Cape Cod is a charming place, in part because of its historic homes. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to dive in to an historic project. REEF has done some great work for customers who want to maintain the charm and history of their home, while upgrading the systems and spaces for modern living. Here's a project undertaken by a couple who filled their home with bold colors and additional space.

Remodeling an Historic House

The kitchen island is the focal point of any home design, combing functionality for cooking and food preparation, with the style and taste of the homeowner.  A Kitchen Island is a great way to express your style, and could be considered a more a piece of furniture than a conglomeration of cabinets.  When designing your Cape Cod kitchen, take the time to look at all of your options, from size, style, lighting, countertops etc. In many of our Cape Cod Homes, we have sen trends towards a kitchen island that is a different color or style than the rest of the cabinetry. If you are planning to Remodel, Renovate, or Build a Custom Home on Cape Cod, a stunning kitchen island is definitely something to consider.  To see how REEF can help you design your next project, please CONTACT US today.

Here is an article from Decoist.com with some ideas that just might inspre you: Kitchen Island

    We have been asked several times to take over jobs started by homeowners or unlicensed contractors.  Most of the times, these jobs were started without plans, permits, engineering or any of the other prerequisites for a legal construction project.  After a town building inspector has been notified of an illegal project, they will issue a "stop work" order, bringing the New Home, Remodeling, or Renovation project to a halt.  The time and money a homeowner might save by skirting the permit process is far outweighed by the headache, embarrassment, and costs associated with correcting un-permitted work.  In general, the homeowner has to start from scratch, and usually ends up removing any of the work that was done so the critical items can be properly inspected.

   So if you are thinking of performing your own work, and not hiring a contractor, or even worse, if you are thinking of hiring an unlicensed contractor to do your work without a permit you are setting yourself up for failure.

Don't make this mistake, because you will regret it in the long run.  Sometimes people are unable to sell their homes because of poor workmanship, or discovery of un-permitted work. 

If you are thinking of a New Home, Renovation, or Remodeling Project on Cape Cod, click below to download our guide to hiring a contractor! Here is an article from MSN.com that talks about the risks: Work Without Permits

   Planning an addition to your home can be a fun and exciting process.  The dreams of new and additional space for you Cape Cod Home can allow room for entertaining and guests, especially in the busy Summer season. There are some things to think about as part of the Remodeling, and Addition process, that can prevent problems down the road.  Here are some factors we take into consideration when designing and building an addition here at REEF:

1. What are the real needs for the additional space?
2. Does it make sense to "built out" or "build up"?
3. Is there sufficient space on the lot for the desired addition?
4. Do you plan on living in the house during the project?
5. Are there other impacts on utilities, grading, or the septic system?
6. Does the project make sense given the condition of the existing structure?

All of these factors come into play as part of our comprehensive planning process, and can mean the difference between a successful project that meets the owner's budget and design expectations. Sometimes, depending on the size and cost of the addition,  it may even make sense to look at tearing down the house and building a complete new home.

Here is an article we found from HGTV.com that has some other tips about planning your addition: Building Up or Out

  Many of our projects for New Homes and Remodeling, involve tearing down all or a portion of the existing home.  With the changes in structural, energy and mechanical codes that have come into existence over the last few years, it is often times less expensive to tear down a house instead of remodeling.  The major factor in this decision is labor.  Labor continues to be one of the largest expenses in construction, and when you figure the labor involved in disassembling an existing home, and then re-building it to the new standards, the costs just don't make sense.  Tearing down an average home takes less than a day, and can cost as little as $7,000.  Once the tear down is complete, the project starts from a clean slate, guaranteeing a predictable, high quality result.  Oh yeah, and it is kind of fun to watch as well. Here is a video of a house we tore down yesterday in Dennis

  The Laundry Room is probably the least thought of room in a house.  Unless of course you have a few kids, then doing 6 or 8 loads a day can be a real chore, especially if you have the washer and dryer down in a dark corner of the basement like most people. In most of our Renovation, Remodeling, and Custom Home projects, we try to place the laundry room or closet on the main floor of the home.  We have even put the laundry machines on the 2nd floor, which most people think is a fantastic idea, since it is up close to the bedrooms! We came across an article from Decoist.com that provides several design ideas for your next laundry room. These designs range from simple to wild, but they all share the following features: convenience and storage.

Click Here to see the full gallery: Laundry Room Designs

Planning your New Home, Remodeling or Renovation project can be a fun and exciting process. We often tell our customers to make a list of "wants" and "needs" and to always make sure to prioritize the needs first.  The internet and television are full of trendy ideas that look good at first, but can be both impractical, and a waste of money.  We found an article from msn.com that provides a list of the 8 most overrated home improvement projects. Items such as home theaters, and large jacuzzi tubs are just a few of the things that they describe as items that look great, but never get used and cost a lot of money.  There is  also a list of suggestions for projects that do make sense and can enhance the look and value of your next home project.

Here is the full article from MSN.com: 8 Overrated Home Improvements.

If you are thinking of getting your project started on the Cape Cod. Click below to download our Critical Planning Guide:

  We came across this list of 50 Great Ideas for your Home Office inspired by Pinterest... The home office is a very important feature in New Homes and Renovation Projects, and is quickly replacing the formal dining or living room in homes. 

Click here to see the full article: http://www.onlinecollegecourses.com/2012/08/23/50-fabulous-pinterest-ideas-for-your-home-office/