The owner’s tour | Bathed in the light of Lake Saint-Louis

Owners open the doors of their exceptional residence to us, offered on the resale market.

On the shores of Lake Saint-Louis, in Lachine, a stone house has taken root; home dreamed up and made a reality by its owners, with the lapping of the waters nearby. Built in 2014 in self-management, calibrated to offer the most beautiful views, it sails today in search of successors.

Few years ago, The Press had followed, according to a series of reports, the different stages of construction of this house, from the preparation of the land to the inauguration of the residence. His particuliarity ? The project had been carried out in self-management, that is to say that the future occupants of the house themselves took on the role of general contractor, by hiring the various trades necessary and managing the progress. activities, while performing some work with their own hands.

“We were tempted to do it in self-management, it was like a challenge. You’re not doing this just for the money. It takes time and it can be stressful”, nuance Nichol Pelchat, who had led the construction site with his family, causing a lot of skepticism in those around him.

He proved the latter wrong: carried out successfully, while respecting budget and deadlines (about six months), the project had also made it possible to make adjustments while the different pieces of the puzzle were being assembled. “The living room windows, for example. There were less at the start, but when we realized that it deprived us of the view of the park, we were able to add more”, illustrates the owner.

The location was (and remains) a key factor for this two-storey house, directly overlooking Lake Saint-Louis. “In Lachine, land in front of the water, there really isn’t any, and the vast majority of the houses are old,” says Mr. Pelchat, who had managed to obtain a demolition permit to raze the residence. ramshackle that once occupied the space. “We were able to make the house we wanted,” he continues.

Rock his eyes

With what ingredients? Views, spaces and light, mainly. Rooms and windows have all been designed to optimize entry levels of light and views of the lake and its grounds. Whether from the living room on the ground floor, the terrace above the garage, the master bedroom upstairs, or even from the bathtub in the adjoining bathroom, we wake up, we live and we s dozed off with eyes rocked by the waves.

Another important feature of the property, privacy has been preserved thanks to glass panels and the absence of neighbors on one side, while a cedar hedge acts as a screen in the spacious backyard, equipped with a swimming pool and a spa. “We don’t have the impression of being surrounded”, completes the latter.

Originally from Lac-Saint-Jean, Mr. Pelchat was very seduced by Lac Saint-Louis, fulfilling his aspirations as an outdoor enthusiast. The double garage and numerous storage spaces allowed him to store bulky equipment for his activities, including kitesurfing, Nordic skiing and kayaking. You don’t even need a car to get into the water: you cross the road and the paddle strokes can begin.

Straight design, wooden accents

Inside, the design of the premises has relied on durable materials and clean lines. “We really like the warmth of wood, but by placing it in something contemporary, without too many frills, quite straight”, develops the Lachine man.

Note the solid pre-varnished and textured maple floors, the beautiful Quebec-made interlocking wood panel in the family room, or the one-piece limestone shower base, signed Unik Stone. From a more technical point of view, the heat pump with two-zone system makes it possible to control different temperatures according to the floors, and thus significantly reduce the energy bill.

In addition, the architect Suzie Lebrasseur-Bazinet, who helped draw up the plans in 2014, gave good advice: she had insisted that additional spaces be planned in order to be able to add bedrooms and bathrooms, with a view to a possible resale. That day has arrived, and the basement, little used until then, has just undergone major work in this direction, bringing the total number of bedrooms to six and the number of complete bathrooms to three. It still smells of fresh paint…

But the smell Mr. Pelchat will miss the most will be that of the lakeshore. “Lachine is a bit of a hidden treasure. People have rediscovered the edges of the water and Lake Saint-Louis during the pandemic, ”says the one who will navigate to new projects.