Silvertree Remodeling

By Sean Lintrow Sr. of SLS-Construction

Lead part per billions

As the property owner you have a question you should seriously consider, due to the increased costs of the EPA’s RRP rules, should I get my house or areas that are being worked on tested for lead, or should everyone just assume lead is present and proceed accordingly? In order to start answering that question, let’s first start off looking at the testing procedure.

What are the chances my house contains lead?

Per the EPA 35% of all houses, contain lead. The EPA has calculated that 86% of the houses built before 1940 still contain lead, which drops down to 66% for those built between 1940 to 1959, and drops down even further to 25% for those built between 1960 to 1978. Now, even if your house was built after 1978, be forewarned – there is still a chance that it contains lead. While the sales of lead paint and paid installation of lead paint was outlawed, there was nothing to prevent homeowners from using previously purchased paint or stain.

How much does testing cost?

This answer depends on which type of testing you want performed, what needs to be tested and who does it. You can have samples sent to an approved laboratory, you can hire a specialized Licensed Evaluator, or you may have it done by the Certified Lead Renovation Firm (CLRF) you are planning on using. For the first two options or if you are using another CLRF besides us, you would actually have to call and find out, as the prices vary based on numerous items. At this moment, besides our normal charge, you would be looking at an average price of $5 for each test section / swab done.

What is this lead test and what is a test section?

The lead test we use is actually quite simple. The first step is to expose the different layers of paint on a section of a window, trim, wainscoting, etc… This is as simple as a making a v-notched groove about ¼ inch to an inch long exposing all the paint layers down to the bare wood. We would then use an EPA approved test swab to test this section. If the swab or area turns pink to red, lead is present and the EPA’s RRP procedures must be followed. If the section or swab does not turn pink or red, we must then verify that the swab is valid and test it on a confirmation card. This test card has a chemical that mimics lead and should turn pink. If the test card does not turn pink, the test must be redone with another swab.

How many test sections have to be done?

Well this is a hard question to answer without knowing what your project entails, but let’s look at one quick example – window replacements. In this case, you would probably need to have the window itself checked along with the interior and exterior trim. If the windows and trim is representative of all the other ones in the house, the testing is done, if not you will need to test the different affected areas.

Ok, the cost is not outrageous, why wouldn’t I want to test?

There are a couple of valid reasons, you might not want to have the testing done – the first being once a test comes back positive, you have to keep those records and disclose that if and when you go to sell or rent the house. If you are asked about any known issues by your insurance company or Mortgage Company – you have to disclose it. If you babysit kids, have someone working on the house (CATV installer, carpet installer, etc…) you have to disclose it. In some cases, going from the “assume every house has lead” to positively tested for lead can lead to a perceived loss of value.

After that warning, why would I want to have my house tested then?

If your child has been tested and has high lead levels in their blood, you might not have a choice but to have the house tested. You will need to find out why it has happened and how to stop the poisoning from getting worse. In some cases, it is not the actual paint, but contaminated ground outside, the water pipes in the house, or it may come from some other source. You might also be in a house that has undergone major renovations since 1978 (or never had lead paint or stain applied), do you really want to pay the additional costs associated with the RRP provisions if you do not have to? (Future FAQ on the compliance costs coming shortly –and yes, this will cost more, even for companies like mine that already use containment and use dust free practices)

I see there are pro’s and con’s – what’s best for me?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this or many other questions related your home, without someone actually seeing it. All we can really do here on the HRC is strongly suggest you find the best contractor in your area that not only is certified, but also understands the subject.  As always, feel free to leave us a comment here or shoot us an email if you have any questions on this or any other article. If you are in our service area looking for a contractor that believes in doing things right the first time, we would love to hear from you.

This happens every recession – in an effort to get away from the grayness and depression that everyday news brings, we get a return to brightness and joviality in the form of color. This recession isn’t any different, except this time, we’re getting a double dose in the form of the first wave of generational influence in home and design:

The average home stock in the US and Canada is made of homes that are approximately 30-35 years old.

The next wave of homeowners are in their late 20s-early 30s.  Beige is what their parents and grandparents liked.

Just as I went all futuristic and white everything in my 20s, this generation wants a bit of sparkle and color. Here’s what I’ve seen in the media universe lately:

Colored stoves

(Celebrity Cooker line from Aga – designed by Emma Bridgewater)

Furniture

(Squint Furniture via Apartment Therapy)

Colors and shapes for tiles

(Fap Ceramiche via Trendir)

Will they like these things forever? We didn’t, but here’s the difference in values:

1) Baby boomers – Lasting, timeless, pay once for quality, still carrying over values from a Depression they didn’t live in

2) Gen-Y – Fun! Quirky! Can replace it when we get tired of it! 4 billion choices and climbing…

Although the media seems to push a great divide, there’s nothing wrong with either mindset.

While I envy the choices this generation has, I figure my job is to point out all the quirky! fun! of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s and how tired we got of our shag and wallpaper. My design core is built to point out that constant replacement doesn’t fit in with a green agenda –- not that many are going to replace a 6-figure range.

Yet I’m still a designer. If you love the new turquoise color of 2010 and want to combine it with pink and orange to go with your range, you bet you and I can design the heck right out of it! (My, that sounded modest.   But you know what I mean, I hope.)

Because here’s the thing: if you’re going to be a designer into the next decade and refuse to accept this next generation of homeowners have this difference, you’re going to be left behind. Also, if you don’t think some Baby Boomers won’t embrace this new fun! decade of style and perkiness, or that some Gen-Y aren’t timeless design stylists, you’re going to struggle. For all that there is a divide, there is also a melding of thoughts and ideas that feels very exciting.

So, if you’ll just accept I have a Krytonite-like resistance to avocado (I’m so not loving those tiles above *sigh*),  I promise the sky’s the limit on the rest of the colors. Deal? Deal.

What are you planning that’s new and colorful for your home this year?