The amount and location of lead based paint in our homes built prior to 1979 will cost us in time, money, and jobs.
I speak of the soon-to-be enforcing of the EPA lead based paint containment rule called the RRP ruling (renovation, remodel and paint). I believe that in a goverment macro perspective of the construction industry, the powers that are present want to “clean up” the business of remodeling and small business renovators, handymen, and service people.
Number one, it is a costly thing to collect taxes, licenses, and permits from the hundreds of thousands of “little guys” and mom and pop contractors, so the EPA found a way to choke off the business to these individuals by imposing huge fines (up to $37,500 per offense) if any paid person (calling themselves a contractor or not, any person receiving compensation of any kind for services rendered) disturbs more than 6 square feet of area in a home to do ANY renovation in any fashion and is not registered, certified and trained to test for lead paint and then contain it by a long list of methods spelled out by this rule.
Secondly, the cost to the homeowner of pre-1979 homes containing lead paint will be staggering. It makes the homes containing lead paint immediately worth less to the housing market (potential buyers will have to consider the huge cost of fix up on these homes compared to a non lead paint home).
Thirdly, as a small contractor myself, I may be an unemployed person if I cannot sell enough windows and doors and remodeling services to keep MY doors open because my customers cannot afford the high cost of the renovations anymore. That will cost us all when tens of thousands of small businesses close and have to collect unemployment benefits, lose their homes, drop health care insurance for employees, etc.