWNTOWN HUNTSVILLE705-789-4957www.coldwellbanker.com
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Scott MorrisonSales Representative, Owner
Cell: [email protected]
Thompson Real Estate Brokerage
For more information, call Brent or Scottor stop by our office in downtown Huntsville.
(across from the Town Hall)
Commanding viewsover Clear Lake, with3000 sq ft of livingspace. Full walkoutbasement, sand bottomwaterfront.
$549,000
BEAUTIFUL SUNSET VIEWS
One of a kind water-front property on beau-tiful Mary Lake. Warmwood interior boastspine flooring, large firbeams, with a fullwalkout lower level.
$519,900
40 MILES OF BOATING
Starter cottage with132' frontage andsunny southern views.Open concept interiorwith a walkout to alarge deck. The priceis right!
$259,900
LAKE OF BAYS
2,600 sq ft home with 4 bedrooms, 110' front-age, on the MuskokaRiver. Full walkoutbasement, all situatedon a beautiful privatelot.
$369,900
MUSKOKA WATERFRONT HOME
On beautiful DottyLake, with 215' ofsandy shoreline. Theperfect spot to buildyour dream cottage,on a sparsely populat-ed lake.
$199,900
10 ACRES OF PARADISE
Enjoy 40 miles ofboating from this 4b e d r o o mhome/cottage with200' frontage, on 1.09acres. Full finishedbasement.
$999,900
SPECTACULAR LAKE VERNON
Ellen WileyBROKER OF RECORD
Terri BrownSALES REPRESENTATIVE
WILEY REAL ESTATE1-800-563-7593 • 705-766-2182
DorsetBrokerage
Setting is a combination ofprivacy, southern views & beautifulgranite shoreline. 279 feet lake-front, 2+ acres, spacious 4,000 sq.ft. design. 5 bdrms, 3 baths, wellappointed kitchen, family room,multiple fireplaces and more.
Lake of BaysTrading Bay
REALTOR
$1,844,000
Fabulous level lot, 315 feetfrontage & 2.21 acres. Stunninglake & sunset views. 2000+ sq.ft.main cottage with double sidedfireplace & open concept livingspace plus a guest cottage withown kitchen & bath. Large, newdocking system. Spectacular sandbeach & exceptional privacy.
Sunsets & Sand
$1,650,000
Kayley SpaldingSales Representative [email protected]
COLDWELL BANKERThompson Real Estate
Thompson Real Estate BrokerageHUNTSVILLE
(705) 789-4957www.coldwellbanker.ca
Peaceful Muskoka River residence rest-ing in beautiful Port Sydney. Spacious 3bdrm, 2 bath home/secondary resi-dence is ready for your family to enjoy.Many recent upgrades include: renovat-ed bathroom, upgraded kitchen, freshpaint, newer windows and so muchmore! This great property is tucked off ofthe road and sitting right near the riverso that you can enjoy the beautiful viewsfrom the living room window while thefireplace sets the mood.
Asking$269,900.
MuskokaHome orSecondaryResidence
Call KayleyFor Details
(705) 380-2760
days on site.“It’s a great way to get a cheap cot-
tage in Muskoka, really,” Buckleysays.
Directly across Steamship BayRoad from the Marriott is Evanco’sother Gravenhurst condo develop-ment, the Residences at MuskokaWharf. Full-ownership condos, theResidences feature one, two andthree-bedroom units from sixunique floor plans, all of which fea-ture gas fireplaces and gas barbecuehookups on the balconies. Flexibiltyin layout and finish helps ensure thatno two units across the three-build-ing development will be alike.
“We are customizing the inside ofthem as much as we can for people,”Buckley explains “They get to picktheir own finishes and features.Some people are making them looklike cottages; we’re putting in firbeams, cultured stone and big gran-ite fireplaces, and other people aremaking them look like a downtownmodern condo.”
Evanco is discovering that theirprimary market for the Residencescondos are people who are movinginto town from cottages on thelakes.
“They’re either selling the cottage
or giving it to the kids. They stillwant to stay in the area but theydon’t want to do any more work,”Buckley says. “There’s a real sense ofcommunity in these buildings, Ithink because everyone here has thesame interests and is a little bit older,and they go out for walks together atnight and they enjoy the parkland,they have dinner. They’re very socia-
ble.”Social activity can be a focus of
condo living, and many develop-ments include common areas thatare shared by the owners within thecommunity. A fully-equipped club-house is just one of the features ofthe Waterways of Muskoka projectthat Senarra Homes is developing onthe Muskoka River beside the
Wellington Street bridge in Brace-bridge.
“The clubhouse will have a sauna,fitness centre, kitchen, fireplace, aboardroom and events room.There’ll be a patio and an outdoorsaltwater pool,” explains KellyPurkis of Waterways. “So it’s reallylike a recreation centre for the com-munity to use.”
Encompassing almost 13 acreswith nearly 700 feet of waterfrontalong the riverside, Waterways ofMuskoka will also feature gazebos,picnic tables, barbecues, a boardwalkand trails through an exclusive park-land setting. The developer’s com-mitment to Waterways’ natural set-ting is echoed in the eco-friendlyconstruction and design choices theyhave built into the project.
“All of the homes will have solarpanels on the roofs which will beused to heat the hot water tanks,”says Purkis. “The painting through-out is low-emission organic com-pound paints that have 70 per centless solvents in them. There are low-flow showerheads, faucets and toiletsthroughout as well. The standardfurnace is a high-efficiency gas fur-nace and the fireplaces are high-effi-ciency gas fireplaces.”
October 2008 7www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
The Residences at the Muskoka Wharf, a project by Evanco, featuresix unique floor plans with beautifully finished interiors.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Eva
nco
Muskoka
Corp. *Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated. **Limited availability. Images for mood and Impression only.
Muskoka
Corp*Brokerage, Indep
Our New Model Suite is Now OpenSaturdays and Sundays 1pm to 3pm
Only A Few Suites RemainingCondominiums Starting From $209,500
MOVE IN NOW!
www.granitetrail.ca 705-687-3474 [email protected] James Street . Gravenhurst . Muskoka
Our New Model Suite is Now OpenSaturdays and Sundays 1pm to 3pm
*
While the developer has a com-bined 70-plus years of experience incondo developments in the GTAand Florida, Waterways is Missis-sauga-based Senarra Homes firstproject in Muskoka, and they arecommitted to using local productsand contractors. This includes exte-riors produced by Gemthane SidingSystem of Bracebridge, which ispolymer-coated wood siding thatcarries a lifetime guarantee.
“I think the quality of the homeswill speak for themselves as well,”Purkis says. “Real quality workman-ship and materials are going into thisproject.”
The condos at Waterways areattached bungalows and townhousesfrom six different floor plans, whichwill be mixed and matched in smallblocks of buildings throughout theproject.
“All of the homes on the outsidelook different – there’s a continuity,but at the same time they’re finishedjust a little bit different to give themcharacter,” Purkis says.
Each layout features a loft, butPurkis explains that all have beendesigned for “main-floor living,”with the master bedroom and laun-dry facilities joining the kitchens
and great rooms on the same level.Each unit will have a basement aswell.
It’s been less than three monthssince sales began and the develop-ment is almost 15 per cent sold, withover 85 per cent of the buyers com-ing from the local community.Purkis suggests buyers do theirresearch when comparing condos inthe area.
“Find out exactly what is included
in the price, because quite often theprice can be very misleading,” shesays, pointing out Waterways exten-sive standard features. “Take yourtime and find out what’s really goingon – read between the lines.”
Though the Waterways site is largeenough that the sales staff providestours by golf cart, other condo devel-opments in Muskoka are takingplace on a much more intimatescale. For example, 1871 At The
Locks, a project in Port Carling, willfeature only 11 exclusive residencecondos.
“It’s very low-key, very small, butjust a huge improvement fromwhat’s there,” says developer ShawnLeon of the Indian River site thatwas formerly home to a derelictmarine shed. “The real beauty hereis that it’s incredibly unique, and it’snot something that’s likely to beavailable again.”
The centrepiece of the develop-ment will be the five-unit, west-fac-ing A.P. Cockburn building, whereeach three-bedroom condo will bebuilt above a spacious boathouse.The second residential building fea-tures six smaller condos, each withtheir own boat slip on the boardwalkoutside. Two small commercialbuildings, which will house profes-sional offices, complete the develop-ment.
Offering waterfront living right inthe heart of downtown Port Carling,1871 At The Locks was designed byarchitect Duncan Ross of Huntsvillewith Muskoka heritage in mind.
“It will be sort of a classic style –not too loud, not too ostentatious,just sort of more subdued and classicin style,” Leon says. “Inside the units
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE8 October 2008
An artist’s rendering of D&M Corporation’s Granite Springs condodevelopment in Bracebridge provides an overview of the project.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Roy
al L
ePag
e La
kes
of M
usko
ka R
ealty
gst, underground parking & storage locker included!
Quality projects developed by GOODFELLOW CONSTRUCTION INC.Visit our Presentation Centre on site at 10 Kimberley Avenue in Bracebridge Monday-Thursday 9 - 5, Friday 10 - 3, Saturday 10 - 4:30
www.goodfellowcondos.com 705-646-1564 [email protected]
Selling QuicklyOccupancy this summer!
Come andview our fully
furnishedmodel!
18 71a t t h e l o c k s
P O R T C A R L I N GM U S K O K A
N O W U N D E R C O N S T R U C T I O N
18 71
Th e V i l l a g e Tr i b u t e S e r i e sf r o m $ 2 2 9 , 9 0 0
Th e S t e a m s h i p S i g n a t u r e S e r i e sf r o m $ 7 9 9 , 9 0 0w i t h b o a t h o u s e
7 0 5 . 6 4 5 . 5 2 5 7 e x t . 2 5 08 0 0 . 6 0 6 . 2 6 3 6 o r i n f o @ 1 8 7 1 a t t h e l o c k s . c o mw w w. 1 8 7 1 a t t h e l o c k s . c o m
Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated
A N E X C L U S I V E C O L L E C T I O N O FO N LY 11 E X C E P T I O N A L P O R T C A R L I N G
W A T E R F R O N T C O N D O M I N I U M S
A Y E A R LO CK E D I N H I S TO R Y. . .
M E M O R I E S TO L A S T A L I F E T I M E
October 2008 11www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
will all be very classic Muskoka; a lotof wood siding, wood ceilings, woodfloors, wood trim; it will be very,very traditional in that sense.”
Tradition is reflected in the verynames of the project. The year 1871was when the locks were opened.The boathouse units are each namedafter one of the original five Musko-ka Lakes steamships, the other con-dos after Port Carling streets and allfour buildings are named for townfathers such as William Hanna, Ben-jamin Hardcastle Johnson and SirJohn Carling.
Leon has partnered with the
recently formed New Homes Divi-sion of Royal LePage Lakes ofMuskoka Realty to market and sellthe condos.
Russ MacKinnon is the lead bro-ker for the project, and feels 1871exemplifies the most basic real estateadage.
“Location, location, location,” hesays. “And that is in terms of bothamenities, accessibility and resale,and Port Carling has all of that.”
MacKinnon also touts the sim-plicity of condo ownership as amajor factor in its growing popular-ity in Muskoka.
Great rooms at The Waterways feature cozy gas fireplaces, soaringcathedral ceilings and a relaxed casual contemporary décor.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Wat
erw
ays
of M
usko
ka
ImmediateOccupancy
Ed CampbellConstruction Ltd.
