Making smart choices in building materials now could help your cottage last a lifetime

Building a cottage? Planning a reno? Making smart choices in materials now means your happy place could last a lifetime

Fiona McGlynn

AS WE BUILT our new home in cottage country, my husband, Robin, a healthy 30-something, often joked with visitors to our construction site that he planned to “die in this house.” In addition to planning features for our golden years—wheelchair-accessible doors and showers—we chose building materials that we hoped would “see us out.” This was only somewhat ambitious. “The average lifespan of a house ranges from 50 to 100 years,” says Russell Richman, a professor of building science at Toronto Metropolitan University. Much like our own longevity, a building’s life can be extended by making good choices: thoughtful design, quality workmanship, regular maintenance, and durable building materials. Building for the long run can not only save you money and time on replacement and repairs, but it also has lasting environmental…

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Cottage Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, September/October 2024

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