Lead Paint Has Become a Big Issue!

As of April 22nd 2010 the EPA has determined that any house built before 1978 must follow strict guidelines when being remodeled. It use to be that a homeowner could opt out of taking the necessary precautions when remodeling as long as no one under six was living in the house and no one was pregnant, but that option is no gone. Contractors will have to consider their projects budget and time needed to accommodate this, so homeowners be prepared. Although the cost should not be a huge increase, it will add to it. I have taken the class to be certified as a renovator. While I found the class necessary, I also found the changes needed to renovate will cause a bit of an adjustment for contractors. Things to consider when budgeting are signage, everything in the room to be covered in plastic, logging all requirements completed, training for employees, new protective clothing each day, employees submitting to tests to make sure lead levels are safe, and the list goes on. Also if you are a general contractor you need to make sure all of your subs are certified to work in the area. Now if a homeowner does not want to have lead testing done in order to avoid having their house labeled as one with lead based paint when they try to sell, they can do that. But the contractor will still have to perform all safe practices in accordance with the EPA and OSHA as a precaution. As a homeowner and contractor I can appreciate these rules, but as just a contractor I know if will make think twice about dealing with a "target house"(built before 1978). Not that I would not do it, but in lieu of a potential $37,500.00 max fine per day for a violation, that can be a heavy weight to bear.

Forza Stone & Thin Slate

I recently had the chance to check out what I think is one of the latest and coolest products in stone applications. These two products are called Thin Slate and Forza Stone. The Thin Slate comes in sections as big as 2' x 4' and can acutally bend like a roll of formica, but it is real slate. The Forza Stone is about 3/8" thick but only about less than 1/4" is actually stone. Forza Stone comes in larger slabs/panels so it makes installation a lot quicker. I have actually seen a guy standing on a Forza Stone slab suspended over his truck bed, so they are durable. Both have the potential to contribute to leed points for green building and are very cost effective. For the most part these products use a rubber backing, though Forza Stone uses aluminum as well. They are largely used in wall applications both residential and commercial. Both products are sold exclusively through IMC, http://www.imcstone.com/ and then purchased through fabricators. They look to have the makings of a brand new market.