Here are some fresh and cost-effective design trends to consider for your Cape Cod home. Kitchen Entertaining with a View, Multi-Generational Living, and Green Elements are all getting a lot of attention. This is good information with a return to simplicity.

Eight Design Trends, Fresh and Simple  

We are constantly receiving inquiries about land on Cape Cod, where to buy, what's buildable, etc. In repsonse we've just published an informative guide that will help many people better understand the oppoprtunities and caveats of buying land on beautiful Cape Cod.

It's a great time to buy. Let REEF help you build your Cape Cod home.

    We have been asked several times to take over jobs started by homeowners or unlicensed contractors.  Most of the times, these jobs were started without plans, permits, engineering or any of the other prerequisites for a legal construction project.  After a town building inspector has been notified of an illegal project, they will issue a "stop work" order, bringing the New Home, Remodeling, or Renovation project to a halt.  The time and money a homeowner might save by skirting the permit process is far outweighed by the headache, embarrassment, and costs associated with correcting un-permitted work.  In general, the homeowner has to start from scratch, and usually ends up removing any of the work that was done so the critical items can be properly inspected.

   So if you are thinking of performing your own work, and not hiring a contractor, or even worse, if you are thinking of hiring an unlicensed contractor to do your work without a permit you are setting yourself up for failure.

Don't make this mistake, because you will regret it in the long run.  Sometimes people are unable to sell their homes because of poor workmanship, or discovery of un-permitted work. 

If you are thinking of a New Home, Renovation, or Remodeling Project on Cape Cod, click below to download our guide to hiring a contractor! Here is an article from MSN.com that talks about the risks: Work Without Permits

  Many of our projects for New Homes and Remodeling, involve tearing down all or a portion of the existing home.  With the changes in structural, energy and mechanical codes that have come into existence over the last few years, it is often times less expensive to tear down a house instead of remodeling.  The major factor in this decision is labor.  Labor continues to be one of the largest expenses in construction, and when you figure the labor involved in disassembling an existing home, and then re-building it to the new standards, the costs just don't make sense.  Tearing down an average home takes less than a day, and can cost as little as $7,000.  Once the tear down is complete, the project starts from a clean slate, guaranteeing a predictable, high quality result.  Oh yeah, and it is kind of fun to watch as well. Here is a video of a house we tore down yesterday in Dennis

    Technology changes quickly, and that stands true for wiring your home.  Over the last several years, we have have seen wiring needs change for custom homes and renovations.  The days of a traditional phone jack in every room are out, especially on the Cape Cod, where summer residents don't want or need a permanent home phone line.  There are many innovations on the market now that will bring the entire home into the digital age.  We have even heard talk of appliances that can communicate over the internet, letting you know when dinner will be ready, or when your laundry is done. However, we feel the future of home entertainment and automation will be wireless.

   In the past, we have done extensive home automation systems with full structured wiring.  These systems are nice, and can control everything from home theater to HVAC and lighting. However, these systems are extremely expensive, and after a few years, they too become outdated.

Here is an article from ThisOldHouse.com discussing the future of wiring for the home. 

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,197963,00.html

   The Massachusetts Association of Realtors published its real estate market index, noting that this month it reached an all time high.  The President of the association indicated that this increase was due to improving confidence in the marketplace, and a strong spring sales season. This index increased 86% from April 2011, which is a great sign for people waiting to sell their home.  The dream of many of our customers is to sell their primary residence, and use the equity earned to build their custom home on Cape Cod.  Well, if you have been waiting, now may be a great time to begin the process.

Here is the complete article from Cape and Plymouth Business Magazine:

http://www.capeplymouthbusiness.com/news/show/2359

    REEF has been building, and remodeling homes on Cape Cod for over 25 years.  New customers always aproach us with some important questions, like why choose REEF, and  how should one go about hiring a general contractor or custom builder for their project.  To answer these questions, we have come up with a guide for homeowners to help them through the process. REEF's Guide to Hiring a General Contractor or Builder, takes a look at the traditional desing / bid process, and provides an outline of how to begin a new project, and build a project team.   The guide also talks about the advantages of REEF's design/build process, and how it can lead to a better overall project experience.  

Click below to download this new guide!