| the paint job will cost a fortune if theres any lead based paint on your home. |
That statement needs to be detailed a bit. The new law applies to houses built after 1979 only. The requirements can add to the cost of the job, but not necessarily a lot. The biggest factor is the extreme use of ground coverings and cleanup required.
Also, there's an exemption clause. I needed to know about this law for my own work as a contractor, so I got a copy of it. There are a lot of informational brochures available, but they only provide a general explanation and are more scare tactics than informational. Specifically, in all the information I found, nowhere was the exemption mentioned. I only know about it because I read the actual law. I ended up creating my own legal form for people to sign, exempting the job from the extreme deleading-like treatment detailed in the law, as long as certain conditions are met. With most of my work I can use this form. I've pasted the most relevant parts below, which is enough to explain the details and links where anyone can confirm the text of the law for themselves:
------------------------------------------------------ I confirm that the following statements are true:
1) I own and occupy the property.
2) There are no children under 6 years old currently living on the property.
3) There are no pregnant women currently living on the property.
4) I understand that the work will be done without following the restrictions imposed by the
Federal Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program.
Owner signature:______________________________________________ Date: ____________________
This form is to confirm an exception from work requirements and restrictions for carpentry, painting and other similar renovation work, according to the following EPA Regulation:
Lead; Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 745
In accord with the following specification:
"Finally, this regulation contains an exception for renovations in owner-occupied target housing where no child under age 6 or pregnant woman resides, so long as the housing does not meet the definition of "child-occupied facility". To claim this exception, the renovation firm must obtain, before beginning the renovation, a signed statement from the owner of the housing that states that the person signing is the owner of the housing to be renovated, that he or she resides there,
that no child under age 6 or pregnant woman resides there, that the housing is not a child-occupied facility, and that the owner understands that the renovation firm will not be required to use the work practices contained in this rule."
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In accord with the following requirements:
745.86 Recordkeeping and reporting requirements:
(6) Any signed and dated statements received from owner-occupants documenting that the requirements of 745.85 do not apply. These statements must include a declaration that the renovation will occur in the owner's residence, a declaration that no children under age 6 reside there, a declaration that no pregnant woman resides there, a declaration that the housing is not a child-occupied facility, the address of the unit undergoing renovation, the owner's name, an acknowledgment by the owner that the work practices to be used during the renovation will not necessarily include all of the lead-safe work practices contained in EPA's renovation, repair, and painting rule, the signature of the owner, and the date of signature. These statements must be written in the same language as the text of the renovation contract, if any.
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