Sample output · default answers
Cottage Opening & Closing Checklist — full sample
This is the actual structure our generator produces from the default answers. When you buy, you fill in the form and your version reflects your household — rooms, timeline, province, and everything else.
Property profile
- Season: Opening (Spring)
- Province: ON
- Water source: Drilled well
- Septic: Yes
- Dock / boat: Yes
- Propane: Yes
- Generator: No
- Winter status: Fully winterized (water drained, no heat)
Before you go
- Bring drinking water, food, and headlamps or a flashlight in case anything's off
- Bring basic tools, spare fuses, and a few common plumbing washers
- Budget a full weekend — rushing an opening is how small problems get missed
Exterior walkaround
- Check the roof for damage, moss, and lifted shingles
- Clean eavestroughs; check downspouts
- Look for foundation cracks or shifting
- Inspect chimney, siding, windows, and doors
- Clear fallen branches; check trees for storm damage
Water system
- Reconnect and prime the well pump
- Slowly repressurize the system — check every joint for leaks as pressure builds
- Flush the hot water tank
- Shock-chlorinate the well if it sat unused all winter, or if last year's test showed coliform bacteria
- Test well water within the first week — most provinces offer free testing through public health
Septic
- Inspect visually for any signs of surfacing effluent or standing water over the bed
- Don't run heavy water use until you've confirmed the system is working normally
- Pump every 3-5 years — check your last pump-out date
Hydro & utilities
- Turn on the main breaker; test each circuit
- Test GFCIs, exterior outlets, and smoke/CO alarms
- Check the propane tank level and re-open valves slowly
- Sniff for propane leaks around fittings; confirm with soapy water, never a flame
- Reset any electronics or clocks that were unplugged for winter
Dock & boat
- Reinstall dock sections; check hardware and cribs
- De-winterize the boat: battery, drain plugs, fuel line, cooling system
- Inspect life jackets — sun and mice both destroy them over a season or a winter
- Check the dock ladder and swim platform for winter damage
Interior & pest check
- Look for mouse droppings, entry holes, and chewed wiring
- Check for water stains on ceilings and around windows
- Test the fridge, stove, and hot water tank
- Wash all linens and bedding
- Restock first aid, batteries, and headlamps
Since you can't check often
- Consider a cellular-connected water/temperature sensor rather than Wi-Fi-only — cottage internet is often spotty or nonexistent
- Arrange a neighbour or caretaker to do a periodic walk-through, and leave them your contact info
- Leave a note inside the door with the opening date and current system status
Opening day, in order
- 1. Exterior walkaround first — catch anything obvious before you're inside
- 2. Water system before hydro — a dry pump running is how motors burn out
- 3. Hydro and utilities
- 4. Propane, with a leak check before lighting anything
- 5. Dock and boat
- 6. Interior and pest check last
Between seasons
- Keep a running list of small repairs spotted this trip — tackle them mid-summer, not on closing weekend
- Test well or lake water at least once a year, and after any flooding
- Review your insurance policy annually for vacancy and seasonal-occupancy requirements