How A New Law Could Affect Your Renovation Project

If you’re considering hiring a contractor for your home improvement project, you’ll need to be aware of a new federal law that requires contractors working on homes built before 1978 to be certified in dealing with lead-based paint. Effective October 1, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Renovation, Repair and Paint (RRP) law will not only affect homeowners and contractors, but possibly the home renovation business as a whole.

Although all of the details have not yet been finalized, the law is designed to protect children from exposure to lead paint and dust and particles from lead paint. Painters, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and any other contractors that work on more than a six-foot square area of a home (or “child-occupied facility”) will be required to be trained and certified in lead safety and safe work-site procedures by December 31 of this year. Furthermore, contractors will need to follow new practices such as lead-safety testing, the wearing of protective gear and the use of plastic sheeting to minimize dust. Failure to properly adhere to the regulations could result in hefty fines for contractors. The new law will apply to almost all renovations including general painting and carpentry, window replacement, attic and basement renovations, carpet removal and a host of other home projects. However, this law does not apply to homes that were built after 1978 and it does not apply to homeowners or landlords who choose to do their own renovations, although the EPA recommends following the same standards.

How will this affect homeowners and contractors? On one side, the safety aspect of RRP is obviously a positive. According to the EPA, more than 38 million homes in the U.S. contain lead paint, which has been linked to a wide variety of serious health issues, with children under the age of six being especially susceptible. On the other side, however, is the cost aspect. Although the EPA and organizations such as the National Home Builders Association disagree on the estimated added cost per job, everyone is in agreement that there will be at least some added cost to adhere to the new rules. Will these costs be passed on to homeowners and landlords? More than likely, the answer will be yes. Also, with the new practices, renovation jobs may take longer to complete—which, in turn, could add more of a financial strain on contractors. The reality is that some contractors may end up deciding not to work on any pre-1978 homes.

Undoubtedly, minor problems will arise when the regulations first go into effect, so if you plan on having any work done to your home later this year or early next year, try to be understanding when dealing with your contractor. ∆