A guest house or bunkie is a great cottage hosting solution, letting hosts and guests share the property while also having privacy when they want it.

But if the guests continually need to pass the main cottage every time they want to reach the guest house, that privacy quickly vanishes.

This exact situation happened to a cottage couple whose elevated guest parking area overlooks both buildings. Without another way to get to the guest house, their visitors were always passing by the main cottage.

That’s where the experts from Cottage Lifts were able to help. Owner Alvin Allen and his team assessed the situation and came up with a solution: they installed a lift which provides direct access from the parking lot to the guest cottage.

“This eliminated the main issue and gave a lot of privacy back to the property owners,” says Alvin.

“We then added a few custom features to meet more of their needs.”

A gate was installed on the lift for safety purposes as the owners’ grandchildren often visit. And a frame was built for a removable cover, providing protection from the elements when it’s needed.

Preserving the landscape
The Cottage Lifts team installed 120 feet of track, mounting it five feet above the ground. This dramatically reduced the stress on the environment by eliminating the need to remove the gorgeous boulders and native plants that cover the property.

“It was important both to us and to the owners that we worked with and around the landscape, rather than break it up,” says Alvin. “The results are amazing. And having the raised lift enhances the view from various points on the way to and from the guest house.”

Alvin has spent over 29 years solving mobility issues for clients through central Ontario and beyond with well-built inclined lifts.

Another add-on to the project was a remote control, something that has become increasingly popular in recent years.

As Alvin notes, there are many benefits to the remote-control lifts, including being able to send a lift to meet people at the appropriate times, quick stops when the view of the lake or landscape suits your fancy, and the overall convenience of enjoying a ride without having to sit at the controls.

“Almost every lift we’re installing is now remote controlled,” he says. “It’s a more practical feature than only being able to use the push buttons on the lift itself. And it’s adding to the enjoyment of their lifts – which can be both practical and fun.”

TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI | PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN