Wisconsin Building Supply News & Marketplace

WBS Designer Receives National Honor at IBS

2012-02-22T12:11:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Dawn McIntosh, Sales and Design Specialist at Wisconsin Building Supply in Windsor. Dawn received the Women of the Future grant from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Merillat Cabinetry at the annual International Builders’ Show held Feb. 8–12 in Orlando.

Kimmi Houston, NAHB Professional Women in Building National Chair; Dawn McIntosh, WBS Sales and Design Specialist; Susan Cross, Masco (Merillat) Cabinetry Brand and Communications Manager

Dawn and her fellow grant recipients are members of the NAHB Professional Women in Building Council, a select group of inspiring women who share strategies and solutions to promote, enhance and support professional women in today’s home building industry.

This grant will help fund Dawn’s efforts to expand her skills and services for WBS customers. She is currently pursuing two designations: Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) and Certified Graduate Associate (CGA). Dawn says the ongoing education requirements to maintain these designations prove she’s made a long-term commitment to her career.

Dawn submitted an essay for the grant application and wrote, “I have made the choice to venture into a new career, and I am loving every moment of it!” She described “working hand-in-hand with builders on kitchen and bath design” and expressed her interest in attending the International Builders’ Show to “gain more knowledge on the materials I’m selling.”

Since Dawn was selected as a grant recipient, she was able to attend a number of classes at IBS, including Marketing and Communication Strategies for Aging and Accessibility, Design/Build Solutions for Aging and Accessibility, Color Forecast and Trends for 2012, Universal Design, 90 Trend Ideas, and Great Kitchens & Baths.

Dawn had this to say about her experience at IBS:

“I was honored to receive this award and the opportunity to attend the IBS to learn about all the new products that I am selling! The show format is very helpful for someone who wants to learn about a lot of different products. The sales professionals are very knowledgeable on their products and willing to share a lot of helpful information.”

Merillat and NAHB introduced the Women of the Future grant program more than a decade ago and have since honored more than 40 professional women in building.

Please join us in congratulating Dawn McIntosh on this prestigious honor. We’re excited for her expanding knowledge and talents to help us continue providing the best for our customers.

NAHB Professional Women in Building
'Women of the Future" grant recipients and presenters.

Introducing the Wisconsin Building Supply Marketplace

2012-02-20T19:57:00.001-06:00

The Wisconsin Building Supply blog is a reliable source for news and insight on the building industry, community involvement, customer events, safety updates and more. And now, we’re also providing an opportunity to pick up some great deals on our products.

We’re introducing the Wisconsin Building Supply Marketplace.

Our lumberyards will be offering up discounts on items in these categories:

Cabinets
Exterior Products
Hardware and Tools
Lumber and Building
Trim and Interior Doors
Windows and Exterior Doors

If you see an item you’d like to learn more about, contact the location selling it. Don’t be deterred if you want to buy a Marketplace item that’s on the other side of the state – we can transfer the purchased item to the WBS closest to you. Just remember, all sales are final. When an item is sold, we’ll do our best to take the post down right away.

You can scroll through our latest Marketplace additions on our website News Feed or on the homepage of this blog. If you’re interested in particular categories or locations, take a look at the right side of your screen. Click on one of the WBS Blog Options to bring up all the current posts in that category. And you can also use the search feature just below the WBS Blog Options list.

The news and insight you've come to expect will be labeled WBS News, and you'll find the most recent items on the right side of the screen.

The next time you stop in to your local WBS, let us know what you think of our updated WBS News & Marketplace!

Marketplace: Cabinet, $100

2012-02-14T09:47:00.000-06:00

Cabinet for sale, 30” wide x 24” deep x 36” high. New $550, asking $100.

Contact La Crosse Yard for purchase.

Everyone Welcome at 2012 Washington County Expo

2012-02-09T09:29:00.002-06:00

The Washington County Builders Association has a fresh look this year. With a new Board of Directors -- including Wisconsin Building Supply's Matt McCabe as Vice President -- the WCBA is launching a variety of new initiatives for its members. For example, exhibitors at the annual Home Building & Remodeling Expo will find a revamped layout.

The WCBA wants everyone to feel welcome at the 2012 Expo, which is February 23–25 at the Washington County Fair Park Pavilion. The family-oriented theme was designed to make it easy for parents to bring the kids!

Attractions such as Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Chester Marcol and the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum "Let's Play Railway" Engine are expected to draw many new faces to the event. Other scheduled activities for the kids include birdhouse building and face painting. Plus, a late-model race car will be on display.
That's all in addition to the opportunities to learn about products and services from WCBA Expo exhibitors and attend trade-related seminars from industry experts.

