(Photos courtesy Schlager Inc.)

Peter Olyschlager, Schlager Inc.

Landscaping and hardscaping projects is a great way to enhance enjoyment of a property and increase its value. Flagstone patios and fire pits are really popular. They add to the outdoor living space of the cottage and are a nice area for family to get together and socialize. Its like creating an outdoor living room, but better! It also greatly adds the retail value of the cottage.

Granite is the product of choice with landscaping because it completely matches the natural environment. However, we often find limestone is a great option as well and can blend in naturally, depending on the style of cottage being built. Also, many man-made products have come a long way to complement the natural surroundings of cottage country.

Reputable contractors have the environment in mind. Using plants that are native to our area is important because it creates less waste by helping reduce water costs because they naturally adapt. They are better for our native wildlife species such as bees, butterflies and birds. Its important to use vegetation when possible to control run-off into the lakes; rather than clear-cut a property, maintain vegetation in place to filters pollutants. Also during construction, all measures must be taken to control run off into lakes and streams by using things such as silt curtains, and try to disturb as small of area as possible.

People often have to do costly and time-consuming backtracking when they hit roadblocks along the way because they did not first consult with all of the right contractors and municipalities before they begin their project. It is good to do thorough research before you begin, to know what permits you need and what bylaws exist, so you do not have to stop the work while waiting for these things to be sorted out. Hiring the right contractor is important and getting lots of information from them will help you keep things on track. Not to say there is never hiccups along the way, but you can plan and prepare to try and avoid them.

(Photos courtesy The Deck Store)

Stan Weiland, president, The Deck Store

Some of the deciding factors when it comes to selecting a decking material include budget, usage, exposure, environment, aesthetics, and personal preference. If a client wants a decking material that will last a long time and requires very little maintenance, a composite or PVC decking board would be the right choice. PVC decking performs great in pretty much all environments due to the fact there are no organic ingredients in the boards. Make sure the installer knows how to work with the plastic materials and understands how to fasten them to eliminate expansion and contraction issues.

For lower budgets, pressure-treated wood or cedar lumber are viable options but they tend to require more maintenance to keep them looking good. Also, the life span of a wood deck in some environments is only 10 years because the quality of the wood used for decking today is not up to the same standards as what was used 15-25 years ago; due to the high demand, younger trees are being harvested and the integrity of the material is not what it needs to be to last for any substantial amount of time. As well, it takes a lot of work to keep a wood deck looking nice I dont know too many people who enjoy spending their cottage time sanding and staining their wood decks.

Coming up with the right design is a process that involves getting to know the client and how they plan to use their outdoor space. We like to gather information using questions such as: How do you plan to use your deck (for dining, lounging, entertaining, access to the yard, sunbathing, evening cocktails, etc.)? How many people on average will be on the deck? Do you require privacy from any direction? Does it get hot on your deck and is shade needed? Are there any special features that you would like to see, such as borders, inlays, lights? Do you have a view that you would like to maintain?

(Photos courtesy Black Rock Landscaping)

Larry Martin, owner, Black Rock Landscaping

Trends are always evolving with gardening. Cottage country gardening is no different. Low maintenance gardens, which are practical for people who dont want to spend weekends gardening, are coming back in style right now. Also gaining in popularity again is the inclusion of some grass lawn areas for childrens activities. And combination gardens a healthy mixture of hardy perennials and shrubs are always a hit with people because they look great and are easier to maintain than purely flower gardens.

There is a lot of interest lately in preserving shorelines and near-shore areas because of their ecological importance. There are ways to beautify the waterfront and still maintain its natural function. Cleaning shorelines of dead limbs, debris and unwanted weeds provides a tidier appearance. Plant selectively with desired plants to give some colour to shoreline indigenous plants are best but do so with an eye towards maintaining natural appearance. Some common plants that can be used are iris, cotoneaster, daylilies, stephanandra, and hosta (if deer arent a problem) to name a few.

A lot of cottagers are adding raised beds into their designs because they offer a number of advantages. They are easier to maintain, offer a better planting base where soil is poor, accent an area that is plan and flat, and offer the opportunity raise and stack plants to different levels to show off different species.

People want to put planters on their docks to offer lake appeal, but there are valid concerns about chemicals entering the water from them. You can have flowering pots on your dock while still being environmentally friendly simply by using drip trays, which work well to collect excess water and fertilizer and also help to prevent deck stains.

(Photo courtesy Canadian Contracting Services)

Rick Zanussi, owner, Canadian Contracting Services

When it comes to a build, dont overlook the basement, where the use of ICF (insulated concrete form) is becoming the standard. This type of basement foundation provides many advantages. It gives incredible structure and an easily achieved level, plumb and square foundation. As important, a good quality ICF provides an incredible insulation value of R30. ICF foundations are certainly more expensive than a standard, uninsulated block foundation but the extra cost is well worth it. A solid, level and square foundation is the key building block to a quality build.

Electrical planning is paramount for providing all electrical needs a customer wants. Property owners should take the time to go through the entire build with the electrical subcontractor and builder, on site. Think about the layout of the Great Room, kitchen and bedrooms with respect to where you will or may need receptacles. The best rule of thumb is to install more receptacles than less.

Exterior windows and doors should never be skimped on. We encourage our customers to spend more to achieve more in R-value, weather resistance and longevity of windows and doors. Youll spend far more time gazing out windows at the cottage than at your permanent home you want to enjoy the cottage viewsso a good rule of thumb is to err towards larger windows rather than smaller.

In order to reduce stress and building-process issues, property owners need to spend the time to find the right builder. Never go with the cheapest builder you can find. A quality finished product is never achieved by being the least expensive. Your cottage must be built properly, meeting all structural, system, landscaping and aesthetic requirements. These are never accomplished unless you spend the money required to achieve them.

Owners need to research builders thoroughly. This takes time and effort, but is imperative to limit problems during the build. Take the time to find a builder with a very good reputation. Ask for contact information of previous customers and speak with them openly to determine their experience with the contractor. Ask builders how long their employees have been with them. These tradesmen are paramount for a quality build as they are the people who do the actual work and their qualifications and experience must be extensive.

From the pages of Parry Sound Life magazine. View our PDF edition online. Subscribe to have it delivered to your door.

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