Nov 09

Owners of pre-1978 properties:  It’s going to get much more expensive to make repairs come next April due to the EPA Renovator Rule.

You may have heard the recent Window World ads for their $185 installed vinyl replacement windows. In the ad they warn you to replace your windows now because their price goes up by $100 in April 2010.  Why is this?

It’s the new EPA Renovator rule

The rule affects most people who perform maintenance on residential properties, daycares and schools.  Contractors performing work on owner occupied homes are also required to comply.

And no, this is not just a painter rule. Property owners, landlords, plumbers,electricians, HVAC, maintenance and handymen all will be affected by the new certification disclosure, documentation and training requirements, too.  EPA documentation is at English (PDF)

Training & Certification Required by April 2010 under EPA Renovator Rule

If you do not get the required training and certifications, you cannot legally do your own maintenance that disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface on the interior or 20 square feet of painted surface for exterior.  Replacing doors and windows fall under this no matter what size. The square footage is accumulative over a 30 day period.  Any item removed is counted as the entire footage.  So for example you remove a painted shelf that is 12″ by 36″ it would exceed the footage (two faces at 3 sq feet each plus the edges. )

Go back and reread this as it is probably one of the most significant changes to landlording and remodeling.  But you say ‘It won’t affect me, I only own the duplex I live in’  Wrong.  These is no exemption for rental units in owner occupied properties.

There is a $300 or $550 fee for a five year EPA firm certification, depending if you also are certified as an abatement worker or employ someone who is.  See the EPA Renovator firm application form and instructions (PDF) This only covers the EPA license. You also need the $75 Wisconsin lead safe company certification.

EPA allows itself 90 days to grant the certification, so you to be ready for April you will need to have completed the process by the end of January.

Also there is the certification and training of yourself and/or your workers, which is separate.

Milwaukee Lead Information Center charges $260 per person for the eight hour course. Yes, this is more than $32 per person per hour for the training. They are currently the only one in Wisconsin offering the EPA Renovator training.  You and your employees are required to have the Wisconsin Lead Safe Renovator certification from the state for $50 per person biannually.

So the owner who wants to do his own maintenance will have to shell out $685 and a day for training within the next five months; $300 to the EPA, $260 to Milwaukee Lead Information Center and $125 to the state of WI.

Changes Required in How You Do Repairs

You must provide the Renovate Right booklet and maintain records of having given out the booklet.

There are new containment rules that require abatement type containment and clean up on every job.

How Much is This Going To Cost?

Various smart people say 10-20% more depending on the size of the job.  Small jobs will see a greater increase.  However the Window World ad pegs it at nearly 55% and I am sure they have done extensive research too.

But ignoring the law will be even more costly as it provides for career ending $32,500 per occurrence per day fines.

5 things can you do today to prepare for the EPA Renovator Rule:

  • Lobby to get the training into tech schools like MATC so that affordable training is available.
  • Apply for the EPA firm certification
  • Get what work you done that can be now.  The reason that this is important is there WILL be a shortage of certified contractors and workers come April.  I believe there will be liability to owners that use uncertified people.
  • Stay abreast of the most recent developments by bookmarking RenovatorRules.com and join the forum there so we can all work out the details on how to comply together.
  • Or sell out… Oh, but wait no one is buying.

3 Responses to “EPA: $685 of certification required to repair your own property?”

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  2. Darren Ouk says:

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  3. AlbertRamos@googlemail.com says:

    Bookmarked, thanks

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