Cottage Holiday Lighting · Muskoka
Cottage Holiday Lighting in Muskoka
A cottage lit for the holidays is one of the best sights in Muskoka, and one of the hardest to arrange from the city. This service is built around the owner who is not there.
Cottage holiday lighting is the same install as a town house with everything that comes from the owner being somewhere else: access, scheduling, power that has to look after itself, and someone to check on it. It suits winterized cottages on road-access lots across Muskoka Lakes, Lake of Bays and the shorelines of the larger lakes.
How it works
- Quote from photos. Photos of each side, the roof, the outdoor outlets and the trees you want lit, plus a call to agree colours and runs.
- Access arranged. Gate codes, lockbox, who plows the road, whether the outdoor outlets are live with the power on for the winter.
- Installed and photographed. Installed in late October or November, tested, and photographed by day and at dusk, with the photos sent to you.
- Timed or remote. An outdoor-rated timer for a fixed schedule, or a smart controller you switch from your phone if the cottage has internet.
- Checked. Check visits can be booked for the season, especially after a thaw or a storm when a GFCI may have tripped.
Rules that matter more on the water
On the lakes the township rules are part of the design. In Muskoka Lakes, festive bulbs must be 10 watts or 70 lumens or less and off from 11 p.m. to sunrise, and on waterfront residential properties architectural and landscape lighting is off over the same hours. Lake of Bays exempts low-wattage Christmas lighting from its aim-down rule and prohibits laser light for entertainment. Every cottage install here is low-wattage LED, warm by default, aimed at the building, and timed to end by eleven.
Snow on long rooflines
Cottages tend to have long, low eaves and, often, steel roofs. The December snow load in Muskoka, around 91 cm of snowfall in an average month, slides off steel all at once. Lights on steel roofs go on the fascia or under the soffit, and long runs are broken into separate circuits so one failure does not darken the whole lake side.
Freeze-up and access
Road-access cottages can be served all season if the road is plowed. Water-access and island properties can only be reached when there is safe access, which during freeze-up there may not be. The installer will say what is possible for your property rather than promise it.
Frequently asked questions
Do the outdoor outlets need to be on all winter?
Yes, for the lights to work. If the cottage is winterized with power on, they usually are; if the outlets are off at the panel, that has to be arranged before install.
What happens if a breaker trips while I'm away?
With a remote controller you will see the lights are off; with a timer you may not. A check visit resets it. Photos after each visit show they are back on.
Can the lights be on only for the week we are up?
Yes. The schedule can be set to your dates, or switched from your phone if there is internet at the cottage.
Request a Quote
Call 249-475-1601 or send the form and we will get back to you within one business day.
Serving Muskoka and surrounding areas. Contact us for a no-obligation quote specific to your property.