Visit the WCBA website for more information about the Home Building and Remodeling Expo and be sure to check out our Facebook Event!

Marketplace: Cherry Wall Cabinet, $99.00

2012-02-08T09:23:00.001-06:00

Cherry wall cabinet that would make a great boot bench by adding a toe kick and a countertop/cushion . The dimensions are 36” wide x 14” high x 24” deep. Ends are not finished, will need skins if ends will be exposed. Was $313.58, asking $99 OBO.

Contact La Crosse Yard for purchase.

Marketplace: Granite Vanity Top, $250

2012-02-07T14:54:00.001-06:00

Cultured marble/granite vanity top with a thick 1 ½” edge and undermount bowl. The left end is finished. Overall size is 52” x 22 ½” with the bowl centered 14 ½” from the left. Was $803.40, asking $250 OBO.

Contact La Crosse Yard for purchase.

Marketplace: W4236 Cabinets, $200

2012-02-07T14:34:00.000-06:00

W4236 (42” wide x 36” high x 12” deep) innatural maple. The door style is a full overlay contemporary/slab door. We havetwo of these. Customer returned; no damage, not installed. They will need skinsif ends will be exposed; currently ends are not finished.
Original price was$576.27 each, will sell for $200 OBO.

W4236

To purchase, contact La Crosse Yard.

Improving Housing Reports to Start 2012

2012-01-27T11:00:00.000-06:00

As we progress through one of the milder winters in history (so far, at least!) we continue to see signs of life within the housing market. Although the price of homes is continuing to be dragged down by the sale of foreclosed or distressed homes, the need for homes is starting to climb back. Within Wisconsin we see positive growth in multifamily and commercial projects, as well as more winter activity from our single-family builders.

Regionally, December housing starts rose 54.8 percent in the Midwest, following a decline in November. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is also happy to report an increase in nationwide production of new single-family homes for the third month in a row.

With those numbers, we’re starting to get a more complete picture of last year’s housing market compared to the year before. The total of housing starts for 2011 shows an increase of nearly 4 percent. The number of multifamily starts increased 54 percent from 2010. While single-family starts were down overall, we’re encouraged by improvement in the past few months.

The Random Lengths Oriented Strand Board Composite is inching up, and the latest report shows pricing nearly the same as this time last year. In the North Central region, prices of 7/16” OSB are also edging upward.

Many of us are preparing for expos and other association events across Wisconsin. Keep an eye on the Wisconsin Building Supply Facebook page to find out where we’ll be. And as always, we’d like to stay up-to-date on your projects and community involvement, so let us know how you’re doing!

Winter Building Event Highlights in Wisconsin

2012-01-19T12:14:00.002-06:00

We like to keep you updated on opportunities to learn, network and generate leads! Keep an eye on our Facebook Events page to find out what’s coming up across Wisconsin.

Here are some events we’d like to highlight as we begin 2012:

Visit our booth at the Home Expo!

Look for Wisconsin Building Supply at the Brown County Home Builders Association’s Home Expo January 19–22. The KI Convention Center in Downtown Green Bay will host more than 100 professionals in homebuilding and remodeling. Make sure your customers check out the how-to demonstrations and seminars throughout the weekend.
Home Expo attendees will be able to get some great ideas from exhibitors, and then use their Expo tickets to see completed projects the following weekend. The Tour of Remodeled Homes, January 28–29, will feature 13 recently completed remodeling projects. Homes will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Click here to visit the BCHBA website for details about both events. You can also direct your customers to this site for a $1 discount coupon.

The Valley Home Builders Association’s Winter Wonderland of Homes is February 18–19 and 23–26. The public will be able to tour 35 newly constructed homes throughout the Fox Cities. Wisconsin Building Supply’s Appleton location will sell discounted tickets February 13–17. Visit the Winter Wonderland of Homes website and watch our Facebook page for more details.

Wisconsin Building Supply is proud to return as a sponsor of the Wisconsin Builders Conference at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells. This year’s conference is February 22–24.

The Wisconsin Builders Association lists some great reasons to attend:

Earn CEU credits at seminars by industry leaders on business and building.
Network with fellow builders, associates and make new connections. It's open to all industry professionals!
Jumpstart your year with new business tools to remain competitive.
Meet industry experts and see innovative products at the Vendor Showcase.
Award winners will be announced Thursday night at the President's Recognition evening.

Click here to visit the WBA website for complete details and registration information. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the WBS hospitality suite!

Let us know about your upcoming events! Contact your local Wisconsin Building Supply location or write on our Facebook wall.

