Onalaska Life - Thisjustin -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 1/1/2006
Last Visited: 11/8/2006
People can build a more affordable home today than a year ago, said Jim Belanger, president of Tuscany Custom Homes in DeForest.
Raw lumber used in housing construction is probably one- third less expensive than this time last year, he said.
The material costs for lumber should decrease the cost of an average home between ,5,000 and ,10,000, Belanger said.However, increasing costs for copper and petroleum-based products, such as electrical and roofing materials, over the last year can balance out that savings, he said.
Now is a good time to build a new home because it's only going to get more expensive when lumber prices pick back up, he said.
Butch Hensen, owner of Hensen Builders in Waunakee, said his company has seen raw lumber prices decrease 10 to 12 percent.
This is a big saving because lumber is a major expense in homebuilding, he said.