Remodeling magazine has come out with it's annual report on remodeling projects costs and the return on investment.  There is a lot of great information in their report, and we feel the costs are very reflective of the current market conditions.  See their link to the report for the Boston area here:Remodeling Magazine - Boston cost report .

If you are thinking of a remodeling, renovation or new construction project and you want to explore all of the possibilities, click below to ask your question. The answer may surprise you!!

  Every year manufacturers come out with the latest and greatest gadgets for the home. This year, LG has introduced smart appliances that can communicate with each other throughout the home. They also have features that allow the user to monitor energy usage and can help reduce the day to day costs of running your home.  For more information read LG's press release here below:

LAS VEGAS , Jan. 9, 2012  /PRNewswire/ -- LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled a new series of smart appliances at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (booth #8204) that reflect the company's vision for a more connected, eco-friendly lifestyle. Centered on LG's proprietary Smart ThinQ™ technology, LG's new smart appliances are equipped with innovative device-to-device connectivity features and the LG Home Energy Management System (HeMS), opening up a new era in convenient and efficient home management.

"LG's direction in smart appliance development has been in pursuing technological advancements that will make consumers' lives more convenient and ultimately upgrade their quality of life," said Moon-bum Shin, CEO of LG Electronics Home Appliance Company. "Device-to-device connectivity with smartphones and among LG appliances is a new and exciting way for us to realize this goal, helping consumers handle housework in a smarter manner by saving time, money and energy."

LG has differentiated its smart appliances with its advanced and highly complementary technologies. These four core technologies – the Linear Compressor, the Inverter Direct Drive™, the Infrared Grill and the KOMPRESSOR® – enable superior performance. At the same time, Smart ThinQ™ technologies – Smart Manager, Smart Diagnosis™, Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Grid – bring smart savings and enhanced convenience to consumers. Technology enthusiasts will notice that LG's Smart ThinQ™ technologies have evolved considerably since their introduction at CES 2011. For example, LG's smart refrigerators and smart washing machines are now connected to Smart TVs and smartphones, which enables convenient monitoring of the operational status of the two appliances*.

Device-to-Device Connectivity: Building a Smarter Home*

One of the most compelling features in this year's LG smart appliances is enhanced device-to-device connectivity, which enables LG's smart refrigerators and smart washing machines to be monitored from a Smart TV or smartphone. For instance, individuals can monitor the status of their laundry cycles from their TV screen without being physically present in the laundry room.

The Smart Refrigerator Gets Smarter with the Enhanced Smart Manager*

Built around the company's signature Linear Compressor, which comes with a 10-year manufacturer's limited warranty, LG's flagship smart French-door refrigerator is equipped with a full range of Smart ThinQ™ technologies. Key among them is Smart Manager, which transforms the refrigerator into a complete food management system. Consumers can use the refrigerator's LCD panel or their smartphones to check the food items stored inside, as well as their location and expiration date. Using the Smart Manager's Freshness Tracker, users can also enter various food items, such as eggs, milk and vegetables, and check their suggested expiration dates. Additionally, the refrigerator recommends dishes that can be cooked using the ingredients available in the refrigerator.

There are multiple ways to record the food items stored in the refrigerator including selecting icons from the panel or using voice recognition technology. Additionally, grocery receipts can be scanned using smartphones, allowing the refrigerator to automatically download the food item list. Barcodes can also be scanned with smartphones to input food items.

Smart Shopping is another new aspect of the Smart Manager feature. It offers online grocery shopping directly from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone. A shopping list is created by selecting food items from the inventory, which will be loaded onto Smart Shopping by pressing the "Go Shopping" button. Consumers can purchase these food items from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone, while items not on the list can be searched for and selected manually. These features eliminate the hassle of having to write down grocery shopping lists the old-fashioned way or the need to visit the grocery store, saving time and increasing convenience.

The Smart Manager also now includes LG's unique Health Manager feature, which recommends recipes and menus based on personal profiles that take into account factors such as an individual's age, gender, weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI). The information is used to determine options that may be more suitable to the person's physical condition and might be particularly useful for consumers with medical conditions that require special diets, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or food allergies, and for those on a weight-loss program**. The Health Manager even recommends daily or weekly meal plans based on personal profiles, while also providing recipes for each dish. Should consumers wish to cook a recommended dish, they can select the dish and press "Send to Oven," which sends the necessary information to a LG Smart Oven and automatically arranges the proper oven settings.

The Smart Access feature lets users check the status of their LG appliances via smartphones, regardless of their geographic location. For refrigerators, consumers can check food items that are running low in quantity while they are at a grocery store. That can help reduce accidental double purchases and save money on groceries.

Meanwhile, LG's Smart Diagnosis™ feature helps customer service representatives to quickly and efficiently troubleshoot mechanical issues. Once the consumer contacts the LG service center by phone, a technician will direct her to press the "Smart Diagnosis™" button, which then triggers a series of signals that the service center uses to determine the faults and errors and whether a service call is required. In addition, consumers can be directly alerted through their smartphones about minor issues, such as when the door is left open or the ice-maker is switched off.

The refrigerator is also Smart Grid-ready. As local utility companies begin offering Smart Grid-compatible, differentiated energy-rate time slots, the refrigerator will be able to automatically readjust its temperature and function settings to take advantage of optimum energy rates on a daily basis, offering a smart energy-saving solution. In addition to the Smart Grid-ready feature, LG's smart refrigerator also offers the "Night Saving Mode," which reduces energy consumption for up to four hours at nighttime and a "Customize Saving Mode" that lowers energy use during periods pre-set by the user.

The smart refrigerator also offers useful and entertaining functions, such as access to digital photo albums, calendars, text memos and news reports. Additionally, a voice memo function is planned for the future.

