SPRING FREE 2021 CONSTRUCTION | MECHANICAL | SERVICES | PRODUCTS Ode to the outhouse I bought a cottage, now what? Covid construction issues Debunking dock building rules THREE SEASON WINDOWS | RADON TESTING | UNDER CABINET LIGHTING | PB PLUMBING PROBLEMS LISTINGS • MARKET EVALUATIONS • BUYER REPRESENTATION • RENTALS SELLER MARKET! With LOW INVENTORY, and INCREASING DEMAND, we’re now in Seller Market territory. It’s no secret the COVID-19 Pandemic has fueled an increase in demand for rural and recreational real estate and places are selling FAST. If you’ve been on the fence about selling, now could be the right time. There are buyers looking for a property just like yours. Give one of our Realtors a call for a no obligation and confidential opinion of market value and see for yourself how the market has changed. GRAHAM CHAZE CHRISTOPHER CLARK DUSTIN SHORE DOUG ARMSTRONG BROKER OF RECORD BROKER BROKER SALESPERSON 807.407.5253 807.466.8819 807.407.3211 204.955.5080 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 138 MAIN ST S, KENORA, ONTARIO | TOLL FREE 1.800.528.8848 | [email protected] | WWW.CABINCOUNTRY.COM STONE . BRICK . BLOCK . TILE . CUSTOM FIREPLACES . OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES 807 464 3587 . [email protected] GENERAL CONTRACTING / DRILLED PIPE DOCKS / WELDING / FOUNDATIONS / PLOWING / BARGING STEEL FABRICATION / HELICO PILES / SEPTIC FIELDS / HAULING / AGGREGATE SALES / BLACK EARTH JAKE GARROW / [email protected] / 807-466-3613 807-547-4020 SHELLEY TORRIE Broker of Record 807.468.1120 P.O. BOX 357, 721 BEACH ROAD [email protected] KEEWATIN, ON P0X 1C0 JOEY KATZ Broker WWW.KENORA-REALESTATE.COM 807.466.2770 (MLS) WWW.REALTOR.CA [email protected] Buying or Selling? We’ll go the extra mile! NEW PRICE Laurenson Lake - Rocky Heights Rd - $95,000 - road access Winnipeg River - Villeneuve Road - $430,000 - road access LOTW - Lot 2 Moore Bay - $399,000 - water access LOTW - Lot 1 Moore Bay - $2,400,000 - water access CABINS 2,3,4 & 8 - SOLD Lake of the Woods - Moore Bay Condo Cabins - $75,000-$299,000 - water access LOTW - Devil’s Gap - $465,000 - water access Otter Lake - Otter Lake - $92,000 - water access Winnipeg River - First West Bay - $525,000 - road access LOTW - Lots 7, 13-16 Moore Bay - $750,000 - water access Black Sturgeon - North East Bay - $249,900 - water access Close to Longbow Lake - Parkland Rd - $490,000 - road access LOTW - Sioux Narrows - $1,200,000 - road access Winnipeg River - Darlington Drive - $649,000 - road access NEW LISTING NEW LISTING NEW LISTING NEW LISTING Hilly Lake - Hilly Lake Road - $425,000 - road access LOTW - Sioux Narrows - $340,000 - road access LOTW - Bigstone Bay Road - $210,000 - road access Schnarr Lake - Schnarr Lake Road - $109,500 - road access WE CAN SHOW YOU ANY PROPERTY IN THE KENORA/LOTW AREA REGARDLESS OF WHO IT IS LISTED WITH. PLEASE GIVE US A CALL! YOUR “GO TO” COTTAGE PROFESSIONALS... WE MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE! another summer on the lake VOLUME 6 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2021 Rick Brignall Shelley Bujold PUBLISHERS Rick Brignall EDITOR Patty Nelson Nelson Architecture Inc. DESIGN One lonely boat in its slip material shortages. Covid has year you really get to enjoy at the marina in the spring, presented us a perfect time Deborah Cruikshank your time at the cottage. waiting for the summer to focus on things close to Friends won’t be scared to MANAGING EDITOR/ADVERTISING cottage season to begin. It’s home including upgrades at come around because you the same every year, watching the cottage. But we might not won’t be plying them with Jim Chliboyko Deborah Cruikshank the ice disappear off the lake be able to do it all. a weekend at the cottage to Leanne Fournier and figuring out the perfect get them to do work. It will It has created a situation Shel Zolkewich time to “dump the boat”. It be a time you can take stock that will mean all projects CONTRIBUTORS only feels like I just pulled it, will cost much more than a of your cottage, make lists of which last year was mid- what you want done and call year ago. It means that to Lake of the Woods Cottage November. That day felt good build you must do it smart, the contractors you might Guide is published by too as I stopped waking up put together your team of need to create your team in the middle of the night contractors you’ll need to when you and your budget wondering if my boat would get it done and if you know are ready to get it done. 225 Main St. North be encased in ice the next day. you need something simply I hope you enjoy the spring Kenora, ON P9N 3C9 (807) 468-3277 We are