Looking Ahead to 2012, Housing News, Dura Supreme Deals

2011-12-19T17:16:00.001-06:00

Happy Holidays! As we near the end of 2011, we would like to take the time to thank all of you for your business and the opportunity to work with you and your customers.

Industry Outlook
We are often asked for our thoughts on what the future holds within our industry. It’s important to remember that our industry is most impacted by local events and not national issues. In real estate, appreciation in the California market does not indicate the same will be true for Detroit. It’s the same for construction – just because Florida is soft doesn’t mean Milwaukee is. As for Wisconsin in 2012, we see pockets of growth. We expect new shipbuilding contracts to impact Marinette for the better. However, this is expected to have little or no impact in La Crosse. Fundamentally, good news does seem to be slowly returning to our markets. Continue reading and you’ll learn multifamily continues to show improvement and builder confidence is climbing.

Looking Ahead to 2012
At Wisconsin Building Supply, we are working on several significant initiatives to improve our ability to support you and your business. We will be introducing new products and vendors in 2012, as well as improving and expanding our website and technical resources. We will also commit to providing faster, more accurate estimates. These initiatives are designed to improve our ability to serve you, as you serve your customers.

Multi-Family Production Continues
As we’ve seen in Wisconsin, multi-family housing is a bright spot in the broader U.S. housing market. New households tend to become renters, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) believes this trend is likely to continue until consumers’ confidence returns. In the third quarter of 2011, NAHB’s Multifamily Production Index (MPI) improved for the fifth consecutive quarter. The MPI measures construction in low-rent apartments, market-rate rental apartments and “for-sale” units, or condominiums.

Single-Family Housing Shows Improvement
The cost of lumber materials for a typical two-story house is up 1.80% from last month. Nationwide, there have been some more signs of improvement. For example, builder confidence tracked by the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index climbed six points over the past two months to a reading of 20 in November. A reading of 50 indicates a balanced market. New single-family home sales have been up for two consecutive months, and single-family starts rose by a solid 3.9% in October after declines for three months in a row.

U.S. Lumber Exports Surge
The volume of softwood lumber available to the U.S. market was up 4.1% through three quarters of 2011, thanks to domestic gains in output that offset declines in imports. Random Lengths reports that nearly 26 billion board feet (bbf) of lumber was available to the market – the highest for the nine-month period since 2008. U.S. lumber production totaled 20.339 bbf through the period, a gain of 8.8%. Total U.S. imports, at 6.759 bbf, represented a 5.1% decline, while U.S. exports surged 29.3%, to 1.148 bbf.

Featured Product and Promotion: Dura Supreme
Minnesota-based Dura Supreme cabinetry has established a tradition of craftsmanship and service that is supported by a lifetime warranty. Of Dura Supreme’s three cabinetry product lines, our WBS kitchen designers use Crestwood most often. That’s because they can create their own designs with cost-effective construction and consistent quality. Our WBS design centers are offering special prices on your Dura Supreme orders, including NO UPCHARGE on premium woods and NO CUT-DOWN CHARGES. You can get these savings through January 15, 2012.

Get Some Attention in 2012!
How about a win-win New Year’s resolution? Show off your projects, business news and community involvement through Wisconsin Building Supply. We’re eager to share customer updates and photos on the web. Click here to contact WBS, or check us out on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

As your local provider of building materials we look forward to working with you to create a prosperous 2012 for all of us. Thank you again for your business.

November News: Multifamily Growth, Confidence Boost, Faulty Appraisals

2011-11-11T15:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome Lyman Lumber

Wisconsin Building Supply is pleased to welcome a new member to the family. On October 28, 2011, Lyman Lumber joined the USLBM family of companies and adds to the continued growth of our organization. Lyman Lumber has been in business for 114 years and has facilities in Eau Claire, as well as the Twin Cities in Minnesota.

Market Updates
We’re always keeping our eyes on the markets, and our numbers show the cost of lumber materials for a typical two-story house is down 0.41% from this time last year. According to Random Lengths, U.S. lumber production as of August is up 8.5% from the same period of 2010 – that’s a total of 18.008 billion board feet for the first two-thirds of this year. Nationwide, August production totaled 2.301 billion board feet, up 7.3% from August 2010 and 3.1% higher than the July 2011 total. Prices for 7/16” OSB are holding steady at levels slightly higher than one year ago, and sales are in step with production for the most part.

Multifamily Growth Continues
Multifamily builds are continuing to push U.S. housing starts. The Census Bureau reports that in September, the multifamily rate surged 51.3% to its highest level since October 2008, while the rate of single-family starts rose by 1.7%. Analysts say these gains are due to the rising demand for apartments and condominiums as more Americans look at renting.

