Here's some very important information that you should know if you ever plan or building, remodeling or even owning a home here on Cape Cod! The State of Massachusetts has been working to adopt the International Code Council Building and Energy Codes since 2008/2009, moving away from our old "Version 6" of the building code, which had been in place for several years and was unique to the state. Since 2008, the state has moved quickly to not only adopt the International Code Council regulations, but to continue to update those regulations so we can be on par with many other states allowing us to use the latest and greatest versions of the code.

You may also have noticed that the cost of construction has also increased dramatically during that time, and a fair amount of that cost of building or remodeling a home can be attributed to the energy code compliance requirements of the IECC. Well as of this year, 2017, the state is planning to finalize the code versions using the 2015 codes, with Massachusetts amendments.

So what does this all mean? Under the 2015 Codes, we will now be held to the an extremely high standards of energy efficient construction in all new homes and renovations. If you are lucky enough to live in a "Stretch" energy code town (Such as Truro, Mashpee, Wellfleet and Provincetown) your project will have to meet the highest standards of construction in the state. Furthermore the 2015 codes provides energy rating credits for "green" power generation, i.e. solar panels or windmills, and may mandate design requirements such as a "solar ready" roof areas, which means roofs will have to have designed for future solar installations and provisions for electric vehicle chargers in every new home.

State of MA Energy Code Update and Summary

Overall, it's a great step towards energy efficiency and promotes renewable resources and green technology for new homes. Although these sorts of provisions will have a cost, visual and aesthetic impact, there will be net long term benefits from these new regulations.

If you are considering designing and building a new custom home, vacation home, major renovation or addition, you'll want to know how these regulations will impact your project. Feel free to reach out to the team at REEF today for your initial consultation. Click here to Contact us!

The kitchen is the focal point of all of our custom homes that we design and build here on Cape Cod. It's a place where family and friends gather to cook, eat, and celebrate throughout the year. Kitchen design trends continue to evolve, but clean, classic lines, and eclectic textures and materials appear to remain as a theme this year. Take a look at these kitchens from Houzz.com

Best of Houzz - Kitchens from Around the World

We will definitely incorporate some of these design motifs over the next few years as we work to design and build all types of custom homes on Cape Cod. Here are a few we complted recently

If you are need architectural design or building services for your Cape Cod home or renovation project, consider REEF for your next project

If you want to see what we're working on  follow us on Instagram

Coastal and waterfront properties are in high demand here on Cape Cod. From Falmouth, Mashpee and Osterville, to Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, and Truro and Provincetown, waterfront land and homes are one of the great treasures of Cape Cod. Here at REEF, we are currently working on several waterfront and coastal custom home design and building projects, both on raw land and land with existing homes for teardown or eventual renovation.

We recently came across a great coastal real estate guide published by the Barnstable County Cooperative Extension and the Woods Hole Sea Grant program. This guide provides a good guideline for those considering purchasing a waterfront property, or current waterfront and coastal home owners considering a major renovation or addition.

Click here for the 2017 Updated Waterfront Property Guide

REEF Provides complete design / build services, and specializes in design, permitting and building custom homes and major renovations throughout Cape Cod.

REEF Custom Builders has been awarded Best of Houzz for exceptional customer service for the 4th year in a row!

Over 40 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World

On January 13, 2017 – REEF Builders of West Dennis, MA  was awarded  “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. REEF's custom home, design- build team was chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

"We could not have won this award without the exceptional, talented and versatile team here at REEF who work every day to take our customer's vision for their Cape Cod Home, and make it a reality.  We would also like to thank our customers for working with the REEF team , and their confidence in our capabilities,  and creativity" said Matt Teague and Jim Hagerty, principals at REEF.

The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography.  Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2016.  A “Best Of Houzz 2017” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of  their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

The new year is a great time to do research on upcoming trends in our industry. If you follow any residential design news, this is the time of year for industry trade shows, such as the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the International Builders Show (IBS) These shows often feature the leaders in new technology, trends and style that will influence design and style of your custom home, renovation or addition project for years to come.

Here are a few links to 2017 trends that we have come across over the last few weeks. Looks like Color and Texture are definitely on trend if you are considering designing, building, or renovating your home.

2017 Design Trends - ElleDecor

Pantone's 2017 Color Trends

Vogue's 2017 Design Trends

If you are considering a custom home, addition, renovation or other project here on Cape Cod, please consider our team here at REEF!

REEF is proud to be selected as one of the winners of the 2016 BRICC Awards Established in 2012, the BRICC Awards are presented biennially to outstanding builders, remodelers, architects, designers, and other housing-related professionals. Featuring over 40 categories, the BRICC Awards encompasses all facets of the residential building and remodeling industries, including sales, marketing, design, and landscaping.. From overall design to sustainability, the awards program offers categories for individuals and businesses of all size

REEF Was selected as one of the silver award winners for Excellence in New Home Construction for our Northside Bayview project. We would like to thank our hard working team of designers, project managers, subcontractors and staff for a job well done! We would also like to send a special thank you to our customers who put their faith trust in our team to turn their vision into reality.

If you are considering designing and building a custom home on Cape Cod, please consider REEF for your next project!

REEF has been in business now for over 30 years and has completed over 1500 new home and renovation projects here on Cape Cod.  So why do people choose REEF to design and build their new Custom Home?  We here at REEF could give you several reasons, but sometimes it's best to hear what our customers have to say. 

Click Here to to read some recent reviews of our work!

If you are designing or building a Custom Home, Pinterest is a great resource for ideas and insprication for your project.  We often use private Pinterest boards as idea books with our customers to share interior and exterior design ideas.  If you haven't done so lately - take a look at our Pinterest Page here: Cape Cod Builder on Pinterest

    Like any trend, seasonal decorating styles change every year. This year, we have seen a definite trend toward a more casual, simple lifestyle in the designs and finishes of our expertly crafted custom homes.   Clean, simple and neutral materials are the goto choice for furnishings and accessories, and we thought it might be fin to look at some winter and holiday design ideas for your home.  We have posted articles like this over the last 5 years and it has been interesting to watch trends and styles change year to year.

If you are wondering what your holiday theme might be - here are some ideas

1) Neutral / Organic Holiday Decorating

2) Front Door Decorations for Christmas

And last but not least - Coastal / Beach themed Christmas Decor

If you are considering designing or building a new custom home, or if you are considering a major renovation or addition to your existing home here on Cape Cod, contact us today to see what REEF Custom Builders can do for you

Fall 2016 has been a very busy time for the design and construction teams here at REEF! This is tradionally our busiest time of year for the construction team as many of our custom home projects begin after Labor Day.  Our design team has also been busy, working on several new projects from Bourne to Truro.  Currently, we're seeing strong demand for not only traditional cape-style homes, but contemporary home designs as well. Contemporary design styling affords a lot of flexibility and versatility for a custom home plan.   If you want to see what we're working on - follow us on Instagram - click here to see our latest work

We are also starting a few exciting custom home projects in select waterfront locations.  After several monts of design and regulatory review, we're excited to begin these new homes!

If you are considering designing, building, or renovating your Cape Cod home and want a custom design and building team, please consider the team at REEF!

"You've been coming to the Cape your whole life, isn't it time you stayed?"