Custom homes for the Kawarthas
Around Peterborough, the most interesting lots are often outside the city: wooded parcels near Lakefield and Bridgenorth, farmland toward Millbrook, and waterfront on the Kawartha lakes and the Otonabee River. Each changes the plan. Wooded lots need careful tree protection and clearing. Rural lots need wells, septic and entrance permits. Waterfront lots need conservation authority and, on the Trent-Severn Waterway, Parks Canada approvals for shoreline work.
Modern homes in a lake landscape
A modern home on the lakes works when it sits low in the trees, uses natural materials and frames the water. We build with stone, limewashed brick or wood, black steel windows, standing-seam metal roofs and big glass on the view side, balanced with smaller openings to the north and west for winter.
City infill
Inside Peterborough, infill lots in older neighbourhoods have to work with their street. A transitional design, with classic gables and modern detailing, fits The Avenues or the Old West End better than a flat-roofed box, and usually moves through zoning more easily.
Built for winter
Peterborough winters are colder and snowier than the lakeshore. We design roofs for local snow loads, keep the air barrier continuous, insulate past code where it pays back, and plan geothermal or a cold-climate heat pump with the house rather than after it.
Costs and timeline
Mid-range custom homes in Ontario typically cost $375 to $550 per square foot to build in 2026, with luxury homes from $650. Rural and waterfront lots add wells, septic and approvals. Plan on 12 to 20 months from first meeting to move-in. See our custom home cost guide.
Questions, answered
Mid-range custom homes in Ontario typically cost $375 to $550 per square foot to build in 2026, and luxury homes $650 and up. Land, HST, and wells and septic on rural lots are extra.
Yes. We plan the conservation authority and Parks Canada approvals that waterfront lots on the Trent-Severn Waterway often need.
Usually 12 to 20 months from the first meeting to move-in, depending on design, approvals and the season you start.