Boost in Builder Confidence
The National Association of Home Builders says builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes has had the largest one-month gain its index has seen since the home buyer tax credit program helped spur the market in April of 2010.

“This latest boost in builder confidence is a good sign that some pockets of recovery are starting to emerge across the country as extremely favorable interest rates and prices catch consumers’ attention,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

Crowe also points out that builders still aren’t giving market conditions a good rating: “One reason is that builders are facing downward pricing pressures from foreclosed homes at the same time that building materials costs are rising, and this is further squeezing already tight margins.”

Fighting Faulty Appraisals
Another recent focus is faulty appraisal practices that hurt builders who are already facing declining home prices, rising foreclosures and plunging new-home sales. The NAHB says builders’ houses are too often appraised at less than the cost of construction.

“This is not only unfair and unreasonable, but it perpetuates the cycle of declining home values, drives more home owners underwater, negatively affects housing demand and acts as an obstacle to the recovery of the housing market,” NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen said.

Last month, the NAHB held its fourth appraisal summit with representatives of federal banking regulators, the appraisal industry, the housing finance industry, real estate and residential construction. To learn more, visit the NAHB Appraisal Issues Page.

Featured Product:
We’re continuing our monthly series of featured products with Andersen 100 Series Windows. Whether you’re replacing, remodeling or building, you can bring Andersen beauty, craftsmanship and time-tested performance into a home for less than you may expect. Andersen 100 Series windows are made with Fibrex® composite material, which allows Andersen to offer an uncommon value that’s environmentally responsible and energy efficient. Watch our Facebook and Twitter posts to learn more, or contact your local Wisconsin Building Supply to get a closer look.

Spreading the Word

We’d be glad to shine our social media spotlight on your projects and activities with photos and updates. We’re also adding more Facebook Events, such as the House of the Future Preview Party in Mount Horeb on November 16. Keep us in the loop, and we’ll spread the word!

WBS Kitchen Remodel: A Place For Everything, and Everything in its Place

2011-10-20T15:13:00.000-05:00

A seasoned veteran of the kitchen and bath industry, Lori Engelhart began her career in 1986 and earned her accreditation with the National Kitchen & Bath Association in 1996. Lori enjoys creating beautiful dream kitchens that are also truly functional. Striving daily to exceed her clients’ expectations with outstanding design and service has earned her many repeat customers and referrals.

My client’s kitchen was only ten years old, but the cabinet doors were falling off the hinges. The kitchen was dark -- even on sunny days -- as there was a wall separating the four-season sunroom and the great room. The homeowner wanted to open up the area to create open living space. By doing so, the dining room table would be moved out to the four-season room. The kitchen would be expanded with a large island at bar height to hide the kitchen area. She wanted to add large appliances and more counter space, since she enjoys cooking and baking. With two children in middle school and sports and her own volunteering, she also needed a place to house the calendar (her "family Bible"), her cell phone and purse -- all out of sight, but not out of mind.

The family consists of the father, mother and two children. Since the father is a doctor and does not have a 9-to-5 day, they wanted a warming drawer to keep his dinner warm until he made it home. They are also very active (running, biking, boating), so they wanted an ice maker to avoid buying bagged ice every time they went out on the boat. They also requested instant hot and cold water and a beverage area out of the work triangle. I achieved their needs with:

A small sink between the refrigerator and ovens and a hutch above. The sink has an instant hot and cold water tap, as well as a standard faucet.
An ice maker to the right of the sink with a door on it to conceal the look.
A Sub-Zero drawer refrigerator in the island with paneled drawer fronts to conceal the appliance.

The homeowners are 6’2” and 5’2”, so another challenge was to get storage and accessibility for both. I achieved this by:

Lowering the wall cabinets to 16 1/4” above the counter. This allowed for the 14” high mixer to be stored in the appliance garage but made the upper cabinets more accessible to the bottom two shelves in the wall cabinets.
Moving the microwave from above the stove into the island using Wolf’s drawer microwave.
Adding a tall pull-out pantry to keep the storage of the homeowner’s spices close at hand.

Because they wanted as much cabinet space as possible, Holiday Kitchens’ Robin Wilson Home (RWH) custom cabinetry frameless line was selected for this project.

Perimeter selections were Georgian door style, along with 3” stiles and rails in cameo with mocha glaze. This makes the space appear brighter and look larger.
The islands and hutch cabinetry selections are Embassy door-style, with splits and wormholes in a custom color on maple. A glaze anchors them in the room and ties in with the wood flooring.

