Posted on 04/12/2010 12:15:00 PM PDT by day21221
EPA mandate New renovation rules to push up costs
BY ALESHIA HOWE April 12, 2010
Renovation companies nationwide are preparing for a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys mandate beginning April 22 and local experts say homeowners should be prepared to see a higher bill because of it.
According to the EPAs new Renovation Repair and Paint rule, beginning on April 22 builders performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and schools built before 1978 must be EPA certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
Some things wont change, but one thing is for sure its going to increase the cost of remodeling a home that was built before 1978, said Stephen L. Polozola, an attorney with Decker Jones McMackin McClane Hall & Bates P.C., who specializes in construction law.
The new rules will require builders to send in their application to the EPA to become a certified firm and each employee must get his or her certified renovator status, which requires an eight-hour training course and passing an exam. According to the EPA, this employee also will be responsible for training other employees and overseeing work practices and cleaning.
Once work starts on the renovation of a pre-1978 home, the certified renovator has a check-list to complete including giving homeowners handouts and securing a signature from the homeowner notifying them of safe renovation practices.
Certified renovators also will be required to post warning signs outside the work area and supervise setting up containment to prevent spreading dust using specific containment procedures for both interior and exterior projects such as cleaning the area with HEPA vacuuming and wet washing.
Its these steps local experts say will bump up renovation project costs for home owners.
Contractors typically use a wet/dry vac to clean up after themselves on a job, but now theyre going to have to purchase one with a HEPA filter, so instead of $200 or $300 for a vac, theyre looking at $1,500 and theyre obviously going to have to pass along those expenses to the consumer, Polozola said. It will without question increase expenses.
Robert S. Mathews, the current president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industrys Fort Worth chapter and owner of Curb Appeal Renovations Inc., agreed renovation costs will increase, but said the outcome was worth it.
I wouldnt really say it will drag out the process; it will add more to the cost of the remodel but more importantly, it will make it safer for those living in the homes, especially if there are children living in the homes, he said.
According to a report by the Presidents Task force on Environmental Health and Safety Risks to Children, an estimated 24 million pre-1978 U.S. dwellings were at risk for lead-based paint hazards.
Both Polozola and Mathews agreed that many contractors and home owners may still be unaware of the changing law something that could be even more costly down the road.
[Homeowners] need to start using certified professionals to complete the work on their homes so they dont endanger themselves and their family, Mathews said. This is also a great way to make sure those in our industry know about the new laws as well many in our industry arent even aware that the laws have changed, but with the first fine starting at $32,500 this is not a slap on the wrist. The EPA is taking this very seriously and so should our industry.
Not all projects will be subject to the new rule. Pre-1978 structures that include minor repairs or where interior work disturbs less than six square feet or exteriors disturbing less than 20 square feet will be exempt. And any home that tests lead free will be exempt as well.
There are many in our industry who, as with any law, wont abide, Mathews said. The public needs to be made aware of the new law to make sure that everyone in their family is safe.
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“The concentrating of these (executive, legislative, judicial powers) in the same hands is precisely the definition of despotic government.”
Thomas Jefferson
Did all those things in Spades, heck everyone did. Used to carry mercury around in bottles, so we could shine up coins. Used lead crystal in our bean shooters as well. This country was a lot more fun before the government got involved in every aspect of our lives.
You are looking at minimum up-front costs of $2,500. Which may not seem like much, but when you add in the already high taxes and ever shrinking margins...this is a 5% tax on a little guy clearing 50k a year.
What's not to like with this bill?
You obviously missed my point. I was on your side and was dissing the writer for claiming the key expense was a $1500 vacuum cleaner. That is peanuts compared to the actual costs -- you articulated some of them -- and the consumer will get screwed. So will the small business owner.
“This country was a lot more fun before the government got involved in every aspect of our lives. “
You got it! Back in the day, I took my .22 rifle as carry-on luggage on an airplane and my brother and I were unaccompanied minors. Back then, folks didn’t get upset about the occasional pipe bomb we set off in the woods.
And in many many districts, to do changes of this type you must obtain permits ... which of course means more fees/taxes/graft. I’m learning to hate democrats.
So THAT'S why they're having such a cow about all these environmental non-issues! Wanna bet each temperature increase of 0.01 degree F shifts 1% of the electorate from Dumbocrap to Pubster, and that's why their panties are all in a bunch over the GW boondoggle?
Us poor ole taxpayers can’t afford to challenge this crap in the courts.
More Hope in Chains.
They got right back to me and informed me that this is an EPA law and only the EPA has enforcement authority.
Aha....so Barry is planning to hire 46,000 EPA Inspectors to go along with his 16,000 IRS Agents and 150,000 members of the Health Care SWAT Team and Flying Squad. Guess that creates jobs AND allows everyone to have their Student Loan forgiven...
That would be a “stage two” result.
Libs NEVER examine an issue past the stage where they feel good about themselves for advocating a plan of action.
Are the contractors supposed to test the paint to see if it has lead or are they just supposed to assume that in an older house it does?
This is also covered in
http://www.theusmat.com/
With links to HUD and Dist 5 EPA as well as comments from a trade group.
This is pure central government socialist thinking.Its has nothing to do with “saving the children”. Its has to do with expanding their turf. It inhibits creative methods of getting rid of the problem including removing the questioned trim and sending the trim off (if one wishes to refinish it) to a specialized tratment center.
Who the hell is going to stand there, garbed in approved protective clothing which you don’t need to remove the stuff, and sand painted wood work down to its original grain ? If there is a wall coated with the stuff.. Encapsulate it. Cover it, that coating isn’t going anywhere.
All these EPA people think about is increasing the size of government employment and preserving their turf. They have no idea what they’re doing. Many buildings before and till 1978, which is an arbitrary number by the way, have since been remodeled and probably have no lead based paint but they fall into that category.
What is even worse the suppositions the EPA offers. With the exception of sanding lead based paint. Where is the science behind requiring all the precautions and procedures the EPA claims are needed when doing remodeling with the stuff.
It now falls upon local juristictions to enforce these “unfunded mandates” and fill out their paperwork and build up the bureacracies to enforce regulations comming from the Amerikan Kremlin the DC central government.
If there is a change in Congress I hope somebody calls these EPA hotshots to the stand and asks them (1)Besides getting “gratuties” If they have stock or money in these “approved” companys and organizations their recomending. (2) If they have friends or relatives workinmg for them (3) Cuts their budgets down to size and (4)require every new regulation be accompanied by an impact study which includes possible unintended consequences from the industry involved.
you think this is bad?
wait til they pass the laws that mandate energy efficiency as part of a home sale. thats coming.
houses that dont pass the test will need new windows, insulation, doors, etc.
say goodbye to the housing market. the nation will be full of homes no one can buy or sell. the next generation will be living in gov’t supplied eco-friendly apartment blocks, just like the Russians
“The EPA is an UNELECTED BODY and has no legal right to this at all. But as usual, the elite political folks will let it ride right by...”
Well, you got my BS meter ringing. You’re exactly right. The fascist EPA is an unelected body and has no law-making power. The pig Marxists in black robes gave unelected bureaucrats law-making power back in the 1920s. Congress can no more give away its law writing power than obuma can give his war power to Bill Ayers. And here’s the kicker - Congress can fire every flippin’ bureaucrat tomorrow. But it won’t.
Unelected bureaucrats writing law is a common feature of a dictatorship.
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