NEW REGULATION WILL INCREASE COST OF RENOVATIONS

Mike McCagg

ccSCOOP News

03-21-10 - 10:00 a.m. - A new regulation will make even basic renovation work costly and more difficult to complete. Anyone considering renovating their home may want to make a decision and get the work done now, rather than wait until after April 22. That’s because a new federal regulation could triple the cost of most renovation work on homes built before 1978, which applies to most homes in Columbia County, even something as simple as replacing a window. That’s if the work can even be done by area contractors.

The Renovation, Repair and Painting rule will require contractors who work in homes, schools, day care centers, and related facilities to be trained in lead-safe renovation practices. They also must follow strict guidelines for demolition and cleanup to prevent lead paint dust from spreading.

Lead was banned as an ingredient in paint in 1978, but renovation can disturb old layers of paint in homes. Children can ingest the lead paint dust after it lands on toys or the floor. Lead poisoning is particularly dangerous to young children and has been linked to seizures, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems, according to information from the Columbia County Health Department.

The regulation will apply to interior jobs where six square feet of potentially contaminated space is disturbed and exterior jobs where 20 square feet of potentially contaminated space is disturbed. It makes the following requirements: After clean up is complete the contractor must verify by matching a cleaning cloth with an EPA verification card. If the cloth appears dirtier or darker than the card, the cleaning must be repeated. A complete file of records on the project must be kept by the contractor. These records include but are not limited to: verification of owner/occupant receipt of the Renovate Right pamphlet or attempt to inform, documentation of work practices, Certified Renovator certification, and proof of worker training. Homeowners must be restricted from the work area during work that will create dust. Work areas must be encapsulated and cleaned to meet EPA standards.

• If power tools such as sanders are used, they must be equipped with HEPA shrouds that collect dust. Work areas must be cleaned with HEPA-equipped vacuums.
• Cleanup requires wiping down walls, surfaces, and floors using multiple buckets of cleaning solutions and electrostatic dusters.

One reputable Columbia County contractor quoting a window replacement job last week on 1950s era home said the work would cost as much $900-a-window after April 22 but only $350 before then. “It’s going to be much more expensive,” he said.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) agrees, stating that the EPA rules could complicate efforts to ensure that more than 200,000 remodelers and other contractors receive training on lead safety. In testimony before Congress last week, NAHB officials stated that efforts to encourage energy efficiency renovations in homes may be derailed by the new rules. 

“The NAHB strongly supports incentives to retrofit older homes and buildings to improve energy efficiency and performance,” NAHB member and contractor Bob Hanbury said. “But to make such a program work, the April 22 deadline for compliance with the EPA lead rule must be extended.”

Roughly 79 million homes constructed before 1978 are subject to the Lead Renovation, Repair and Repainting Rule, Hanbury said. Renovations on these homes, including energy efficiency upgrades, must be done by contractors who have been certified by EPA in lead-safe work practices. At this time, he said, there are only 135 companies in the entire country certified to do the work.