1071 Campbell’s Road Tel: 705.765.7239Minett, ON Cell: 705.644.0914edcambellconstruction@hughesnet Fax: 705-765-7480
Tom CampbellLaurie CampbellOwners
D & BPROPERTIES
presents
Luxury WaterfrontResort Villa Rentals
featuring
A Lake of Bays Fractional Resort
~Baysville, Ontario ~
Four Season Availability
Contact:*[email protected]
*cottagerental.com/cottages/101 or 103 or 699
Visitmuskokacottagehomeproperty.comto browse this entire editiononline. Also check out our
many informative real estaterelated articles and real
estate listings.
REAL ESTATE
“If you used as an example some-one downsizing from a larger placeon a lake, they get away from themaintenance headaches. The main-tenance cost, the operating cost, theaccessibility; it’s there, you can keepyour boat there, and the property’smanaged for you,” MacKinnonexplains, suggesting as well that con-dos offer an easily comprehensibleownership option. “A lot of peopledon’t really understand what they’rebuying – what is fractional, what istimeshare, what’s the difference?And this is very simple. With con-dos, you buy your unit and you ownit. If you want to share it you can, ifyou want to rent it to your cousinfor the week you can. It’s simple, it’sgot an excellent location, it’s right onthe water, right in Port Carling, withyear-round access.”
Royal LePage Lakes of MuskokaRealty’s New Homes Division wasfounded in May 2008 to meet thespecific needs of new home buildersand new home buyers.
“We offer project development,marketing, and real estate services tonew home builders and developers,”says Jane Furter of the New HomesDivision. “Our services are also ben-eficial to the new home buyer. Our
agents are knowledgeable in the con-struction of new homes and condo-miniums and know project locationsthroughout Muskoka. When thebuyer comes to us first, we can savethem a lot of time and frustration byinitially qualifying their needs andsuggesting to them which communi-ties may be most suitable. In addi-tion, we will represent them in thereal estate process which doesn’t usu-
ally cost the client. Normally, thebuilder pays the real estate fee.”
In addition to the 1871 project,the New Homes Division is also pro-viding sales and marketing for twoof Muskoka’s other top condomini-um developments, Muskoka D&MCorporation’s Granite Trail inGravenhurst and Granite Springs inBracebridge.
“Granite Trail and Granite Springs
condominiums are exceptional proj-ects that met the needs in two mar-kets where there were only fewoptions previously for buyers,”Furter says. “Not only is the pricingattractive in both locations, but thecondominium amenities, variety offloor plans, quality of constructionby Greystone (the contractor) andoverall value make them a top choicewhen compared to other projects inBracebridge and Gravenhurst.”
Located in a wooded glen onJames Street in Gravenhurst, GraniteTrail is the first condominium proj-ect in that town to feature under-ground parking. The GraniteSprings development in Bracebridgebacks onto the South MuskokaCurling & Golf Club, and clubmembers are already purchasingunits in order to be closer to theirfavourite course.
“Both condominiums have fitnessfacilities, manicured gardens, andwalking paths,” Furter says of theplanned amenities. “Additionally,Granite Trail will feature a koi pondand zen garden while GraniteSprings will have an indoor/outdoorsaltwater swimming pool in a club-house.”
Local purchasers moving into
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE12 October 2008
Stewart Martin, deputy mayor of Township of Muskoka Lakes, devel-oper Shawn Leon and Russ MacKinnon of Royal LePage Lakes ofMuskoka cut the ribbon at the August launch of 1871 At The Locks.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Roy
al L
ePag
e La
kes
of M
usko
ka R
ealty
* Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated
7 0 5 . 6 3 7 . 0 2 7 33 9 1 M a n i t o b a S t r e e t , B r a c eb r i d gew w w. g r a n i t e s p r i n g s m u s k o k a .c o m
m u s k o k a
*
Presentation Centre Open 11-4 Daily, or by Appointment. Closed TuesdaysSTARTING FROM THE MID $200’S
PHASE TWO
RELEASED!
U N I Q U E C O N D O M I N I U M L I V I N G I N S P I R E D B Y N A T U R E
Your Home. Your Oasi s
F E A T U R I N G :A i r C o n d i t i o n i n g S a l t w a t e r P o o l F i t n e s s F a c i l i t y
W o o d a n d C e r a m i c F l o o r i n g U n d e r g r o u n d H e a t e d P a r k i n g
Muskoka
Corp.
Adam Electrical& Electronics Inc.705-687-3702
A.F. Construction/DEC-K-ING705-645-4163
Anchor Designs 705-646-8972
Artistic Stone705-645-1060
Associated Integrated Systems705-735-4595 or1-800-286-9209
Bay Group Lumber Co. Inc.705-684-8233
Ben Hopkins Renovations705-769-1835
Benchmark Custom Homes &Cottages Country Fine Homes705-732-4663
Bert French & Son LimitedFrench's Fine Homes705-385-2311
Bracebridge Propane705-645-42941-866-645-4294
Brian Hoar Inc.705-765-0258
Budget Propane705-687-5608
Casey Contracting(Muskoka) Ltd.705-645-3413
Chosen Doorways705-645-5040
Cedar Laine Restoration705-644-4619
Cedar Roof Ontario/CedarSpecialty Shoppes905-684-1665
Clement Aluminum & Vinyl705-789-7321
COGECO Cable905-333-5343
Coote, Hiley, Jemmett Limited705-645-4611
Coulson Bros. Scow Service705-764-1672
Cripps Contracting Ltd.705-687-4497
CRS705-788-7718
Cutting Bros. Inc.705-765-1615
D & D Contracting Muskoka705-375-1001
DMC Muskoka Inc.705-646-2561
Dockside Welding & Fabrication705-765-3444
Draftech Design Inc.705-687-6236
Earl Ferguson Construction Inc.705-765-5319
Edenlane Homes Inc.705-687-9248
Elemental Construction Inc.705-646-2333
Excel Enclosures705-646-2508
Federated Insurance705-330-70151-800-387-5953
Fitzmaurice Bros.Custom Carpentry Inc.705-645-6467
Fowler Construction705-645-2214
Freed Development Corp.416-781-5699
Gemthane Wood Sidingand Finishing Systems705-646-1796
Golden Windows 519-942-4665
Gravenhurst Home Hardware705-687-3479
Gravenhurst PlumbingHeating & Electric705-687-3402
Gravenhurst Home Hardware 705-687-3479
Great Northern Insulation705-684-8879
Hertz Equipment Rental 705-726-2228
Home Building CentreGravenhurst705-687-2289
Inclined Elevation Inc.705-645-4567
INTEGRA Works Inc. 705-385-3000
Judges Contracting Ltd.705-645-0480
Kaye Brothers705-764-1950
Knowles Plumbing705-645-2671
Komatsu Rents705-645-8366
Kubota North Sales& Service705-645-1175
Lakewood Construction705-765-1097
Lasertrim Custom Millworkand Mouldings705-687-7784
Law Office of Marcia Oliver705-788-1148
Lee Roche Kelly Lawyers705-645-2286
Les Foley Construction705-687-4322
Moore Propane705-476-2334or 1-877-735-1856
Muskoka Barging& Construction Ltd.705-764-1062
Muskoka ContainerizedServices Ltd.705-645-4453
Muskoka Lumber705-765-3105
Muskoka Mechanical Service705-645-7913
Muskoka Timber Mills Ltd.705-645-7757
Muskoka Window & Door Centre705-645-3057or 1-800-461-5495
Nordcap Steel Docksand Homes705-687-7851
NorStar Aluminum& Vinyl Products Ltd.705-645-8404
Northern TIM-BR-Mart 705-645-2271
R.C. Austin Ltd.705-765-3322
Richardson Foster Ltd.Engineering705-646-9919
Rieger Contracting 705-765-3444
RONA Parry Sound705-746-5894
Royal LePage Lakesof Muskoka705-645-5257
Sheppard Construction705-687-3302
Simcoe Block705-645-5296
Smith Architect Incorporated705-789-9858
Superior Propane705-762-3375 or 1-877-873-7467
Tamarack North Ltd.705-765-1364
Tarion1-877-982-7466or 416-229-9200
Tech Home905-479-9013
Teka Homes Ltd.705-384-2000
The Fireplace King705-789-8067
The Muskoka Stone Co.705-645-2144
Thermo Seal Insulation705-789-1962
The Sarjeant Co. Ltd.705-728-2460
Tobin Building Systems Inc.705-645-3355
Tony RobinsonConstruction Ltd.705-769-2058
Total Cleaning & Restorationof Muskoka705-645-7658
Union Gas1-888-401-6791 x2318
United Rentals705-645-7748
Vision Contracting705-706-0015
Waters’s Edge Landscaping. 705-762-1110
Wes Finch & Sons Ltd. 705-645-4715
Winmar Mindland/Muskoka705-645-9494
Yanch Heating & Air Conditioning705-728-3406
www.muskokahomebuilders.com705.645.4567
www.InclinedElevation.com
Design/BuildMaintainUpgrade
Residential OutdoorInclined Elevators
DESIGN BUILD AND RENOVATION
705-687-3302www.muskokaconstruction.com
SHEPPARDCONSTRUCTION
705-687-3302www.muskokaconstruction.com
A practice focused on ConstructionLaw, including Construction Liens,
Construction Litigation and ContractDrafting and Review
Suite 3 - 6 Main Street WestHuntsville, ON P1H 2E1
Phone: 705.788.1148Email: [email protected]
Dave MarshallTel/Fax: [email protected]
ServingMuskoka forover 20 years
Specializing in...Custom Carpentry & Quality Finishing
Design & Build of Turn-KeyCottages or Homes • Boathouses and Docks
Buildinga Better
MuskokaSince1860
RR1, Bracebridge, ON P1L 1W8
Fax: 705-645-6369
NEW COTTAGES DOCKS • DECKS • BOATHOUSES
COMPLETE ADDITIONS,RENOVATIONS & DESIGN
705-385-1315
D&D CONTRACTINGMUSKOKA INC.
CCUUSSTTOOMM BBUUIILLDDIINNGG
• Homes & Cottages• Trim & Interior Finishes• Sun & Screen Rooms • Decks & Staircases • Additions & Restorations
Serving Muskoka & Surrounding Area
Dave Nodwell1-888-732-8202Port Carling 375-1001
15 Robert Dollar Drive, Bracebridge645-3057 www.muskokawindowanddoor.ca
“Our Business is Satisfied Customers”
October 2008 13www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
town from the lakes and countryside are the pri-mary buyers at almost every condo project inMuskoka, but the New Homes Division hasnoticed the beginning of a shift in that demo-graphic at the Granite Springs and Granite Traildevelopments.
“People are leaving urban life well before theirretirement years to pursue their careers in thesecommunities. Condominiums are also attractiveto single professionals or working couples whowant to enjoy their home but don’t have the timefor maintenance,” Furter says. “We’ve seen anincrease in demand in condominiums recentlywith the younger demographic, and of course thedemand from retirees and empty nesters is still asstrong as ever.”
Furter feels that on-site amenities, security andcentral locations are among the reasons condos aresuch an attractive option, along with the basicease of ownership.
