Cottage Home

:This article is about the home builder. For the historic house in Ottawa, Illinois, see Fisher-Nash-Griggs House
Cottage Home is a custom home builder based in Holland, Michigan, United States. The company builds custom homes along the shores of Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to Grand Haven. Cottage Home can design and build on personal property or can offer assistance in finding a cottage site on the lakeshore. Many of the company's homes are LEED certified as well as environmentally responsible. Cottage Home was named Custom Builder of the Year in 2007 by the Home & Building Association of Greater Grand Rapids.
History
Cottage Home founder and president, Brian Bosgraaf has been involved in real estate and home development for most of his life. In the 1970s, his family founded Bosgraaf Sales and Leasing. In 1985, Brian and his father formed Bosgraaf Homes, which planned home developments in west Michigan. During this time Brian helped launch many new developments, including Bay Meadows, the Cottages at Bay Meadows, Windstream, Rolling Oak, Tall Grass, Sunflower, Silver Ridge, Sunridge and Woodwind.
In 1997, after selling his part of the company, Brian became a volunteer for Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF). ICCF builds homes for low-income families in the inner city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2000, Brian used his experience and formed his own home design company, Cottage Home. Since then, Cottage Home has successfully designed and built more than 50 custom homes along the shoreline of Southwest Michigan.
Green Building
A Cottage Home incorporates many smart home designs, sustainable technologies and construction elements to conserve energy and improve the health and comfort of homeowners. Cottage Home follows Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and Energy Star recommendations when building a new home to lower energy costs and decrease waste. Cottage Home also follows guidelines set by Green Built Michigan, a rating system affiliated with The Michigan Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Home Builders, to ensure that each house has as little impact on the environment as possible.
Communities
Cottage Home conducts extensive engineering and environmental studies, especially near dune and wildlife conservation areas, and works closely with local government, regulatory agencies and conservation groups. When land is deemed appropriate for a Cottage Home development, careful consideration is then given to site clustering, devoting a high percentage of the land to natural areas. Restrictive covenants assure such enhancements as natural vegetation, including increased plantings of native dune grasses, tree preservation, nature trails and common areas wherever possible.
In addition to private, individual properties on the lakeshore, Cottage Home has constructed multi-house developments in West Michigan including ones in Glenn, Michigan and South Haven, Michigan.
Additional services
In addition to new home construction, Cottage Home offers concierge services to enhance the lifestyle of existing cottage owners and restoration services for cottages or bluff sites in need of repair. Cottage Home also offers consulting on shoreline property; its availability, usability and value. Their Coastal Property Services offers in-depth knowledge of land availability, local zoning, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality requirements and the many other issues unique to building on lakefront bluffs and in dune areas.
As a division of Cottage Home, Dwelltech Solutions was created to provide an energy audit service to homeowners, including inspection, analysis and professional repairs.
Notable press
Awards and recognition
Cottage Home has won awards for its custom homes including several from the Sales & Marketing Council of West Michigan. In 2009, it received a Business Excellence Award for Community Partnership from the South Haven Chamber of Commerce.

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