Check out the new Enercept Website at www.enercept.com

Please visit us at the Valley Home Builders Assoication Home Expo located at Players Choice of the Fox Cities W3035 Edgewood Tr. Appleton, WI.

Friday March 9: 4-8pm

Saturday March 10: 10am-6pm

Sunday March 11: 10am-4pm

We will be displaying Energy Effiecient Enercept SIPS and TF Systems ICF’s.

There are some changes to the EPA Lead Paint Repair and Renovation Program rules that apply to pre-1978 homes.
1. No mandatory third-party testing
The EPA agreed not to require third-party testing on projects, this has significantly benifited the homeowner costwise.
2. Online training as an option
This gives contractors more training options.
3. More testing options
There is a lack of easy to use testing options. This gives contractors the option to collect the paint chips and send them to a third party lab as an alternative.
4. Further definition to containment rules
The rule now clarifies what efforts contractors need to take in windy conditions to contain paint dust and chips.
5. New requirements for states
The states have to set a maximum fine at $5,000 per violation and they have to provide procedures and requirements for how accredited contractors can perform on the job training.

Milbach Construction Services, Co. will be having an open house from noon to 1pm Friday June 17, Saturday June 18 and Sunday June 19.
Please call 920-993-0735 to setup a walk thru of the Trend Home located at 104 Moore St. Ogdensburg, WI.

Stop and visit our booth at the 22nd Annual Energy Fair in Custer, WI after going thru the open house in Ogdenburg.

Please come see our booth at the WBAY-TV Home & Garden Show.
Thursday March 17 4pm-8pm
Friday March 18 Noon-8pm
Saturday March 19 10am-8pm
Sunday March 20 10am-4pm
Admission Prices Adults $8
Children (17 and under) Free
62 and over $7
Thursday recieve free admission with a canned pet food item or cash donation to the Bay Area Humane Society.

Join us at the Lake Home & Cabin Show
January 28-30, 2011
At the Alliant Energy Center Madison, WI.
Show hours: Friday Jan. 28 2pm-8pm
Saturday Jan. 29 10am-7pm
Sunday Jan. 30 10am-4pm
Go to lakehomecabinshow.com for a $2.00 discount on admission.

We will be featuring Enercept SIPS panels and TF Systems ICF panels.

This years show will be featuring “Live Bat Encounter” with Rob Mies
and Cabin Time Grilling Zone with Chef Patrick Moore.

Hope to see you there.

We have moved into our new location.

2651 Northridge Drive

Kaukauna, WI 54130

Beginning July 1, 2009 building contractor businesses in Wisconsin need to be registered with the Wisconsin State Department of Commerce.

“Comm 5.30 Building contractor. (1) GENERAL. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), no person or entity may engage in the construction business or offer to engage in the construction business that affects public buildings, places of employment and one- and 2- family dwellings, public swimming pools, and water attractions unless the person or entity holds a registration issued by the department as a registered building contractor.

Milbach construction Services, Co. is a Registered Building Contractor with the State of Wisconsin and requires all subcontractors that they work with be registered as required by the State of Wisconisn.

To veiw all the registered building contractors for the State of Wisconsin go to http://commerce.wi.gov/SB/SB-BuildingContractorProgram.html

SIPS Appraisals

A peer-reviewed study published in The Appraisal Journal shows that homebuyers are willing to pay substantially more for energy-efficient homes.  This study, titled “Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency,” concludes that people are willing to fully pay for the monthly fuel savings of energy efficient homes with higher monthly mortgage payments” which translate into higher home values.  Thus, homebuilders and homeowners who invest in energy efficiency can expect to recover the market value of their energy efficiency investments when they sell their homes.

The ICF study reviews published research on energy efficiency and home values, and presents an extensive statistical analysis of American Housing Survey (AHS) data.  The published research shows that market values for energy efficient homes appear to reflect a rational trade-off between homebuyers’ fuel savings and their after-tax mortgage interest costs.  The ICF statistical analysis explicitly tests this “rational market hypothesis” against National AHS data for 1991, 1993, and 1995, and metropolitan statistical area data for 1992 through 1996.  Both of these distinct AHS samples provide data on home characteristics (including home value, number of rooms, square feet, lot size and utility bills) as reported by homeowners in lengthy interviews with the Census Bureau.   The study presents separate statistical for each year, for detached and attached homes, and for detached housing with different heating fuels (gas, electric, or fuel oil).

These statistical results support the conclusion ”That home value increases by $20.00 for every $1.00 reduction in annual utility bills”, consistent with after-tax mortgage interest rates of about five percent from 1991 through 1996.

This research was conducted for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Homes program.  ENERGY STAT® homes use at least 30% less energy than a Model Energy Code home while maintaining or improving indoor air quality and increasing comfort in the home.  EPA estimates that the cost to upgrade a new home to ENERGY STAR® level can range from $2,000 to $4,000, and that a typical ENERGY STAR® home reduces utility bills by $420 per year.  The ICF study indicates that $420 in annual utility savings will add about $8,400 to the market value of an ENERGY STAR® home (or to any equally efficient home), or two or four times the builder’s upgrade costs.

The study should also encourage homeowners to consider energy efficiency upgrades for existing homes.  An important conclusion from this research is that homeowners “can profit by investing in energy efficient homes even if they are uncertain about how long they might stay in the home.  If their reduction in monthly fuel bills exceeds the after-tax mortgage interest paid to finance energy efficiency investments, then they will enjoy positive cash flow for as long as they live in their home and can also expect to recover their investment in energy efficiency when they sell their home.”  This research also has significant implications for home appraisers, mortgage lenders, and housing assistance programs at the federal, state, and local levels.

Written by: The Appraisal Journal by Rick Nevin and Gregory Watson:

“Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency,” Rick Nevin and Gregory Watson, Appraisal Journal October 1999.

(Adobe Acrobat Format)  This study demonstrates the increased value of energy-efficient homes, assigning estimated incremental home value.

“More Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency” Appraisal Journal, October 1999

Local Builders Earns Factory Certification

 Watertown, SD – May 14, 2010.  Enercept, a manufacturer of structural insulated panels, certified Mike Milbach, Dale Retzlaff, Jon Strick and Brandon Duchow with Milbach Construction / VTI Energy Systems in Appleton, WI as a Factory Trained Installation Specialists.

To earn this certification Enercept Builders and Dealers need to complete classroom studies and hands on SIPS construction training.  While the 2½-day course focuses on the basics of SIPS wall and roof panel assembly there are also sessions on drafting, estimating and sales.   

“Enercept is committed to our dealers and this program is critical to the development of a well trained dealer network.”  Said Alan Case, President of Enercept.

This is the fourth year Enercept has hosted the training session.  To attend Enercept University students must be, or be employed by, an Enercept Builder or Dealer.

VTI Energy Systems became an Independent Dealer for Enercept earlier this year.