Ultimate Goal Achieved
We opened the wall up, and kept the traditional look the homeowner wanted by using a large beam and pillars. The original floor in the kitchen was refinished and the hickory was extended into the great room area for continuity. I took out the lowered seating around the island and made it one big work surface, putting cabinets back to back and finishing with wainscot end panels. But rather than having a standard 1 ½” overhang on the center island tops, we created additional interest by repeating the radius on the ends as on the raised bar top. Since we used the cameo-painted cabinets with glaze on the perimeter and went with darker accent cabinets for the island, the space seemed larger thanks to the tie-in to the darker colors in the hickory floor.

In order to stay organized, “Mom” needed a place for a calendar to record all the family members' activities. I designed a raised counter where the top drawer houses her calendar. This allows a comfortable standing position. This area also holds her purse and cell phone when she arrives at home – a spot out of the way of food prep, but easily accessible. The family needed a place for the computer, so we placed a small desk in the corner of the four-season room, using entertainment hardware to conceal it when not in use. There are also cubbies for envelopes, stapler, etc. behind the right side door.

Finally – A place for everything and everything in its place.

Watching a design come to life—and seeing the smiles on my clients’ faces—is one of my greatest rewards!

- Lori Engelhart, CKD – Wisconsin Building Supply, La Crosse

This post originally appeared on the Holiday Kitchens blog.

Additional products featured in this kitchen project:
Flooring: Natural hickory
Countertops/Vanity Tops: Golden beach granite
Sinks: Elkay ELGULB3322 
Faucets: Delta 980T-RB
Instant hot/cold faucet: Insink Erator Indulge™ Contemporary (F-HC1100)
Dishwasher: Bosch stainless steel
Cooktop: Wolf SRT364C-LP
Refrigerator: Sub-Zero BI-48S/S/TH
Beverage refrigerator: 700BR refg in island (with matching wood panels) 
Oven: Wolf DO30U/S 
Wolf MWD24 microwave drawer 
Wolf warming drawer WWD30 (with matching wood panels)
Uline ice maker BI2115B (with matching wood panels)

October Updates: Material Costs, OSHA Guidance, Featured Products

2011-10-10T12:57:00.000-05:00

The weather this month in Wisconsin sure hasn’tseemed like autumn -- and we’ll take as many good building days as we can get!The backlog of business with our customers appears to be a little strongercompared to this time last year. Roofing sales continue to be brisk across the state, mainly due to thestorm damage over the past year.

The cost of lumber materials for a typicaltwo-story house is up 4.32% from this time last year, although current pricesare 2.1% below the YTD average and 3.7% below the 2010 average prices. In fact,the Commerce Department reports U.S. construction spending rose 1.4% in August,estimatedat a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $799.1 billion. That’s 1.4% higher thanthe revised July estimate and 0.9% higher than the August 2010 figure.

Wealso have updates on OSHA’s new fall protection requirements -- there is new compliance assistance for builders. The NAHB says thisincludes:

OSHA’s Compliance Assistance Specialists (CAS) will givethe highest priority to on-site consultation project requests involvingresidential fall protection.
If an inspection finds that employers are following theold directive instead of the new one, a citation will likely be issued butOSHA’s area directors may reduce the penalty by as much as 10% if there isevidence of a good faith effort to comply.
Area directors will give residential constructionemployers at least 30 days to correct fall protection violations identifiedunder the new fall protection directive. During this time, if employers are foundnot to be in compliance at that site or another site, no additional citationsor repeat citations will be issued.

In addition, OSHA’s regional offices will review all theproposed fall protection citations that are issued to ensure that theregulation is being enforced consistently. These additional measures went intoeffect on Sept. 22 and will expire on March 15.

OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) justreleased new guidance for residential homebuilders and constructioncontractors, subcontractors, and supervisors to prevent nail gun injuries. The guide outlines types of triggers, describeskey terms, highlights what is known about nail gun injuries, discusses commoncauses of nail gun injuries and gives practical steps you can take to preventthese injuries. Click here to read Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors.

We’refeaturing Weyerhaeuser’s Trus Joist brand of engineered lumber products on social media this month. You may haveknown Weyerhaeuser’s wood product as iLevel,but the company recently adjusted its name in order to simplify customercontacts. The “iLevel by Weyerhaeuser” businesswill simply be known as “Weyerhaeuser.” Trus Joist developedwooden I-joists over 40 years ago, and since then Weyerhaeuser has continuallyimproved their quality and made them easier to work with. Engineered to providestrength and consistency, TJI joists are a key part of the Trus Joist Floor Systemusing TJ-Pro Ratings to help ensure high customer satisfaction and quality.

