In some areas the housing recovery is accelerating, adding upward pressure to home prices. With interest rates at historic lows, and real estate inventory starting to move, it may be time to get off the sidelines and find your dream home.

Could you get priced out of the Real Estate market?

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.

Our Customers owned a cottage in a beautiful location. The southern exposure over Bass River was and is a million-dollar view. We designed a home to take advantage of the location, and maximize the enjoyment of the surrounding natural beauty. The views in this video were never available from the original cottage. This beautiful home, now in mid-stage construction, will be a great place for summer fun or year-round living.  REEF: 508-394-3090 every day

                                               REEF's BLUEPRINT BASICS

     Learning a new language can be a real challenge.  Learning to read and understand blueprints for your home construction project is a language unto itself, so for this article I have assembled some resources to make the process of understanding blueprints a bit easier.

An excerpt below, from HousePlansandMore.com, offers a very good primer for blueprint reading.

• Cover Sheet – is an artist's rendering of what your home will look like upon completion.
• Foundation plan – identifies the layout of the foundation (crawl space, slab, pier or basement) that you have chosen based on your home design and location.
• Floor Plans – shows the sizes and locations of all rooms, windows and doors, as well as plumbing, electrical, and other built in features.
• Elevations – Drawings of interior walls and the elements they include such as fireplaces or cabinets, as well as drawings of exterior walls with details of materials and dimensions.
• Cross-sections – drawings of the home for a particular section sliced from roof to foundation. These renderings allow you to see important structural elements from additional points of view.
• Details – Detail drawings break down certain components of your new home into step-by-step instructions. A few that may be included are framing plans, roof plans, electrical and plumbing schematics, stairways, and decks.

 In addition, many plans will contain structural drawings, specifically for the engineer, framers, and building inspectors to communicate effectively and efficiently.

Another very useful blueprint reading summary by England Design Company is available by clicking here.

Once you familiarize yourself with the language of blueprint reading, you will find the process of designing your new home a lot more enjoyable, and in the process you will have learned a new language.

TREEHOUSES

     Few buildings have the ability to inspire awe and imagination like a treehouse.  Anyone who has ever climbed a tree knows there is a unique feeling that comes with being elevated.

     Treehouses have long been hideouts and getaways for children, but over the last quarter-century, there has been a shift towards making treehouses accessible across a much broader poplulation. 

     Today's treehouses are built using specially engineered bolts and hangers to ensure safety and minimize tree damage.  Even with the new engineering the feeling hasn't changed.

     So for the kid in all of us, I have put together a gallery of some of my favorite treehouses. For a more in depth view into the world of treehouse design and construction visit Tree top builders   Enjoy!

above picture from http://www.emformarvelous.com

above picture from http://www.emformarvelous.com

What is Cogeneration?

I have a friend in central New Hampshire who heats her house all winter long with a wood stove.  What makes this notable is that her wood stove is also set up to meet her hot water demands.

This type of cogeneration is not that unusual, however, the practicality of this type of system is limited.

A more conventional and scalable cogeneration system, takes advantage of natural gas or propane as the fuel source.  As the fuel burns electricity is generated.  The waste heat produced from combustion is captured and used for water heating, space heating, pool and spa heating, and absorption chilling.

This type of combined heat and power system, or (CHP) has major potential commercial and residential applicability.

Currnet manufacturers of cogeneration systems include some well known companies, such as Honda http://world.honda.com/cogenerator/ and Cummins http://www.cumminspower.com/en/solutions/cogeneration/  As with any home energy system, a careful cost-benefit analysis must part of the analysis to determine the right way to meet your homes energy demands.

The home energy options that once were considered to be peripheral are now becoming more mainstream. This can be traced directly to these system's capacity for increased energy efficiency, their reduced environmental impact, and thier long term investment sensibility. 

HOME DESIGN Apps for your

iPhone and Android

If you woke up this morning, smiled and thought, 'I would really love a more technologically saavy way to design and decorate my house', then you may be happy to know that Home Design Applications available for your Iphone, Ipad or Android Device have arrived en masse.

Follow the link below to learn about a some of my favorites using Android technology:

1. Home Design

2. Home Architecture and Design

3. Interior Design Gallery HD

http://www.androidzoom.com/users/wprice/list/favorites

If you are an Iphone and Ipad users I recommend trying http://home3dapp.com/

I have only used this application briefly, but was very impressed with its capabilities.  It is also user friendly. 

Have fun with the design and photo galleries!

DESIGN BUILD

Welcome to Cape Cod Builder's Blog

The importance of utilzing a competent Cape Cod Builder for your construction project cannot be overemphasized.  This will go a long way toward avoiding costly mistakes and unnecessary stress.

A thorough, knowledgeable, thoughtful and skilled Builder., will ensure that your project is designed according to your personal likes and dislikes.  The Builder must be fully licensed and should make certain that each specialty trade is licensed, insured, and well referenced.  References are one of the best ways to assure that you receive the quality and attention to detail that you expect for your project.

Equally as vital as established subcontractor relationships, are the alliances that a G.C. has built with its vendors and suppliers.   These should be long-term relationships characterized by high standards of customer service (including integrity, trustworthiness, and the ability to communicate well), reliability, accessibility, and competitive pricing.

Finally, an above average Cape Cod Builder should:

-be punctual;

-understand the permitting process

-have a mastery of the building code

-ask the right questions;

-listen attentively

-help educuate their clients on products and processes

-And be personable!!

This spring REEF Field Supervisor Wesley Price, was commissioned by the Wequassett Resort, to design and build a Children's Pirate Ship Buffet Table. The project took about six weeks to complete.  The exterior of the boat was built entirely of reclaimed Western Red Cedar.  The floor and countertops are built of reclaimed Antique Heart Pine. 

Follow the link below to watch a brief time lapse video of the entire project from frame to finish.  Shiver me Timbers!

http://youtu.be/Bs3Ypa0hfZI

Thanks to Jim Hagerty, Vice-President at REEF, for providing the intial sketches of the project, as well as the scale drawings.

Thanks to Dave Gilbert of Centerville and his dog Cora, for help during construction.

Thanks to Helen Doane for the decorative painting, www.twodecorativepainters.com 

Thanks to Gatekeepers Property Management for providing the trailer to transport the vessel upon completion.  http://www.gatekeeperspropertymanagement.com/

On Saturday, June 16th, 2012, the second annual Wellfleet HarborFest will celebrate the opening of another summer season. It will be held at the east end of the town pier in front of the bandstand, rain or shine, from 9 AM to 4 PM. The occasion will showcase Wellfleet's aquaculture, shellfishing, fishing and boating communities who contribute to Wellfleet's unique character and vitality, and provides a venue for local vendors and non-profits to market their wares and offer educational opportunities. A nautical flea market will once again be featured guaranteeing a large crowd.

The centerpiece of HarborFest will be a Nautical Flea Market, which was a great success in 2011 as the first of its kind on the outer Cape.

The organizers are looking for nautical items, including small boats, canoes, kayaks, misc. nautical gear, fishing rods, reels, lures, nets, tackle, electronics, scuba gear, dinghies, small motors and boating accessories. Items may be donated outright or consigned for sale with 25% of the sale price going to the HarborFest. All items must be in reasonably good condition. Proceeds will be used to produce an informative Wellfleet Harbor Guide, which details places of interest within walking distance of the pier.

For further information follow the link the below

http://www.discoverwellfleet.com/harborfest-2012/wellfleet-harborfest-2012