What is Viva Magenta?
Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta 18-1750, vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.

This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement. PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same verve for life and rebellious spirit. It is a color that is audacious, full of wit and inclusive of all.

Pantone has also shared a beautiful nature inspired color palette (below) to compliment this vibrant shade of red.

Source: https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2023

If you are looking to buy, build or renovate your home, kitchen or bath on Cape Cod, consider working with the REEF Builders team with complete real estate, design, permitting, and construction services.

Looking for costs per square foot for a new home on Cape Cod?  Click here to download our Construction Cost Guide

Follow us on social @thecapecodbuilder

We are thrilled to have the opportunity to present a 3D tour of one of our custom home projects on Cape Cod Bay.  This home was designed and built by the REEF team, and underwent an extensive design and permitting process, primarily driven by the environmentally sensitive nature of the site, and of course the owner's aesthetic and living space requirements. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the ability to tour this home in a 3-D virtual environment is worth way more than that!  Let us know what you think!

If you are considering designing and building your custom home on Cape Cod, consider the REEF Builders Team, with over 35  years in business and over 1500 custom home projects completed on Cape Cod

The REEF team is proud to present our new website! We have gone with a more visual format for the site, so we can better show our design and building capabilities, and we still offer our great informational guides and blog. Let us know what you think!

Click here to check it out! www.capecodbuilder.com

Over the last 10 years, we have seen the intensity and frequency of major weather events increase. In response to these increased risks, we have seen building codes change, specifically with regard to structural design and wind resistance. However, given the increasing intensity of weather events, you may want to consider designing a Hurricane Safe Room as part of your custom home or renovation project.

Hurricane safe rooms are designed as hardened structures or rooms that meet FEMA design guidelines and provide life safety protection in extreme wind events such as a hurricane or tornado.

These rooms are generally small, and constructed of concrete, or concrete block and reinforced to resist the highest levels of wind and structural loading that one may expect in a major weather event. Often times, these rooms are located in a basement area, except in documented flood zones.

Here's a link to some Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Rooms from Fema's Website with some great information.

FEMA also provides a basic design guideline that shows how a basic room might be constructed

Hurricane Safe Room Design

If you are considering a new custom home or renovation  project on Cape Cod, let the team at REEF Builders design and build your Cape Cod Home. 

If you want to know what your Cape Cod home project  might cost click here to download our Construction Cost Guide

Here's a great list of things to consider when you are planning to build your new custom home on Cape Cod. After designing and building nearly 1,500 new home, renovation, and addition projects here on Cape Cod, we decided to put together a list of important considerations for those looking to build. This list will be helpful when selecting a piece of land or property for a new home project or renovation, and provides a list of questions to ask your prospective designer or builder.

1. Ask for references from your builder and designer, and follow up with them, ask about the overall experience
2. Ask about your builder’s warranty program and manufacturer’s warranties
3. Get your designer and builder out to your prospective home site BEFORE you decide to purchase the property
4. Ask how long it will take to get the design, permitting and engineering done, and expect that timeline to increase for waterfront or other properties near wetlands or sensitive areas
5. Set a realistic budget BEFORE you purchase land (Click here for REEF’s Construction Cost Guide)
6. Make A Wants List & A Needs List, it will help set priorities for the design and budget
7. Ask the builder or designer for a list of vendors they work with, and visit with them
8. Ask how the interior and exterior finishes are selected
9. How are changes handled, both before and during construction?
10. Ask to see change order documents and other forms used during construction
11.  Ask about fees the designer or builder charges for their work
12. Examine the cost estimate in detail and ask for clarification of each line item
13. Mentally visualize your floor plan, or ask for a 3D rendering to better understand your new home
14. Consider views, natural light, and window options
15. Understand the property you are buying and review boundaries and set-backs with surveyor and builder
16. Consider a walkout basement or drive under garage on sloping lots
17. Start your budget planning with Landscaping, as most people defer landscaping to the end of the project when the budget may be exceeded
18. Ask to walk the property with the builder prior to clearing and identify and save large trees if possible
19. Research the property tax rate so you know what the real estate taxes will be for your new home
20. Expect to pay more than you originally planned, and understand what is included with your contract
21. Use the highest quality materials available within your budget, it will save money in the long run
22. Ask your builder what is not included or specifically excluded from your contract
23. Plan for an outdoor living area, furniture, play areas etc.
24. Use proven, energy efficient systems with a strong performance track record
25. Examine the options for vaulted or cathedral ceilings to enhance the feel of important rooms
26. Include a convenient location for laundry areas, preferably near bedrooms
27. Ask about Universal Design or Aging in Place design for retirement homes
28. Design a walk-in pantry area
29. Consider multiple work / prep areas in the kitchen
30. Choose low maintenance materials
31. Create a light fixture and bath fixture list by room
32. Set a budget for closet storage systems and shelving
33. Include dimmers on light fixtures, both interior and exterior
34. Do not put covered porches on the north-facing side of homes
35. Consider additional exterior outlets on walls or roof lines for outdoor lighting
36. Create a separate space for an office / hobby/ or other flex space, away from the main living areas
37. Ask about the details, and take the time to read the manufacturers warranties and user guides for your selected products and finishes
38. Design with tall ceilings wherever possible
39. Use additional trim, moldings and details to dress up the home exterior
40. Install spare conduits in a few locations in the home for future wiring, speakers etc.
41. Review furniture layouts before your build, and inform your designer and builder of any special furniture pieces you might be considering
42. Insulate with the highest grade material available, the long term cost savings are huge!
43. Take time to study floor plans and elevation drawings, changes on paper are inexpensive, after building has started, changes are very expensive
44. Ask your builder to provide a construction schedule and determine a completion date
45. Visit local home shows to see new products
46. Meet with the local building inspector do ask questions about house size, orientation or other restrictions
47. Consider interior and exterior finishes that are timeless and tasteful, it will enhance the long term value of your new home
48. Consider efficient use of spaces in the home, every square foot costs money and you want to get maximum use out of each space
49. A well designed, efficient home may not have to be as big as you think!
50. Design a house that will serve your needs in the short and long term - it will add value