Stayingup-to-date on your projects and community involvement is important to us, soplease keep us updated. We’re glad to feature your work on our website andsocial media. Contact your local Wisconsin Building Supply representative or leave us a comment on this post.

Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors

2011-09-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) just released new guidance for residential home builders and construction contractors, subcontractors, and supervisors to prevent nail gun injuries.

Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors outlines types of triggers, describes key terms, highlights what is known about nail gun injuries, discusses common causes of nail gun injuries and gives six practical steps you can take to prevent these injuries:

Use full sequential trigger nail guns
Provide training
Establish nail gun work procedures
Provide personal protective equipment (PPE)
Encourage reporting and discussion of injuries and close calls
Provide first aid and medical treatment.

Click here for a PDF version of Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors.

Fall Showcase of New Homes Highlights WBS Customers

2011-09-16T10:27:00.000-05:00

TheBrown County Home Builders Association’s Fall Showcase of New Homes begins this weekend -- September 17-18, 22-25. Wisconsin Building Supply isproud to work with a number of the area builders opening their completed homesto the public. Our customers in the event are listed below, with their Showcaseentry numbers. Click the builder links to learn more about each home.

3. Bay Lakes Builders & Development

3546Brookside Drive, Pittsfield, 54162

WBSMaterials: Lumber, Trusses, Shingles, Siding & Soffit, Interior Doors.

7. Ronald J. Sinclair Const., LLC

1164Herne Bay Way, Howard, 54313

WBSMaterials: Lumber,Siding, Roofing, Interior Doors, Exterior Doors, Windows.

14. Smart Custom Homes

1433Silverado Trail, Ashwaubenon, 54115

WBSMaterials: Lumber, Siding, Roofing, Interior Doors, Exterior Doors, Windows.

16. Integrity Home Builders, Inc.

997Daffodil Drive Ashwaubenon, 54115

WBSMaterials: Lumber, Trusses, Shingles, Windows & Exterior Doors, Siding& Soffit, Drywall, Interior Doors.

22. Gmack Development, Inc.

1406Bingham Drive, Ledgeview, 54115

WBSMaterials: Lumber, Siding, Roofing, Windows.

23. Detrie Construction, Inc.
2472 Reginald Hill, Ledgeview, 54115
WBSMaterials: Lumber, Trusses, Shingles, Drywall.

27. Gmack Development, Inc.
2118 Ridge Haven Court, Ledgeview, 54115

28. M. Gerhard Construction, Inc.
608 Marble Rock Circle, Ledgeview, 54115
WBS Materials: Lumber,Siding, Roofing, Windows.

29. PortSide Builders, Inc.
6792 Denor Drive, Morrison, 54208

31. LeMense Quality Homes, Inc.
415 Hidden Hollow Court, Denmark, 54208
WBSMaterials: Lumber, Trusses, Shingles, Exterior Doors, Siding & Soffit,Drywall.

35. LeMense Quality Homes, Inc.
3708 Hoosier Way, Green Bay, 54311
WBS Materials: Lumber,Trusses, Shingles, Exterior Doors, Siding & Soffit, Drywall.

39. Hurrish Homes & Development

4047Snake Island Road, Nasewaupee (Sturgeon Bay), 54235

WBSMaterials: Lumber, Shingles, Windows & Exterior Doors, Siding & Soffit,Drywall.

Visit the BCHBA Fall Showcase of New Homes website for details on tickets, hours and directions.

Autumn is Arriving at Wisconsin Building Supply

2011-09-12T11:08:00.004-05:00

Labor Day weekend has comeand gone, and it’s football season once again! Autumn is arriving in Wisconsin,which means the push is on to complete projects before the inevitable winterweather.

The cost of lumber materialsfor a typical two-story house has dipped slightly from last month, but thecurrent amount is up compared to this time period in 2010 and 2009. UnitedStates softwood lumber exports offshore soared to the highest first-half volumein more than a decade, according to a recent Random Lengths report. That’s 488million board feet in the first half, up 77% from the first six months of 2010.China is still the largest export market for U.S. lumber by a sizeable margin,and Canadian exports to China are growing significantly.

We’re all aware of thedismal status of many economic and housing reports recently. But the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has justreleased a new monthly economic indicator -- the NAHB/FirstAmerican Improving Markets Index (IMI) -- designed to track housingmarkets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economichealth.

“By examining key indicators of homeprices, employment and housing permits data, we are using a comprehensive, butconservative method in determining which markets are improving,” said NAHBChief Economist David Crowe. “Last year at this time, there was not a singlemarket that showed improvement using these criteria, and now we can point to 12examples of growth.”

