Our Wisconsin Building Supply lumber yards have been busy so far this summer, and new orders are keeping our truss plant and door/millwork facilities bustling as well. We appreciate your continued support and hope July will bring good weather and other favorable conditions for construction. WBS is anticipating the second half of 2011 to continue on the strong pace that we have seen since the second week of May this year. Many of our customers have expressed optimism for the remainder of 2011. Random Lengths recently provided an optimistic analysis on the relationship between U.S. home prices and median income. Home prices had been running away from median income levels, starting in about 2001. But more recent numbers show the two are trending closer together, as they have historically. This shift can be attributed to the homebuyer tax credits, which lifted home sales and residential construction in 2009 to 2010.
The Wisconsin Builders Association tells us its leadership is also pleased with some of the key housing items approved by the Wisconsin legislature:
- Regulatory reform. Limits on building code changes and other administrative rules.
- Tort reform. Limits on lawsuits, including caps on punitive damages and standard rules for screening evidence.
- Eliminated farmland conversion fee.
- Permanent freeze on property taxes.
- Elimination of prevailing wage on residential developments.
- Restoring commercial construction erosion control authority with the Division of Safety and Buildings.
We’ve been following the changes in OSHA regulations and providing updates on this blog. The most recent update is the OSHA announcement of a three-month phase-in period to allow residential construction companies to get into compliance with the new fall protection regulations. This phase-in period started June 16 and will continue through September 15.
Please continue to keep us updated on your projects by stopping in to our locations or visiting us online -- leave us a comment below or check out our Facebook page.