“Condominiums offer a great lifestyle and arean attractive option for many people,” she says.“Condominiums have been around for decades inMuskoka but what we are seeing now is morechoice in the way of type, amenities and price.Muskoka is playing catch up compared to theprovincial average in regards to multi-unit resi-dential dwellings so we anticipate strong growthin this area over the next several years.”
Doug Grey of Muskoka D&M Corp., thedeveloper of the two Granite projects, sees it instraight forward terms.
“It’s convenience,” he says. “No shovelling ofthe driveway, no yard work – more importantly,no $10,000 for a new roof, $10,000 for new win-dows; when I want to leave for two weeks to goand visit my grandkids I just close the door and
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE14 October 2008
Granite Trail is a condo development inGravenhurst by D&M Corporation.
Pho
togr
aph:
And
rew
Hos
hkiw
Smith Architect Inc.
59 Main Street East, #6Huntsville, OntarioP1H 2B8
Tel: (705) 789-9858
Designing your Muskoka Dreamwww.smitharchitect.com
Find your dream home at www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
walk out.”Pricing is also a major factor in the growing suc-
cess of condominium projects in Muskoka.“Muskoka has always been known as a high-end
place, and I think that we’ve battled that becauseour condos are medium priced, and when peoplethink of Muskoka they don’t think of that,” Greyexplains. “That’s why I think Collingwood hasdone so well over past 10 or 15 years. They’ve beenable to break that thing and say, ‘Look, you cancome to Collingwood. You don’t have to spend amillion bucks to get a place on Georgian Bay or ona ski hill.’ Muskoka is still working its waythrough that.”
Work is just beginning on Granite Springs inBracebridge and it is almost complete on Granite
Trail in Gravenhurst.“It’s really coming together,” Grey says. “We
really lucked out with the location: walking dis-tance to town, walking distance to the wharf.”
Granite Springs is located just north of down-town Bracebridge on Manitoba Street, withinwalking distance of both downtown and the newrec centre and Rene M Caisse Memorial Theatre.
“These are active people that are moving in,”Grey says. “These aren’t ‘senior’ seniors, these areactive empty nesters, 55 to 75. They like to get outand walk. They all want to do things in life. Theywant more carefree living so they can do otherthings in life rather than having to spend themajority of their time looking after a home.”
No matter their age or pursuits, condo owners
are drawn together by the sense of communitythat a particular development provides.
“They all get along really well,” Grey has seen ofhis own buyers.
A number of “update parties” were held duringthe construction of the Granite Trail condos so thepurchasers could meet and mingle and keep ontop of the progress of their new homes.
“It’s an active community in that these peoplehave already become good friends in the shorttime that they’ve known each other.”
The neighbourliness that condominium life fos-ters may be the format’s deepest appeal.
“Not only are these architecturally attractivecommunities to move into,” Grey observes, “butthey’re very personable communities.”
October 2008 15www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
TrevorDocherty
Sales Representative
JamieLockwood
Sales Representative
Sutton Group Muskoka Realty Inc. Brokerage9 Chaffey Street, Huntsville • 705-788-1200
Waterfront Home Amazing cus-
tom home with over 300 ft frontage
on the peaceful Muskoka River. This
top quality custom home has it all:
vaulted pine ceilings, custom kitchen
with granite counter tops, hard-
wood flooring, fireplace in living
room, extensive decking, large
Muskoka room, full finished walkout
basement, central air, ensuite and
much more. Asking $549,900.
Private Lake Looking for com-
plete privacy! Private lake located
15 minutes from Huntsville sur-
rounded by 200 acres of land. Easy
year round access - Great for a
year round home or cottage. No
public access to the lake ensures
your complete privacy. Severence
potential. Asking $879,900. Call
for details.
776 AcresLooking for a private retreat or hunt camp. This large chunk of Muskoka is
the perfect place for your private retreat or hunt camp. Miles of trails for
walking or ATV’s. Enjoy the natural scenery and wildlife. Property includes a
1000 sq. ft. cabin. Held by the same family for over 40 years, it is time to pass
this jewel along. Good long term logging potential.
Asking $649,900. Call for details.
Prime waterfront lots located only 15 minutes from Downtown Huntsville.Large private well treed lots located on a year-round road. All lots offer at least200 ft lake frontage and up to 7 acres of land. Development offers over 150acres of common land for the use of owners for trails and added privacy plusa restriction on motor boats. Excellent location for your home or cottage.Come view these lots before they are all sold. Directions – Highway # 11north of Huntsville to exit # 235 (Hwy # 592 and Boundary Road – Novar)Turn left over the bridge and follow to Boundary Road. Turn left on BoundaryRoad and follow to the signs. Lots priced from $155,900 to $259,900.
Your hosts: Trevor Docherty – Cell 705-787-5060Jamie Lockwood Cell 705-783-6821
BBii tt tteerr nn LLaakkee
EEssttaatteess
OPEN HOUSEOPEN HOUSE
SSaattuurrddaayy,, OOccttoobbeerr 1111tthh1100::0000 aamm tt ii ll ll 22::0000 ppmm..
Waterfront Living Almost new waterfront home located 10 minutesfrom Downtown Huntsville. This 1,400 sq. ft. home offers vaulted pine ceil-ings, full walkout basement, extensive decking, open concept kitchen andliving room area, plus a secondary structure that is over 600 sq. ft. thatcould be used as a games room etc. Asking $499,900. Call for details.
Combined, these 2 gorgeous Bruce Lakelots will give you the opportunity to buildyour dream family compound. Over 800feet of shoreline and 15 acres that offersnumerous, wonderful building sites withshallow spots as well as deeper areas fordocking. Must be seen to appreciate thevalue. Driveway to one lot already in.
Call Jamie Lockwood at 705-788-1200 ext. 27 for more details and to book an appointment to take a fall walk and view.
WWaatteerr ffrroonntt AAccrreeaaggee –– VVeerr yy hhaarrdd ttoo ff iinndd!!Very close to numerous golf courses and Port Carling.
An amazing summer location for you!
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE16 October 2008
As the cost of fossil fuels hits thestratosphere and concern about theenvironment grows, more and morepeople in Muskoka are looking atenergy efficiency as an integral consid-eration in how they build or renovatetheir homes or cottages.
There are a number of energy effi-ciency products on the market to con-sider, but it can be difficult to makesense of them all. This article aims toshed light on some of these new tech-nologies and provide a few tips fromthe professionals to lower your energyuse, carbon footprints and bills.
Geothermal heatingGeothermal energy, which utilizes
renewable energy from the Earth, cancut energy costs by 70 per cent.
The ground contains natural heat,drawn both from the sun and themolten core of the earth.
“The actual furnace looks the sameas any furnace, however a geothermalfurnace, instead of being hooked up toa gas meter or propane tank or oiltank, is hooked up to two pipes that
By Karen Wehrstein
MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT
Window Quilt (Muskoka) suggests installing insulating window shades, such as these HunterDouglasDuette honeycomb shades.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Win
dow
Qui
lt (M
usko
ka)
go into the ground,” explains ChipLoughead, owner of GravenhurstPlumbing, Heating and Electric,which installs geothermal systems.
It is also possible to draw heat froma water source such as a nearby lake oreven your well, if it produces enoughwater.
From there the furnace, which runson hydro, heats or cools the houseusing the same principle as a refrigera-tor motor. You can hook your hot-water system into it too.
“A lot of people are interested ingeothermal, says John Birmingham,installations manager for PrestonMechanical in Huntsville, whichinstalls geothermal systems.
After beginning to sell NextEnergybrand of geothermal furnaces, Prestonorganized two seminars on geother-mal in July.
“The response we got was quiteoverwhelming,” Birmingham says,noting they were expecting 20 to 25people for each seminar and wereswamped with 50 to 60.
“Heat that’s already trapped in theground belongs to you, because youalready own the property,” says Birm-ingham. “And the system is there for-ever; providing that the ground orwater exchanger has been installedproperly, it will last years and yearsand years.”
With a forced-air system, he notes,you can add air filtration and humid-ification equipment, which can beimportant for residents with allergies.
“It’s relatively safe, you have betterhumidity control, you have a moreeven indoor temperature, and the fur-naces are quieter,” adds Loughead.
Furthermore, geothermal is easy onthe Earth.
“No emissions go into the atmos-phere. One hundred per cent of theheat is going into the home and you’renot putting out any flue products out-side.”
The big downside of going geother-mal is the upfront cost, which usuallyis somewhere between $15,000 and$30,000, depending on the type ofsystem and size of building.
However, many installers, includingGravenhurst Plumbing, Heating andElectric offer financing. And, theexperts remind those consideringgeothermal, the system pays for itselfin time and government grants forgeothermal retrofits are available.
“Because energy costs are skyrocket-ing, when we couple this with the gov-ernment incentives approaching$8,500, a 10-year finance programthat attaches no chattel or liens on
properties with a current interest rateat six per cent, almost everybody canafford a switch to geothermal and startsaving money right away,” says Loug-head. “And they can have the peace ofmind that they have the most efficientheating system in the world, coupledwith a warranty that is 10 years andincludes parts, and a labor allowance.”
After swallowing the initial costs,most homeowners don’t regret thedecision.
“Independent consumer surveysrate geothermal systems as having thehighest customer satisfaction com-pared to other heating and coolingsystems,” says Birmingham. “Peopleare extremely pleased with them, oncethey get over the immediate price.Once they’ve bitten the bullet anddone it they have absolutely noregrets.”
However, when you are investingthat much money into something,Loughead advises making sure yourinstaller knows what they’re doing.
There are organizations that setstandards for geothermal installations,including the Canadian GeoexchangeCoalition and the Heating, Refrigera-tion and Air Conditioning Institute.Geothermal installers must be accred-ited with the former to qualify forgovernment grants.
“Look for a heat loss analysis foryour building that has been profes-sionally engineered,” Loughead rec-ommends. “In three quarters of thehouses we visit, the furnace is over-sized by 50 per cent, which causesshort-cycling of the furnace, increasedservice calls, wide temperature swingsin the house, and reduced lifetime ofthe equipment.”
Other efficient heating optionsWhile installing a geothermal sys-
tem is one way to reduce energy costs,there are other options available, suchas high-efficiency gas and propanefurnaces.
“They run at 96 to 97 per cent effi-ciency versus the old-fashioned 50 to60 per cent where you’re sending yourheat up the chimney,” says Birming-ham, noting that Preston Mechanicalspecializes in high-efficiency gas andpropane furnaces in addition to geot-hermal systems. “Part of the secret is atwo-stage system – similar to that usedin geothermal units – allowing the sys-tem to run at part capacity duringtimes of lower demand, saving fuel.
Insulation 101The secret of insulation is the num-
ber of air spaces between inside andoutside. Compartmentalized, the air,and therefore the heat, can’t easily
October 2008 17www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
BUILD AN ENERGYEFFICIENT HOME
Building Value.www.nudura.com
The NUDURA name and logo are trademarks of NUDURA Corporation.
Building on the Strengthof Concrete.Build your home using NUDURA’s Insulated
Concrete Forms (ICF’s) and see what building on
the strength of concrete can do for you.
Multiple availablewidths, 90 and 45degree cornersand many otherinnovativefeatures makeNUDURA’s ICF’sthe intelligent,cost effectivechoice whenbuilding.
