I recently had orders put on my rental property for removal of lead paint. (It’s a long involved story in itself) Since I don’t have a lot of money, I decided to get my lead abatement contractor’s license. Since I didn’t make more than $33000 last year, the city will reimburse me for the $1000 I spent on the five day course. I’m sending three workers to get their licenses to work under my contrator license. Here’s my question:
Is there money to be made doing lead abatement? I use Xactimate for my regular remodeling projects, but I don’t know how to bid for lead removal until I have some job costing data. Have any of you done this type of work, and do you have any advice. Im thinking there’s lots of administrative overhead that needs to be taken into consideration. (Fit tests, air testing, blood tests, lead testing kits, poly.) Any help or insight is appreciated.
After I get my property to pass clearance, I’m going to pick up jobs from the city. The city of Cincinnati has 3 millon dollars to subsidize lead removal in the city–I figure working the for the government might bey steady money…plus, the city HAS to spend the money or they’d have to give it back to the Feds..
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Good for you. When the new lead rules kick in, you'll be ahead of the herd. I haven't heard any specific markup for lead work, theoretically almost all remodel work falls under that category.
I might think about blanket advertising yourself as a lead specialist now, when not every joe is- then when everyone has to be certified you'll already be known as The Guy.
There was a thread titled "what effect will the new lead rules have on you" (or something) recently. If you click on the business folder title and scroll down, you'll find it.
k
edit- I just bumped it up for you.
Edited 1/14/2009 12:18 am ET by KFC
Thanks for the quick and helpful post. I didn't know everyone would have to be lead licensed by 2010! Things really do get to Cincinnati 20 years late..
just watch you Liability Insurance coverage... speak to your agent about it
specifically.... Lead AbatementMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Well, we'll all have to be certified as trained to work with the stuff while doing our regular remodel work. The Homeowner's pamphlet is already required.
Abatement licensing is a step beyond that, I'm guessing. Kind of like I'm required to know how to work with certain types of asbestos as a licensed contractor, but I'd have to hire a special firm to remove large amounts of the stuff?
It's hard to say exactly what the general training and certification will be, at this point. You may have to shuffle some papers and pay a fee and get that certificate on top of the abatement license you're getting now.
One thing's for sure, you'll be ahead of the game. I predict a massive amount of advertising soon, probably a few ridiculously large fines in all parts of the country to make the news, and probably a bunch of lawsuits too.
Don't think the lawyers aren't watching this too. Better to be in front of this wave and ride it than get crushed by it.
k
KFC was just talking about the 8 hour lead class that just gets your feet wet. It is pretty painless and fairly cheap. I took myself and 2 guys to it and it only cost like 450 I think for all of us. Not the same class you took.Where there's a will, there are 500 relatives
So are you certified for the new regs? I actually don't know how to fulfill the EPA requirements yet...
k
You would think so after after spending the money and time. I was talking to a friend that said everyone has to re-cert if you have already had it.Where there's a will, there are 500 relatives
That would not surprise me at all. Still, you're ahead of the game.
As I was saying to the OP, I'd try to get the word out now that your guys are the guys to call when there's the potential for lead dust, before every Tom, Dick and Harry can claim to be certified/trained.
k