all entering another buy it, because in a short edition of Cottage Guide— [email protected] interesting cottage season. matter of time it might go up something to read while The cottage season is in price or not be available enjoying the cottage and a one- HST #84541 4101 always thought of as the at all. I have been stockpiling stop shop of Lake of the Woods Copyright 2021 by Brignall busy or crazy season for material since March for region-based contractors and Media. All Rights Reserved. local contractors. But 2021 projects this summer, so I service providers for your next Reproduction of any article, might be the year it is a little can keep working and keep project. photograph or artwork different. Covid is still here material costs down. without written permission and not leaving any time soon. Rick Brignall of the publisher is strictly On the flip side, this might Publisher/Editor forbidden. The next impactful situation also mean a summer season Cottage Guide of this upcoming cottage all those projects are put to Master Electrician/Owner season is price increases and the side and it becomes a Bob’s Electric 6 | COTTAGE GUIDE - SPRING 2021 HANDCRAFTED LOG & TIMBER FRAME HOMES/CABINS | LOG RESTORATION WORK CUSTOM WOOD DOORS I STAIRCASES I MANTELS I FURNITURE ETC. GENERAL CONTRACTING | FULLY INSURED & LICENSED [email protected] | 807-543-1817 | 807-467-7551 | LOTWTIMBERWORKS.CA Features Spotlight cottage 16 Photos by Deborah Cruikshank A photo essay featuring a beautiful lake cottage. Small town hockey glory 26 by Rick Brignall Kenora boys played at hockey’s highest levels in 10 the 1930s. Articles The finer points on circular blades 10 by Rick Brignall Choosing the right blade for a specific purpose. Need to cut a hold 12 by Rick Brignall ANK There’s a hole saw for every application. H KS UI CR H The right reciprocating saw blade for RA O B 16 14 the job DE by Rick Brignall The characteristics of reciprocating saw blades. Debunking dock building rules 20 by Leanne Fournier How to navigate permits for building your dock. We bought a cottage! Now what? 24 by Shel Zolkewich Realtors give a reality check about the not-so-glamorous side of cottage ownership. E Let the sun shine in N 30 Solar tube skylights are the new way to wash a cottage with natural light. 20 Cover photo: Deborah Cruikshank 26 MAGAZI 8 | COTTAGE GUIDE - SPRING 2021 Construction Mechanical Services CONTRACTORS CONTRACTORS CONTRACTORS 32 Building 52 Electrical 67 Arborist 40 Barging 60 Plumbing / Heating 68 Architecture 44 Drywall / Insulation / 66 Solar 70 Septic Painting 46 Roofing ARTICLES ARTICLES 50 Windows / Doors 52 Setting the mood with 67 Successful wood burning LED colour temperature 68 Working with a 54 R.I.P. traditional pot professional kitchen ARTICLES lights designer 32 COVID construction 70 Ode to the outhouse 56 The low down on low issues voltage lighting 34 A look into windows that 58 LED under cabinet bring the best of the 72 TRADE DIRECTORY lights outside in 60 Keeping your cottage Y 36 Nine home repairs to water system accessible leave to the pros R 62 The silent killer: radon 40 Make room for the large load haulers 64 Polybutylene pipe problems 44 Hang. Tape. Mud. Sand. ECTO It’s drywall time. 66 A properly designed R battery bank is key 46 Creating a comfortable cottage with proper ventilation DI 48 Get your cottage out of R the gutters 50 Energy efficient window buyers guide ACTO R T N CO COTTAGE GUIDE - SPRING 2021 | 9 on the blade. A larger gullet allows for faster stock removal. A smaller gullet prevents too-fast feed rate. Tooth angle (or hook) refers to the angle of the tooth in relation to the centre line of the blade. Positive hook angle means the teeth lean forward to a set degree. They will yield a very aggressive cut and fast feed rate. Negative hook angle means the teeth are angled back, opposite the direction of the blade rotation. This is for a finer cut on a table saw. Tooth configuration is the shape of the blade teeth. Flat Top (FT) configuration is optimal for ripping wood. Alternative Top Bevel (ATB) means the blade teeth alternate between right and left hand bevel. This configuration yields a smoother cut when crosscutting natural woods and plywood. This forms a knife-like edge on either side of the blade and makes a cleaner cut. Combined teeth (Combo) are designed for both crosscut and ripping. Each blade uses a combination of ATB and FT teeth, The finer points on with a large gullet between those teeth groupings. Rip blades have a smaller number of teeth and larger gullet, circular blades which means there’s more room to remove the shavings and by Rick Brignall debris.