Cut your heating costs by up to 50%Energy efficient • Fire resistant • Noise reduction
Reduce your heating costs year after year
Tobin Building Systems
705-645-3355560 Ecclestone Drive, Unit 1, Bracebridge, ON P1L1R2
Authorized Distributor of NUDURA productsfor Muskoka, Parry Sound, North Bay and Haliburton
There are up to
$8,500.00in grants
available to help save tensof thousands of dollars onheating and
cooling costs.
Geothermal Systems by WaterFurnacecombine one unit of electrical energy withup to 3 to 4 units of “free” energy from theearth to heat and cool your home. Manyhome owners realize a saving of up to75% on their heating, cooling and hotwater bills.
In replacement installations of Geot-hermal Systems, homeowners find thatany added investment over the cost of anordinary system is generally recovered inenergy savings within a few years.Receiving up to $8500.00 in Grants short-ens that recovery time considerably.
Because natural gas, propane or oil isnot required to operate a geothermal unit,there is no combustion, flames or fumesto worry about. No unsightly outdoor unitsor wall penetrations for intake andexhaust venting.
According to Natural ResourcesCanada, a Geothermal System is themost environmentally friendly way to heatand cool. With geothermal, there are nocarbon monoxide or other greenhousegases which are considered to be majorcontributors to environmental air pollutionand global warming.
Comparing the historical rise of thecost of electricity, propane, natural gasand crude oil over the last 9 years showsthat the cost of electricity has increasedby only a fraction of the increase of natu-ral gas, propane and heating oil. In factthe price of electricity has been decreasedby about 9% in the last 12 months.
HYDRO ONE
1998 8.03¢2006 10.46¢
Total 9 yr increase = 25%
CRUDE OIL
1998 10.87¢2006 58.30¢
Total 9 yr increase = 500%
AVERAGE ANNUAL PRICE 1998 - 2006
NATURAL GAS
1998 9.23¢2006 37.56¢Total 9 yr. increase = 400%
PROPANE
1998 17.54¢2006 71.51¢Total 9 yr. increase = 400%
Year Avg. $/kWh in CND$
Year Avg. $/bbi in CND$
Year Avg. $/m3
in CND$
AVERAGE ANNUAL COMMODITY RATE1998 - 2006
Year Avg. $/m3
in CND$
GEOTHERMALLOOP TYPES
WaterFurnace dealers are
trained to determine the best
type of earth loop to use in
any situation. The type used
is based on available land
space and installation costs
for specific areas.
VERTICAL LOOPVertical loops are used when space islimited. Holes are bored using a drillingrig, and a pair of pipes, with special u-bend fittings on the ends, is insertedinto the holes. A typical home requiresthree to five bores with about a 10-footseparation between the holes.
HORIZONTAL LOOPUsed where adequate land is available,horizontal loops involve one or moretrenches that are dug using a backhoeor chain trencher. Polyethylene pipesare inserted and the trenches are back-filled. A typical home requires 1/4 to 3/4of an acre for the trenches.
LAKE/POND LOOPIf an adequately sized body of water isclose to your home, a lake/pond loopcan be installed. A series of closedloops can be coiled and sunk to the bot-tom of a nearby pond. A 1/2-acre, 8-footdeep pond is usually sufficient for theaverage home.
OPEN LOOPAn open loop is used when there is anabundant supply of quality well water.The well must have enough capacity toprovide adequate flow for both domesticuse and the WaterFurnace unit.
... defray the total cost of upgradingyour existing heating system to a
Geothermal Heating and Cooling System in a few short years.
Upgrade your heating system to aGeothermal Heating and
Cooling System with GravenhurstPlumbing, Heating & Electric
and let the grants, rebates and savingsfrom your heating bills pay for the
complete system in a very short time.
Please use the Energy Auditor to calculate the approximate annual
saving that can be expected or give usa call and we will provide more
information for your consideration.
The annual savings in heatingand cooling costs
plus the $8,500.00 Grant will...
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE18 October 2008
The figures contained in the above chart of home and heating costs are based on the best information available on the subject; however, no two homes are alike. For this reason, it is verydifficult to provide an exact cost to heat a home with any energy source. The operating efficiency of your heating system, how well you maintain it, how energy efficient your home is andyour particular lifestyles will all affect the amount of energy used.References: 1. Based on NRCan publication M91-2/43-1996E 2. Based on current energy prices as best as we can determine on September 2008 3. PST and GST not included in the above calculations
On a high bluff above a lake innorthern Muskoka, a beauti-ful Hirsh Log Home is rising
from the native granite. A grouping of black, corrugated
plastic tubes run out from the struc-ture, snake down the slope, and dis-appear into the lake below. Thesetubes are the key to the entire heatingand air conditioning network for thehome; they are part of a cost-effective,highly efficient, and environmentallyfriendly geothermal energy system.
Soon, the tubes will be buried as thenatural landscaping is restored, andthe only visible part of the system willbe the conversion and distributionequipment in the basement, which,aside from the distribution nodes andtubing for the in-floor heating sys-tems, looks just like any other fur-nace.
“We’ve installed a geothermal ener-gy system called WaterFurnace,which allows us a lot of flexibility,”says Dave Brown of GravenhurstPlumbing & Heating. “It’s all con-trolled by 18 small sensors through-out the house that control the overalltemperature.
“What we’re doing here is basicthermodynamics,” Brown says. “Wecan’t create heat. We can’t create cool.We’re just moving it around.”
To move it around, Brown has sunkmats of coiled piping a minimum of10 feet below the surface of the lake,out 500 feet from shore.
A geothermal system takes heatenergy from a house and into the lakeor ground in the summer, and in thewinter takes heat energy from thatsource and brings it inside.
Because temperatures at the bottomof a lake or five feet undergroundhave so little variance over the courseof a year, the source of heat energy isconstant.
Compressor and heat pump sys-tems, like those in refrigerators, takethe heat energy of five-degree wateror ground and convert it to a constant,comfortable 21 degrees in the home.
In a market of constantly changingfuel prices, the small electricalrequirements of a geothermal systemare a selling point.
“A unit will only draw 17 amps atfull load,” Brown reports.
Gravenhurst Plumbing & HeatingOwner Chip Loughead says installa-tions have doubled over the last year,and increased fourfold over the lastfive years.
He draws a deep breath before list-ing geothermal’s benefits.
“It costs a third to operate comparedto propane, oil, or electric. No fossil
fuels are being burned. There’s nochimneys or ugly vents sticking out ofthe house. It maintains a home’s tem-perature within one degree. There’s nofuel storage tank. It can provide up to100 per cent of your domestic hotwater needs. It air conditions. It uses acompletely renewable resource. Itworks well with either forced-air sys-tems or in-floor.”
There are four main kinds of geot-hermal systems:
•Horizontal ground loops – Severalhundred feet of five to six-foot deeptrenches are dug. Piping is then laidand the trench backfilled.
•Vertical ground loops – A drillingrig is used to drill 150 to 300-feet-deepholes in which loops of pipe aredropped down. This method is idealfor extreme climates, rocky terrain, orlimited space.
•Open loops – This system con-nects directly into a drilled well.Instead of using an antifreeze solutioninside the buried piping, an openloop system uses water from a surfaceor underground source. The heatfrom the water is extracted and thewater is discharged back into its orig-inal source.
•Lake loops – Coils of pipe are sub-merged in a lake, river or pond. Heatis exchanged between the water and
the submerged loop in the same wayas the earth-based methods.
With rocky ground and lots ofwater, many Muskoka customers optfor a lake loop.
The efficiency of geothermal has notescaped the notice of the federal andprovincial governments, who have anumber of incentive programs inplace to encourage geothermal instal-lations, which together can exceedover $8,000 in rebates in some cases.
Geothermal systems are a clean,reliable source of renewable energyand are beginning to catch on as moreand more people discover what thesecost-effective systems have to offer.
Tapping into Earth’s energy
For more information call 705-687-3402ext. 6 or 1-877-885-3403. Visit us at
www.gravenhurstplumbing.com
Geothermal heating and cooling systems are the latest in innovative and progressive alternative energy sources
THE ENERGY AUDITORTYPE OFHOME
HEATING
NATURAL GAS HIGHEFFICIENCY
HEATING OIL FLAMERETENTION BURNER
PROPANE HIGHEFFICENCY
ELECTRIC FORCED AIROR BASEBOARD
RESISTANCE
ALL ELECTRIC AIRSOURCE HEAT PUMP
WATERFURNACEENVISION GEOTHERMAL
HEATING & COOLING93% 84% 93% 100% 170% 420%
.465/cu.m, $16/mo 1.00$/litre 0.90/litre, $16.67/mo 0.53& 062$/kwh .053&.062&/kwh .053&.062/kwhApprox.SquareFootage
Amt. Of Nat.Gas (cu.m) Annual Cost Amt. Of Oil
(litre) Annual CostAmt. OfPropane
(litre)Annual Cost
Amt ofElectric(kw/h)
Annual CostAmt ofElectric(kw/h)
Annual CostAmt ofElectric(kw/h)
Annual Cost
1650 1500 858 1661 1661 2100 2090 14640 1523 8612 861 3468 3632200 2000 1088 2215 2215 2800 2720 19520 2030 11482 1148 4623 4842750 2500 1318 2769 2769 3500 3350 24400 2538 14353 1435 5779 6053400 3000 1548 3322 3322 4200 3980 29280 3045 17224 1722 6897 7223950 3500 1778 3876 3876 4900 4610 31458 3553 20094 2009 8090 847
COMPARESAVINGS
WATERFURNACEENVISION COMPARES
AT 49% LESS
WATERFURNACEENVISION COMPARES
AT 78% LESS
WATERFURNACEENVISION COMPARES
AT 82% LESS
WATERFURNACEENVISION COMPARES
AT 75% LESS
WATERFURNACEENVISION COMPARE
AT 57% LESSINCOMPARABLE!
AVERAGE REPLACEMENT COST OF A NEW FURNACE WITH ECM MOTOR HEAT PUMPS INCLUDE A. C.
2000 sq. ft $4,900.00 $4,800.00 $4,900.00 $3,400.00 $9,200.00 $22,000.00
REBATES & GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR REPLACING EXISTING HEATING & COOLING EQUIPMENT WITH NEW HIGH EFFICIENCY FURNACESWITH ECM MOTORS & AIR CONDITIONERS OR GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS.
UP TO $800.00 $800.00 $800.00 N/A $1,150.00 $8,500.00
October 2008 19www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
flow. The measure of insulation is itsR-value, which describes how fast heatescapes through it.
Since heat rises, says Vern Kempt,operations manager at Thermo SealInsulation Systems in Utterson a ceil-ing should have at least R40, thoughsome in Muskoka will go as high asR60.
Thermo Seal uses a Blow-in-Blan-ket System, which uses fibreglass insu-lation that is processed into blowingwool that can be blown into attics,ceilings and walls in a seamless blan-ket. It will not settle over time.
“It’s an excellent product that worksgreat,” Kempt says.
He says a good starting point forhomeowners looking to improve theinsulating capacity of their home, is tolook in the attic.
“If you have some batts (insulation)in there, we can blow a loose fill ontop of your attic giving you a betterseal and better R-value. Why throwthat out when you’ve already got it?”Kempt asks.
Kempt stresses the importance ofventilation.
“Most people skip that,” he says.“They forget about ventilation of theattic – one of he most importantthings there is.”
In summertime, a proper ventila-tion system will keep out heat and not“cook your attic,” as Kempt phrases it,curling shingles and shortening theiruseful lifespan. It is equally important
to have proper ventilation in the win-ter months.
