The National Association of Realtors announced that existing home sale prices were up 10% in April compared to last year.  This is the largest year over year gain since 2006.  A sure sign that things are really beginning to move in a positive direction. Building a custom home is always a challenging decision, and with many of our customers waiting to sell their primary residence to build their New Home on Cape Cod, this is great news.  REEF has seen demand for custom building increase steadily this year, and we are gearing up for a busy 2012-2013 season. 

Here is the complete article from housingzone.com: http://www.housingzone.com/industry-data-research/existing-home-sales-biggest-gain-prices-2006

If you are thinking of building your new home on Cape Cod, now is a great time to start the process.  Click below to contact one of our experts with your questions!

   The Massachusetts Association of Realtors published its real estate market index, noting that this month it reached an all time high.  The President of the association indicated that this increase was due to improving confidence in the marketplace, and a strong spring sales season. This index increased 86% from April 2011, which is a great sign for people waiting to sell their home.  The dream of many of our customers is to sell their primary residence, and use the equity earned to build their custom home on Cape Cod.  Well, if you have been waiting, now may be a great time to begin the process.

Here is the complete article from Cape and Plymouth Business Magazine:

http://www.capeplymouthbusiness.com/news/show/2359

      One of the most challenging items for a custom home builder, or customer is deciding on an appropriate landscape budget.  Landscaping is one of those things that is always left to do at the last minute, and often times, there is not enough money set aside to meet the customer's goals.  Good landscaping doesn't always have to be expensive, but if you don't plan ahead, that dream home with the paver patio, large green lawn, and lush planting may not be a reality.  A great way to save money, and still get a classic look is with a gravel driveway.  Gravel driveways, or gravel / shell mix driveways are common on Cape Cod, and are an inexpensive alternative to paving, cobblestones, or manufactured pavers. 

Here is a great article from Houzz.com discussing the advantages of gravel:

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1577301/list/Gravel-Driveways--Crunching-the-Pros-and-Cons

    As Cape Cod's leading custom builder, we are constantly asked for suggestions on what is most popular in home design and construction.  Whether renovating or building new we have found some consistent trends.  Here is our list of most popular features:

1. 1st floor master suite
2. Open kitchen / dining / living spaces
3. Additional flex space that can serve as bedroom or office area
4. Energy efficient, yet cost effective heating and cooling systems
5. Low maintenance exteriors

Recently the Wall Street Journal published the results of a Better Homes and Gardens survey about this same topic.  Here are their results:

1. Separate laundry room
2. Additional storage / walk-ins / closet built-ins
3. Outdoor living spaces
4. Additional bedroom with separate bath
5. Everyday eating space in kitchen
6. Home Office / Workspace
7. Upgraded bathrooms

You can view the full article here:http://articles.marketwatch.com/2012-04-11/finance/31319268_1_laundry-space-new-space-storage-space

These are all things you definitley want to consider when planning your next new home or renovation or remodeling project. If you want to see how some of these concepts might fit into your future plans, click below to contact one of our design or construction experts at REEF

    Recently the CEO of JP Morgan announced 9 reasons the housing market is headed towards recovery.  Citing facts like steady population growth, reduced inventory, and steady job growth, CEO Jaime Dimon has a positive outlook on the market place.  As home builders on Cape Cod, REEF understands that information like this will not immediately translate into increased demand in our unique market.  However, since many of our customers make their investments in their Cape Cod homes based on the ability to sell their primary residence, things are looking up.  

Here is the full article from Housingzone.com: 9 Signs Housing is in Recovery

   Almost all of our new customers ask about the need for hurricane resistant windows. Many people have heard that this is a requirement to build a new home on Cape Cod, however this is not entirely true. The need for hurricane or "impact-resistant" glass in a home is determined by an imaginary line drawn around the Cape, running 1 mile inland from the mean high water line at the coast. The state calls this area the "Wind Borne Debris Zone."

