The Design & Construction of a Retreat Home
The pandemic fundamentally re-shaped how we think about work/life balance, and impacted how and where we’re able to spend our time. Because so many of us find ourselves often working remotely, we can be anywhere (so long as we have a reliable internet connection!). A city dweller’s desire to spend time in more remote locales has become almost commonplace, and the option to purchase a second home for extended retreats, or even relocate entirely, is now a reality.
Whether you plan to purchase and remodel an existing home to make it your own, or start from scratch with a custom build, there’s a lot to consider. Here are two case studies which illustrate the different approaches.
Purchasing an Existing Home and Renovating
We use the word home loosely, because we’re often dealing with a summer-use-only cabin—a structure never intended to be used through the harsh winter months. This option is the most affordable since in spite of being more crudely built, existing infrastructure eliminates the need to bring the basics in. Water, electricity, and sewage are the costly line items frequently overlooked by those venturing into the world of a retreat home.
Our Springfield Beach House project is typical of what one can expect from an existing home. Located in Harbor Country, Michigan, it was serviceable, but needed a lot of updates. Birds were nesting in the eaves, the windows were inefficient, and interior finishes hadn’t been updated since the home was built in the 1970s. It needed an enormous amount of attention to make it a comfortable getaway, particularly during the shoulder and winter seasons.
BEFORE: An engineered home by Wausau Homes, Springfield Beach House was built in the 1970s and the home experienced decades of neglect.
AFTER: The front elevation of the Springfield Beach House includes new siding, standing seam metal roof, and modifications to the window locations transformed the character of this home.
In Union Pier Michigan, the Chikaming Township infrastructure simplified the utilities problem with this retreat home. An existing municipal sewer and domestic water supply allowed the owners to focus resources on architectural changes and improving the aesthetic quality of the home. While the density of the area may be less appealing to those seeking a more rustic and remote experience, the infrastructure opened the door to more architectural design possibilities.
When renovating, updates to the heating and cooling system are almost always required, and there are many HVAC options—hydronic heat, electric heating and cooling in the form of a mini-split, or conventional ducted heating and cooling with a natural gas furnace and cooling via a coding unit. In older homes in Harbor Country, we’ve discovered that space.
Mini-splits were used to heat and cool the Springfield Beach House project. A mini-split head can be seen above the refrigerator in the image of above. Learn more about the Springfield Beach House.
Construction of a New Weekend Home
Identifying a parcel is the first step and understanding the infrastructure needed is required in putting together a ballpark cost. For construction of the principal building, it's a good idea to start in the $450 to $500 range, though this cost does not include infrastructure, and there are several scenarios to consider.
Septic Systems
In short, a septic system is used when access to municipal sewage treatment is not available (which is frequently the case). Waste flows into a large tank which allows solids to settle at the bottom and liquid waste slowly disperses into a leach field. These systems do require maintenance, primarily in the form of removal of the solid waste by a specialist every five to seven years. A percolation test (“perc” test) must be performed first to understand if the existing soil conditions can accommodate the leach field. If the perc test fails, an engineered soil must be brought to the site, increasing the cost of the system. Ultimately, the number of bathrooms will dictate the cost of the system. Around $25,000 for a four-bathroom is a good estimate.
An pre-construction image of the Lot 115 parcel taken in the summer of 2020.
Domestic Water
When building on a remote site, usually the only option is to dig a well. There are a number of companies who specialize in this, and calling a company familiar with the area will help you understand how deep, and therefore the approximate cost, of drilling. Most companies have familiarity with the water table within their immediate area and can help set expectations. With Lot 115, the owners lucked out in that there was a community well with some capacity left. Owned and maintained by a community association, this discovery helped offset some of the cost of providing a new well dedicated to the home. Talking to people in the area can provide an enormous amount of insight into the struggles one may expect. Local folks have been through it before and are a wealth of information.
Lakefront Homes and Environmental Regulations
Environmental regulations will impact projects on parcels located on Lake Michigan. For example, an approved EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy) permit issued by the state of Michigan is required before a building permit can be issued by Allegan County. The EGLE permit pertains to every aspect of a project that may impact water quality. In the case of our Lot 115 project, we had two environmental considerations to contend with.
With Lake Michigan to the west and a wetland to the east, very little of the site was buildable. Given the space constraints, a high-efficiency septic system and leach field were required. We were able to shoehorn the 3,200SF home, and the septic system, on the site and receive approval from EGLE. Ultimately, this added cost to the project but was the only viable option without significantly reducing the size of the home.
Protected wetlands, high risk erosion areas (HREA), and side yard setbacks were a few of the environmental and zoning restrictions which limited the buildable area on the parcel. A structure built in the 30 year HREA must meet the “readily movable” criteria established by EGLE.
Leach field under construction. Image courtesy of Integro Builders.
The Design Team and Consultants
Along with your architect, a civil engineer is required when building on an undeveloped site. Civil engineers specialize in the design of larger infrastructure such as septic symptoms, rainwater management, and roads. For our Lot 115 project, a skilled and experienced civil engineer assisted with the design of the driveway from the local to road to the home, onsite water management, and the septic system. You won’t see these essentials in your newly finished home, but they are critical to its longevity and functionality.
Conclusion
Making your dream retreat home a reality is not a simple endeavor, but the reward at the end of the journey is so worth it. The many years of family gatherings and memories made are immeasurable, and the reason these homes stay in families for generations. A skilled design team, able to navigate the complex regulations and ethical considerations of designing and building a home on a remote site, will set you on the right path.