Cape Cod Custom Builder | REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder | construction costs on cape cod (3)

Best DIY Home Security Systems for your Cape Cod Home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Tue, May 19, 2015

Summer fun is around the corner. Off to the beach, or the lake, or antiquing…all your belongings are at home, or maybe way back home. While you’re having fun, make sure your stuff will be home when you return. Our custom homes include an integrated security system, but even your antique Cape Cod cottage can be easily protected.

Good security systems are far more affordable and easier to install than even just a few years ago. Wireless technology has the bugs pretty much worked out. Place the sensors, download the app, program the settings, and you’re protected.

Here’s a review of the 5 best Do-It-Yourself security systems on the market. They all have their strengths. Check here to find the system that’s right for you. And then off to the beach!

Best DIY Security Systems for your Cape Cod Home

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Best DIY Security Systems for your Cape Cod Home

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Best DIY Security Systems for your Cape Cod Home

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Tags: cape cod waterfront homes, renovation cape cod, construction costs on cape cod, coastal building, cape cod custom builder, cape cod custom homes, new home on cape cod, Construction Costs, Real Estate Investment, cape cod home|natural gas|cape cod real estate|cap

20 Party-Ready Kitchens in pictures for your Cape Cod home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, May 14, 2015

Cabin fever may be behind us, but after such a long, cold winter…who’s ready to party?! It seems there’s pent-up demand for some relaxing time with friends. And where will this party happen? Most likely the kitchen will be involved, if not the center of activity.

Great kitchen spaces are important for any successful home design. Considerations include light, space, and ease of access…but what about accommodating gatherings for relaxed, fun get-togethers?

Here’s some photos of wonderfully “Party-Ready” kitchens. Chances are you’ll find some great ideas for your space!

20 Party-Ready Kitchens in pictures for your Cape Cod home

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20 Party-Ready Kitchens in pictures for your Cape Cod home

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Planting Flowers that attract Bees on Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Fri, May 01, 2015

Ready for some spring planting? You betcha! After such a long, cold winter, there’s a lot of “pent up demand” for some outside time. And there’s no better way to appreciate the outdoors than working in the garden. Sprucing up the yard is wonderfully and instantly gratifying. And planting flowers delivers all sorts of tangible and intangible rewards.

If planting flowers is on your list, why not consider flowers beneficial to birds, bees, and butterflies? Did you know that the Monarch Butterfly, which is increasingly rare, requires milkweeds to survive? And of course bees are the key to pollination, plant diversity, and healthy gardens. Here’s a list of beautiful flowers that will help keep your garden healthy and happy:

Flowers that attract Bees on Cape Cod

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Flowers that attract Bees on Cape Cod

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Granite, Marble or Quartz for your Cape Cod Kitchen?

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Fri, Apr 24, 2015

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then the kitchen counter is…really important! Lots of effort and energy is invested in every custom kitchen we design and build. One of the real challenges for our Customers is the myriad choices of fixtures, finishes, colors, and textures.

Of course our design team is great at moving folks from overwhelmed to over-the-top happy. One of the biggest decision points is countertop material. Kitchen islands are very popular, and they become the central gathering place of the home, with all the traffic and commotion that goes with it.

So a durable, handsome countertop material is crucial to the longevity of a working kitchen. So what’s the best material?

Quartz? Granite? Marble? Corian? Wood? Lots of choices, lots of questions. Here are some great resources to help you sort it all out. And don’t forget about the best resource: the design team at REEF Cape Cod’s Home Builder!

4 Things you didn't know about Quartz vs Granite

Granite Sealing

Granite vs Marble vs Quartz-The Countertops Battle Royale

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Update on Natural Gas Moratorium on Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, Apr 16, 2015

Natural gas is an increasingly popular fuel for heating and cooking. Most of the custom homes we design, permit, and build here on Cape Cod are serviced with natural gas. Until now.

National Grid, the gas utility on Cape Cod, announced in November 2014 that no new gas hookups would be allowed in outer-Cape towns for 5 to 7 years. Wow! Nobody saw this coming, and it caused some not-so-little-issues for many homeowners.

So what’s the status? What if I want to add a gas grill? Or a generator? What if my every house in my neighborhood has natural gas? Why can’t I have gas?

REEF Cape Cod’s Home Builder has developed some simple solutions to dealing with the gas situation. Call us for more information.