A Smart Washing Machine with Wi-Fi Smart Diagnosis™*

Another highlight at CES 2012 is LG's smart washing machine, which incorporates Smart Diagnosis™, Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Grid-ready features. Smart Diagnosis™ has undergone an impressive upgrade for the smart washing machine, an effort which resulted this year in Wi-Fi Certification for a washing machine from the Wi-Fi Alliance. This addition enables LG's washer to self-diagnose its problems via Wi-Fi connection. Should a problem, such as a water input issue, occur with the washer, Wi-Fi Smart Diagnosis™ quickly and efficiently helps troubleshoot, limiting costly, inconvenient service calls and in-home visits. Also, a downloadable smartphone application alerts consumers about less significant problems, such as when the door is left open.

Like the refrigerator, the washing machine uses Smart Access to keep owners connected regardless of their location. Consumers no longer need to worry when leaving the house with the washer running as Smart Access makes it possible to monitor the overall operational status of the washer and dryer, such as the stage of operation and remaining time. Certain functions, such as changing the pre-programmed wash time or adding fabric softner, can be adjusted remotely controlled and pop-up messages on the smartphone signal when the wash cycle is finished. In addition, consumers can check the washing status from their living room through a Smart TV. Meanwhile, Smart Adapt makes it possible to download new washing cycle programs, such as Super Rinse and Baby Sanitize, through smartphones or the washing machine's LCD panel.

Smart HOM-BOT:A Vacuum and So Much More*

The LG Smart HOM-BOT is a remotely controlled vacuum cleaner that uses the Smart Access feature to allow users to start their Smart HOM-BOT and monitor the vacuum's progress from remote locations. Techies will love its advanced control features, as the HOM-BOT can be steered via smartphones in a manner similar to a remote-control car. In turn, users can remotely roam their house while using the HOM-BOT's camera eye for navigation. Furthermore, while outside their homes, consumers can use a smartphone application to use their roving HOM-BOT to communicate with their family in any room.

In addition, the smart mapping navigation enabled by the robotic vacuum cleaner's triple eye camera helps LG's vacuum to clean smarter, faster and more efficiently. The Smart HOM-BOT is equipped with LG's innovative learning algorithm, which memorizes mapping information to calculate optimal paths for future cleaning sessions.

A Smarter Oven for Smarter Cooking*

LG's Smart Oven comes equipped with a suite of Smart ThinQ features, including Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Diagnosis™, which opens up a whole new array of smarter cooking possibilities. Smart Access enables home chefs to monitor cooking settings, such as time and temperature, via their mobile devices. With Smart Adapt, users can send cooking time information by smartphone directly to the oven to make sumptuous dishes via the oven's auto-cooking function. Smart Diagnosis™ makes it easy to diagnose simple problems, using a smartphone application or through direct contact with the customer service center for quick and efficient diagnosis and troubleshooting.

The smart oven is also equipped with LG's unique Infrared Grill technology, a unique technology that helps cook food more efficiently and evenly. The Infrared Grill is another new way to enjoy convenient, gourmet cooking. The freestanding electric single oven is extremely large at 6.2 cubic feet, allowing consumers to cook large dishes with ease, a welcome addition for holiday meal preparations and when entertaining for large groups.

Extending the Smart Concept from Connectivity to Total Home Management*

LG's new Home Energy Management System (HeMS) is an ultra-intelligent companion to the Smart Grid technology that helps manage smart appliances, lighting and HVAC in a more power-efficient manner. Through a smart meter, HeMS collects energy usage data throughout a home. Consumers can monitor the electricity usage of each smart appliance by the hour, day, month or year; the overall energy consumption in a home; and the resulting costs. The collected data can be viewed anytime, anywhere through PCs and smartphones. HeMS even suggests ways through which overall energy consumption can be reduced, enlightening users with ways to save on their electricity bills, while doing their part in helping the environment.

For more information and product images, please visit LG's online press kit at www.LGnewsroom.com/ces2012.

* Wireless Internet connection required and sold separately.

**The Heath Management feature is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice. Users should consult a healthcare professional for any special dietary needs.

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2010 global sales of KRW 55.8 trillion ( USD 48.2 billion ), LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. For more information, please visit www.LGnewsroom.com.

About LG Electronics Home Appliance Company

The LG Electronics Home Appliance Company is an innovator in the home appliance industry, dedicated to offering healthier and greener products, blending smart technology and trend-setting design and providing a complete solution for improving daily life. LG's insightful products, including refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, cooking appliances, vacuum cleaners, and built-in appliances, are designed to resonate with consumers around the world. LG's innovative technologies and convenient features, including the world's first interactive refrigerator, steam washing machine and combination oven and microwave, set new trends in the appliance industry, helping to establish LG as a global leader.

 Now that the new year is finally here... you might want to include some of these ideas into your remodeling project. 

http://www.deweyfiremen.com/new-home-remodeling-trends-for-2012-and-beyond/

So the weather has been cooperating with us this fall, and we have been moving along nicely on this new home in Wellfleet, MA.  This project is unique, as the site posed a few challenges due to its proximity to the coastal bank. When building anywhere near the water, the permitting process will involve approval by the local conservation commission.  The conservation commission's input will influence things like lot coverage, site drainage and septic locations, vegetation preservation or removal.  REEF was able to work with its team of engineers and the commission to negotiate an exceptional location for this house, which allowed the preservation of critical environmental concearns, while maximizing the views of Wellfleet Harbor.  Here are some photos from the site this week. The house has been insulated, and we are starting to sheetrock and plaster today.... If you have a property on Cape Cod with a challenging site like this, click here to see how REEF can help you!! CONTACT US

Thinking about building a new home in Chatham, check out these photos of a recently completed project by REEFhttp://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.326363164055825.97235.319857238039751&type=3&l=6fff6610d7