Are you ready to bring your family’s vision for a
custom boathouse in Haliburton to life with
a builder you can trust?
At Gilbert + Burke, our expert team designs and builds your dream boathouse
that perfectly fits your family’s goals and helps build your family’s legacy.
For over 20 years, we have created stunning, unique boathouses throughout
Haliburton, helping each one of our clients experience a truly exceptional
lifestyle space for their family.
Build Your Custom Boathouse
With a Simple Process
We know that building anything can be stressful. That’s why our design
process is set up to be as stress-free as possible.
Fine-tune your vision with our team to ensure every design detail reflects your desires and lifestyle needs.
Transform your ideas into a concrete plan, with initial sketches evolving into a detailed blueprint.
Personalize your boathouse with a choice of high-quality materials and finishes that capture your unique style.
Our expert builders bring your custom boathouse to life with precision craftsmanship and attention to every detail.
What Makes Gilbert + Burke Different?
We believe everyone building a custom luxury boathouse in Muskoka deserves a builder whose process and experience delivers the exact design your family wants and helps build your family’s legacy.
That’s why we make sure every client experiences…
- Exceptional communication
- Expert interior & exterior design
- Transparency in every step
- 20+ years of custom-building expertise
And all backed with the Gilbert + Burke brand and reputation
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Our Valued Clients
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Your Custom Boathouse Builder For Haliburton
Are you ready for a new boathouse to love?
You already have a cottage that you spend weekends and vacations at, and it’s a home away from home in every sense.
Now, it’s time to design and build a custom boathouse to add an elegant finishing touch to your favourite cottage getaway.
Imagine a space that is both comfortable and inspiring, where you can create memories with your loved ones.
For twenty years, Gilbert and Burke have been hard at work in the great county of Haliburton. They’ve helped families find beautiful cottages they can call their own where everyone will feel comfortable relaxing after a long day’s worth of fun!
The contractor you hire should have the skills, tools, and resources to do good work. Unfortunately, finding one like this isn’t always easy to do.
Gilbert + Burke shows its commitment to exceptional client service by providing a transparent process for all clients.
Our custom luxury cottages are a labour of love, and our team of experts takes pride in making sure each one meets your high standards.
As a builder in Haliburton, we’re excited to help you bring your vision for the perfect cottage into reality!
Haliburton County is one of the higher points on the Canadian Shield and is known for its beauty and over 500 lakes. Ten percent of the county is located within Algonquin Park.
There is so much to experience, explore and try in Haliburton County (or Haliburton Highlands)! Each Township offers a variety of recreation programs and services (community centres, trails, beaches etc.) for their communities:
- Township of Algonquin Highlands
- Municipality of Dysart et al
- Municipality of Highlands East
- Township of Minden Hills
Haliburton County is dubbed the “Haliburton Highlands”. The Haliburton Highlands region is also one of the higher points on the Canadian Shield, ranging from 325 m at the Haliburton/Stanhope Municipal Airport to 440 m above sea level at Sir Sam’s Ski Resort in Eagle Lake.
Some of the many things to do in Haliburton County, Ontario include,
- Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve
- Haliburton Sculpture Forest
- Haliburton Skyline Park
- Algonquin Provincial Park
- The Little Tart
- Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre
- Hawk Lake Log Chute
- Abbey Gardens
- Haliburton Highlands Water Trails
- MacDonald Lake
- Haliburton Highlands Museum
- Haliburton Highlands Brewery
As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Haliburton County had a population of 20,571 living in 9,714 of its 21,072 total private dwellings, a change of 13.9% from its 2016 population of 18,062. With a land area of 4,009.47 km2, it had a population density of 5.1/km2 in 2021.
According to Wikipedia,
Haliburton County’s economy is dominated by tourism. The ratio of properties occupied in the summer months, to properties occupied year-round is about 3 to 1. Employment primarily caters to the needs of this seasonal cottage country population, including residential construction, resorts, services and retail. One particularly successful resort at the time was the Wigamog Inn Resort. Years ago it catered to hundreds staying on-site during the summer months and was a prime location being only a minute’s walk from the lake. It closed permanently around 2009 – 2010, with a new owner buying the property in 2016.
We service all of Haliburton County and postal codes, including K0M 0B4, K0M 1S0.
There are plenty of outdoor adventures to be had in Haliburton County. From natural wonders to small towns, there’s something for everyone!
Contact us today and start creating your very own getaway cottage that your family can enjoy for years to come!
Custom Boathouse FAQ’s
A space uniquely designed to fit the landscape, lake and needs of the client. Boathouses can be built inland as a place for storage, or on the water for water access.
When planning to build a boathouse, it is important to check with local municipalities/bylaws on what is and is not allowed. Some areas allow up to a certain size, others do not allow any at all.
When considering building a boathouse, you need to consider the seasonal water levels, whether you will be storing a boat in the boathouse, kind of watercraft, the draft of the boat. These are all main considerations to know whether a boathouse is plausible. These are all things we take into consideration when planning your boathouse. Confirming local bylaws is part of our planning process, and will determine whether the waterfront is feasible for a boathouse.
A permit is required for building a boathouse – the bottom of the lake or body of water is considered Crown Land and is not owned by the homeowner, for this reason you must have a permit to occupy Crown Land.
Accessibility and building specifications will dictate whether or not a boathouse can be used year-round. If it is built as a four season building, and is accessible, then the living space can be used year-round. Keeping in mind seasonal weather patterns for the area, and intended use will dictate this.
As a custom design/build firm our process is in collaboration with you to make sure that your vision for your new boathouse is captured. Once we have your vision in mind, we can identify your budget, develop concepts, create a project development plan and then begin construction. Contact us to get started!
There are many factors that influence the length of a build. Weather, size of the structure, complexity of the build, lake levels, and finishes are all contributing factors to the length of time it takes to complete.
