A loyal following

By Laura Gallagher

		Address: 1612 N. Ballard Road Appleton, WI 54911 Phone: 920-738-6887 Fax: 920-738-7120 Web site Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Region covered: Statewide and the Midwest Plans available: Approximately 95-100 in February, 140-150 in March Services: Weekly construction bulletin, electronic plan room, advertising opportunities, addendum notification, bid-date registry, estimating area, fax services, reference materials, meeting and conference room and blueprint copier Membership: Full membership, $400 annually, $225 semi-annually; guild membership, $215 annually (a one-time $50 initiation fee is required)

The Fox Valley Builders Exchange in Appleton opened in 1958 and has been owned by David and Linda Voster since 1988.

"At least 70 percent of our members visit at least once a week," Linda Voster says. "I'd say we have about 30 visitors a day. Maybe it's the free cookies."

The builders exchange offers plans from across the state as well as out-of-state.
"We even had the plans for the Mall of America," Linda Voster says. "After all, somebody's got to build it. We don't have a mileage chart. Actually, that's one of the frustrations - we hear architects and distributors say, 'I don't think anyone from the area would be interested in this job.' That's ridiculous in this day and age.

"We currently have 127 plans available, which is quite high. Usually at this time of year we have about 95. March is always a big month. We usually have about 145 plans available. In March of 1992, we had a record 183 plans. We were overflowing."

The room is heavily used by its 235 members, she says.

Voster says the electronic transfer of information has caused the biggest change in the industry.
"People claim that the Internet has changed everything, but I think it started with the advent of the fax machine," she says. "Before the fax machine became popular, architects gave much more advanced notice for addenda. Now, we've actually received an addendum for a bid that was due the next day. We have to notify all our members when addenda come in - it's part of their bid. Our policy is that if we receive an addendum within 24 to 36 hours of bid time, we notify all the members that we know are bidding on the job. It's very time-consuming."

The Fox Valley Builders Exchange Web site offers construction reports, membership information, an online application and member, architect and engineer directories.

"The Internet is opening up a whole new world, even for builders exchanges," Voster says. "... We owe it to our members to offer them the most comprehensive service that we can. And our members also are feeling the pressure to become more technologically proficient."

Voster's more immediate concern, however, is the upcoming busy season.

"I'm happy we're kicking off a new season," she says. "It's always exciting to see what new projects are out there. And I like to think in our 12 years here we've helped a lot of folks get good projects.

"Of course, the cookies probably helped, too."