The Best DIY Cottage Improvements
Bryan Baeumler
Bryan Baeumler, host of Disaster DIY and professional contractor, explains what you can do to improve the quality and investment value of your cottage.
The View
Start with the view from the lake! Installing a new or refaced dock, cleaning up the beach or landscaping around the cottage, repairing downed eaves troughs and adding a new coat of paint or stain are simple ways to ensure a second appreciative look from passersby.
Clean Up
Do a dump run – most people have piles of unnecessary lumber and various items under, around and in the cottage. A good spring cleaning will create more space, reveal hidden problems that need to be addressed and energize you to continue improving your favourite place on Earth.
Around the House
If your kitchen or bathroom reeks of 1970s linoleum and dark wood paneling, throw some tile on the floor, put in a new backsplash, repaint or replace cabinet doors and hardware, and put on a fresh coat of paint. If you have an old outhouse, spruce it up with some aromatic cedar and paint – and give it a good debugging.