“If you have proper ventilation, thatlittle bit of heat gets whisked away soit doesn’t melt snow onto your eavesand create ice. That’s very, very impor-tant,” he says.
You also might want to have theplace air sealed, says Steve Reesor,president of Great Northern Insula-tion, which has an office in Graven-hurst.
The idea here is to block everyentrance and exit point for air.
“That allows your furnace to runmore effectively, and provides a morecomfortable home,” Reesor says.
In walls and ceilings those little gapsthat can make such a differenceinclude light fixtures, pot lights,wiring installations, cracks, spacesaround window and door frames,plumbing stacks, chimneys, etc.
“Normally we use a single compo-nent air-seal foam,” says Reesor, not-ing that it’s like the expandable foamyou can buy at the hardware store, butcommercial grade.
Great Northern Insulation’s spray-foam insulation, comes in twoweights, two-pound foam, which isdense and not only insulates but air-seals simultaneously, and 1/2 pound,which is very spongy and flexible andgood for bulk-filling walls.
For pot lights, spray foam is appliedover a fire-proof gypsum box housingthe light; every other opening is
sealed. The technicians then addblow-in insulation over the existinginsulation. A proper attic job alsoincludes foam insulation on the attichatch, Reesor adds.
With an attic insulation retrofit airsealing is the key, in Reesor’s opinion.
“It saves more money than justblowing in the attic. More air ismoved through air leakage than con-duction through solids. That is the keyfor our company: our expertise inidentifying sources of leakage.”
Cutting down on that leakage willalso create a healthier environmentwithin the home, notes Reesor.
“Not controlling air movement leadsto growth of mould,” he explains.
With air sealing, he adds, “if youhave air conditioning you’re savingjust as much money in summer inhydro bills as in winter.”
To cut down on leakage below theattic, you can identify sources of airleakage by having a blower-door testdone. During this process, a powerfulfan is mounted to the door of a home,which has been sealed off, and itessentially pulls air out of the house,thereby lowering the pressure inside.The higher outside pressure then caus-es air to flow back into the homethrough unsealed cracks and open-ings. These voids can then be detectedusing a smoke pencil.
Re-caulking, removing trim, airsealing and then replacing it again, canbe done as do-it-yourself jobs.
ICF constructionInsulated concrete form (ICF) con-
struction is simple, says Rick Hallam,owner of Tobin Building Systems inBracebridge, exclusive supplier for theNudura ICF system for Muskoka andParry Sound.
“What we have is a form made ofexpanded polystyrene (EPS). Whathappens is you pour the concrete intothe form, and so you create a concretewall that has insulation on either sideof it so it doesn’t lose heat as fast. Youstack these forms up to create a wall.In large numbers of cases, it’s a foun-dation. In more and more cases it’s acomplete house all the way from thefootings to the rafters.”
As you’d expect of a concrete house,it has the advantage of durability.
“Our wall will be exactly the same asit is now, 10 or 20 or 50 or 100 yearsfrom now. It will have the same levelof insulation as when you put it in,”says Hallam.
The house is also better able towithstand extreme weather, fire, wallbreak-in attempts and any other dam-age.
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE20 October 2008
This energy efficient four-section wooden French door was installedby Bonneville Windows of Quebec.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Bon
nevi
lle W
indo
ws
Excel Structural Railing utilizes all thebenefits of aluminum: it is strong, durableand maintenance free. Excel StructuralRailing is a sound investment for today’svalue conscious owner. This railing isavailable in picket or glass. Excel struc-tural railing is the perfect accent for yourdeck or balcony.
When you want gracious living withoutleaving home, nothing beats BetterlivingPatio Rooms and Conservatories. Withstyles and colours to complement yourarchitecture. Betterliving turns an emptypatio, deck or porch into an invitingretreat, protected from cold winds, rainand pesky insects.
EXCELENCLOSURES
YOUR ALUMINUM RAILING& SUNROOM PROFESSIONALS
3 BARRON DRIVEBRACEBRIDGE • ON P1L 0A1
646-2508FREE ESTIMATESContractors Welcome
A L U M I N U M
Quality Products
For Your
Leisure Lifestyle
“One of the tests that we undergothrough the testing agencies is to fire a2x4 at the wall at 240 miles per hour.”It’s something that can actually hap-pen in a tornado, he notes. “It will gothrough everything, including a stan-dard wood wall with siding. It won’tgo through our wall.”
How much more does an ICFhouse cost?
“It’s about a two to three per cent
premium. But what they’re going tofind is that their heating costs will beat least 50 per cent less,” he explains.
Tobin Building System’s sales of theNudura ICF system, which is manu-factured by a company based in Bar-rie, have increased dramatically,according to Hallam.
“More people are recognizing thebenefits of it. It’s because their heatingcosts are going up, and they’re recog-
nizing that this is cutting their heatingcosts and it’ll continue to cut theirheating costs.”
Energy efficient windows Windows have long been recog-
nized as the bane of energy efficiency. “Making a hole in an insulated wall
destroys the efficiency of the insula-tion,” says Robert Couillard of Bon-neville Windows and Doors, basednear Quebec City. “When you put a
good and efficient product in thathole, you regain part of your loss. Awindow or door will always be lessefficient than a full wall but a goodproduct, energy efficient and well-installed, will lower that impact onyour house’s efficiency.”
All Bonneville products are Ener-gyStar rated for both Canada and theUS. The company now offers triple-glazing on wood casement, awning,
October 2008 21www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
This house has been insulated with Thermo Seal’s Blow-in-BlanketSystem. The cathedral ceiling features a R40 seamless blanket.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
The
rmo
Sea
l
For maximum energy efficiency, all windows installed by WindowWorld are multiple chambered and heat welded at all corners.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Win
dow
Wor
ld
Showroom:
118 Lindgren Rd. W, HUNTSVILLEOPEN THURSDAY & FRIDAY AFTERNOONS OR CALL FOR APPOINTMENT
Call John or Ann (705) 789-1236 or 1-800-561-1351www.muskokaweb.com/windowquilt Email: [email protected]
Shop at home or cottage for a full line of window blinds or shutters, including:
Window Quilt®
““MMuusskkookkaa’’ss SSppeecciiaalliissttss””iinn ddeeccoorraattiivvee,, iinnssuullaattiinngg aanndd
ssppeecciiaallttyy wwiinnddooww sshhaaddeessSILHOUETE FROM HUNTER DOUGLAS
INTRODUCING PIROUETTE BY HUNTER DOUGLAS
EXTERIOR INSULATED ROLLSHUTTERS FROM PENTAGON
DUETTE HONEYCOMB BLINDSFROM HUNTER DOUGLAS
Your Window and Door Specialists
Finally – your dream home or cottage. Make everydetail perfect with Loewen Windows and Doors.
Window Works (Muskoka)Authorized Dealer
Serving Muskoka & surroundingarea for over 21 years
(705) 687-7617 Toll Free 1-800-668-9858
Showroom in Granite Court 2 kms south of Gravenhurst, 2358 Hwy 11
Sales, Service and Installation
Authorized Dealer
Serving Muskoka since 1925 � The Tradition Continues
Northern BuildallBRACEBRIDGE
645-2271Mon-Fri - 7 am - 6 pm
Sat - 7 am - 5 pm
Normac BuildallMACTIER
375-2051Mon-Sat
7 am - 5 pm
� Lumber
� Hardware
� Building Materials
� Paints & Stains
Consulting Engineers110 Kimberley Avenue, Unit 1
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1Z8� Infrastructure� Site Suitability� Land Development� Municipal Engineering� Storm Water Management� Civil Works for Golf Courses & Resorts� Etc.
[email protected] www.pel.caTelephone 705-645-8853
WES FINCH & SONSEXCAVATING LTD
C.H.B.A.
Septic System Design & InstallSmall & Difficult Lots
Site Work - Clearing & LandscapeOil Tank & Oil Spill Removals
SERVING MUSKOKA LAKES
645-4715
ON THE LEVEL SINCE 1929
Peat BasedSeptic Systems
ecofloontario.com
T. A. Bunker Surveying Ltd. ONTARIO AND CANADA LAND SURVEYORS
www.LandInfoTech.ca
Muskoka/Parry Sound/Haliburton Phone: 705-687-5883
Fax: 705-687-6377 Email: [email protected]
LEGAL and SITE SURVEYS CONSTRUCTION RELATED SERVICES
Your Guide to...
DESIGNS FOR LIVINGI N M U S K O K Awww.barriebuildanddesign.com
DESIGN, INSTALLATION & SERVICESpecializing in Boat House Irrigation,
On the Water Pump Systems,Efficient Water Management Systems
RAIN WATER & GRAY WATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS
1-866-844-4520 • 705-644-0604www.waytogrowirrigation.ca
D.I.Y.spray polyurethane foam
insulation kits
• Portable, Disposable
• 600 Sq Ft, R-7 per Inch
• Insulation Kits are easyto use, even for first timers
www.tigerfoam.ca888-844-3736
THE TRAILHEAD
Industry leading structural framing components and
installation since 1961
p: 1.800.265.8737 | www.tampahall.com
Authorized Builder
www.barriebuildanddesign.comEmail: [email protected]
Model Homes on Highway 11 South, just north of Barrie1-800-648-6695
You Know Where We Are! For Over 21 YearsIn Muskoka
Built for Living
TRAILHEAD FLOOR PLAN:
(905) 375 - 5148www.loyalisttimberframing.com
L OYA L I S T T I M B E R F R A M I N G
Antique Log & Timber FrameSTRUCTURES AND REPRODUCTIONS
• CUSTOM HOMES• BARNS• ADDITIONS• COTTAGES• WORKSHOPS• LOG & TIMBER• FRAME BUNKIES
Let Muskoka Environmentalservice your WASTE and
RECYCLING needs
Servicing all of Muskoka and surrounding areas
789-1233 or 1 (866)-475-5374
FRONT ELEVATION
FRONT ELEVATION
This beautiful three bedroomhome features a stunning GreatRoom with a vaulted cathedralceiling and windows to match. Thewell appointed kitchen includes aconvenient work island and a dou-ble corner sink under a pair of win-dows affording a view to both theside and rear of the home.Add the optional greenhouseextension and a wood or gas fire-place, sit back, relax and enjoythe view of the lake you’ve earnedit!
ADVERTISING
BOOK YOUR AD
705-646-1314
PAYS
And don’t forget to visitwww.cottagehomeshowcase.com
DENNISFRANKLINPROJECT & PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT
“Your eyes & ears in Muskoka”
• Sub-trade sourcing & management
• Seasonal opening & closing to your specifications
• Dock de-icer installation and monitoring
705 645-0775Servicing Muskoka with
pride since 1992
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE22 October 2008
www.davey.com
Tree & Shrub Pruning & FertilizationInsect & Disease Management
Cabling & BracingRemovals
Hazardous Tree AssessmentCommercial Tree Care
705-689-8389
DAVEY
fixed lite and architectural windows,as well as French doors.
“Bonneville always tests our win-dows and doors to be over the marketstandards,” says Couillard.
When shopping for windows, thetwo terms you should definitely knoware low-emissivity or low-e glass,which is treated with a special coatingor added ingredients to decrease itsheat conductivity, and argon, whichdenotes the use of argon gas ratherthan air in the space between panes ofglass. Argon insulates better than air.Each of these features increases pricebut also increases energy efficiency.
