Shingle-Style Boat House

Location: Lake Anna, VA

Once we completed the clients waterfront shingle-style home, we were asked to design and build a large boathouse to accommodate their two ski boats and watercraft along with ample space for entertaining and sun bathing. The resulting 2800 square foot boathouse features indoor and outdoor spaces, open and covered decks and two slips with hydraulic lifts.

With a rock bottom and the lake’s water level remaining consistent year round, we opted to build the foundation on galvanized pilings instead of a floating platform. This required the use of a barge to position and drive the pilings to the appropriate depth. Once positioned, the pilings were leveled and special brackets were used to affix the pressure treated foundation to the steel pilings.

The boathouse was designed around a simple rectangular plan keeping the enclosed portion of the boathouse on the north side of the site and the open sun deck and covered deck area on the south. The two indoor slips can accommodate boats up to 30 feet and feature garage doors and wide walk-around decks for easy access and maintenance. With lots of water toys and gear to stow, large storage areas were designed as well. A lighted, covered entrance is a nice transition from the natural stone walkway to the boat house.

The simple floor plan functions well and special lighting used throughout the interior and exterior of the project provide an added measure of safety. The stained cedar shingles and white painted pvc trim match the clients vacation home and create a low maintenance exterior. Likewise, the windows and garage doors on the boat house match those used on the nearby home. We used composite decking to reduce maintenance, eliminate splinters and mitigate heat and water absorption.