Several years ago the EPA announced new requirements.  These requirement are in full effect beginning April 2010.

What is the problem?

Lead has been found to cause significant health problems to both children and to adults.  Lead based paint in a home is not a problem as long as it is encapsulated and undisturbed.  The problems occur when it is found to be chipped or flaking or if scraped, sanded or otherwise disturbed during painting or remodeling.

What homes are affected?

The homes that fall under the guidelines are homes for which a building permit was issued prior to January 1, 1978.  For the Denver area, that is about 80% of the housing stock.  You can usually find the construction date for you home in the county records for your county.  You may want to call the county or the building department if that is a 1978 or 1979 date to learn for certain when the permit was issued.  My own observation is that the use of paints containing lead was very limited after the mid-1960’s when water based paints began to be used extensively by production builders.  I will still be found on some of those home in exterior paint and some woodwork.  By the mid-1970’s it would have been typical only in more custom homes and then primarily on interior woodwork.  Testing in several locations with very minor “destruction” will tell you whether or not your home is affected.

What do I need to know or do?

If you engage a contractor for any remodeling, including painting, window replacement or cabinet replacement, ask to see their EPA certifications.  From reading the EPA web site, there appear to be two.  One is more of a “registration”, with the second being the actual “training”.  The contractors are obligated to follow EPA protocols during their work.  All seem to agree that this is going to increase costs.  There does not seem to be agreement as to how much.  The fines for contractors not following protocols and/or not being “approved” are in the $30,000 range so this is considered by EPA to be a big deal.

What if I do the work myself?

Good question.  Homeowners are not subject to the same restrictions.  But, lead is a real hazard and you should check EPA protocols and follow them.  You do not want lead dust air born in your home or flakes on the floor.  Test first and know your homes conditions.

Comments or Questions?

Please add yours or contact me directly if you would like assistance.  I am an experienced Exclusive Buyer Broker and always and only represent the interests of my buyer clients.

Russ Murray              russ@buyerbroker-denver.com    303-721-1100, ext. 1

Very Important

Our Offer Was Accepted – What Now?

(This information is written for Colorado consumers.  It may or may not be applicable in other states.)

Great!  You are “under contract” with a number of contingencies in the agreement that are there to protect you.  One of the most important is the inspection contingency.  It is time to exercise your due-diligence.  You either have or will shortly receive the “Seller’s Property Disclosure”.  This is the multi-page document in which the seller identifies the condition of various components of the property.  When you sign it, you are acknowledging receipt of the document but NOT accepting any of the conditions contained therein.

Do Sellers Always Tell The Truth?

Absolutely…….Not!  There are penalties for lying on this form.  The problem is that enforcement is difficult and even more-so if the seller relocates out of state.  It is really your responsibility to carefully inspect your prospective home.

Trust But Verify

One of our recent U.S. Presidents believed in the above phrase and it worked pretty well for the United States.  You as a buyer will want to check and confirm EVERYTHING.  You should expect a lot of assistance from your buyer’s agent.  If you do not have a written agreement with the person assisting you then that person is NOT your agent and you are on your own.  Some “non-agent” brokers may steer you to an inspector known to be less than thorough.

Home Inspection Tips

Start with hiring a really great inspector.  If you have a licensee who is really on your side and you have investigated their credentials then your agent will be a good source.  If not, check with friends who have recently purchased.  Ask the inspector for references and a resume’.  It is far too easy to attend a several day “inspector” seminar and leave with a “designation”.   My favorite inspectors are those who have real experience in the construction industry.  You will want the traditional “house” inspection and, depending on conditions, a test for the presence of radon gas and a “scope” of the sewer line.  I like the sewer scope in all cases and we have found problems even in new homes.  It is a “must do” with older homes.  Some situations suggest a professional inspection of the furnace or boiler.  Other inspections are available depending on the situation.

Should we be present for the inspection?

Absolutely!  I had one experience where a client engaged an inspector not known to me who refused to allow us to accompany him.  That was the only time.  Most inspectors want you to be there to take notes and to learn more about your home.  I have been on many hundreds of inspections and almost always learn something new on each.

What happens if there is a problem?

