Is my house in a FEMA Flood Zone? Is it in a Velocity Zone? Has it moved from the 500 Year Flood Plain to the 100 Year Floor Plain?

Buying on Cape Cod? Is the property in a Flood Zone?

We use the maps every day. Now you can access the information on the internet. Here are the web addresses for the FEMA Flood Zone Maps for every town on Cape Cod. 

The FEMA maps can be difficult to read, and challenging to find. We have done the work for you, and have created a list of every URL for every town's FEMA Flood map resource.

Guide to FEMA Flood Map web pages for Cape Cod

Guide to FEMA Flood Map web pages for Cape Cod

Check the maps to make sure you know where your house is in relation to the new FEMA Flood Zones. Download the list, and click on the link for your town's FEMA Map Resource.

The new FEMA Flood Rate Insurance Maps have created a lot of questions and concern in coastal areas, like Cape Cod. Thousands of properties have been affected by the newly determined Flood Zones.

The new FEMA Maps affect insurance rates, and construction techniques. Furnaces, electrical panels and other mechanicals must be located above Base Flood Elevation (BFE) as described by the new maps. What does this mean for properties in the flood zone? What can be built? Must new houses be built on stilts? What will they look like?

Here is a short video of a new REEF Built home in the flood zone. This home is right on Bass River, literally steps away from the water. It is a great example of excellent design and building techniques that create a beautiful waterfront home, in the flood zone, with wonderful curb appeal. See how the mechanicals are installed, hanging from the ceiling of the lower level.

If you’re in the Flood Zone, or are considering a home near water on Cape Cod, there are methods to achieve your dream home.

Home in Flood Zone built to FEMA Spec's on Cape Cod by REEF Builders

Home in Flood Zone built to FEMA Spec's on Cape Cod by REEF Builders

Cape Cod Life and Cape Cod Home magazines are great vehicles to share REEF’s new projects, craftsmanship and even philosophy with the world. The homes that are featured in Cape Cod Life and Cape Cod Home are fine examples of the Cape Cod lifestyle.

Cape Cod Life & Cape Cod Home magazines

Recently the Editor of the magazines gave us the opportunity to feature one of our newly-built custom-designed homes in an upcoming issue. Of Course! So last week Dan Cutrona, who is a top-notch photographer, and Irina MacPhee, designer extraordinaire and Owner of Pastiche here on Cape Cod, got together to stage and shoot the house. We enjoyed great weather, and had a blast working together. Really fun.

And we got to eat the shmores and fruit after the shoot!

Here’s a page of photos I took of Dan and Irina working their magic. Stay tuned for the feature article on the beautiful ocean-view home built by REEF Cape Cod’s Home Builder.

Cape Cod Life photo shoot of new REEF Built home

The Oysterfest is right around the corner! Wellfleet is the center of the oyster universe with a weekend of festivities, October 19 & 20.

This two day event brings together locals and visitors alike for a weekend full of hometown flavor and big time fun! The 'Fest is produced by a non-profit organization devoted to fostering a greater understanding of the town's shellfishing industry and made possible through collaboration with the Town of Wellfleet, the support of many generous sponsors, the area shellfishermen and a dedicated group of volunteers.

It's a great time. Here's the link to the calendar of events. Plan your Oysterfest weekend now!

Wellfleet Oysterfest on Cape Cod

• Over 75 artisans, 16 food vendors, 12 raw bars and 13 community organizations
• Live Music performed by Crabgrass, Sarah Swain and the Oh Boys, The Rip It Ups, Link Montana and The Incredible Casuals.
• Family Fun Area featuring educational activities, crafts, moonbounces, clowns, face painting and performances geared for the young at heart!
• Educational programs including a locally filmed documentary about shellfishermen, Barbara and Clint Austin
• Culinary programs, Taste the Terroir and Merroir; Cooking demo and Book Signing by Phillip Hunt of Winslow’s Tavern and John Carafoli author of Cape Cod Chef’s Table in which Winslow’s is featured.
• Recreational activities such as nature walks, oyster reef tours, road races, a dance party and a skateboard competition.
• Free ocean beach parking and shuttle bus transportation into town
• And of course, the Annual Oyster Shuck-Off competition

 Wellfleet Oysterfest on Cape Cod

The building and construction industry is changing rapidly, and new products are being introduced to the market constantly.   On Cape Cod, traditional styling, and the old shingle-style homes are benefiting from many of these new products.  Advances in composites and plastics are allowing builders and designers to create homes that are low-maintenance, long-lasting, and still have that traditional Cape Cod style.  New energy efficiency requirements are also driving development of advanced, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems for your new home, and when combined with the latest in insulation and building envelope technology can provide a level of energy efficiency never imagined in the past.  Each year, Professional Builder Magazine comes out with its 101 Best New Products list and this year’s list does not disappoint.   From interiors, to windows and doors, and even outdoor living ideas, this list provides some great ideas for your new Cape Cod Home, addition, or renovation.