According to Eleda Ward, owner ofWindow Works Muskoka in Graven-hurst, a regular double-glazed windowhas an R-value of R2, whereas a low-eargon window gives R4.2 insulation.
“Our suppliers, Loewen Windowsand Lepage Millwork, also offer triple-glazed, which increases the R-value upto 8.3,” she notes.
Triple-glazed windows have threelayers of glass and two layers of low-ecoatings with argon gas between thepanes.
Ward warns, “Do not be fooled bysuppliers who advertise triple-glazed,but use a sealed unit with less than3/8-inch air space. This does not
increase the R-value and increases therisk of seal failures.”
Look for products with the Ener-gyStar designation, a standardrequired for government grants forwindow replacement. A window hasto pass strict technical specifications toqualify.
Energy efficient windows and doorsare available in all shapes and sizes,notes Ward, and now include aesthet-ically-pleasing options, like simulated
divided lite designs, which gives thewindow an old-fashioned appearance.
If you want to improve the energyefficiency of your doors, says Ward,you can not only beef up the weather-stripping but use adjustable sweeps onthe bottom of doors.
“These give customers the option ofbeing able to raise or lower to reducedrafts,” she explains.
She also suggests a multi-point lock-ing system, especially on wooden
doors. “This provides a locking point on
the top, centre and bottom, whichassists in keeping the slab tight againstthe weatherstripping in the frame. Italso provides added security,” she says.
While energy efficient windows aredesigned to reduce drafts, they areonly as effective as the installation job.
“You can purchase an excellent win-dow or door, but if it is not installedcorrectly, it will not function properlyand will cause it to be drafty,” Wardsays.
Al Willis, owner of Window Worldin Bracebridge, sells and installs win-dows and doors made by ParrySound-based Ross Windows andDoors. He is passionate about qualityand customer service and has workedon high-profile projects, such as theMuskoka Wharf.
He notes that the windows he sellsare EnergyStar-rated to Zone D,which is Arctic conditions – “the high-est you can have.”
“EnergyStar hopefully will allow aset standard for people to use as aguide,” says Willis. “So at least theyknow they’re getting a product thatwas tested.”
Willis recommends vinyl windowsover other materials for “ease of clean-
October 2008 23www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
This home features insulated concrete form (ICF) construction byTobin Building Systems. ICF is both durable and energy efficient.
Pho
togr
aph:
And
rew
Hos
hkiw
Northern TIM-BR MART10 Entrance Dr., Bracebridge705-645-2271Fax: 705-645-1880E-mail: [email protected]
Normac TIM-BR MART30 High Street, Mactier705-375-2051Fax: 705-375-0268E-mail: [email protected]
ARE YOU READY FOR
winter?
GRAND PRIZE: $10,000 Energy Efficiency Upgrade
SECOND PRIZE: 1 of 3 $2,500 Energy Efficiency Upgrades
THIRD PRIZE: 1 of 9 Home Energy Audits
*No purchase necessary. Full contest rules available at yourlocal TIM-BR Mart or visit www.timbrmart.ca
ing, ease of operation and energy effi-ciency,” he says.
Stay away from metal-framed win-dows, he advises, since metal conductsheat and therefore absorbs cold.
“All our windows are multiplechambered and heat welded at all cor-ners to ensure they’ll never crack at thecorners, and the multiple chambersensures our high rating for insulationvalue,” says Willis.
Double-glazed Ross windows are7/8” from the outside of the innerpane to the outside of the outer, ratherthan the conventional 3/4” spacing.Whiteners, hardeners and UV stabiliz-ers are added to the vinyl to ensure itretains its colour and doesn’t go brittle.
You can order the windows alsowith an insulated spacing bar. Thespacing bar is the metal piece whichattaches the two panes together, and itis “the only cold transfer spot on theglass,” says Willis. An insulated barwill get rid of moisture in the cornersof windows.
No matter what style or type of win-dow you elect to install in your home,do your homework first.
“Take the time to research the prod-uct,” Willis advises. “Check on thebusinesses that you're dealing with.”
He recommends finding out who
the company did their last three jobsfor, contacting those people and ask-ing.
Insulated shadesInstalling energy efficient windows
is only one step to reduce heat transfer.Another option is to utilize insulatedwindow shades.
Window Quilt insulating shadescombine a five-layer fabric shade withfull sealing on all four sides to producea covering that makes an appreciabledifference in energy efficiency, saysJohn Krynicki, owner of WindowQuilt (Muskoka) in Huntsville.
“If you put a Window Quilt on a
window you’re adding R5, and you’vesealed it off,” he says.
This is in addition to the usual ben-efits people look for in windowshades: privacy, lighting control andstyle.
“I just went and did a repair on ashade that I installed 20 years ago,and the shades look as good as theday we installed them,” he says. “Thecustomer’s comments in terms ofenergy efficiency was that the savingshave been nothing short of phenom-enal.”
Krynicki also sells other insulatingshades including HunterDouglas’sDuette line, which comes in a widevariety of fabrics, colours and hard-ware options, including wirelessremote control. They are also avail-able for skylights, angled and oddshapes.
Homeowners may also want to con-sider exterior shades when trying toincrease the energy efficiency of theirhome.
“It’s more efficient to stop the heatand cold on the outside than theinside,” says Krynicki, “because heatand cold never get close to the win-dow.”
Insulated roll shutters, also knownas hurricane or security shutters, can
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE24 October 2008
Chip Loughead of Gravenhurst Plumbing, Heating and Electric, relieson a WaterFurnace geothermal unit to heat and cool his home.
Pho
togr
aph:
Alla
n Coo
k
www.prestonmechanical.com
Quality work does not cost, it pays!
Geothermal for the home or cottage.
With climbing fuel costs, it’s time to consider all of the benefits of
NextEnergy geothermal energy. Contact Preston Mechanical today to learn
how you can start saving up to 75% on your home’s energy costs and receive
over $7000 in retrofit rebates.
Still heating with a conventional system?
Your Heating & Cooling Specialist for the Muskoka Region
Office: 1-888-282-2024 / Shop: 705-788-9777 / Fax: [email protected]
Now located at 114 Lindgren Rd. West, Unit #1 in Huntsville.
Land or Lake
provide an extra R10 efficiency. In thesummer, anything that keeps sunlightfrom shining into the house will loweryour air conditioning bill.
He sees two factors to keep in mindwhen considering his window shadesystems.
“There’s direct energy savings andanother whole category called roomcomfort. Any time you sit by a win-dow and it’s 30 below, you can feel it.Put on a shade, and it’s gone.”
Do-it-yourself tricks The Tim-BR Mart chain of lum-
ber/hardware stores has launched anational program called Energrade,which equips its staff to better advisecustomers on energy efficiency meas-ures.
“It covers everything from how toget your house audited to apply forthe grants that the government hasgoing at the moment, to actual hintson ways to save energy in your homethat don’t cost a lot, to putting you incontact with contractors who’ll do theupgrades for you,” says Greg Smith,general manager at Northern BuildallTim-BR Mart in Bracebridge. “So notonly can people buy the material thatthey need for their upgrade, we havethe knowledge here as well to advisethem on it.”
Smith says the Energrade programhasn’t caught on at the Tim-BR Martin Bracebridge, but he expects that tochange.
“I think for everyone’s own self-interest they’re going to have to get onboard with this. You can’t afford notto, these days,” he says.
So what kinds of do-it-yourselfprojects will save you some heatingdollars this winter?
“Insulation is something relativelyinexpensive and easy for most home-owners to do,” Smith advises. “Youcan get up in your attic and put upmore batts of insulation and makeyour house more energy efficient.”
Reducing your heating bills doesn’thave to be complicated. Sometimes it’sthe small things that make a big dif-ference.
“Something as simple as improvingthe weather-stripping on all yourdoors can make a difference in effi-ciency,” says Smith, advising home-owners to plug all the leaks they canfind with caulking or expandingfoam.
Another energy conserving tip is towrap up your water heater.
“It will help retain the heat in thewater in the water heater so it doesn’thave to work as hard to heat thewater,” he says.
It works on electric, gas-fired andoil-fired heaters – just make sure youdon’t wrap the chimney, Smith cau-tions. Insulating the hot water pipe sixor more feet out from the heater withcommercially available sponge foam isanother easy step.
“These are things that everybodycan do that don’t cost a lot but make abig difference at the end of the yearwhen you pay your heating bill,”Smith says.
By use of government rebates aswell, you can make an even bigger dif-ference. The government of Canada’sEcoEnergy website has the full details.
Any of these measures and especial-ly a combination of them will loweryour energy bills and lessen your neg-ative impact on the environment – acomfort in and of itself.
October 2008 25www.muskokacottagehomeproperty.com
Great Northern Insulation utilizes spray foam that blocks all air leak-age points, such as around wiring installations.
Pho
togr
aph:
cou
rtes
y of
Gre
at N
orth
ern
Insu
latio
n
TTeell:: ((770055)) 668844--88887799 TToollll FFrreeee:: ((880000)) 226655--11991144
GGRREEAATT NNOORRTTHHEERRNN IINNSSUULLAATTIIOONN11002277 JJoonneess RRdd..,, RRRR##11
GGrraavveennhhuurrsstt,, OONN PP11PP 11RR11wwwwww..ggnnii..ccaa
GREAT NORTHERN INSULATION is the largest insulationcompany in Ontario and have branches throughout.
We have over 27 years of experience and specialize ininstalling sprayed in place BASF WALLTITE® spray foam
insulation endorsed by Mike Holmes.
GREAT NORTHERN INSULATION is the largest insulationcompany in Ontario and have branches throughout.
We have over 27 years of experience and specialize ininstalling sprayed in place BASF WALLTITE® spray foam
insulation endorsed by Mike Holmes.
Energy StarSpecialist
705.645.1731www.WindowWorld.biz1130 Manitoba St. Bracebridge
Save Energy and Look Good Doing it!Save Energy and Look Good Doing it!
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE26 October 2008
How would you like to spendyour vacations? Do you envisioncarefree days spent lakeside at a cot-tage, doing nothing but relaxing inthe peace and quiet? Or perhapsyou’d rather stay at a resort, whereyou can play golf in the morning,take a dip in the pool in the after-noon, and then cap the day off din-ing at a fine restaurant.
Tough choice. Why not have it both ways? You
can with fractional ownership.Fractional developments offer
owners the opportunity to buy par-tial ownership of cottages in aresort-like setting, often with resort-style amenities including on-siterestaurants, fitness clubs, golf serv-ices and even concierge services.
Typically, arrangements see own-ers purchasing five-week intervals,during which the cottage is exclu-sively theirs to use. Of course, iflifestyle and finances allow, ownerscan always purchase additionalintervals.
Meanwhile, a management com-pany handles scheduling and all themaintenance associated with theproperty, such as grass cutting, snowremoval, garbage disposal, evenhousekeeping. It’s a true turnkeyownership arrangement where youcan literally arrive, put the key inthe door, put the food in the fridge,unpack some clothes and be outsideenjoying the sun or playing in thewater within minutes.
After the initial one-time pur-chase cost the only money you putout is for insurance and taxes, whichis split equally among owners. Theannual fee that covers maintenanceand expenses associated with servic-es and use of property amenities.