It has always been my position that a seller has a certain responsibility to deliver a house free of defects that affect health, safety, operation of major systems and structure.  I work really hard for my clients to get those corrected.  By staying away from other types of items in the “Inspection Notice” have pretty good success in getting sellers to make corrections.  You are well protected in Colorado because the agreement provides the buyer with the right to terminate following an inspection subject to buyer’s “subjective” opinion.

If you have really good representation, the inspection will occur in due course and you will not be “stressed”.  You can certainly call on me to assist with your purchase of a home in the Denver area.

Russ Murray                           303-721-1100, ext 1          russ@buyerbroker-denver.com

Okay, if I have your attention, you will find useful information here whether you are evaluating the roof on an existing home or ready to replace the roof on your current house.  And it is important.  A good roof not only adds value to your home but also is the first protection of the structure itself. 

(As with most of my posts, this information is relevant to the Denver, Colorado metro area.)

What types of roofs are out there?

The most common roof is a 3-tab composition roof.  These are typically installed over rolled on asphalt impregnated felt paper.  The shingle itself is asphalt based with fiberglass granules as a surface protection.  Typical life expectancy is 20 years.

Next in the “composition” roof family is the “architectural grade” composition roof.  The materials and installation are similar to the 3-tab but the shingles are laminated so that there are two layers.  This product is sometimes known as a “bi-laminate”.  The two layers provide a heavier shadow line and longer life.  You can figure 25 to 30 years for this roof.  In this same category is the “tri-laminate”; similar but with three layers and a potential 35-50 year life span.

Frequently in use for both new and replacement roofs is a lightweight concrete tile product.  While the system is ”light weight” for tile, it is heavier than composition roof material and the structure itself must be evaluated by an engineer before installation.  Many of these roofs come with a 50-year warranty.  Your insurance will be much lower than with other options;  in many cases low enough to recapture the incremental cost over architectural grade composition in just a few years.  One “negative” to consider with this roof system is that it is quite east to break the tiles when walking on them so be really careful during any maintenance operation.  You always want an experienced installer.  In the case of tile that become even more important as some installers will attach the horizontal ”battens”, over which the tiles are installed, without either shims or vertical battens.  While an “approved” method, it is likely to shorten the life of the roof as the horizontal battens, if not raised, will trap water and deteriorate faster.

You may have, or see on your prospective home, hand-split wood (usually cedar) shakes.  For many years this system was considered an upgrade from a composition roof and certainly has the heavy shadow line that many people like.  This is NOT a good roof in this area.  It was not bad when a “heavy” shake meant 3/4″ to 5/4″ butt ends.  These actually had reasonable hail resistance and I have seen some 30-year roofs that were still serviceable.  As time progressed and builders tried to save money we saw medium and light shakes being used.  One light hail event and they are toast and 20 years is about it for life-span.  To the best of my knowledge shakes are not used in any new construction and the only replacements that I see are in neighborhoods where the residents have not been able to change covenants that allow only shakes.  Check before you buy if you are thinking of replacing shakes with ANYTHING else.

Two roof types that you will find on existing homes but which are no longer being installed are “Woodruff” and “Permatec”.  Woodruff is “pressed-board” product made from sawdust and glue.  I was to be a shake replacement but better.  Some of it has held up reasonably well and may provide a 20 to 25 year life but too much of it deteriorated.  Inspect this roof carefully.  There are far fewer Permatec roofs around.  This too was the man-made answer to wood shakes, did not hold up and was the subject of a class-action suit resulting in large payments to home-owners.

I am beginning to see what are called “stone coated steel” simulated shake roofs being used as replacements.  I have observed that in some of the older installations, the stone coating has begun to come off.  I do not know if that is a condition that has been addressed with some of the newer products.

The above options cover probably 95% of the roofs that I see.  There is the occasional metal roof and some other “simulated shake” roofs.  I have not tried to address flat roofs in this post and will save those for another.

