Cottage carpentry for Muskoka’s second largest lake, from Baysville to Dorset.
A Lake That Fills Up and Empties Out
Around 3,100 people live on Lake of Bays year round. By August there are more than eleven thousand. That single fact shapes everything about building here.
It means the work is cottage work. Docks, boathouses, waterfront decks, shoreline stairs, the things you use for ten weeks and think about for the other forty two. It also means the build window is tight and everyone wants the same weeks. The families who get what they want are the ones who called in January, not the ones who called in June with a wedding booked for August.
We plan Lake of Bays projects around that reality. Materials ordered early, permits started over the winter, crews scheduled so your shoreline is finished before the season rather than during it.
Custom Decks Around the Lake
Cottage decks here sit on granite, on slopes, and often between mature trees nobody wants to lose. Very little of it is flat, square or simple.
- Multi-level decks that step down the rock toward the water
- Cedar, hardwood and composite surfaces including Millboard and TimberTech
- Glass, cable and aluminum railings that keep the view
- Covered decks, pergolas and privacy screens
- Shoreline stairs and landings on steep lots
- Repairs and resurfacing on decks that have done twenty seasons
See our Lake of Bays English walnut deck project
Docks on Deep Water
Lake of Bays is the second largest lake in Muskoka, a little over 70 square kilometres, and it is deep. The average depth is more than 22 metres, and on the steeper granite shorelines the bottom falls away quickly a short distance out.
That matters more than people expect. A crib has to be built to the depth it is standing in, so a shoreline that drops off fast means taller cribs, more material and more work to set them true. On some sites it makes better sense to go to steel instead. We will tell you honestly which one your shoreline calls for rather than quoting whatever we happen to build most.
The shape of the lake matters too. All those bays mean one property can sit in a sheltered cove while another a few minutes away takes wind and wave across a long open fetch. Those two docks should not be built the same way.
- Timber crib docks built for the depth at your shoreline
- Steel dock systems where depth or bottom conditions suit them better
- Boathouse and dock repair, resurfacing and structural work
- Sheltered bay and exposed shoreline builds, designed differently
- Shoreline stairs and landings
Water Access Properties
Bigwin Island is 520 acres in the middle of the lake and you cannot drive to it. Access is by water or air, with a ferry running from Norway Point. It is not the only property on this lake you cannot reach by truck.
Water access does not make a build impossible, it makes it a logistics problem. Materials come in by barge, which means loads have to be planned, staged and landed in the right order, because the trip back for a forgotten box of fasteners is not a trip to the hardware store. Tools, waste removal and crew transport all need the same thought.
We are comfortable working this way. If your property is water access, tell us early and we will build the barge schedule into the quote rather than discovering it later.
We Handle the Permits
Lake of Bays is a township rather than a town, covering Dwight, Dorset, Baysville and Hillside along with a great deal of shoreline and around a hundred lakes. It runs its own building department and zoning bylaw, so setbacks, dock size limits and boathouse rules are set locally and are not the same as Huntsville, Bracebridge or Muskoka Lakes.
Two local details worth knowing.
Peninsula Lake is split. Part of it sits in this township and part in the Town of Huntsville, so which municipality you apply to depends on which side of the line your property falls. See our Huntsville page for more on that.
Water levels are managed. The dam at Baysville controls the outflow at the south end of the lake, so levels move through the season. A dock built to the August waterline is a dock that disappoints you in spring.
Beyond the township, provincial and federal approvals can apply depending on the site, from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Fisheries and Oceans Canada or the Navigation Protection Program.
We file the permits for you. Drawings, submission and the back and forth with the township and any other authority involved.
Requirements change. We confirm current standards with the Township of Lake of Bays on every project.
Also Serving the Surrounding Area
We work throughout the Township of Lake of Bays, including Baysville, Dwight, Dorset, Hillside, Norway Point, Port Cunnington and Bigwin Island.
What Our Clients Say
Martin and his crew were on time each workday, professional, thorough and patient. Martin would listen if I had any developing questions. Excellent work, fine finishing on my new deck, better than I expected. 5/5 stars!
Jack L., Google Review
Fantastic experience! Martin is an exceptional craftsman. The skill that went into creating our all cedar pergola is incredible. Thank you for a great job!
Jill M., Google Review
Read all of our reviews on Google
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you build on a water access property?
Yes. Materials come in by barge and the loads get planned and staged in advance. Bigwin Island and other water access lots are reachable, they just need the logistics built into the schedule and the quote from the start.
Why does the depth of Lake of Bays matter for my dock?
Because a crib has to be built to the depth it stands in. Where the granite drops away quickly, cribs get taller and heavier, and on some sites a steel system is the better answer. Depth at your shoreline is one of the first things we check.
When should I book for a summer build?
Winter or early spring. The season here is short and everyone wants the same weeks, so the calendar fills a long way ahead. Permits and material lead times take longer than the carpentry does.
Which municipality do I deal with?
The Township of Lake of Bays for most of the lake. Peninsula Lake is the exception, since it straddles the township and the Town of Huntsville. Sorting that out is part of the permit work we handle.
Do you repair boathouses and older docks?
Yes. A lot of structures on this lake have been in the water a long time. Often the cribs are still sound under a surface that has failed, and resurfacing costs a fraction of a rebuild. We will tell you which situation you are in.
Start Your Lake of Bays Project
Tell us where you are on the lake and whether we can drive to it. Free quotes.
Get a free quote or call 705-706-5894.