Your perfect Central Alberta cottage

We currently live in the cottage, which is located about 16 km east of Red Deer. The cottage arrived here by truck — see the video below — and will be delivered by truck. We pay for the first 20 km to move it, which is the bulk of the cost, and you are responsible for the cost per km after that. The closer your site is to central Alberta, the less expensive it is to move.

We are about to get married, so we are selling the cottage to build a home on the current site to make it a shared residence new to both of us.

A house-moving trucking company moved this unit into place to satisfy Red Deer county requirements for subdivision, which require a residence in place for application for a one-out parcel from a bare quarter of land. After the application was approved, we moved the unit to a new location. The result was a new acreage for sale from the original quarter.

The cottage has 1080 square feet of living space. The main floor is 648 square feet. Each loft adds another 180 square feet, for a total of 360 square feet upstairs.

We have plans available if you’d like to add another 200 square space of bedroom overlooking the living room.

The crawlspace has a pet door for access to the heated area during the winter.

There is ample space for year-round living for a couple, with nooks and crannies and sitting areas and office space for each.

During fun sleepover weekends with kids, movies and popcorn, we had room and bedding for two little ones in one loft, another in the second loft, two on the pullout couch, and an air mattress in the other room. Plus of course, the main bedroom.

We have also hosted family and friends who stay in their rv trailers nearby and gladly come inside to take indoor showers and use the kitchen.

There is lots of room on the front porch and deck to host great parties.

It is heated by gas fireplace, which runs on propane gas. We rent the tank for a nominal fee, and pay roughly $2,000 for the propane for year-round living in the cottage.

The fireplace keeps the entire cottage toasty warm, even at minus 40.

Our crawlspace is insulated and we have an electric heater down there so there are absolutely no issues with frozen pipes.

We have also installed electric heaters throughout the cottage.

During the summer, with screen windows open, the breeze keeps it nice and cool. There is an air-conditioning unit that cools all of the interior, which we rarely need to use.

The cottage was built in 2016. If you like the concept but want it new, we will gladly refer you to the builder. He would construct your cottage at his location, then move it by truck, just like he did for ours.

Last we checked, his delivery date is months out however. You would also have to finish the interior, add heating, appliances and furniture.

You would also be responsible for the cost of a screw pile or concrete foundation and adding the deck and front porch.

With our cottage, you get everything, including moving and a screw pile foundation, and it will be ready as soon as you want to move.

The builder tells us that a similar building would cost $250,000 today, without a finished interior or finished kitchen, without a fireplace or furnace to heat, without appliances, and without a front porch or deck. Nor would you be getting with the specialty front room windows that are in our cottage.

He would build for you at his location west of Innisfail, and you would be responsible for moving costs and foundation costs. Your expected delivery date would be months out.

After adding furniture and satellite dishes, you would likely need to budget close to $325,000 for a similar getaway place.

If you purchase this cottage, it includes:

• us handling the logistics of getting on your site

• moving costs for the first 20 km. (you are responsible for additional km)

• screw pile foundation for cottage, deck and front porch

• removal of deck and porch for trucking

• replacing deck and porch when the cottage is on your site

• exterior painted to the colour of your choice

• gas fireplace for heating

• all kitchen and laundry appliances and gas fire pit for back deck

• deck furniture

• all furniture in the cottage

• Starlink, Xplornet and television satellites wired into the cottage.

• industrial size electric heater for the crawl space

As for the price that includes the first 20 km of moving and all of the above: $199,000.

Yes!

At one point, we considered building an addition, so we had building plans drafted for an amazing open bedroom that overlooks the living room, with a walkway that connects the two lofts, adding another 200 square feet.

We also had plans drafted for an attached garage with an apartment above.

You would be welcome to use the plans for additions to the cottage.

You could build a concrete foundation for it and if you wanted a basement, you could use the second smaller room as a place to build stairs down.

We currently are on a screw pile foundation, which is approved by building code.

If you choose the screw pile foundation, we remove them from our location and use them at your location. This is included in the price.

We will cover the moving costs for up to 20 km from where the cottage is located. After that, you will be responsible for the cost per km for additional distances. (This cost per km depends on the route you take and we’ll get you a quote ahead of time.)

The house movers take care of all the permits necessary.

(The video below gives you a good idea of the process.)

The video below gives you a good idea of the process.

We have budgeted $30,000 of the price for removing and replacing the decks, moving the house and getting the screw pile foundation into place at your site.

If you prefer to handle this yourself, the price would be reduced by that amount.

Send an email with any and all questions! If you’re at the point where you would like to tour the cottage, we’ll happily set up a time that works for you and get you directions.

Here’s the email: yourperfectcottage@gmail.com.