Though fractional ownership isoften confused with timesharing,they’re actually two entirely differ-ent things.
Fractional properties are moreexclusive, generally include greateramenities and services, often timesrivaling those of elite resorts, andusually feature much longer inter-
vals than do timeshares. Perhapsmore importantly, potential buyersfind it far easier to get financing forfractionals than timeshares becausethe latter depreciate over timewhereas banks consider fractionalsto be appreciating assets like anyother home or cottages.
Why do timeshares depreciatewhereas fractionals do not? One rea-son is because there have beencountless timeshare developmentsaccompanied by continuous resaleover the past decade or so, whichmeans market value goes down.Another important reason is that intimeshares far less of the buyers’dollars go into “bricks and mortar”and high-end finish than in frac-tionals.
And unlike timeshares, you actu-ally own your fractional. You caneven rent it out.
The appeal of fractional owner-ship is clear. In Muskoka, they fill aparticular niche. As older resortsdisappear, vacation options otherthan purchasing a property, which
can be prohibitive, have disappearedas well. Fractionals are a cost effec-tive way for people to enjoy theMuskoka tradition of cottaging.
Consequently, fractional develop-ments are becoming more commonacross Muskoka and more appealing.
Seasons of MuskokaBert Krummrei, developer of Sea-
sons of Muskoka, located west ofRosseau, barely has to ponder thequestion of why fractional owner-ship makes sense.
“What’s the main attraction offractional ownership? Simple. It’s acompromise. The high cost of own-ing a private cottage is beyond mostpeople. They cost $5 to 600,000 inour neck of the woods, which is vir-tually unreachable for people with ahome, two kids and piano lessons.Fractional ownership gives youvacation time for a lot less cost, soit’s very appealing.”
Krummrei is so convinced frac-tional ownership has a rosy futurethat he’s in the early stages of trans-
THE WHOLE STORY ON FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIPBy Andrew Hind
DON’T TEAR DOWN YOUR COTTAGE!LET US SHOW YOU THE RENOVATION POSSIBILITIES.
Offering you complete custom design and construction services with free introductory consultations and estimates. Family owned and operated since 1995.
Contact Scott Clark for more information or visit our website.
Homes • Cottages • Boathouses • Guesthouses • Additions • Renovations
BUILDERS • DESIGNERS • RENOVATORS
410 Muskoka Road South • Gravenhurst • Ontario P1P 1J4
www.edenlanehomes.com
Proud supporter of
1104 Eveleigh Rd., Port Carling, ON P0B 1J0705-765-SHOR (7467) www.shorlineconstruction.com
Custom Cottages & Boathouses
CONSTRUCTIONLIMITED
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE28 October 2008
forming Bali-Hi Resort, which hepurchased 35 years ago, into a frac-tional property with 16 total units.
“It will be small,” he says withenthusiasm, “but it will be friendly,not what you would consider avacation village.”
After years of bureaucratic redtape, building and selling has justgot underway with the first twounits due to be ready next spring.Others will follow as the marketdictates, though it’s expected all 16will be built within a period of fiveyears. Krummrei is expecting brisksales and believes development willproceed much faster.
“I believe it takes good ingredi-ents to make good soup, and withthe ingredients we have here thesoup will be unmatched,” he says.“The location and beauty of theproperty are vital elements becausewhat we are selling is a luxury prod-uct. It needs to be very attractive.Our property is fabulous, with1,060 feet of sandy beachfront on apeaceful lakefront setting, access toa spectacular three-lake system(White Fish, Little White Fish andClear lake), and tall pines providinglight shade.”
While the natural location is an
obvious asset, Krummrei has notgiven accommodation and ameni-ties light thrift. The cottages will besingle units located a distance fromone another to provide the seclusionand privacy of a cottage experience.Architecturally they’ll be modernbut with a nod to classic cottagedesign, while inside they’ll be beau-tifully furnished. Amenities at Sea-sons of Muskoka will include a fullyequipped clubhouse, an indoorswimming pool and a snowmobiletrail that runs directly through theproperty.
“All Canadians have the right toown a cottage property,” Krummreibelieves. “We want to give modernpeople that chance here at Seasons.”
Touchstone on Lake MuskokaAt Touchstone on Lake Muskoka,
located between Port Carling andBracebridge, the grand summerhomes and resorts of past decadesserved as the basis for the design ofthe new fractional development thathad its first occupancies in July ofthis past year.
It’s a fitting nod to the past giventhe development is encompassingthe properties of two long-standingMuskoka resorts, Tamwood Lodge
and Aston Beach Resort. Historicarchitectural references, includingbroad expansive decks, generous useof stone and rustic wood and copperdetailing help retain the feel of cot-tage country’s roots.
“While the project borrows heavi-ly from the past, we also includecontemporary design elements nottraditionally found in Muskokasummer residences,” says Anne Lar-cade, president and chief operatingofficer of Sequel Hotels and Resorts,the company that manages theproperty. “These will include 11-foot high ceilings, floor to ceilingwindows, luxurious baths, gourmetkitchens, and state-of-the-art heat-ing and air conditioning systems.”
When complete, Touchstone willconsist of 75 cottages or villas on 30acres of land. Each of the buildingswill be distinct, though they’ll retaincommon design elements to give theproperty a sense of unity. Phase oneis sold out, while phase two is 80per cent sold.
The cottages will be built in fourdistinct geographic zones, each withtheir own unique character: Cas-cades, Tree Top Villas, Beach Villas,and Touchstone Lodge.
The Cascades will be located on a
rise of land and include 24 resi-dences in the spirit of grand sum-mer homes of yesteryear. Each willhave stunning views of Lake Musko-ka, terraces, screened sunrooms andheated marble floors.
The Tree Top Villas will sit abovethe Cascades on a high bluffapproximately 60 feet above thelake. These custom vacation homeswill be located within three sepa-rate, semi-detached buildings andwill feature wrap-around decks withhot tubs to maximize the dramatic270-degree panoramic views.
“At the heart of Touchstone, willbe the Touchstone Lodge, whichwill occupy a prominent position onthe site offering a commanding viewover Lake Muskoka,” explains Lar-cade. “The building will contain theproject’s indoor amenity spaces,including the casually elegantrestaurant, spa, fitness center andlounge, and concierge service.”
One of the things that sets Touch-stone apart is its philosophy: “Ofthe Land,” rather than “On theLand.”
“Touchstone is committed to amore environmentally safe approachto construction, while at the sametime trying to embody the casual
for all the right reasons
Come discover a new shared ownership resort designedfor discerning cottagers, a place where quality is notcompromised and the quintessential Muskoka cottageexperience is available for you to enjoy.
Just 20 minutes drive from Port Carling, Seasons istucked away on 1,060 feet of private shoreline on pristineWhitefish Lake and graced by 20 acres of mature forestedlands. Only 15 detached cottages are available, with pricesstarting at $79,900 for a five week interval.
1-888-222-8085 www.seasonsofmuskoka.com
You can enjoy a TWO WEEKS at the cottagein prime season!
REGISTER NOW FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION PRICING.
IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY WILL BE AVAILABLE.
Just minutes north from Hwy 400 North,Exit 207, Hwy 141
elegance of yesteryear,” says Lar-cade.
Developers have included severalimportant green initiatives in theirplans with an eye towards preserv-ing Muskoka’s environment.They’ve made extensive use oforganic and recycled materials,wherever possible built upon foun-dations of existing buildings,included a state-of-the-art sewageand water treatment plant, and tookpains to preserve the existing natu-ral landscape.
“Conceived with the family cot-tage in mind, Touchstone offersowners an opportunity to createMuskoka memories without distrac-tions,” explains Larcade. “By elimi-nating property maintenance, cot-tage openings and closures, and day-to-day inconveniences, owners canfocus on what’s truly important –family and fun.”
Diamond’s EdgeWith only 15 cottages and 150
shareholders, Diamond’s Edge isone of the smallest fractional proj-ects in Muskoka. Located in Utter-son, it also caters largely to a nicheclientele, people who want to spendtheir vacations – or at least parts of
them – playing the links at the part-nered Diamond’s Edge Golf Club.
The golf course, one of Muskoka’smost beautiful and exclusive, camefirst in 1993. Construction of thefractional cottages began in 2006and occupancy began as early asJune 2007. Moving into the realmof fractional property developmentwas a logical one for Diamond’sEdge, according to Rhondi Pea-cock, director of project sales andmarketing.
“From our standpoint, it made alot of sense to make this leap. Wesaw a void and decided to fill it,”she explains. “Our owners arewealthy people from Toronto whohave memberships in the mostexclusive golf courses in the city.These are the kind of people who, ifthey were to vacation in Muskokafor a few weeks, would really misstheir golf and the clubhouse envi-ronment of an upper-class course.We married the concepts of high-end golf and luxurious resortaccommodations together – thereisn’t another opportunity like it.”
She continues, “In addition, sincewe were already the property man-agers of the golf we had the experi-ence, equipment, and personnel on
hand to take on the task of main-taining the cottage grounds and doit well. Our property is the bestmaintained of any you’ll find.”
The 15 cottages are all located onthe water, and are stand-alone unitsbuilt in a beautiful post-and-beamstyle to provide a real cottage expe-rience. All have three bedrooms andtwo baths. Interiors are decoratedwith custom-built furnishings andtop-of-the-line appliances.
“The cottages were built the sameon purpose so that equity grows onan equal playing field,” explainsPeacock. “And we’re appealingbecause we only have 15 units. Thatmeans there are only 15 families onsite at any time, so we provide anextremely intimate setting.”
They also recognize that theirowners are active individuals whoenjoy the outdoors. While thebiggest calling card is the golf courseitself, which every owner enjoysmembership to, Diamond’s Edgealso provides canoes, bicycles andgroomed trails for vacationers toenjoy.
“We offer a compete packagefocused on the needs and interestsof our specific clientele,” says Pea-cock. “We take resorting to another
level, but the difference is here, atDiamond’s Edge, you own theresort.”
The LandscapesThe Landscapes – Lake of Bays is
in many ways unique amongMuskoka fractional properties. As aresult, its owners are excited aboutwhat the future holds for this water-front development.
“From my standpoint, one of ourmain attractions of The Landscapesis that it is located in the village ofBaysville,” enthuses Dave Smith,project manager. “We’re a part ofthe community, whereas other frac-tional properties tend to be moreremote.”
Proximity to a community has itsbenefits. Owners can walk intotown for shopping or perhaps a din-ner off-premises, and will feel a wel-come part of communal events.
“The Landscapes is also going tooffer a wide range of amenities,which makes it unique compared toother developments,” says Smith.“There is currently a clubhouse, weare starting to build a waterfrontactivity building this fall and even-tually there will be a recreationcomplex, with both a swimming
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE30 October 2008
Weismiller TIM-BR MARTBALA
(705) 762-3308
Muskoka Paint & DecoratingBRACEBRIDGE(705) 645-8800
Wilson’s The Paint StoreHUNTSVILLE
(705) 789-8551
Gravenhurst Paint & WallpaperGRAVENHURST(705) 687-7956
Colour CentrePARRY SOUND(705) 746-5656
Muskoka LumberPORT CARLING(705) 765-3105
Dorset TIM-BR MARTDORSET
(705) 766-2263
Karen ActonSales Representative
On the Move in Muskoka
Direct Line: 705-706-2246email: [email protected]
705-645-5257 x298 • 800-606-2636100 West Mall Road, Bracebridge
LAKES OF MUSKOKA, Brokerage
WATERFRONT WITHOUT the WORK$284,000
Upscale condo on Muskoka River, 2 bedrooms, 2baths, den & laundry room. Open concept has 3exits to balcony with an exceptional view.Upgrades include hardwood floors, light oakcabinetry & extra closets. Just steps to the sunnydock. Walk to downtown Huntsville or boat thebig lakes. Unit includes underground parking &locker. Rare opportunity to purchase fingerdock/boat slip with this unit.