101 Best New Products

• Will the new FEMA flood zones affect your Cape Cod property?

• Is there anything you can do to reduce the impact to your home?

• How will the new Flood Zones affect your insurance rate?

• Can you appeal FEMA’s delineation of the Flood Zone around your property?

The new FEMA Flood Zone Maps have catalyzed myriad questions from thousands of property owners. If you are interested in buying or building on Cape Cod, this is really important information.

Property that is located in a 500 year flood plain may now be in a newly designated 100 year plain, or even a “velocity zone.” This affects not only insurability of the property, and the corresponding rates, but also what is allowed to be built on the property, and what construction techniques must be employed when a structure is built or renovated.

This is a huge deal for anybody with property on or near the water. There’s lots of confusion, many questions, and plenty of disinformation. Here’s a simple Infographic from FEMA and some explanation from Coastal Engineering Company which will help home owners and Buyers alike.

Don’t let the new FEMA maps take you by surprise! Do your research now, and be prepared for the adoption of the new maps in 2014.

New FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map infographic

New FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map infographic

  As summer makes it's exit and we experience the first round of cool nights here on Cape Cod, our thoughts go towards fall evenings in front of a warm fire.  There are literally hundreds of options on the market for fireplaces for your new custom home, and if you are thinking of building a home, renovating or an addition, you should definitely see what is available. 

 Considerdations for style, fuel type (gas or wood), location, and even outdoor fireplaces are all things to look at when planning your Cape Cod home project.  A nice idea is to have a fireplace in the master bedroom, which can enhance the style, cozy feel and ambiance of your new master suite. Click below to see 50 fireplace designs for your Cape Cod Home

50 Fireplace Designs

“We’d like to have a house with 3 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms. Our lot is 7,405 square feet. “

That’s a lot of living on a very small footprint. But it’s not an unusual request here at REEF. Many of our Customers own property in beach communities, where the parcels of land are very small. But accommodating friends and family, and enjoying a comfortable, year-round lifestyle, are very important. So we design and build highly efficient living in what are sometimes very tight quarters.

The photo below is a REEF built home, with 1,789 Square Feet of living space, 3 bedrooms (including a Master Suite), 3 bathrooms, and a beautiful, open floor plan. The Before photo is the outdated Ranch that had seen better times.

Cape Cod is not the only community with space challenges. Here are some interesting designs and solutions to accommodating modern living in tight spaces around the country.

Building designs for thin lots like those on Cape Cod

Building designs for thin lots like those on Cape Cod

Organization is a key to success. Much of our design energy is directed towards creating open, clean, easy-to-organize spaces. An organized space helps keep the household easy to manage, creating more time for quality activities.

Many of our Customers entertain throughout the seasons, and organization helps keep the visits easy and fun. Here are some great ideas and tips to keep important areas in your home easy to organize. After all, less time cleaning means more time at the beach!

Organize your Cape Cod Home

Organize your Cape Cod Home

There’s a lot of coastline on Cape Cod. We love it. But the beauty and serenity come at a price. Storms, wave action, surges all take a toll on the beaches…and the nearby homes. Much of our work is done on homes that overlook or abut beaches, marshes and inlets. We are constantly designing homes and renovations to accommodate inevitable natural events, like storms and hurricanes.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) developed the StormSmart Coasts program to “assist communities and people working and living on the coast by providing information, strategies, and tools to help address challenges arising from erosion, flooding, storms, sea level rise, and other climate change impacts”.

They are a great resource for information on how to protect on of your largest assets, your beach home. Here’s some tips from CZM on the importance of “Freeboard”, basically lifting beach homes above the surge expected from passing storms. 

Coastal Zone Management Stormsmart info for Cape Cod