Click here to see the first metro areas to make the list.

We also want to make youaware that the Wisconsin Builders Association is seekingnominations for major awards:

Builder of theYear
Associate of theYear
Hall of Fame
Rising Star

Nomination forms areavailable on the WBA website and are due September 30, 2011. For questions on these awards, please contact KathyJohnsen at (608) 242-5151, ext. 12, or kjohnsen@wisbuild.org.

Pleasecontinue to keep us updated on your projects and community involvement, as welike to share photos and information on our website and social media sites. Thank you for your businessand continued support!

WBS Employee Recognized By Fox Valley Technical College

2011-08-30T15:38:00.000-05:00

Wisconsin Building Supply employee Paul Schneckenberg was recognized as the Construction Partner of the Year for Fox Valley Technical College’s Residential Construction Program. Paul received the award on behalf of WBS for his outstanding dedication to working with FVTC throughout the years.

In working with the Residential Construction Program, Paul coordinates product selection and delivery and takes care of sales and service issues.

Paul has been with WBS for 16 years and works in Contractor and Retail Sales at our Appleton location.

Here are some photos of the awards ceremony, which was held on August 2nd at a home built by the FVTC Residential Construction Program.

FVTC President, Susan May; Paul Schneckenberg; Homeowner Cheryl Pawlosky

Paul Schneckenberg and FVTC Instructor Bill Tuchscherer

Students from 2010-2011 FVTC Residential Construction Program

WBS Customer Takes the "Ultimate Lambeau Leap"

2011-08-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

On August 3, 2011, Wisconsin Building Supply customer Ben Brunette had a unique opportunity -- to rappel 140 feet down the wall of legendary Lambeau Field!

The Ultimate Lambeau Leap, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Wisconsin, gave participants this once in a lifetime, bucket-list experience. Brunette, a longtime supporter of Special Olympics Wisconsin, was invited to participate by event organizers given his family's dedication and commitment to another of their fundraising events -- the Green Bay Polar Plunge.

Our very own Green Bay-market Outside Sales Representative, Jeff Wescott, was also involved in The Ultimate Lambeau Leap, donating his time to help plan and implement the event. Wescott is a registered Class A volunteer with the organization, a member of the Development Management Team and is "a crucial component of the local program," according to Regional Director Kathy Walker.

Wisconsin Building Supply was happy to donate supplies to the event, including OSB used to prevent slips on the roof.

Watch the video of Brunette's rappel here:

Congratulations Ben Brunette on this amazing opportunity! And kudos to Jeff Wescott for his involvement in the community.

August Lumber Market Updates

2011-08-08T15:07:00.001-05:00

For Wisconsin Building Supply, June was followed by an equally strong July. It seems like summer has only just arrived, so it’s hard to believe the push will soon be on to get projects started before a change in the weather! Fall should also be strong due to the lackluster first-quarter performance.

Large custom, multifamily and starter homes are the drivers in the market, and the soft spot is still the mid-priced home. In fact, the National Association of Home Builders says there were significant gains in both the single-family and multifamily segments in June. Nationwide housing starts rose 14.6 percent, according to figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department in mid-July.

The cost of lumber materials for a typical two-story house is nearly identical to this time last year, and is slightly higher than last month. According to Random Lengths, July’s lumber sales were better than expected, particularly in the middle of the month. Prices were up and down, but predominantly trending upward; the Framing Lumber Composite Price has shown strength over the last few weeks with OSB leading the way. Thin inventory levels at both distribution and pro dealer levels has forced some lumber lards to reevaluate their current level of inventory and make sure they have enough product to account for the increase of business.

As always, please keep us updated on your work projects and community events. We’re glad to feature our customers on our website and social media sites! We’ll also be sharing a “featured product” every month, starting with Georgia-Pacific Vinyl Siding in August. Let us know if you have suggestions for products you’d like to learn more about going forward.

July Industry Updates from Wisconsin Building Supply

2011-07-11T13:27:00.000-05:00

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.

Please Take Our Customer Survey

2011-06-30T09:43:00.000-05:00

We want to know how we can serve you better at Wisconsin Building Supply.

Please take a few minutes to complete our online customer survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HXNWQNF

We appreciate your input!

Summer Cookouts at Wisconsin Building Supply

2011-06-22T09:46:00.010-05:00

Great food and a look at the latest products -- you'll get both at your local Wisconsin Building Supply this summer. We're proud to welcome our builder customers for summer cookouts.

