National News: Remodelers Required to Hand Out EPA Lead Paint Pamphlet

With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule governing the work of professional remodelers in homes where there is lead-based paint set to become fully effective a year from now, remodelers are now required to hand out the new EPA pamphlet, “Renovate Right,” to potential clients who own homes built before 1978 so that they are aware of the new lead paint regulations.

The brochure is available free on the EPA’s Web site by clicking here, or by calling 800-424-LEAD (5323).

The rule, which will take effect on April 22, 2010, addresses remodeling and renovation projects disturbing more than six square feet of potentially contaminated painted surfaces for all residential and multifamily structures built prior to 1978 that are inhabited or frequented by pregnant women and children under the age of six.

What Remodelers Can Expect

When the rule takes effect, firms working in pre-1978 homes will need to be certified by the EPA and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. The fee for a firm’s certification is $300.

• Training and Certification Will Be Required: Along with the firm certification, the rule specifies that, for work done in pre-1978 homes, an employee will also need to be certified as a certified renovator and be responsible for training other employees and oversee work practices and cleaning on the job.  The training, which is currently being developed by the EPA, will be conducted during an eight-hour class and include two hours of hands-on training.  The certification of a firm and a certified renovator will be valid for five years. A certified renovator will be required to take a four-hour refresher course to be recertified under the rule.

• Specific Work Practices Will Have to Be Followed:  The rule establishes required lead-safe work practices, including: posting warning signs for occupants and visitors by the certified renovator; establishing a containment area; using disposable plastic drop cloths; and cleaning the work area with HEPA vacuuming and wet washing.  The rule also requires a cleaning inspection after the work is completed and grants the remodeler flexibility in determining the size of the work area, which can reduce the size of the area subject to containment.  In addition, the EPA rule also lists prohibited work practices ― including open-torch burning and using high-heat guns that exceed 1100 F and high-speed equipment such as grinders and sanders unless equipped with a HEPA filter.

• Verifying the Cleaning and Record Keeping:  After clean-up is completed, the certified renovator will be required to verify the cleaning by matching a cleaning cloth with an EPA verification card. If the cloth appears dirtier or darker than the card, the cleaning must be repeated.  In addition, the certified renovator will be required to keep a complete file of records on the project for three years. These records will include, but will not be limited to: verification that the owner or occupant of the home has received a copy of the “Renovate Right” pamphlet, or an attempt has been made to inform them of the pamphlet and its contents; documentation of work practices used during the project; and the certified renovator’s certification and proof of worker training.  NAHB believes that record keeping will be a major enforcement tool for the regulation.

Learn More

For extensive information on the rule, provided by NAHB Remodelers, visit www.nahb.org/leadpaint

Remodelers may find a sunny side to slump

by Jonathan Nelson, The Oregonian

Joanne Maxwell, an event planner and senior executive assistant to Tektronix’s marketing vice president, spent the past two years contemplating a major remodel to her 1990s-era home. As stock market volatility hit a fever pitch and companies locally and across the country started shedding jobs, the Tigard resident was firming up plans to add 10 feet to the ground floor of her two-story house.

In January, contractors went to work on her new kitchen and family room. “Absolutely I had some reservations,” Maxwell said.

But the recession-driven decline in construction costs became an advantage to Maxwell. The new kitchen and family room will cost $100,000. A year ago, bids for the work came in at $200,000.

The shifting market conditions appear to be enticing homeowners in the Portland area to take a second look at remodeling projects, giving local remodeling companies hope that 2009 might not be as bad as they’d thought.

“Many of us think, while 2009 is a year to (just) hang on, … it’s going to be steady,” said Mitch Stanley, chairman of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland’s Remodelers Council.

Nationally, the outlook is bleak. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies predicts home improvement spending will have declined 12.1 percent annually by this fall. The center’s study found that spending has dropped steadily since 2007, but noted signs that the trend line could be flattening out.

“While we may be nearing the bottom of the remodeling cycle, there is little to push spending back into a growth phase until the economy recovers,” wrote Kermit Baker, director of the Harvard center’s Remodeling Futures Program .

Stanley, owner of Stanley Home Renovation and Design Inc. in Oregon City, said business in 2008 was healthy until last fall, when the financial market started to crumble. Projects in the planning stages were shelved and customers stopped calling.

But Stanley said his business and others started getting calls in early January from people ready to start a project or who at least were asking questions about work. Stanley said the early trend appears to be for homeowners to take on more modest projects.

“Rather than the $100,000 dream kitchen, it’s being scaled back to $75,000,” he said.

The flip side of that is the customer’s dollar is going further. Stanley said the economy has driven down costs for supplies and labor.

Lane Cooper, a 19-year veteran in the remodeling business, said his sales leads remain steady, but he’s uncertain how many of those contacts will materialize into jobs. He projects revenue for his business could be down 10 percent to 20 percent this year.

Cooper’s business, COOPER Designbuilders in Portland, specializes in custom remodeling projects that typically cost $200,000 to $500,000. He said clients, who have seen their investments and home values diminish, aren’t going into projects with open checkbooks. That means Cooper is spending more time at the beginning of a project fine-tuning cost estimates.

Steve Stolze, of SLS Custom Homes Inc. in Tualatin, is optimistic that revenue this year will match 2008’s based on the fact that he has four jobs under way, including Maxwell’s. Steady work for Stolze means he’s continuously working four to six jobs.

Maxwell chose Stolze based on a friend’s recommendation and the work of Stolze’s crew. The expansion of her 2,220-square-foot home to 2,560 square feet means she’ll get a walk-in pantry and kitchen island among other improvements.

