Renovations in Lake Cowichan

Lake Cowichan and the lakefront around it are full of cabins and seasonal cottages that have slowly turned into year-round homes. That history shows up as uninsulated additions, dated wiring, and decks built close to the water, so work here often starts with making a summer building comfortable and durable through a wet Island winter.

A cabin that became a house is its own kind of building. The original room is often uninsulated and framed light, the additions went on a season at a time, and the wiring dates from when the place was used three months a year. Add a deck close to the water and a crawlspace that stays damp all winter, and the first job is making the building dry and warm rather than new.