What to Expect When building Kalamazoo Custom Lake Homes
Nothing really says “This is the life” like a custom lake home on one of Pure Michigan’s many lakes.
That being said, custom lake homes come with their own unique sets of challenges. When you’re deciding on the details of your new home, you’ll face questions such as:
- What are the seasonal water levels? How have they changed over time?
- How loud is it near the lake? Remember, sound travels much better over water
- Which roofing, siding, and window options are best for the increased humidity?
If this is all starting to sound like a lot, then you’re not alone. Thousands of excited new homeowners find themselves at a loss for the many complex decisions involved in building custom lake homes. Luckily, our team at Magnuson Build & Design has years of experience building custom lake homes in Southwestern Michigan’s unique climate.
In this month’s blog post, we’ll be discussing what to look out for when building your custom lake home in Kalamazoo.
How Water Level and Rainfall Affects Custom Lake Homes
Something you ought to consider in advance is the water level and (if any) dune patterns of your future lake home.
Water level is important to keep in mind because, as you could guess, they can significantly change each season. This is a critical factor when deciding how close to the shoreline you want your new home to be. Otherwise, you may be at risk of floods and water damage.
It’s also important to consider yearly rainfall and, more importantly, where that rain is going to go. All the rain in your forecast is going to end back in the lake, but the path that it takes to get there is something you’ll need to keep in mind. If you build your home the wrong way and in the wrong location, your beautiful new lake home could quickly become flooded.
The Unexpected Ways Dunes Cause Trouble
On top of that, you’ll also want to pay attention to any dunes near your home. Outside of our field and a few others, it’s a little-known fact that dunes tend to migrate over time. Wind patterns interact with dunes to cascade the sands away from where they started on the beach. As a result, a poorly planned lake home could become entrenched in sand in only a few years.
What’s more, the State of Michigan even declared protections for what we call Critical Dunes— dunes that cannot be built near due to their environmental significance. If you’re not aware of Critical Dune Areas nearby, you may soon find your home surrounded by dunes and not permitted to dig it out.
When it comes to building custom lake homes, it takes an expert to know what to watch out for. That’s why our team of professionals at Magnuson Build & Design are the go-to resource for families throughout Southwestern Michigan. To get started building your dream lake home, click here to contact us today!
