Cape Cod Custom Builder | REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder | construction costs on cape cod (2)

What is a HERS Index Energy Rating for my Cape Cod Home?

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, Jul 29, 2015

Like most disciplines, changes are constantly happening in the home building industry. Because we are constantly designing, permitting, and building custom homes, the team at REEF is expertly familiar with the building code requirements. These requirements change with increasing frequency. We have experienced a new building code almost every year for the past few years.

What does this mean to you? One of the most significant changes in the code has been the increasing energy efficiency requirements. The energy code is now fairly complex.
In order to verify compliance with the current energy code, the Home Energy Rating (HERS) must be determined before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. The HERS test is an independent review of each of our custom homes by a HERS Index Certified Energy Rater.

REEF-built homes rate very well in these tests. An Energy Star home generally scores an 85 on these tests, and REEF consistently performs 30% better!

The homes we build are so “tight” and energy efficient, one Customer thought the central A/C wasn’t working – it rarely turned on because the house was so tight it stayed cool!

Here’s a couple great explanations of HERS ratings, and how they work:

The HERS Index rating system explained...

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How is a HERS Index Rating calculated?

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Best Guide to Beaches on Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, Jul 23, 2015

New to the Cape? Or maybe you're ready to try a new beach. How do you know which beach is a good bet for you, or for the kids? How’s this for a description:

Long boardwalk extends over salt marsh partway to beach. Excellent view of plant and marine life. Across the river is Dennis' Chapin Beach. Rather small. Picnic area. Not crowded. Large parking area. Some free parking. Lifeguards. Good for little kids. Bugs. Boardwalk only partway to beach.

And that’s just the beginning! This site has a clickable map that leads to descriptions of salt and fresh water beaches all over Cape Cod. This is the best, most comprehensive guide to Cape Cod beaches:

Guide to all Beaches on Cape Cod

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Guide to all Beaches on Cape Cod

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Accessory Dwelling Units and why you want one on Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, Jul 15, 2015

From the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): "Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU's) — also referred to as accessory apartments, second units, or granny flats — are additional living quarters on single-family lots that are independent of the primary dwelling unit. The separate living spaces are equipped with kitchen and bathroom facilities, and can be either attached or detached from the main residence."

ADU’s are not to be confused with rental housing. Many communities restrict ADU’s to family use only, and don’t allow housing units created under the ADU guidelines to be used as rental units.

In any event, ADU’s are a creative, efficient, and fun way to enhance the lives of all concerned. Aging parents get the support of nearby family members, while the affordability of ADU’s benefits everybody.

This HUD case study cites Barnstable and Wellfleet as communities that have been progressive in their approach to the development of ADU’s (page 12).
It’s worth a look:

HUD Case Study on ADU's, including Cape Cod

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HUD Case Study on ADU's, including Cape Cod

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How to get rid of pesky Fruit Flies on Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, Jul 08, 2015

It’s a common problem: You walk into your Cape Cod kitchen one day to find it buzzing with pesky little fruit flies zipping about your fruit bowl, or worse, floating lifeless in your guest’s glass of red wine. You’re not a slob, and you don’t leave your doors open, so where the heck do these things come from and why? And more important, how do you kill fruit flies?

Common house fruit flies have an incredibly short life span. In just a week, the eggs turn from larvae to pupae to adults. That’s why it always seems as though they show up out of nowhere in your kitchen.

Here are some links to simple recipes and home grown techniques to keep your Cape Cod home free of pesky flies!

Good Housekeeping recipes to kill Fruit Flies on Cape Cod

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How to get rid of pesky Fruit Flies on Cape Cod

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Fireworks on Cape Cod!

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Tue, Jun 30, 2015

God Bless America! July 4th is upon us, and it’s time to celebrate America!

What does America mean to you? Well if you’re reading this then you’re probably on Cape Cod, headed to the Cape, or wish you were here right now! Wherever you are, soon you’ll be celebrating the birth of our nation, and all the independence that makes the U.S.A. so very special.

And what will you do to celebrate? Enjoy a day at the beach? Climb Provincetown Monument? Catch a big fish and fire up the grill? Whatever you choose, the choice is yours – Thanks to America!

