How much does it cost to build a custom home or cottage in Muskoka?
Custom home construction with Fuller Developments runs at approximately $635 per square foot, plus HST. That is the current planning figure. It moves with material costs and site conditions, so treat it as a starting point rather than a fixed quote.
It reflects the cost of building in this region specifically. Rock excavation, shoreline access, and a shorter effective construction season all push Muskoka pricing above what the same home would cost to build in most of southern Ontario.
What does it cost per square foot to build in Huntsville?
The same figure applies. The $635/sq ft rate is not specific to one town within the region, because the underlying cost drivers (rock, shoreline conditions, seasonal scheduling, township approvals) are regional rather than municipal.
What does vary by lot is how much difficulty a specific site adds. A flat, cleared inland lot in Huntsville will generally cost less to build on than a rock-heavy waterfront lot, even at the same base rate.
Why do Muskoka builds cost more than the provincial average?
Three things do most of the work.
Rock excavation. Much of Muskoka sits on Canadian Shield granite, which means blasting or specialized excavation rather than a standard dig, plus foundation engineering that has to work with the rock rather than assume typical soil conditions.
Shoreline and septic engineering. Most waterfront and rural Muskoka properties are not on municipal services, so septic systems have to be engineered around the specific site's rock and soil rather than installed to a standard layout.
Seasonal scheduling. Construction here works around a shorter effective season in areas with difficult winter access, and township and conservation authority approval processes add a layer of process that does not exist in the same form elsewhere in the province.
Does the price include the cost of my lot?
No. Construction pricing is separate from land.
If you are building on a lot you already own, the $635/sq ft plus HST figure is the full picture on the construction side.
If you are buying one of our lots at Deerhurst Highlands, current lot prices run from $250,000 to $400,000 plus HST: Lot 23 at $250,000, Lot 17 at $325,000, Lot 8 at $375,000, and Lot 21 at $400,000. Construction is priced separately once the lot is secured.
Most buyers building around 2,000 sq ft should budget a combined lot-plus-build total above $1.5M.
What is included in a per-square-foot price, and what is not?
Included as standard, on our lots and on land you already own:
- ICF foundation, TJI engineered floor system, three quarter inch subfloor glued and nailed, truss roof
- LP horizontal siding, black aluminum soffit, fascia and eavestrough, IKO shingles, granite front steps, composite decking, gravel driveway
- Low-E argon vinyl windows, R22 in the 2x6 main floor exterior walls, blown-in attic insulation, spray foam at the rim joist
- 200 amp underground service, HRV, on-demand hot water heater, in-floor hydronics in the basement, Continental gas fireplace
- Nine foot ceilings, engineered hardwood, solid core doors, quartz countertops, custom kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, with fixtures selected from your fixture budget
Not included:
- The lot, and HST
- Non-standard site conditions, such as unusual rock excavation, extended driveway, septic or hydro runs
- A finished basement. It is roughed in on purpose, with a three piece bathroom rough-in, receptacles to code and in-floor hydronics already run
- Selections above the fixture budget, and upgrades beyond the standard package
The full list is on our Design Standards page.
How is pricing determined, and does it change during construction?
Fuller prices a build as the design develops, rather than quoting a fixed number before the drawings exist and adjusting later. The number attached to your project is based on your specific plans. The price and the drawings move together, which is the main way large surprises get avoided on a project of this size.
Can the HST rebate reduce what I pay?
It can. Ontario's enhanced HST new housing rebate returns up to $130,000 in combined federal and provincial relief on an eligible new primary residence, for agreements signed between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027. The full amount applies on eligible homes up to $1.5 million and phases down above that.
The deadline attaches to the agreement date, not the move-in date, which is why it is worth understanding early. Eligibility depends on the value of the home and your own circumstances, so confirm it with your lawyer and accountant.
What does a bungalow townhome cost, compared to a fully custom home?
The Deerhurst Townhomes on St. Andrews Circle start at $769,000 plus HST for a 1,167 sq ft interior unit, and $879,000 plus HST for a 1,409 sq ft exterior unit. Both come with a walkout basement roughed in and ready to finish, and both are built to the same standard specification as our custom homes.
That is typically less than a comparable fully custom home once land and full design costs are counted. The trade-off is a set floor plan rather than a design built around your particular lot.
How long does a custom build take in Muskoka, start to finish?
A self-performed custom build with Fuller moves through four stages: consult, design, build, handover.
Design typically runs two to three months, and how fast it moves depends largely on how quickly decisions get made on your side. Construction runs six to eight months, depending on site conditions and the weather we get handed.
So most projects land somewhere between eight and eleven months from the start of design to the day we hand over the keys. A rock-heavy waterfront site in a hard winter sits at the top of that range. A serviced inland lot with a client who moves quickly through selections sits at the bottom.
Ready to talk numbers for your specific lot?
Pricing depends on the actual site: its grade, its access, and what is under the surface. The fastest way to get a real number is a conversation.
Send us your lot and roughly what you have in mind, and you will get an answer from the people who would be building the house. Our model home at 9 Glen Eagle Court, Huntsville is open to tour by appointment, finished to the same standard we build to everywhere.