2010 December Steps

Step by Step

2011 Remodelers Council Officers Chair

Jenny Samek

Briggs, Inc. of Lincoln

Vice Chair

Molly Johnson

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Published by the Remodelers Council of Lincoln • December 2010

Chairperson’s Message

by Lori Pippitt

The Holiday season is in full swing! I hope all of you consider giving back to the community via one of our many charitable projects. The Remodelers Council will be collecting new sets of Hats and Mittens/Gloves at the Christmas Party to donate to a local school. You may also bring them (or a Doll or Toy with Wheels) to the HBAL office until December 15. The Remodelers’ Christmas Party will be December 1 at Las Margaritas. Come help us celebrate “South of the Border” style!

Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday that I was asked if I would be willing to be the Remodelers Council Chair. It has been a wonderful two years and I have gained so much by serving in this position. I really had no idea how many things HBAL is involved in and how active they are at the government level. In addition, I was able to get to know our members much better and even meet some whom I hadn’t known before.

Here in Lincoln we are so fortunate to have such a strong and supportive HBAL! I am still shocked that other cities do not support having a Remodelers Council and actually see it as a competing organization instead of a way to draw in new members and keep up current membership. It has been a fun and educational two years serving as the Chair and on the HBAL Board. It is something I would recommend to anyone who wants to be more involved.

I would like to Thank Kayla, Jennie and Nadine for all their help with ideas, proof reading and support. Also, Mike Benker and Mike Rezac for giving me guidance while on the HBAL Board and keeping me “in line.” (ha ha) I look forward to staying involved and being able to socialize a little more at the meetings with our growing membership!

Happy Holidays!

Lori Pippitt, CKD, CGR, CAPS

10  Lincoln Business Builder

Secretary

Erin Magnussen

Reese Construction, Inc.

Remodelers Council

South of the Border Christmas Party

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 11:30 a.m.

Las Margaritas

27th & Jamie Lane

(South of Pine Lake Road)

Cost: $12 per person This year instead of a gift exchange or a food drive we thought it would be GREAT to help out a local school with a donation of new hats and gloves/mittens which could be handed out by the teachers to students who need them. Please consider donating as these items can make a world of difference as the days get colder.

Matching sets of hats/gloves/mittens can be purchased inexpensively at dollar stores or big box stores.

Please RSVP to info@hbal.org or 423-4225 by November 29.

Be sure to indicate lunch selection and choice of beef or chicken for each attendee.

Lunch Options*: Enchiladas or Tacos or Burrito or Taco Salad *Please also indicate whether you would like Beef or Chicken.

Step by Step

EPA Certifies 511,000 Lead-Safe Renovators, Launches Consumer Awareness Magazine Ads

The EPA is in the midst of a two-month magazine ad campaign promoting the need to use certified lead-safe remodelers in homes built before 1978.

After a somewhat slow start because of a lack of certified trainers and training facilities, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has now certified more than 511,000 trained lead-safe renovators and 64,000 remodeling firms to date, putting them in compliance with the Lead: Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule enacted earlier this year, agency officials told NAHB during a meeting at the National Housing Center on Nov. 4.

The agency also reported that it has stepped up its campaign to inform consumers of the need to use certified remodelers when remodeling homes built before 1978.

Until initiating a two-month advertising campaign in October involving more than 200 magazines including Parents, Parenting, Forbes and Money, the EPA primarily relied upon radio-based public service announcements and consumer-oriented fact sheets to inform consumers about the need to use certified professionals.

Under the lead paint rule, remodelers, window installers and other contractors who work in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities must be certified and use lead-safe work practices unless those homes are tested and found to be free of any lead paint. They also must conduct consumer education and verify the clean-up on projects that disturb lead paint in these buildings.

To date, 410 EPA-approved training providers have taught about 23,000 lead training courses. About half the trainers can travel to home builders associations, conferences or other opportunities to teach remodelers the necessary coursework.

Another 27 trainers have been approved to provide the required six hours of classroom training online. Two hours of hands-on training are also required for certification.

EPA officials also noted that Alabama, Georgia, Washington and the District of Columbia are in the process of adopting their own lead paint rule and becoming authorized by the EPA. They will join Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Mississippi, Kansas, Rhode Island, Utah, Oregon and Massachusetts, which have had their programs authorized by the EPA.

Test Kits Continue to Fall Short

EPA officials reiterated that the agency had no plans to discontinue using its inaccurate lead paint test kits. The two EPA-recognized test kits — D-Lead and LeadCheck — are too sensitive and test positive for lead below the federal lead hazard level of .05 mcg.

Since the test kits were first approved, NAHB has expressed concern that they can raise the cost of renovation and repair for home owners because remodelers will employ lead-safe

work practices unnecessarily when the kit has found lead at levels less than those deemed actionable under federal health standards.

Home Owners Ignore Lead Paint Rule

During the meeting, NAHB raised remodelers’ concerns that many consumers — especially those home owners without children living in their household — were ignoring the lead paint rule and hiring uncertified contractors for their remodeling and renovation needs.

EPA officials acknowledged the problem and indicated that the agency will explore new consumer messaging to emphasize the need and legal requirement to follow the rule.

For samples of the EPA’s lead rule print ads, public service announcements and fact sheets, visit the EPA Lead-Safe Certification Program Outreach to Consumers webpage.

For general EPA information on the lead paint rule, visit www.epa.gov/getleadsafe.

For more information about the lead rule, visit www.nahb.org/leadpaint; or e-mail Matt Watkins at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8327.

NAHB Testifies Before Sentate on Burden of Lead Regulation

NAHB again told Senate leaders this week that the EPA’s lead paint regulations that apply to all jobs in homes built before 1978 need to be fixed – sooner rather than later.

EPA’s rules continue to “negatively impact small businesses that are dutifully trying to comply,” NAHB said in comments delivered to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship last week. “During a time when unemployment tops 21% in the construction industry, heavily dominated by small businesses, it is inconceivable that EPA has subverted nearly every possible tool that remodelers have to help ensure their compliance with something as important as the Renovation, Repair and Painting rule. . .. EPA is redesigning the RRP into a regulatory nightmare that will essentially discourage critical efficiency upgrades and increase costs for older homes.”

NAHB asked the committee to join us in opposing the upcoming clearance testing proposal, require EPA to undertake a rulemaking and new economic analysis to demonstrate the full cost of compliance now that there is no qualifying test kit, and restore the ‘opt out’ provision for homeowners without small children. These changes, NAHB said, allow small business members to “return to work and help consumers save energy and improve the value and efficiency of their largest store of personal wealth: their home.”

E-mail Elizabeth Odina at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8570 with questions.

11  Lincoln Business Builder