If you are looking for a designer or builder for your new custom home on Cape Cod, Contact the team at REEF Builders today! 

"You've been coming to the Cape your whole life, Isn't it time you stayed?"

Here are pics of our Brewster Retro Cottage that we recently completed. Although the exterior design of this custom home is fairly traditional, the interior really brings you back to the 1950's. REEF worked with this customer to incorporate a retr0-styled interior with authentic reproduction appliances, colorful and unique finishes such as vinyl flooring, which has now become very popular in new homes.  The "wood" flooring you see in the photos is actually a very high quality vinyl plank!  Everything in this house works well to provide the feeling of an old Cape Cod Cottage, with the covered porch on the front, screened porch in the rear, and we even installed simple wooden screen doors that provide the signature "slap" when they close!

If you are considering designing, building, or remodeling here on Cape Cod, let the team at REEF Builders design and build your next Custom Home project!

Here are some pics, compliments of our flooring team at Ideal Floor Covering!

Photo by Ideal Floor - Discover midcentury home design design inspiration

Photo by Ideal Floor - Browse midcentury home design ideas

Photo by Ideal Floor - Search midcentury home design design ideas

Photo by Ideal Floor - More midcentury home design photos

 

Photo by Ideal Floor - Browse midcentury home design ideas

Photo by Ideal Floor - Browse midcentury home design ideas

Photo by Ideal Floor - Browse midcentury home design photos

 

 

If you are considering designing and building a custom home over the next year, you should take some time to understand some of the major cost components and how they can impact the overall cost of construction. Over the last few years, most construction cost increases have been driven by substantial regulatory change, and an overall shortage of labor vs. demand. Lumber, which accounts for 10-20% of the overall cost of a custom home has remained fairly steady over the last year or two. We did just get news from our team at Shepley Wood Products that lumber prices are expected to increase over the next year, namely due to lumber agreements between the US and Canada. Here's an explaination:

Softwood Lumber Agreement Information

With the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) between the US and Canada coming to a close and the possibility of a duty being imposed on Canadian lumber imports , we as consumers can expect to see price increases on both Canadian and domestic timber over the next few months. Speculators typically try to create panic in the market place about sharp price escalation to drive impulse purchasing and some mills have already imposed price increases out of knee jerk reaction. However, historically, sharp rises like this have been short lived and adjust quickly as the United States and Canada find compromise in the name of doing business.

We recognize how disruptive economic change like the end of the SLA can be to business, so in an effort to reduce its impact, Shepley Wood Products is making the following commitments.

• We will buy right and leverage our average inventory value to ensure our prices are always better than market. Well planned purchasing allows us to take the edge off of sharp market changes.
• We will buy enough inventory to keep your projects well supplied
• We will not over buy inventory, allowing us to more quickly lower prices as the market corrects
• We will not drop our price hold commitment below 30 Days
• We will always be forthcoming about market conditions and make sure you have the most recent and accurate information.

Click Here for More Information

Bottom Line: IF you are considering designing and building your custom home or retirement home, or even a major renovation project here on Cape Cod expect to pay more over the next year as lumber prices increase in reaction to this news about the Softwood Lumber Agreement.

We are expecting prices to change 3-5% over the next few months, and we are already seeing prices move 1% or so this month.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at sales@capecodbuilder.com

Once we get more information, we'll issue a new Construction Cost Guide for spring of 2017

Here's a few fun links of various project that we have been working on this summer.  We have several jobs finishing up, and are starting our next round of custom home projects for the 2016-2017 building season!  Our design team has also been very busy with new custom home  projects as we approach the fall.  

Click below to see what we've been up to!

REEF's Summer Vacation

If you are considering designing and building your Cape Cod Custom Home - REEF has the experience and team to make your dreams a reality! 

"You've been coming to the Cape your whole life.  Isn't it time you stayed?"

Our team did a great job finishing this new Custom Home on the water in Brewster.  We were able to move the customers in early so they could enjoy the 4th of July weekend in their new home.  It takes a great team of people to consistently execute our projects with a high level quality and craftsmanship.  It takes and exceptional team to bring those projects in on time (or a little ahead of schedule in this case!) and on budget!  Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen!!

It is great when a plan comes together! This time of year is very exciting for our team here at REEF.  We get to see all of our hard work and effort come together in the beautiful homes that we get the privilege of building here on Cape Cod!  Here are some pictures of a new custom home we are finishing up in Chatham. This is a waterfront home, with very tight restrictions due to our proximity to the water.  Our team of designers, engineers, and contractors really came together to produce fun, open, and tastefully designed  home that meets the owner's spacial needs while still taking advantage of the sweeping views.  Enjoy!