Are you ready to bring your family’s vision for a
custom boathouse on Kawartha Lakes 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
Kawartha Lakes, 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 Kawartha Lakes
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.
Are you dreaming of a cozy getaway cottage where your family can enjoy time together year-round?
For twenty years, Gilbert + Burke has worked with families in Ontario to create beautiful homes and cottages where they can relax and make memories together.
At Gilbert + Burke, we know finding a trustworthy contractor is essential for a job well done. We’re committed to exceptional communication with our clients and transparency in every step of the process. Our experienced team of experts will work with you every step of the way, so your custom luxury cottage or home is completed beautifully.
As a builder in Kawartha Lakes, we look forward to helping you create the home of your dreams!
Nestled within cedars and white pines, granite and meadows, lakes and beauty, Kawartha Lakes is just 90 minutes northeast of Toronto—the perfect distance for creating your cottage getaway!
There’s no shortage of adventure in the Kawarthas, whether you’re a hiker, skier, angler, boater, or birder. And that’s not all – there’s plenty of history, art, and culture in this region, too!
Kawartha Lakes is famous for its incredible food scene, fresh farm produce, and the variety of communities within the area allows for a different vibe no matter where you go. You’ll also find a slice of the great Trans Canada Trail and Victoria Rail Trails within the Kawarthas, which offers a green scene unlike anything else.
As one of the most varied and beautiful places on earth, the Kawartha Lakes region melds together all the best of nature with a feeling of friendship and culture at every step.
The Kawartha Lakes area is beautiful no matter the time of year, whether you’re ready to bask in the sunlight or looking for the perfect spot for a great ski weekend.
If you’ve been to Kawartha Lakes, ON, then you already are familiar with the natural beauty and attractions here:
- Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park
- Lock 35 – Rosedale
- Emily Provincial Park
- Ken Reid Conservation Area
- Kawartha Settlers’ Village
- Horseless Carriage Museum
- Fenelon Falls Museum
- Balsam Lake Provincial Park
- Academy Theatre
- Kirkfield Lift Lock
- Devil’s Elbow Ski Area
- Dunks Junk Flea Market
- The Kinmount Heritage Model Railroad & Museum
- Globus Theatre
- Youngtown Rock and Roll Museum
- Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market
- And much more!
Kawartha Lakes area includes over 250 lakes and rivers, including the Trent River, Talbot River, Mitchell Lake, Balsam Lake, Four Mile Lake, Cameron Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Pigeon Lake, Shadow Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Chemong, and Stony Lake.
We service all neighbourhoods and communities in the Kawartha Area, including Bobcaygeon, Bolsover, Burnt River, Cambray, Cameron, Coboconk, Dunsford, Fenelon Falls, Janetville, Kinmount, Kirkfield, Lindsay, Little Britain, Norland, Oakwood, Omemee, Pontypool, and Reaboro.
The City of Kawartha Lakes has a population of 79,247.
We service all area and postal codes for the Lake Kawartha Area, including K0M, K0M 1L0, L0B 1K0, KOM 2MO, L0A, K0M 1B0, K0M 1E0, K9V, and KOL.
As an incredible spot every day of the year, Kawartha Lakes is the ultimate spot to build your cottage and then wrap it in memories, adventure, and family fun.
Enjoy the summer heat, cozy up in the crisp winter air, and enjoy the newness of spring from your Kawartha Lakes cottage.
As a summer haven and a winter wonderland, Kawartha Lakes beckons.
Get in touch with us today, and together we can make the year-round getaway of your dreams!
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.
