Countdown to the New Lead Paint Rules

Today is March 1st and in exactly 52 days, your life as a remodeler will change. That’s because on April 22nd, the EPA’s Lead Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program goes into effect.

If you have not yet begun the process of complying with this new law, you need to start asap. In the post What to do today to comply with the Lead Based Paint Program, I listed two things that must be done immediately: submit the EPA’s Renovator firm application and sign up for a lead safe work practices training class.

Equally important is to create your new operating procedures for dealing with the law. How will you comply? What steps will you take when a new lead calls in to determine if that home falls under the law? At what point in your process will you give the required pamphlet to the homeowner? Who will be responsible for that step and how will you document it? This new law will require a change to your current procedures. Be sure you know what you will do, who will do it and how. And write it down!

And remember, even if the home is built after 1977, you will still have to document that fact in your files. Yep, it’s more work. You need to look at your pricing, too. How will you bill the extra work required by the new law?

You’ve got a lot to do between now and April 22nd. Don’t wait. Write your new procedures now and put them into practice so you can work out any kinks.