Charlotte Realtors – New Lead Paint Disclosure Laws for Home Sellers & Buyers

Lead paint in homes and the resulting environmental and personal health hazards have been in the news for home buyers and  sellers. In the Charlotte area, we have many homes built PRIOR to 1978. These are the homes that benefit from lead paint inspections before being listed for selling or being purchased by a new homeowner.

Our basic Lead Paint Test for a standard 1,500 sq.ft. house is $400, including an easy-to-read report detailing the findings of our inspection.

Why would a home seller have their home inspected for lead paint?

If the seller’s home was built prior to 1978, it is recommended that the seller have a professional lead paint inspection.  Home buyers will want to know if the house contains lead paint.  Pre-1978 homes trend toward larger remodeling and renovation projects when they are sold.  These projects can generate lead dust and soil contamination that are dangerous for children and other occupants.  Lead paint disclosure is now more important than ever!

The New EPA Renovate, Remodel & Paint (RRP) Rule of 2010

The EPA issued a rule meant to reduce the generation of lead dust and lead soil hazards during home construction projects conducted by contractors.  Since April 22, 2010, the EPA has required all contractors performing renovation, repair, and painting projects in homes built before 1978 to determine if they will be disturbing any lead-based paint.  If lead paint is present, the contractor must be certified and follow specific lead safe work practices to prevent lead contamination of the home environment.

Why would a home buyer want to know if a house has lead paint?

Home buyers should ask about the presence of lead paint in any pre-1978 home that they are considering buying.  If renovation, remodeling, and painting would disturb lead paint, they would need to hire a contractor trained and certified to follow lead-safe practices.  Even if buyers are not planning to do any remodeling, they should still be concerned about the presence of lead paint in their house.  Children can ingest lead from paint chips and normal household dust, causing damage to their brains and nervous systems.  Knowing where lead paint is located can allow the homeowner to protect their family by stabilizing it.

Again, our basic Lead Paint Test for a standard 1,500 sq.ft. house is $400, including an easy-to-read report detailing the findings of our inspection.  To schedule your lead paint test, please call Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594.

If you would like to learn more about lead paint inspectionsor the EPA rulings on lead paint in remodeling, please contact Pete Hubicki at Get The Lead Out® at 704-376-3594 or peteh@gettheheadout.biz.  We are available to provide “Question & Answer” or educational seminars for small or large groups on the issues of lead paint, lead paint dangers, lead paint in remodeling, and lead paint health concerns for small children.