When you walk into a finished home, you see the “end product.”  What you don’t see is how the home was constructed.  If the lower level is not completely finished, you can see some of the components the builder used to construct the home.

At Trustway, we use only the highest quality products in our homes.  We have, for over 50 years, chosen the best products available in the market.  We are known as the builder that introduces the best and newest products in the housing industry.  This has been achieved by constantly looking at new products and examining better ways to build a home.  Through intensive due diligence, we look at many new products but select only a few for our homes.

Over 40 years ago, wood I-joists were introduced to the residential building industry.  Up until then, all builders used dimensional lumber, that is, 2 x 10’s or 2 x 12’s.  The problem with dimensional lumber is it can cup, twist, warp, and crown which then detaches from the subfloor resulting in squeaks.

To improve the performance of floors in new homes, the floor joist needed to be stable and not move.  A wood I-joist has three parts; two flanges (top and bottom) and the wood web.  The wood web is basically an OSB (Oriented Strand Board) product.  OSB is very stable and moves very little.  The flanges are an engineered product which reduces movement.  Our floors are guaranteed for life not to squeak due to the wood I-joist moving.

But, as always, people try to figure out a way to reduce the cost of a product.  Many builders use inferior wood I-joists.  This can easily seen by any home buyer.  Check the flanges to see if they are solid wood; 2 x 4’s.  This defeats the whole purpose of the wood I-joist system as the 2 x 4’s move the same as the 2 x 10’s and 2 x12’s.  So, what have you really gained?  The best system to use is the I-joist with engineered flanges and an OSB web.  These are slightly more expensive but do you want a new house with floors that squeak?

The subfloor is just as important.  We use Louisiana Pacific’s 450 HP (High Performance) Top Notch OSB.  This is the best performing flooring material on the market.  Homes are built outside and most are going to get wet during construction.  In addition, contractors will be walking and working on these floors until the home is done.  The subfloor can really take a beating.  But, with LP’s Top Notch, the floor looks as good at the end of construction as it did when it was installed.  It is truly a great product.  It costs more, but you don’t have to worry about the rain or snow making it punky.  Also, if the subfloor gets damaged, the damage can project through any carpeting that is installed. 

Our exterior walls are built 16” on center (OC).  That means  if you measured from the middle of one stud to the next, the distance is 16”.  But, do you know there are well known Milwaukee area builders that frame their homes 24” OC?  That equates to 50% less studs in the exterior walls.  They don’t tell you this because it meets code.  But why would they want to widen the span for the drywall on the inside and the sheathing on the outside?  The answer is simple and it is not to give their buyers a better product.  It is done to save themselves money.

So, when checking out our competition, make sure you go the basement and look up at the I-joists and see if their I-joists are using 2 x 4’s for flanges and ask if the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty.  Also, ask them about the manufacturer and product number for their subfloor material.  And finally, ask them if their exterior walls are 16” or 24” OC.

Other builders may say they are a quality builder, but Trustway really is the best builder in the Milwaukee area.

But, are they really? 

Let’s take a look at one minor facet that we found on all the models we inspected in one development.   The pictures below show a gable at the front of the home.  The gable is made up of two fascia boards.  As you can see in these pictures, the carpenter for these homes simply took two boards and “butt” jointed them together.  This is the easiest and fastest way to install the fascia board at any gable.  Is this quality? 

Butt Joint – Quality Builder?

Butt Joint – Quality Builder?

Butt Joint – Quality Builder?

Butt Joint – Quality Builder?

Butt Joint – Quality Builder?

We don’t think so. 

On all Trustway Homes, our carpenters are craftsmen.  They take pride in their work.  Thus, instead of just slapping two boards on the front of the home, our carpenters take the time and create a mitered joint.  See the difference? 

Mitered Joint – Trustway Homes

So, we ask you, what would you rather have on your home?  A butt joint or a quality mitered joint?  Doesn’t that make you wonder if they are cutting corners at the front of the home, what are they doing in the other areas that are not so visible? 

Who really builds the highest quality homes in Milwaukee?  Trustway Homes!

We use Coello and Associates for our foundations.  We use them for one reason – they are the best.  Over the years, we have worked with many foundation companies and there is no comparison between Coello and Associates and the other foundation companies. 

The differences are alarming! 

Most lay people think foundations are foundations.  You set up the forms and you pour the concrete.  Not exactly! 

Before sending their crew to our jobsites, Coello & Associates thoroughly reviews our plans and then has a supervisor visit the site during excavation to gather as much information about the site to ensure the foundation design will be the best for the subsoil conditions.  From the grade of the lot to the natural soil characteristics, Coello knows the importance of evaluating the site and taking a site-specific approach.  Many pictures are taken of the site, which eventually are digitally cataloged for future need, if necessary. 

Coello & Associates has worked with a local engineering firm to design their foundations to perform in the wide range of soil types found in our area.  Wisconsin code does not require steel reinforcement in poured foundation walls, but Coello knows that reinforcement is needed and puts it in all their basements.  They also understand that the placement of rebar is important, making sure to place it in the walls where it will be most effective and they add extra rebar in areas that will undergo added stress.  Have you ever owned a home with a crack in the basement wall?  Good luck trying to sell a home with a foundation problem.  

Coello not only puts control joints in their foundations walls to control where cracking will occur, but they take the necessary added step to place a piece of rigid material (called waterstop) behind the joints to prevent water from entering at the crack. Other contractors will add joints without waterstop or cut joints in randomly after the walls are up.  That may help control the cracking, but those joints very likely will leak! 

Our carpenters also appreciate that Coello & Associates makes the effort to pour walls with smooth and level tops.  This not only helps out the carpenter, but gives our clients a better product.  A smoother top wall means a more tightly sealed house, which means less air and pest infiltration. 

While the differences in foundation walls are not always seen with the naked eye, the differences in the concrete floors and stoops poured by Coello is visibly evident. Their basement and garage floors are finished smoothly and evenly, showing the signs of true professionals. They also know that a home’s porches are the entryways into the home and they make an extra effort to pour and obtain a beautiful finish.  

Finally, one of the best things that Coello & Associates does is putting a plaque on every basement they pour.  They don’t give us a no-name foundation; they give us one they are proud to stamp with their brand name.  This plaque contains a unique serial number for every job poured and provides their contact information. 

There are many selections in your home that can be upgraded later, but your foundation is one thing that is there to stay and I am proud to provide my customers with a foundation by Coello & Associates.

Newly constructed homes are like every other product or service you purchase. Some products have great quality, while others lack quality.

The automotive industry has many companies that rate the quality of a vehicle like JD Powers. Like automotives, there is a difference between the quality of newly constructed homes.

In 2005, Trustway Homes won the coveted NRS Customer Satisfaction award for builders who build between 50 – 99 homes in the country. No other builder in Wisconsin has ever won this award.

Over the next several months, we will examine what truly is quality construction and why Trustway builds the best quality homes in the metro market.

Construction has started.  Once the roof has been completed, the model will be open on Saturday’s and Sunday’s for viewing.  Computerized renderings will be in most rooms demonstrating how the room will actually appear.