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED
Building the customhome or cottage of yourdreams throughout the
Muskoka / ParrySound and surrounding
areas with CrippsContracting Ltd.
Fully insured and aregistered builder with
TARION.
Model Home and Office located at189 Pineridge Gate,
GravenhurstPhone (705) 687-4497
or Toll Free 1-800-481-8338www.crippscontracting.com
Building Your Muskoka Address
L i v e Yo u r P a s s i o n1-877-643-3343 www.diamondsedge.ca
Shared Ownership CottagesA proven concept that is a cost effective way to enjoy carefree holidays in afully furnished stand alone post and beam waterfront cottage in Muskoka.
• Fully furnished• Five exclusive weeks a year• RCI Gold Crown Property• Excellent golf club privileges
From $89,900 Feel The Value...Visit our model cottage today.TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!
diamond18082008showcase 8/18/08 10:29 AM Page 1
pool, fitness centre and gamesroom. Other activity highlights area snowmobile trail that runs rightthrough the property and, in thewinter, we have an outdoor skatingrink.”
As it is anywhere in Muskoka, aregion fabled for its countless pris-tine lakes, waterfront location is ofgreatest importance to the successof any vacation property. Hereagain, The Landscapes is blessedwith what Smith refers to as areverse pie-wedge. Typically, heexplains, a property narrows as itapproaches the water, but not so inthis case. Instead, The Landscapes iswidest along the lakeshore, offering1,400 feet for rest and recreation.
The Landscapes was formerlyBirch Haven Resort, a cottage resortwith a lengthy history. But, as with
so many smaller vacation destina-tions across the region, time eventu-ally caught up to it.
“These old resorts age and they alleventually get to the point whereyou either need to heavily reinvestor re-invent yourself to remain inoperation,” says Smith. “We choseto re-invent ourselves along thefractional model because it makesthe most sense for the developerand for people in the market for acarefree vacation alternative thatsuits budget and time constraints.”
He continues, “The concept offractional ownership is a relativelynew concept to the resort vacationindustry. It allows people to ownthe resort and property by buyingintervals (five weeks in duration),which is equity that can be willed tochildren or sold off. This is a funda-
mental difference with timesharewhich, remember, eventually canrun out and is not real equity.”
Financially, fractional ownershipmakes sense. It also makes sense interms of meeting the realities ofpeople’s lifestyles.
“Five weeks is all that most peoplecan get away every year, so a singleinterval meets their vacation needs,”says Helen Thompson, director ofsales. “People also work hard andare busy in their home lives. Theywant carefree vacationing and a cot-tage experience without the hasslesof maintenance. We fill that role.”
Similar to a true cottage experi-ence, owners and guests need onlybring food and consumables fortheir vacation. Private lockers in thebasement of each cottage/villa arealso provided for personal items
that owners may wish to leavebehind for the next visit.
Thompson and Smith are pleasedwith the growth of The Landscapesto date. A total of 19 units havebeen built since work began in2005 and the future looks promis-ing. Plans call for the property toexpand to 64 units in time, thoughthe rate of construction depends onsales.
“Fractional ownership matchesthe reality of people’s lives,” saysThompson. “It’s just going to getmore popular.”
Fractional properties offer aunique vacation opportunity,blending the Muskoka cottageexperience with the luxury andamenities of a resort. As these frac-tional properties demonstrate, youreally can have it both ways.
Your Panel of ProfessionalsYour Panel of ProfessionalsNeed answers to your questions? Let the Professionals give you the straight answers!
Codominiums can be anything from a boat slip or parking space, a sin-gle family home, apartment, commercial space, etc. It is simply a formof ownership. In the majority of condominiums in Muskoka, you own the
interior of a rowhouse (townhouse style) or an apartment. The “common ele-ments” such as garage area, exterior spaces, hallways, etc. are owned in com-mon with all of the other owners of that development. “Exclusive use commonelements” are things like a balcony or driveway where the unit owner has theexclusive use of the space but it is actually owned by thewhole.
AA
The good news is that there are new options for self-employed home-buyers. CMHC now offers an insured mortgage to the self-employedwith a 5% downpayment, good credit and two years self-employment
history. You may qualify under this program or under the TD Canada Trustequity lending program if you have a 25% downpayment.Please call me if you have specific questions or to set up a personal appoint-ment that fits your schedule. I will bring the bank to you.
AA
Lynda Lynn
Jacqui Semkow
Yes. Any verbal agreement should be reduced to writing. If a dispute arisesbetween you and your contractor, a simple but straightforward written contractwill be an important piece of evidence in assisting with the resolution of the dis-
pute. You want your contract to address, at the very least, the following: the price forthe work (is it based on a time and materials basis or as a fixed price contract; specificsregarding the work the contractor will perform – the more specific the better; howchanges to the scope and price of work will be approved; the frequency with which pay-ments to the contractor will be made; the date when construction is to be completed;and when the contract can be terminated, by whom and at whatcost. We would be happy to assist you in drafting a contract.
Marcia Oliver
705-645-5257Lynda LynnRoyal LePage [email protected]
What is a condominium?
705-646-4238Jacqui SemkowTD Canada [email protected]
I am self-employed and would like to buy a home. I havebeen running a successful business for the past five yearsand have saved some money for a downpayment and clos-ing costs. Since I have some business expenses and debtsmy Notice of Assessment doesn’t show I make enoughmoney to qualify for a mortgage. What options do I have?
705-635-9860
What services does a planner provideregarding condominium and fractionaldevelopments?
705-788-1148Marcia OliverLaw Office of Marcia J. Oliver
I am building a cottage. Should I have awritten agreement with my contractor?
AA
A professional planner most often coordinates the entire developmentproject. Planning a fractional ownership or condominium development isguided by both provincial legislation and local zoning by-laws. The
property location, size and proximity to amenities and services as well as thehousing and tourism market all influence the decison making and planningprocess. A planner can assist with designing the layout of the property andthe provision of on-site services and amenties and drive the process throughthe local planning authorities.
Marie Poirier
AAMarie Poirier, MCIP, RPP
Marie Poirier Planning & Associates Inc.
Cottage Home & Property SHOWCASE32 October 2008
JUDGES CONTRACTING LTD.
CARING FOR MUSKOKA FOR 30 YEARS
Wayne Judges 705-645-0480
Quality workmanship and customer satisfaction far beyond any written warranty.
LTD.JC DESIGN • CONSTRUCTION • RESTORATION
S H O W C A S E F E A T U R E P R O P E R T I E S
w w w. m a g g i e t o m l i n s o n . c o m
In today’s competitive and changing marketplace, it is very important that your property isgiven maximum exposure … 24 hours a day, 7 days a week … until it’s SOLD! My market-ing program is designed to meet these objec-tives. Ask me how. I look forward to hearingfrom you.
Maggie TomlinsonSales Representative705-644-9283 – direct705-762-3359 – office705-762-3133 – [email protected]
since 1948
“Our Pleasure to Serve” REALTOR®
GIDLEYR E A L E S TAT E LT D
BROKERAGE
KAREN FLOODBroker
705-765-6801(cell) [email protected] B R O K E R A G E
For more information call Karen Flood, 705-644-4011
Wonderful custom built year round cottageor home offers it all. Post and beam con-struction, wide open spaces, 2 master suites,gorgeous wood fireplace, lower living spacewith propane fireplace, level land, sandshoreline, great view, south exposure, largedecks and newer hot tub. Also has high effi-ciency oil furnace. Only minutes to town andon a great lake.
P O R T C A R L I N G
HHoorrsseesshhooee LLaakkee•• ••
$$779999,,000000..
Suzanne MartineauSales Representative
Rosseau Branch [email protected]
www.muskokacottagedreams.com
1138 Highway 141, Rosseau, ON705-706-3329 (Direct) 705-732-8263 (Office)
Independently Owned and Operated
Parry Sound-MuskokaRealty Ltd., Brokerage
Loved & well cared for by one family, this cottage is immaculate & graces a quiet spring fed lake minutes from Bracebridge. An off-grid solar 3 panel system & no hydro bills! See website for virtual tour.
$329,000.
The perfect 3 bedroom cottage! Everything included & move-in condition!
Offers 997’ of south westerly exposureboasting picturesque long views & protectedshore with room to roam on 6.5 acres ofmature muskoka forest. The original 4 bdrmcottage provides a glimpse of yesteryearwith sunlit rooms & a granite stone fireplace.The refurbished tennis court, separategames room/bunkie & dippy boathousegrace this spectacular property. A 2-slipboathouse provides substantially oversizedliving quarters & enjoys romantic island dot-ted views. Privacy is assured on this one ofa kind property, worthy of substantial futuredevelopment.
Offered at $3,800,000.
CCAAMMEERROONN && KKAARREENN WWHHIITTEESales Representatives
Port Carling, ON1-888-508-2777 ext. 513
Cell: (705) [email protected]
www.muskokapropertiesforsale.com
NEW PRICE!
Coveted Lake Joseph land bank!
If you are searching for a unique and special property,this is one you do not want to miss!
Close to the Clubs and less than 2 hours to Toronto.
LAKES OF MUSKOKA REALTY395 CENTRE ST N., HUNTSVILLE 705-789-9677
SUE BURKE, Sales Rep. – The Power of Sue at Work for You20+ Years ~ #1 Agent Huntsville/Lake of Bays/Almaguin 2007
[email protected] • 705-788-6389 direct line Check out all of Sue’s listings at www.sueburke.ca
Broker of [email protected]
(705) 684-8181(705) 646-7532
Sutton-Around Muskoka Realty Inc., Brokerage405 Muskoka Road South, Unit A1, GRAVENHURST
Enjoy this Muskoka getaway now! The serene, privatesetting will captivate and entertain you with close to 600feet of natural shoreline, over 4 acres and wildlife suchas loons, herons, humming birds, beavers, deer and fishto share the experience! Book your appointment withWendy today! Short notice appointments are possible!705-646-7532
Attention ALL Buyers!
$$11,,559999,,000000
Wendy Crothers (Godfrey)
SELLER MOTIVATED TO ENTERTAIN ALL OFFERS!$1,199,000.
The view from the “L” shaped dock and boathouseis South West creating spectacular vistas acrossopen water. The cottage offers central air, exten-sive wooden interior, 3 bdrms with additionalsleeping accommodation in the walk out base-ment, laundry facilities & great room with stonefireplace, wood floors and incredible views! Selleris motivated so enjoy your Muskoka this summer.Call Brent today for your personal tour!
BRENT GINOUSales Representative
405 Muskoka Road South, Unit A1p. 705-684-8181
tf. 1-866-684-8181c. 705-641-0097
www.sutton.com/sg/[email protected]
Sutton-Around MuskokaRealty Inc. brokerage
Live the Muskoka Life Style on Drive-ToActon Island on Beautiful Muskoka Lake.