The Process and The Permit

First, hire a really reputable contractor.  If one tells you that you do not need a permit move on.  Get references, call them and look at the work.  Make sure that the permit is not just issued, but also closed out with a final inspection.  I recently had a transaction where the inspection resolution required the installation of a new roof “in accordance with local building code and properly permitted”.  I went by the property just to check progress, saw some things that did not look quite right and called the building department only to learn the work had not been permitted.  I reported the address and when I went by the next day the old roof coverings were being properly removed and the code-required, new solid decking was being installed.  If you don’t have an agent on your side, you just need to be on top of the work.

These were just the high points!

Contact me with questions and/or leave your comments and your roof experiences below, particularly if you can add to everyone’s knowledge.

Russ Murray                            303-721-1100, ext 1          russ@buyerbroker-denver.com

I have just recently had an experience with a consumer asking my opinion regarding a home that is under-contract with the inspector having identified 16 major cracks in the synthetic stucco membrane.  They elected to not be represented for this transaction so my only advice was to refer them to a qualified EIFS inspector.  What I wanted to say was “Move on to another home.  There is just too much risk”.  That last comment is a bit of a departure from my advice over the past few years and is the result of the problem of synthetic stucco exteriors growing, not shrinking.

Let’s First Define The Products -  Stucco - EIFS – Hard Coat

Traditional stucco is a cement based product that has been used for centuries.  It is applied over wire mesh in two or three layers with a waterproof membrane  installed first to protect the house framing.  Cement stucco itself is not waterproof and “breathes” so that moisture that may penetrate has an opportunity to escape and the waterproof membrane prevents moisture from getting to the wood framing members.

The history of synthetic stucco is much shorter.  It was first used in Europe post WWII and was primarily applied to their typically masonry buildings as a repair and update.  While there is some cement in the product it also has epoxies which provide some flexibility but which also render it waterproof.  That was not a problem with application over a masonry structure.

When it began to be used in the United States in the 50’s and 60’s, builders saw it as a less expensive alternative to traditional stucco.  As energy conservation took root, the ability to apply it over a foam insulating panel became attractive.  With the foam insulation underneath, the “system” became known as “exterior insulating and finish system” (EIFS).  Synthetic stucco installed without the insulating sheets is sometimes referred to as “hard coat” but this can also be used to reference cement stucco.  Be sure you know which.  There is a difference.

The BIG Problem With Synthetic Stucco

In short, it does not allow moisture that gets behind it to escape.  Unlike cement stucco, synthetics must adhere to the structure and therefor a waterproof membrane cannot be applied.  I thought for some time that the application without the foam board was acceptable.  The more I read and see, the more I am convinced that it is problematic either way.

The result of the trapped moisture is usually mold growth.  If caught early it can be mitagated.  If not, it can grow into “black mold” which can affect the health of occupants.

In the perfect world, the synthetic material would be installed in strict accordance with manufacturers recommendations and then MAINTAINED in accordance with those same recommendations by the home owner.  There would be no problems.  Listen, I have seen hundreds of these homes and have seen only a very few that were installed and maintained correctly.  The installers take shortcuts or use poorly trained workers, the general contractor trusts the sub contractor and/or does not become familiar with the product and finally, the home owner sees stucco as a “maintenance free” product.

But I Already Own An EIFS House or I Love This House And Want To Buy It

If you are an owner walk around your house carefully and look for any cracks.  Look very careful at all penetrations; windows, deck rails, lights, etc.  If you see any cracks or openings it is time to bring in a qualified EIFS inspector.  The inspector will be able to tell you if there is moisture behind the walls and make recommendations for repair and/or maintenance.  If you are lucky and there is no moisture problem, put yourself on an annual inspection and maintenance program.  If problems are identified, they should be corrected and then begin regular maintenance.

If you really, really want to purchase one of these EIFS homes, make sure that you find a QUALIFIED EIFS inspector.  You will probably need permission from the seller for some moderately “destructive” testing. (1/8 inch holes that are then re-sealed.)  I have never seen an EIFS house come through with less than several thousands of dollars of repairs with one estimate for $70,000 because of mold.

Want An Agent To Represent You Who Cares About This Stuff?

That be me!  I have been around and involved in construction and try to stay up to date on what is happening.  You will benefit from my business practice of always and only representing the interests of my buyer-clients.

Russ Murray         303-721-1100           russ@buyerbroker-denver.com