Its Time For The Cottage Spring Inspection

The snow has finally melted!

It might not be bikini weather yet up at the cottage but it is time to head up to the cottage and do your spring inspection.

What is a spring inspection you ask? Its the time that you drive up to the cottage to make sure that its still there, especially after this long drawn out winter!

The usual suspects that you find are damage to roofs, windows and siding/facia.

Now these area minor repairs a lot of the time that you can hire someone to do or you can try and handle on your own. But maybe its time that you take a serious look at that old cottage of yours and decide whether its time to do a larger renovation then just a constant minor repair every spring.

I'm talking about biting the bullet and springing for new windows, siding, soffit/facia. You don't have to get all of them, but if your getting tired of the constant repainting of the old siding or the windows that leak water and don't open, then maybe its worth the investment.

Not only will new windows/siding free up your time in the spring, it will also help your enjoyment of your cottage. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to see the lake, the trees and the animals outside through nice new energy efficient windows.

If your changing your windows/siding then you can for a little bit extra add some much needed foam insulation to the outside of your cottage. This insulation could give you an extra month at the cottage in the fall and a couple extra weeks in the spring, allowing you to be more comfortable and also lowering your energy costs throughout the cottage season.

So when you go up to your cottage for your spring inspection take a serious look at your cottage and decide if a larger upgrade is needed, something that will not only raise the value of your cottage but also raise the enjoyment of it.

Drop me an email if you would like to talk about some cottage repairs.

Rob Abbott
Great Lakes Custom Homes Inc.

Change Your Pierson Windows In Your Cottage

Most older cottages were built with Pierson windows.

Pierson windows are a brand/style of windows that were either one single pane of glass or two panes of glass that allowed cottages to add sliding windows for ventilation. There were also other options of fixed windows with small sliders below. The material that the frame of the window was made from was usually cedar.

At the time these windows were the most popular window installed in cottages and they lasted a long time. But as cottages aged so did the windows, the windows started to fail and leak not just water but leak air as well. This didn't just let water into the cottage but also cold drafts on those clean cold cottage nights, turning enjoyable evenings into battles to stay warm.

If you want to make it easier and cheaper to heat your cottage while making the place more enjoyable for you and your guests then you should be changing those Pierson windows. You don't have to break the bank buying new windows for your cottage, Vinyl windows will work just fine.

Vinyl windows have come along way in the past decade, they are now the standard window for all homes, they use to be the cheapest and poorest quality option but modern technology, styling and a growing market of vinyl window manufactures have brought a higher standard of vinyl window to the market.

Vinyl windows are usually a double pane window but if you have a heavily sealed and super insulated cottage already then you will want to lean towards the triple pane window option. Either way changing your old windows for new ones will help regulate the temperature in the cottage for heating and for cooling.

New windows offer a lot of advantages over older windows;

• They can cut the UV light coming through the window and save your curtains, paintings, furniture and rugs.
• They are much more secure then the older windows as they are hard to force open and even harder to break.
• New window seals do not leak water or air like old windows.
• They increase the resale value of your cottage.
• They have better sound damping for those nights when the neighbors parties go on just a little to long.
• New windows glass is clearer then older windows, giving you a much better view of the lake and those sun sets that you enjoy.
• In some jurisdictions there are rebates for retro-fitting your windows that will help pay for the insulation.
• They are much easier to open then the older side sliding windows.
• Newer bug screen technology allows a better view but still keeping the biting insects outside.

When you start to think about renovations to your cottage you should think about changing your windows before you change anything else on the exterior walls. Windows first and then everything else.

If you would like a quote on new windows for you cottage email me and lets talk.

Rob Abbott

Great Lakes Custom Homes