“People can sit and eat while I’m preparing things,” Maxwell said. “I’m so excited about that.”

Tips for remodelers
• Keep marketing.
• Stay in touch with past clients.
• Target neighborhoods where you’ve done work, talk to friends and hit the trade shows.

Tips for customers
• Get at least three bids.
• Ask for references and contact them.
• Visit a current job site if possible.
• Make sure the contractor is licensed and bonded.
• Check potential remodelers for credentials and membership in professional organizations. Two good resources: Remodelers Council Web site, homebuildersportland.org; and the Oregon Remodelers Association Web site, oregonremodelers.com.

Source: Mitch Stanley, chairman of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland’s Remodelers Council

Planning for Aging-in-Place Up 10%, Remodelers Say

Planning for aging-in-place renovation work among remodeling clients increased 10% during the past three years, according to a recent survey by the NAHB Remodelers.

In the survey, 70% of remodelers reported making universal design home modifications, up from 60% in 2006.

“Home owners are asking for remodeling improvements to make their homes more comfortable as they age because they don’t want to move or lose independence,” said Greg Miedema, CGR, CGB, CAPS, CGP, president of Dakota Builders in Tucson, Ariz. and NAHB Remodelers chairman. “These modifications can make a home more stylish and convenient for the aging population.”

While the survey indicated that most of the clients requesting the aging-in-place modifications were 55 and older, remodelers also reported a growing number of younger consumers who wanted these modifications in their homes to make it easier for visiting relatives with age-related disabilities, to make it easier for grown children to share living space with their parents or to plan ahead for future needs.

The aging-in-place modifications most frequently purchased by home owners, according to the remodelers survey, include:

Adding grab bars — 78%
Installing higher toilets — 71%
Upgrading to a curb-less shower — 60%
Widening doorways — 57%
Building ramps or lower thresholds — 45%
Enhancing lighting and task lighting — 45%

NAHB’s survey also indicated that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of aging-in-place and universal design options. Eighty-four percent of the remodelers said that home owners have at least some knowledge of universal design solutions.

For more information about aging-in-place remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/aginginplace.

An Evening at BASCO

Thank you to BASCO for hosting our group!

Social media: Blogging

By Kevin Curry, Command Consulting part 1 of a 3 part series. Also see Facebook/LinkedIn and Twitter.

Tweets? Status updates? Blogging? What are all these strange new terms entering my lexicon and what do they really mean for marketing my business?

As the internet continues to grow at the speed of 1s and 0s, so do the online tools available to promote your business and engage your customers. Many of the most popular tools fall under the broad category of “Social Media” and include things like Bloggin, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

So what are these things and how can you use them to promote your business? This three-month article series will take you through the ins and outs of the major social marketing tools and hopefully empower you to jump into the online marketing sector with knowledge and confidence.

This month’s topic is Blogging.

In terms of age, blogging can be considered the oldest of the online social media. “Blog” is short for Weblog, the original name for this type of online journaling.

Originally, it was exactly that: a way for people to keep a journal online that others can access and read. For many people, millions really, this is still how it is used. Businesses, however, have found ways to use blogs as part of their marketing, customer service and brand building.

Angela Todd, an interior designer and HBA member, uses her blog to inform readers about the projects she is working on, educate them on new trends and promote classes she is teaching around the Portland metro area. She shows before and after transformations and gives “do it yourself” tips to her readers. The bottom line for Angela is that her blog allows her to establish herself as an expert in her field.

“Stories and projects sell your expertise. Talking about how great you or your business are – not in the context of a project – isn’t effective,” Todd says. “When you finish a satisfying project, are acknowledged by your peers, win or are nominated for an award, teach a class, make an appearance, or do a non-profit project for goodwill, let your network know. They want to see you successful and they will remember you as a subject matter expert in your field.”

Larger, national businesses have embraced blogging on an even bigger scale. Many CEO’s of well established companies blog regularly, and get called out if it is learned that a PR flak is actually the one writing it! Online shoe super retailers Zappos.com goes as far as to encourage their employees to blog and set up a specific website to host them, http://http://blogs.zappos.com/blogs. This follows the company’s general branding strategy, which is to promote their superior customer service.

Blogs are relatively easy to set-up and many sites offer free blog platforms, including Blogger, WordPress, TypePad and LiveJournal. Your website tech person can even embed the blog, using the software at places like WordPress, into your company site so things are seamless.

Blogging is a new and fast growing part of business marketing and communication. If you feel left behind, don’t, because most are just learning about it and figuring it out. But it can be an important part of every businesses coordinated communication plan. So, wade into the social media pool, test out the waters a little. Soon you’ll be swimming right along with everyone else.

Kevin Curry is a partner in Command Consulting. You can follow his online social media in these places:
Company Blog: www.CommandConsulting.com
Personal Blog: www.ThinCurrent.com

Blogging Tips and Tactics:

- Link to outside webpages within your blog. This helps search engines find your blog and increases your traffic.
- Remember once you post it that it is live for everyone to read!
- Keep things short and concise. Some topics require longer posts, but shorter posts are read more often.
- Include photos and graphics as appropriate to illustrate your point or show your work.

Remodeling 101

Thank you to our sponsor Theresa Springer of Pacific Residential Mortgage for sponsoring the Remodeling 101 event.

April New Members of the Remodelers Council

Welcome new members of the Remodelers Council:

• Bill Kerrigan, 3 Mountains Plumbing
• Mohsen (Moe) Salem, Westside Drywall & Insulation
• Linda Blackwood, Interiors by Blackwood