KAWARTHA LAKES

DESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE, ON

Design-Build Contractor in Sturgeon Lake, ON

Henley Contracting is a design-build contractor on Sturgeon Lake for owners turning an old summer cottage into a year-round home. We assess the cottage and the lot, compare renovating with rebuilding, plan the approvals and services, and build the result with one team, so the move from cottage to lake home is planned from the start.

SERVICE
Design-Build & Planning
AREA
Sturgeon Lake, ON
REGION
Kawartha Lakes
CALL
(905) 576-9714
Year-round lake home with white board-and-batten, a black metal roof and a screened porch at Sturgeon Lake, Ontario (illustration) – Design-Build Contractor in Sturgeon Lake, ON
01 / OVERVIEWDESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE

DESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE

Year-round homes on Sturgeon Lake

Sturgeon Lake has many small 1950s and 60s cottages on large waterfront lots. As owners retire or work from home, the goal is often a year-round house in the same spot. That brings questions about insulation, the foundation, the well, the septic and winter road access.

We look at the cottage and the land together, then lay out the options: renovate and expand, or rebuild new. Each is priced and checked against the shoreline rules.

  • 01 / COTTAGE ASSESSED

    Structure, foundation and services.

  • 02 / YEAR-ROUND NEEDS

    Heating, insulation and winter access.

  • 03 / OPTIONS PRICED

    Renovate or rebuild compared.

  • 04 / CITY PERMITS

    Applications to the City of Kawartha Lakes.

02 / WHAT WE BUILDDESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE

Turning a cottage into a home

Foundation

Many cottages sit on piers that need replacing.

Water and septic

Systems sized for full-time living.

Road access

Year-round, ploughed roads.

Approvals

City, Kawartha Conservation and Parks Canada.

  1. Assessment. Cottage, lot and rules reviewed.
  2. Options. Renovate or rebuild, with costs.
  3. Design. The chosen plan drawn and engineered.
  4. Build. One team from start to finish.
03 / IN FOCUSDESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE

Planning for retirement

Many Sturgeon Lake owners plan to retire in the new home. We suggest features that make life easier later: main-floor primary suites, wider doors, level entries and low-maintenance exteriors. These choices cost little during design and add years of comfortable living at the lake.

Older 1950s white cottage with a window porch under a willow on a waterfront lot, Sturgeon Lake, Ontario (illustration) – Design-Build Contractor in Sturgeon Lake, ON
04 / IN FOCUSDESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE

Wells and water on the lake

Many Sturgeon Lake cottages draw water from the lake. A year-round home usually needs a drilled well or a treatment system. We plan the water supply as part of the project, so it is safe and reliable when you move in.

05 / IN FOCUSDESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING · STURGEON LAKE

More on the lakes

We also plan and build on Balsam Lake and Cameron Lake, and in Bobcaygeon and Lindsay. See also custom homes on Sturgeon Lake.

Have a cottage on Sturgeon Lake? Tell us about your project.

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Henley Contracting Ltd.

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QUESTIONSSTURGEON LAKE, ON

Frequently asked questions

Can't find your answer? Tell us about your project and ask us directly.

Can my cottage become a year-round home?
Often, but it may need a new foundation, insulation, heating and an upgraded septic. Sometimes rebuilding is better value.
Does my road need to be maintained year-round?
For full-time living, year-round road access matters. We check it early.
Who approves the work on Sturgeon Lake?
The City of Kawartha Lakes, with Kawartha Conservation and Parks Canada where they apply.
NEXT STEPSTART A CONVERSATION

YOUR PROJECT

Planning a home or renovation on Sturgeon Lake?

Tell us about your property and what you have in mind. We will help you work out the scope, budget and next steps before anything is priced.

NEARBYDESIGN-BUILD & PLANNING

Memberships & accreditations

ROOTED IN ONTARIO

Durham Region · Kawartha Lakes

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