Year-round homes on the lake
Full-time homes on the water, built to be lived in through every season. The building envelope, heating and the details behind the walls get the same attention as the view from the main room.
SERVICES
RESIDENTIAL
Waterfront Homes
Luxury custom waterfront homes, planned around the shoreline, the lot and the view, from the first site visit to the finished home.
01 / OVERVIEWWATERFRONT HOMES
WATERFRONT HOMES
A home on the water, built for the property
A waterfront property is chosen for the water: the view, the shoreline and the time spent there. The home built on it should be planned around those things, and around a lot that is usually more demanding than a lot in town.
Henley Contracting builds waterfront homes on the lakes we serve in Kawartha Lakes. These are homes for living in through every season, whether it is a family's main home, a place to retire to, or the year-round home that replaces an older place on the lake.
On the water, the early work matters even more. The grade down to the shoreline, access to the lot and the approvals the property needs all shape the design, so they are worth understanding before the plans are settled.
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01 / PROPERTY
The shoreline, the grade and access to the lot come first.
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02 / DESIGN
Rooms, windows and outdoor space planned around the view.
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03 / PLANNING
Approvals, scope, budget and schedule worked out early.
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04 / CONSTRUCTION
One team on site, with clear updates from start to finish.
02 / WHAT WE BUILDWATERFRONT HOMES
Waterfront homes we build
Larger waterfront homes
Larger homes with more involved structure, finishes and coordination, where careful sequencing and a consistent team on site make the biggest difference. See Custom Homes.
Homes on demanding waterfront lots
A steep slope to the water, a narrow lot or a long driveway in. On lots like these, the site is worked out before the design is final. If you have a property and an idea but no plans yet, start with Design-Build & Planning.
Cottage renovations and additions
Major renovations and additions to an existing cottage or lake house, from a larger great room to a full year-round conversion. See Major Renovations and Home Additions.
Tear-down and rebuild
Replacing an older cottage with a new home on the same lot, where the property and its approvals allow it.
Boathouses and structures at the water
Boathouses and other buildings at the water's edge, planned together with the home so the property works as a whole. See Boathouses. Planning a cottage rather than a full-time home? See Custom Cottages.
03 / APPROACHWATERFRONT HOMES
What matters when planning a waterfront home
Six things shape every waterfront home. Working through them early keeps the design, the budget and the schedule pointing in the same direction.
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01
Shoreline and grade
How the land falls toward the water, the ground conditions and where the home can sit on the lot.
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02
Access
How equipment, deliveries and crews reach the property, and how that changes through the seasons.
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03
Approvals
Waterfront properties may come with their own approvals and requirements. They vary by municipality and by property, and are worth confirming before the design depends on them.
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04
Services
Water, septic, hydro and heating, planned for a home lived in all year.
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05
The view
Where the main rooms, windows and outdoor spaces face, and how the home looks from the water.
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06
Timing
When you hope to move in, and the order in which decisions need to be made to get there.
04 / WHY HENLEYWATERFRONT HOMES
An engineer-led builder, with design and approvals in one team
A waterfront project brings more people into the work than a build in town. We keep them working from the same plan.
Architecture and design
The home or cottage planned around the lot and the view.
Engineer-led site planning
Foundations, grading, septic and access to the lot, working with your own engineer or one we bring in.
Permits and approvals
Worked out early, before the design depends on them.
Interior and landscape design
Finishes inside, and the outdoor living and paths down to the water.
Garages and outbuildings
Planned with the rest of the property. See Garages & Accessory Buildings.
05 / IN FOCUSWATERFRONT HOMES
Designing around the water
On the water, the best rooms are the ones that face it. Planning a waterfront home starts with where the view is, how the light moves through the day and how the home steps down toward the shoreline.
The same decisions shape how the home is built: where the foundation sits on the grade, how much glass faces the water and how the outdoor spaces connect to the lake. They are much easier to settle on paper than on site.