  Impact-resistant windows are very expensive, running at least twice the cost of traditional windows, and provide protection against flying debris that could damage a standard window, and could subject the home to substantial pressure differentials in high wind conditions.  If a window breaks under these conditions, the pressure differential could cause the windows on the other side of the house to completely blow out.   However, the building code allows for a much less expensive alternative, which consists pre-cut OSB panels with a specific screw pattern that can be left at the house, only to be installed in the case of a storm. This is a good alternative, but it does require that the panels be installed and removed with every storm event. You should also check with you insurance company, as there may be substantial differences in wind deductables and rates based on the use of impact glass vs. wood panels.

Here is a link from the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards listing FAQ's about the wind borne debris zone, and showing the map of the acutal zone: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/docs/dps/inf/bbrs-pdf-ppt-faq-wind-borne-debris-regions-all-ma-12-20-07.pdf

If you are thinking of building a new home or contemplating a major renovation on Cape Cod and would like to know if your home falls in the wind borne debris zone click here to find out: CONTACT US

     Since it is a very rainy and windy day here on Cape Cod, we felt it would be appropriate to discuss one of our least favorite subjects... controlling water and leaks. Whether renovating or building a new home, controlling water is probably one of the most important items to consider. Really there are two areas that we focus on here at REEF, first, the building envelope, i.e. roofing, siding, doors and windows etc., and second, surface water, i.e. site drainage, foundation waterproofing etc.   Here are some tips that we have found very helpful over the years

Building Envelope:

1. Building wrap / vapor barrier: Us a high quality building wrap like Typar and ensure it is installe properly at all siding areas.  Leaks coming through siding are very hard to track down, and can cause expensive damage.
2. Windows: Properly installed windows are important, but we have found that properly installed flexible flashing like Vycor or Typar tape are cheap and effective insurance against window leaks.  They provide a virtually impenetrable seal around the windows.
3. Roofing:  Proper installation of felt paper and roof shingles is critical, but more important is proper application of a self-adhering ice and water shield at critical areas.  Roof edges, valleys, cheek walls, and low slope roofs should have an ice and water shield installed (3' wide). Given the cost of this material and the speed with which it can be installed, it is a great way to prevent and probably eliminate long term problems.  
4. Doors: Doors generall become a problem when exposed to wind-driven rain.  The best way we have found to eliminate leaks is a properly installed storm door, especially in coastal areas.

Surface Water / Site Drainage:

1. Assess soil conditions: We are fortunate to have very sandy and well draining soils here on Cape Cod. However, there are areas of the Cape that have substantial amounts of clay.  An engineer or experienced builder / excavator can make a very accurat assessment of the soil conditions.
2. Foundation Waterproofing: Current building codes still only require "dampproofing" on a foundation wall, which is the black tar typically seen on a new foundation. This product, however, does nothing to stop water from penetrating the concrete walls.  If poor soil conditions exist, invest in a true foundation waterproofing such as Mar-flex which can withstand hydrostatic pressure.
3. Foundation Drainage: Every foundation in areas of poor soil conditions should have a perimeter drain at the footing  that runs to a properly-sized drainage structure, an engineer can help in this design.  The downspouts for the house should also be run through a separate drainage system to prevent overloading the perimiter footing drain.
4. Site Grading: This is the most critical part of managing water on any site, and it is all contigent on how and where the house was located on the site. There should be a slope away from the house at all times, and the water that runs away from the house also needs to have somewhere to go.  Recently, the use of low vegetated swales, and retention areas has become increasingly popular, and provides some nice features that can be landscaped to enhance the look of the yard, while still serving an important purpose.

The bottom line is this - if you are building a home or undergoing a renovation project, handling water is a key component, and we have found a team approach is best.  A competent builder, designer, and engineering team can head off a lot of these problems early on.  One thing we have learned over time is that water problems are long term, and expensive to fix, so a little planning and preparation goes a long way.  If you are thinking of building a new home or renovating and have questions feel free to CONTACT US

REEF is starting another new home in Dennis, MA!.  This home is a custom designed, traditionally styled, cape with about 3,000sf of living area.  Here are some photos of the foundation installation yesterday, along with a rendering of the finished product. Follow our blog to watch this project!!!