New Rules For Renovating Pre-1978 Homes
New Rules for Renovations to Pre-1978 Home
This information was kindly provided to me by Rob Crawford with Renaissance South Construction Company. I hope this is helpful to you!
New Rules for Renovations, Repairs and Painting to Pre-1978 Homes
By Rob Crawford, CAPS, CGP of Renaissance South Construction Co.
Beginning April 22, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin enforcing a requirement that contractors have a special certification to perform work to pre-1978 homes – the year when lead-based paint was outlawed in the U.S. The fine for non-compliance is $32,500 per violation.
Although the contractor is subject to the fines, homeowners will almost certainly be impacted. In addition to toxic dust exposure, indefinite project interruption and higher finishing costs, additional stress is inevitable, especially should the fine put the contractor out of business.
Not all homes built before 1978 contain lead-based paint, so testing is required to determine its presence (or its presence can be assumed). Positive results of this test trigger a prescriptive set of guidelines that must be followed, as long as over six square feet of interior or 20 square feet of exterior surface are being disturbed. Simple washing and over-painting is excluded.
The basic tenets of these guidelines involve the containment, control and cleaning of dust released in work areas, since inhalation and ingestion are the two ways that lead can enter the body.
The new rules were primarily put into place for the protection of young children, pregnant women and workers. Central nervous system damage, permanent mental and behavioral problems in children and several types of birth complications are a few of the most common side effects of lead poisoning.
Certification requirements also trickle down to most trades and specialty contractors, whether working for a homeowner independently or as part of a general contracting team. Therefore, if there is a general contractor working in a lead area with their electrician and painter, all three firms would have to be certified with at least one certified renovator on site per firm.
Residential property managers are also required to be certified and child occupied facilities, such as a day care, are to receive the same treatment as a home.
As part of this process, homeowners will also be required to sign a form stating that they have received a copy of the EPA’s “Renovate Right” pamphlet from their contractor. An online version of this is available at the EPA’s website, www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochurebw.pdf. There is currently no online resource to find certified contractors, so it is recommended homeowners ask about the certification before meeting and be sure to get a copy of the certificate before signing any contracts.
Crawford, a licensed, bonded and insured general contractor and residential builder in South Carolina was voted “Remodeler of the Year” in 2006 by the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association. He is the founder and principal of Renaissance South Construction Company, a general contracting firm. Located in Charleston, S.C., the firm works primarily with clients in downtown Charleston, the Old Village of Mount Pleasant, and other upscale neighborhoods East of the Cooper. More information is available by calling 843-388-5550 or by visiting www.renaissancesouth.com
About the Author
I am a lifetime resident of the Charleston area and a former Mayor of The Town of Mount Pleasant with a passion for Real Estate in the Charleston, SC area, an area that we lovingly call the Lowcountry. I provide exceptional service to Buyers and Sellers and work nights and weekends. No obligation consultation, relocation services including relocation package, and fun are free! You can search all Charleston area homes at http://www.woodsflowers.com .
Renovators Need Lead-Safe Certification