Here’s a schedule of parades and fireworks around the Cape. And a link to a good calendar of events for July and beyond. Happy Birthday America!

Fireworks and Parades Schedule for Cape Cod towns

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Cape Cod Events July 2015

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Design Trends for your Cape Cod Home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, Jun 24, 2015

Our homes are an expression of our personalities and lifestyle. Whether you’re planning on building a new home, updating your Cape Cod cottage, or staging your existing home for sale, it’s great to have a fresh look at what’s trending in home design.

Outdoor living, dedicated “drop zones”, and “healthy” homes are all part of modern home design.

Browsing these ideas is an easy way to keep in touch, plus many of the images include clickable links to the products illustrated. Very cool!

Have a look, and share your ideas with the design team at REEF Builders when you’re ready to build your new Cape Cod home!

Design Trends for your new Cape Cod Home

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Design Trends for your new Cape Cod Home

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Design Trends for your new Cape Cod Home

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The Wellfleet Drive-In Cinema and more Cape Cod summer fun!

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, Jun 18, 2015

How do you know it’s summer on Cape Cod? The Wellfleet Drive-In Movie Theater is open!

And the Cape Cod Baseball League starts up again!

Once a staple of American culture, there aren’t many drive-in theaters left. The Wellfleet cinema opens…now, and closes after the summer season. And it is amazing how many major league players have spent a summer or two playing ball in “The Cape League”.

The Cape has grown to offer a wonderful year-round quality of life, but there are still many businesses that mark the beginning of summer by opening their doors. Here are some links to the Cape League, Wellfleet Cinemas, and a great list of To-Do’s on Cape Cod this summer:

Wellfleet Drive-In Movie Theater and Flea Market

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Cape Cod Baseball League 2015 Schedule

Things to do on Cape Cod this summer

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How to move a 400 ton Lighthouse on Gayhead Cliff near Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, Jun 11, 2015

In 1844 a lighthouse was built on the Gayhead Cliffs of Martha’s Vineyard. For over a century she has helped to keep innumerable vessels away from certain peril, guiding them past Martha’s Vineyard and on to Cape Cod and Buzzard’s Bay, or safely out to sea. Erosion of the cliffs was threatening this great landmark. The end was near, so funds were raised, and the lighthouse saved.

So how do you move 400 tons of 171 year-old brick and mortar, standing hundreds of feet in the air, 129 feet back from the edge of a cliff? “Very carefully” you might answer. The actual move is really an amazing success story. It’s estimated that the move, which was just in the nick of time, will keep the lighthouse safe for 150 years or more. Great story. Great photos:

How to move a Lighthouse - Martha's Vineyard on CBS

Gayhead Lighthouse

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The full story - a great read.

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How to move a Lighthouse - Martha's Vineyard on CBS

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Outside entertaining for your Cape Cod Home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, Jun 03, 2015

It’s a beautiful, sunny Cape Cod day. You’re just back from the beach, ready to relax and refresh. Sit around the kitchen table? No way! Outdoor entertaining is where we all want to be, feeling the breeze, forgetting the winter.

Making the most of Cape Cod means living outdoors. Casual, comfortable space with room for everybody is an important part of a wonderful Cape Cod experience.

Here are some easy-to-create outdoor entertaining spaces, complete with fire pits, indoor-outdoor living, and a multi-level approach to arranging conversation and living zones. Great ideas…Enjoy!

Outdoor entertaining spaces for your Cape Cod home

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Outdoor entertaining spaces for your Cape Cod home

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Garden makeovers for your Cape Cod Home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, May 27, 2015

Overgrown side yard? --> Create a hidden patio.
Unsightly air conditioner? --> Lush, low maintenance grasses.
An average yard? --> An exceptional backyard.

Does your Cape Cod home say “Welcome”? Or “Please Help”? Many yards have an area or two that is crying for attention. Why not maximize the livability of your place by taking the landscape up a notch or two?

Here are some great ideas and motivating examples of yards that have been transformed from ugly to exceptional. And it doesn’t take that much time, energy or money to create a very inviting, livable outdoor space:

Great Garden Makeover Ideas

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