You’ve always wanted to live on the lake, and now you’ve got the perfect lake home. So, how do you make sure that you can actually GET TO the lake with ease instead of having to climb down a treacherous slope or hop over the edge of some boulders at the shoreline just to get into the water? A well thought out plan can make all of the difference.

Take a look at this photo. There’s a patio underneath the upper deck at the sliding doors. Then, there’s a paver walk that connects the patio to 2 different sets of steps at the shoreline. The steps at the left lead you directly onto a dock that is over the water. The steps on the right go right down to the water.

Now, these homeowners can access the lake so easily!!! When they want to go to the deck or dock, there’s no problem! And, if they want to go for a swim or take the kayak into the water, it’s now just a few safe and comfortable steps down to the water. Previously, there was an informal bank of stone at the shoreline. It was almost impossible to get into the water without climbing over the rough rocky bank or jumping off the deck. Getting a kayak into the water was almost impossible.

Of course, this required permitting. Because we were working right at the shoreline as well as other areas of the property, both “Wetlands” and “Shoreland” permits were required by the DES of New Hampshire. Once these permits were obtained, the landscaping could be installed which made “Lakeshore Accessibility” a reality for these homeowners.