Firing up the grill at a recent cookout at WBS in La Crosse.

This list will be updated as we adjust dates and sponsors.
List updated: 6/23/11

Here are some dates (and sponsors when available) of our cookouts, listed by location:

Appleton:

Thursday, July 14
Thursday, August 11
Thursday, September 8
Thursday, October 13

La Crosse:

Friday, June 24 -- I-Level
Friday, July 8 -- Lake States Lumber
Friday, July 29 -- Atlas
Friday, August 12 -- Western/Andersen
Friday, August 26 -- Marvin
Thursday, September 15 -- Cabinet Showroom
Friday, September 30 -- Biewer Lumber

Marinette:

Thursday, July 21 -- Blue Linx-Vinyl Siding

Plover:

Thursday, June 23 -- Georgia Pacific Siding
Thursday, July 7 -- Lake States & CP Supply

Update: Phase-In for OSHA Fall Protection Regulations

2011-06-14T12:24:00.002-05:00

We have an update to our previous post, Fall Protection: Understanding OSHA Regulations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced 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 will be June 16 through September 15, 2011.

osha.gov

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels said, "We want to make sure that the residential construction industry has every opportunity to successfully come into compliance with the new directive. I am confident that this phase-in period will provide employers the additional time and flexibility they need to alter their work practices in accordance with the requirements of the new directive." 

As a part of the announcement, OSHA officials said employers in full compliance with the old directive during the phase-in period will not be issued citations by OSHA. Instead, OSHA will issue a hazard letter explaining what the employer must do to comply with the new fall protection regulations. OSHA will issue citations if the employer is not meeting the requirements in the old directive. The Area Office will also issue citations if the employer does not implement the measures in the hazard letter, and the violations are still present during a follow-up inspection.

This change is in response to a meeting between OSHA and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) leaders earlier this month.

NAHB has a variety of resources to help you comply with the fall protection guidelines.

OSHA is also encouraging employers to take advantage of its free on-site consultation program. You’ll also find the new directive, Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction (STD 03-11-002), a detailed description of the phase-in policy, a presentation and other guidance materials about requirements for protecting workers from falls at the OSHA Fall Protection website.

June Lumber and Housing Updates

2011-06-13T12:28:00.000-05:00

Wisconsin Building Supply is ready for summer and excited for all the projects our customers have in the works.

The lumber market has been active but varied, according to Random Lengths. The Framing Lumber Composite Price has been rising modestly. Quotes on Oriented Strand Board (OSB) are edging up, and Random Lengths reports demand for oversized panels has been especially brisk in the North Central Region.

We’re also looking at the latest housing statistics. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies just released its annual study, The State of the Nation’s Housing 2011. Some news isn’t surprising -- total housing construction was down and new home sales continued to drop. Home ownership rates may be down, but if they hold at 2010 levels, the study shows projected household growth would increase the number of homeowners by 8.2 million within this decade.

The housing study says homeowners are also optimistic about owning their homes. It references the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey that shows:

65 percent of homeowners say now is a good time to buy a house.
62 percent believe owning a home is a safe investment.
57 percent view homeownership as an investment with a lot of potential.

Demographic trends show an impending rebound in household growth before 2020. “The Joint Center estimates that with the immigration at half of the Census Bureau’s projected level, overall household growth, coupled with the need to replace existing homes and the demand for second homes, amounts to baseline demand for 16 million additional housing units in 2010-2020.”

At Wisconsin Building Supply, we appreciate your business and want to continue serving your needs. Please click here to take a brief survey and let us know how we’re doing.

Safe and Successful Delivery from Sussex Lumber Yard

2011-05-23T13:02:00.001-05:00

Wisconsin Building Supply knows safety is paramount in the construction industry. Our series of entries, Understanding OSHA Regulations, provides resources explaining rules and guidelines meant to keep everyone safe on the job site. A crew from our Sussex lumber yard put those regulations into action last week during a unique delivery.

The Grafton Hotel building is 150 years old, and the owner plans to maintain its historic look while renovating the structure into a twenty-unit apartment building. There will be an addition on the back of the building. Before work on that new section can begin, Wisconsin Building Supply has to deliver the materials for the main building’s renovation.

Wisconsin Building Supply used a boom truck to deliver lumber to the upper floors of the hotel building. Workers took all the necessary precautions, including:

Setting up caution tape and cones to block the area
Wearing hard hats
Using harnesses for fall protection

Wisconsin Building Supply will continue to keep safety in mind as crews deliver more materials for the project, including windows, doors and millwork.

You can see more pictures from the lumber delivery on the Wisconsin Building Supply Facebook page.