Island Building Costs

[Lake Fan]

Originally Posted by The Real BigGuy

John makes a lot of good points. 25 yrs ago we might not think of insulating a summer cottage. Now, you have to. Things we might have done when we “built our own” no longer meet the code. This really adds to the cost. The other thing that people miss is the cost of getting labor, materials, and equipment out to the island & back. Barge service might run 1500 per day. Then plan on paying +/- 150 a day to get labor out there and back. Also, expect a shorter workday. Laborers are usually paid from mainland dock to mainland dock. Depending on travel time to the island this might mean 8:30 to 3:30 workday including lunch break & other breaks. I had a recent insurance claim that doubled due to the added island costs.


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But are we better off because "we have to"? There are so many regulations that are ostensibly "for our own good" that make everything more expensive and complicated. Many of those uninsulated, not to code, built by dad and grandad camps have been cherished heirlooms in families for generations.

I've seen some recent postings on other sites of people looking for a rustic camp to preserve. I bet in 25 years, people will be tearing down those ubiquitous McMansions on the lake to build a nice little A-frame to relax in.