For a status report on the current situation, National Grid appeared at an information session a few weeks ago. Here are their answers to questions posed by homeowners and builders:

National Grid responses to Natural Gas Moratorium questions

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National Grid responses to Natural Gas Moratorium questions

Natural Gas

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What is the jurisdiction of Conservation Commissions on Cape Cod?

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Tue, Apr 14, 2015

What is a Coastal Resource Area? What defines a wetland? Why are wetlands important? What does the Conservation Commission do? What is their jurisdiction?

Many, if not most, of the custom homes we design, permit, and build are located near a wetland, or in a flood zone. Enjoying views of a marsh, bay, or ocean from the comfort of your own home is for some a primary reason for living on Cape Cod.

But how do you build a house near a marsh without endangering environmentally sensitive areas? Local Conservation Commissions play an important and powerful role ensuring that vital wetlands are protected for future generations.

Here’s a handy guide explaining the Wetland Protection Act and how Conservation Commissions help protect valuable resource areas:

Guide to the Wetlands Protection Act

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Guide to the Wetlands Protection Act

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Easter Egg Fun on Cape Cod

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, Apr 02, 2015

Easter was always a special time for us growing up on Cape Cod. Days getting warmer…you could almost smell summer right around the corner. Easter egg hunts – both inside and outside – were the highlight!

There are a bunch of Easter celebrations on the Cape. There’s even a special Sunrise Service at Chatham Light.

Special traditions, like coloring eggs with Mom, offer great memories and wonderful opportunities for family fun. Here’s some creative and easy ways to color eggs, and a list of Easter celebrations on Cape Cod:

7 special ways to Celebrate Easter on Cape Cod

Easter Egg Hunt

How to make really cool Easter Eggs!

Easter Eggs

Homemade Easter Egg dyes

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7 special ways to Celebrate Easter on Cape Cod

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Higher Interest Rates may be here soon for Cape Cod Homes

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Thu, Mar 19, 2015

Real estate on Cape Cod and throughout the United States benefits from low interest rates. Many Buyers have been able to secure their first home, vacation home near the beach, or retirement home here on sunny Cape Cod with the help of historically low interest rates.

There is change in the wind:

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday moved to the verge of raising interest rates for the first time since the economy fell into recession more than seven years ago.

The Fed says any move is not imminent, but it’s wise to stay abreast of any pending changes. Here’s the New York Times article about the Fed meeting on Wednesday:

NY Times reports that Fed may increase interest rates soon

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NY Times reports that Fed may increase interest rates soon

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How to prevent Frost Heaves at your Cape Cod Home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Wed, Mar 18, 2015

Pot Holes galore! This record-breaking snowfall and never-ending winter has wreaked havoc on our Cape Cod roads, sidewalks, and shallow footings. This might be "shut the barn door after the horse gets out" kind of information, but how do frost heaves work? And how can I protect my home from frost heave damage?

Frost heaves are thought to function due to the formation of an ice lens. Though the surface of the earth reflects the current temperature outside, the temperature of the soil rises the lower it gets underground. When the surface ground freezes, a frost line forms where the temperature in the earth departs from freezing temperatures. At the frost line, groundwater freezes, forming a thin sheet of ice called an ice lens. As water turns to ice, it expands. The expansion of the ice lens causes the surface soil to bulge upward, resulting in a frost heave.

Here is more information to better understand how frost heaves work, and how you can prevent them in the future:

How to prevent Frost Heaves at your Cape Cod Home

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How to prevent Frost Heaves at your Cape Cod Home

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How to prevent Frost Heaves at your Cape Cod Home

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Build a Raised-Bed Garden for your Cape Cod Home

Posted by REEF Cape Cod's Home Builder on Fri, Mar 13, 2015

The melt is happening! Yes! I saw some of my front lawn today!!

Boston may have ended the season just 2 inches shy of the all-time snowfall record, but I bet Cape Cod went well over the top. Just last week we got a foot of snow…AGH!

If this endless winter has you pining for warm weather, here’s some ideas to get your mind to thaw. Raised-bed gardens are a great way to enjoy fresh veggies and flowers without tearing up your whole lawn. They are easy to assemble, prepare, and plant, and it’s wonderful to get your hands into that warm summer earth.

Here are a few ideas for raised-bed gardens for your Cape Cod home. Let the thaw begin!

How to build a Raised Bed Garden for your Cape Cod Home

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