Conversions
Year-round conversions
A summer cottage made warm, dry and safe to open in January.
A cottage built for July has thin walls, a small heater and pipes that freeze. We bring it up to a house you can open for a ski weekend, or move into, without a rebuild you didn't ask for.
What's included
A survey of insulation, windows and pipes
Insulation and air sealing
A heating system sized to the house
Frost-safe plumbing
Windows and roof repairs
Drawings and permits
Cost
What changes the cost
No figure here: the house sets the number, and the estimate shows where it came from.
Walls and roof
Adding insulation to a cottage can be simple or can mean opening the walls.
Heating
A forced-air or radiant system is a larger job than a few baseboard heaters.
Plumbing
Moving pipes inside the heated envelope costs more than wrapping them.
Windows
Old single-pane windows can be repaired or replaced, and the costs differ widely.
Utility bills
We don't promise a figure; the survey says what the house would need.
How it goes
Making a cottage warm
- 01June to September
Step 1: Survey
We find where the heat leaks and where the pipes are at risk.
- 02August to November
Step 2: Plan and order
We draw the work and order the heating equipment and windows.
- 03October to February
Step 3: Envelope and mechanicals
Insulation, windows, heat and plumbing.
- 04February to April
Step 4: Finishes
Walls, floors and trim repaired and painted.
Questions
About year-round use
Will my heating bill be lower?
We can't promise a number. The survey tells you what the house needs and which changes matter most.
Can I keep the old windows?
Often, if they're repaired and fitted with storm windows. We tell you which ones can stay.
Does it need a new septic system?
That depends on how many people use it and for how long. The county decides, and we can help you ask.
Build windows
Ask for a build window
Tell us about the house and when you're there, and we'll say which window it fits.