EPA screwing contractors and homeowners

[Hooligans]

I know its true but I cant see anyone..
Who is not working in a facility who bitches about it
Would even bring it up if the home owner didnt
This would shut down at least a 1/3 of Painting contractors
And the home owners "would not pay the extra"
Unless you got some nervous new mom or something
It will be interesting to see if this just gos away

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by Hooligans

I know its true but I cant see anyone..
Who is not working in a facility who bitches about it
Would even bring it up if the home owner didnt
This would shut down at least a 1/3 of Painting contractors
And the home owners "would not pay the extra"
Unless you got some nervous new mom or something
It will be interesting to see if this just gos away

We have a new building inspector that previously worked here in town as a general contractor. Was a good guy. Is now a ballbuster. We are expecting him to take on the enforcement on behalf of the EPA.... So if he goes to the course, he will be requiring us to set up Zip walls, exhaust fans, don the white suits to vac and pack all this "hazardous" material, suck the air out of the disposal bags before sealing, (because if it has air in the bag, it might burst in the landfill and release all that hazardous material...) Then there is the white glove wipe down that must be documented and recorded... Keep records for three years! The requirements are over the top! And the HEPA vacs aren't even made in America! This type of containment has been required in maybe 2% of all the work I have ever done.

Scott Brown, Congress, and the President should recognize that this will cost jobs and projects from being done. Another cash grab in my opinion, with minimal upside. The volume on this one is about to get turned up, because 90% of the trades don't even know about it yet.

[Hooligans]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Scott Brown, Congress, and the President should recognize that this will cost jobs and projects from being done. Another cash grab in my opinion, with minimal upside. The volume on this one is about to get turned up, because 90% of the trades don't even know about it yet.

I have been a self-employed tile setter for thirty years
And between cost of all my insurances comp/lyb
I can’t even think of what this might be like for painting contractors
Like you said "maybe 2%" might be a hazard
Then is it a complete gut or just changing trim around a replacement window

To make it sound like we are ripping out asbestos
Instead of just lead paint that we are "not" eating
Is just nuts!

I talked to a few contractors last night
They are just going to ignore it unless someone asks
The bottom line is the "market" is no way going to support the cost
Just another over reached blanket law that hurts "small" business

[Slipknot]

the government must want to regulate and red tape the country into bankruptcy
pathetic

who allows the EPA to do this stuff

I bet real estate agents won't be informing any prospective buyers about this if they have kids and the house is older than 1978

[nightfighter]

Just put a call into my Congressman, John Tierney. People answering phone in DC, and Peabody had not heard a thing about it. They were pretty surprised, so I expect I will hear back.

[Raven]

[nightfighter]

Bumping this up for those that missed it. And I heard back from none of my elected officials.... surprise, surprise. Taxes going up, regulatory requirements going up, and fines going up for the working man. $275 for the course, and $300 to register with the state.... Country's gone to hell..... Between this and the new OSHA requirements, the small businessman in the building trade is screwed. This will trickle down to every homeowner. Just another way to keep the construction industry from helping us get out of this crappy economy.

[TheSpecialist]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

the government must want to regulate and red tape the country into bankruptcy
pathetic

who allows the EPA to do this stuff

I bet real estate agents won't be informing any prospective buyers about this if they have kids and the house is older than 1978

Slip RE agents are required by law to do a lead disclosure with prospective buyers. The whole lead thing imo is the biggest friggen scam in the world. I had someone test for lead, they came with the radargun. Said I had lead in a certain area, so I got a do it your self test and found no lead there.

[TheSpecialist]

BTW I am low to moderate risk lead abatement certified, and half the crap in the class made no sense.

Which makes more lead dust, ripping out and replacing a door jamb, or rocking over a wall that has some loose plaster?

[Fly Rod]

Originally Posted by TheSpecialist

Slip RE agents are required by law to do a lead disclosure with prospective buyers. The whole lead thing imo is the biggest friggen scam in the world. I had someone test for lead, they came with the radargun. Said I had lead in a certain area, so I got a do it your self test and found no lead there.

When it comes to real estate both the seller and the buyer are required to fill out the state and federal lead paint notification if the house was built prior to 1978. There is a loop hole for the seller and that is they can check off that it is Unknown to them of lead paint.

Also any property owner of rental properties must do the same in which a child under six years old lives. And if the owner fails to delead and a child is lead poisoned the property owner is strictly liable for all damages.

Property owner can not discriminate against a family of a child under six if they can afford the rent.

[buckman]

Here's a great write up on the ruling:

New EPA Lead Paint Rules Increase Renovation Costs —Professional tool reviews for the average Joe

And a portion of it,

"These new EPA rules are going to apply to buildings built prior to 1978 and will affect jobs ranging from full-blown renovations, down to simple window replacements and paint jobs. If the job covers more than 6 square feet - it's now regulated. Members of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) estimate the added regulations will increase project costs anywhere from $500 to $1,500 for projects costing over $5,000. Of course, the EPA disagrees, feeling that these regulations will yield only a modest $35 increase per job.

And we wonder why the government gets into debt."