Early summer is our busiest time of year!  As you might imagine, many of our proejcts are finishing up now so our customers can enjoy the summer in their new custom home!  Given how busy we are, it is important to take the time to stop and enjoy the craftsmanship that shines through in our homes.  Right now, simple finishes are in demand, especially with waterfront custom homes, where our design team is trying to focus on letting the natural view serve as the focal point, not the finishes.   Here are some pictures of custom homes that we are completing now... Hat's off to our hard working team of builders and craftsmen and women who make this all happen!

 REEF Builders offers complete design build services for custom homes throughout Cape Cod.  More importantly, REEF has an incredibly talented design team consisting of Jim Hagerty, who is also a principal and vice president,  Sara Hamiliton, assistant designer, and Cameron Savela, our draftsman.  Most of the time, they are working through important details and issues related to zoning, building code and other regulatory issues as they pursue permits for our projects, but occassionally, they do get a chance to show off their talents.

Here's a little project our team of expert designers is working on right now. This is a custom contemporary home designed to complement the dunes of the outer cape and capture the stunning sunsets across Cape Cod Bay!

We employ advanced software in all of our design development to allow our customers to better understand how their vision will fit into the landscape, which you can see in this video

If you are considering designing and building your custom home on Cape Cod, come see what our team can do for you!

One of the biggest drivers of construction costs over the last 4 or five years has been new regulations and standards for construction.  The state of Massachusetts has undergone numerous code changes since  2010 and each change has only served to increase construction costs.  The regulatory changes started with the implementation of the high wind zones on the Cape and most recently the building industry has adopted the latest International Building and Energy Codes which totally change the way homes are built when compared to past codes.   When you combine the impact of these changes with material prices that have increased about 25% over the last 5 years, it is easy to figure out why any type of construction work is so expensive. 

The homes we are building now are much more airtight and have much better energy performance than in the past, but at what cost?  Air quality will continue to be an issue in the future, and controlled fresh air exchange will be the key to a healthy indoor environment.

So how do you build for a reasonable cost?  We strongly believe that the key is efficient design and use of spaces and a constant look to the future and new products and materials that can bring the cost back into the realm of possibility.   Partnering with a Design-Build firm such as REEF, will also be important, because of the access to real time cost data and daily interaction with the various regulatory agencies that enforce these new codes.

The National Association of Home Builders recently released a study that shows the specific impact of regulations on new homes.  Did you know that almost 25% of the cost of your new home is directly attributed to regulatory issues?  If you want to find out more, please below

Regulations Add $84,671 to the cost of your new home!

If you are considering building, purchasing or remodeling a custom home on a water front property on Cape Cod, then you should take a moment to download our Waterfront Property Guide!  Building your dream home can be an exciting process, but you want to make sure you can built exactly what you want first!

The regulations involved in building on the water can be overwhelming when you consider the following:

1. Local, state and federal wetlands regulations
2. Special regulations only associated with costal areas
3. Zoning regulations specific to waterfront properies
4. How many bedrooms can the lot support?
5. Can I add on to the existing structure?
6. What size home can be built on your lot?

All of these are important questions that you will need to answer before making a significant investment in your custom home!

The design/build team at REEF can help -

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR WATERFRONT PROPERTY GUIDE

     Designing and building a custom home is an exciting process.  Many of our customers have great vision for the overall design of the home, the important spacial relationships of the interior, and of course the interior finishes such as tile and cabinetry that make the home unique.  One of the most challenging components of home design is what is called "siting" the home, i.e. where should the house go on the lot, and more importantly what will it look like.  At REEF, we use the latest in design technology to answer that question very early in the design process.  Using a combination of satellite photograpy  and  topography, we can accurately show you what your new home will look like in 3-D!   Once the design is complete, we can even show you what the finished home would look like, so you can see the windows and exterior finishes on your site.

    When you are designing a custom waterfront home, the views are the driving design factor, and shifting or rotating a homes location even a few degrees can make a world of difference.  It is important to look at these scenarios before the home is built so you can work with our design team to make the best decision possible for your new custom home!

If you want to see what we can do for your new home, renovation, or remodeling project, CONTACT US today!

The Cape Cod home's iconic and timeless design grew out of necessity, efficiency, and the harsh New England winters that greeted colonists as they arrived from Europe. The typical balanced front facade, centered on a large fireplace that provided necessary heat for cooking and warmth have been commonplace  features for centuries in our area.  Take a ride down Rout 6A and you will see several examples, many of which were built in the late 1600's and early 1700's.

Even today, as we design and build custom homes for our customers on Cape Cod, we still use the same proportions, and design details in many of our new homes, especially in the Old King's Highway Historic District. Many home designs you see all over the country are simple modifications of the classic Cape Cod design, with different dormers, window sizes or even slightly enhanced roof lines and trim.   If you are interested int he actuall history and evolution of this design - Below is an article from Yankee Magazine  with more information.

  The Cape Cod House

 

 The porches, and decks all provide a great place for gathering with family and friends and the open interior allows for entertaining inside while enjoying the view. 

If you are considering designing or building your Cape Cod home, please give REEF a call at 508-394-3090  or contact us today and see what we can do for you! 

One of the most exciting features of the home is the custom made staircase which was designed to allow open floor area at the water side of the home  - 

And most importantly the view from the upper deck! 

The classic, clean, simple lines of a Cape Cod beach house are tastful and timeless.  At REEF Builders, we have the distinct priviledge of designing and building waterfront homes all over Cape Cod.  We are always looking for new inspirations for our design team and came across this beach house gallery which uses color as one of the primary design motifs.   We thought it was interesting, and a fresh look for the traditional cottage or Cape Cod Beach house! Click here to see the gallery

If you are considering designing and building your Cape Cod Dream home - please Contact Us to see how we can help! 

When designing your Custom Cape Cod home, customers often refer to "Nantucket Style" or "Cape Cod Style" - but what does that really mean?  Traditional Cape Cod Homes were all about efficient use of materials, light, and most importantly heat! Which is why the old "capes" are centered around a large fireplace. 

So what type of homes do people want today - is  it really a cape style? Most of the home designs in our area are a mixture of traditional Cape Cod and  shingle style homes that became popular in coastal areas around the turn of the last century. Below is a link to a little information we put tugether regarding the various styles that are popular on Cape Cod and a little history about where these details came from!  This information will be helpful when consdidering the design of your new Custom Home on Cape Cod!  As always, feel free to contact us with any questions

Cape Cod Style Architecture

Formal dining rooms have become less popular over the last 10 years. With the casual lifestyle here on Cape Cod, many customers opt for a less formal dining area that can be used for both daily meal times or be dressed up with flowers and fun place settings for a more formal gathering.  When designing a custom home, every square foot is valuable, so creating an entire room that may only be used for a handful of formal dinners may not be cost effective.  Here are some fun ideas to consider when planning your own dining room space:  Custom Dining Rooms

If you are considering designing or building your Custom Home on Cape Cod, please give is a call at 508-394-3090 or visit our design center in West Dennis.  Our team of design and construction experts would welcome an opprtunity to show you what we can do!