- Main rooms and windows placed for the view and the light
- Decks, terraces and paths that connect the home to the water
- How the home sits on the grade down to the shoreline
- Comfort through the winter, behind all that glass
- Storage for life on the water: boats, gear and equipment
If you are still deciding what the home should be, we can talk it through with you before plans are drawn. See Design-Build & Planning.
06 / PROCESSWATERFRONT HOMES
How a waterfront home project works
On the water, the gap between the drawings and the build tends to be wider: the lot is harder to reach, the approvals take more care and decisions made in a hurry on site cost more. We work to close that gap by getting involved before construction starts.
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Discover
Tell us about the property, what you want to build and roughly when. Tell us about your project. It takes a minute.
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Plan
We look at the lot, its access and shoreline, your goals, any plans you already have and the budget range you are working within, and turn your ideas into a clear scope.
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Design
Plans are developed or refined alongside your designer and other specialists, so design, approval and construction questions are answered together, then priced and scheduled.
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Build
Our project team, carpenters and trusted trades build the home, with the work planned around access to the lot. You are kept informed at every stage.
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Complete
Final details, a walkthrough together, and the handover of your finished home.
Already have plans? We can review them with you and price the build.
07 / SERVICE AREASWATERFRONT HOMES
Where we build waterfront homes
Balsam Lake is our main waterfront market, followed by Cameron Lake and Sturgeon Lake. We also build in the surrounding Kawartha waterfront communities, including Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon, Coboconk, Rosedale and Burnt River.
Not sure whether your property is in our area? Tell us about your project and we will let you know.
Lake areas
We build waterfront homes on these lakes.
08 / APPROACHWATERFRONT HOMES
Why owners build on the water with Henley
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01
Property-first thinking
We start with the lot. Its shoreline, grade, access and services shape the design, not the other way around.
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02
Clear project planning
Scope, budget, approvals and schedule are worked through before construction begins, so the build runs on decisions already made.
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03
Built for year-round living
Every waterfront home is planned for one owner, one property and every season.
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04
Construction coordination
Our project team, carpenters and trusted trades work together through the whole build, with clear updates from start to finish.
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05
Regional experience
A family-run, local builder with our head office in Oshawa, building in town and on the water across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes.
RELATED PROJECTSWATERFRONT HOMES
Selected projects
Kawartha Lakes
Kawartha Lakes
Kawartha Lakes
QUESTIONSWATERFRONT HOMES
Frequently asked questions
Can't find your answer? Tell us about your project and ask us directly.
What is involved in building a waterfront home?
A waterfront home moves through a few stages: understanding the property and how you want to live there, confirming the approvals the lot needs, developing or refining the plans, pricing and scheduling the work, construction, and a final walkthrough and handover. On the water, the early stages matter most, because the shoreline, grade and access shape both the design and the construction plan.
What approvals does a waterfront property need?
It depends on the municipality and the property. Waterfront lots may come with their own approvals and requirements, so we recommend confirming them early, before the design depends on them. We can help you work out what your property needs as part of planning.
Where do you build waterfront homes?
On Balsam Lake, Cameron Lake and Sturgeon Lake, and in the surrounding Kawartha waterfront communities, including Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon, Coboconk, Rosedale and Burnt River. If you are not sure whether your property is in our area, tell us where it is through Start Your Project.
Can you replace an older cottage with a year-round home?
Often, yes. Whether an existing building can be replaced, and what can be built in its place, depends on the property and its approvals, so it is one of the first things we look at during planning.
Can you build a boathouse along with the home?
Yes. Boathouses are one of our services, and planning one together with the home helps the property work as a whole. Approvals for structures at the water vary by property, so they are worth confirming early.
Do you also build seasonal cottages?
Yes. See Custom Cottages for cottages planned around the family, the lake and the seasons you use them.
What should I have ready before starting a waterfront home?
It helps to know the property address or location, what you want to build, your rough timing and the investment range you have in mind. Surveys, plans or photos of the lot are useful if you have them, but you do not need them to start the conversation.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
Tell us about your project.
A few details is all we need. Sarah from our office will text you shortly from (905) 576-9714.
