Waukesha County Home

APRIL 2018 HOME 7 Photo courtesy of Victory Companies Inc. This spacious Hartland living room, designed by Victory Companies Inc., is one style in demand for newly built homes. Natural disasters including hurricanes and wildfires have driven up lumber costs, and a trade war has caused the price of steel to increase. "It's very difficult to build anything under $400,000 in Waukesha County," Bel- man said. Stoker's companies build homes within a 60-mile radius of downtown Milwaukee, with more than half the homes built in Waukesha County. Average home prices range from $550,000 to $650,000. Many custom-built houses are large, about 2,500 square feet. Four bed- rooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and finished base- ments are typical of these homes. To have a more affordable home built, a client has to consider areas north of Waukesha County, where land tends to be cheaper, Stoker said. Popular home styles include the "rustic" look, with interior features such as light countertops and woodwork and wide-plank floors. Stoker noted that black stainless- steel appliances are popular, as finger- prints don't show up on them. Luxury vinyl tile and luxury vinyl plank for flooring are also in demand, as the materials are easier to care for than hard- wood floors and warmer on the feet than ceramic tile. "It's storming the market right now," he said. Belman said many people request their home be equipped with features that can be controlled remotely with smartphones, such as thermostats and garage door open- ers. Skilled labor a hurdle Belman and Stoker agree that a lack of skilled labor is a major hurdle home builders face. Many workers in carpentry and other skilled trades left the field during the Great Recession of 2008 to take day jobs that offered more stability. Stoker feels teaching students that a trade can be a viable profession can help ease the labor shortage. However, many high schools fail to promote trade pro- grams as alternatives to four-year colleges. If he had the manpower, he could build significantly more homes, he said. "We are in a tough position. I think this is going to be an ongoing problem for the next 10 years," said Stoker. However, builders are implementing cre- ative solutions to the labor shortage, such as having pre-made walls delivered and installed. Stoker said despite the lack of skilled workers, business is good. "The overall mood for builders is upbeat," he said. WAUKESHA — The Metropolitan Builders Association 2018 Spring Tour, presented by The Builders Realty, will run three consecutive weekends this spring: April 21 to May 6, with projects open from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. This free regional-site tour will feature 56 model homes and three condominiums, and one featured subdivision. The MBA Spring Tour is the only extended open house of its type in Wis- consin. It kicks off the building season and connects consumers with the area's leading residential building contractors. The three-weekend event draws thousands of visitors from all over the state. "The Spring Tour offers a unique oppor- tunity to view a variety of projects and help consumers begin planning for the home of their dreams," MBA President Jonathan Synovic said. "It inspires people who are thinking about building or remodeling — gives them ideas for their home and connects them to the right com- pany for their project." Collectively, the MBA Spring Tour sites will showcase a wide array of home build- ing trends, including the latest concepts in floor plans, energy-efficient products, fix- tures and appliances, structured wiring, home automation, security systems, and interior design. Projects are scattered throughout Waukesha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Wash- ington, Racine and Walworth counties. The featured subdivision is the Windrush Subdivision on Highway K (Lis- bon Road) and Windrush Boulevard in Hartland, just east of Highway KE (Jung- bluth Road), a Siepmann Realty Corp. development. A complete list of projects and map is available online at MBASpringTour.com. The MBA Parade of Homes, featuring 22 brand-new homes in three subdivisions will take place Aug. 11 through Sept. 3. Those subdivisions are Lilly Crossing in Brookfield, Lake Country Village in Sum- mit and Hidden Hills in Sussex. Watch for details as that event nears. Continued from Page 1 New homes: Business is good, despite some obstacles MBA to host annual Spring Tour Regional open house begins three-weekend run April 21

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