Posted by Mark Paskell on Fri, Jul 31, 2009 @ 01:14 AM
The clock is ticking for thousands of contractors involved in the renovation of homes. By April of 2010 all contractors who work on homes built before 1978 will be required to comply with the EPA Lead Rules. The penalties for violations; $32,500 per violation per day. This effects remodelers, plumbers, electricians, painters, heating contractors and any trade that is involved in the renovation of these older properties.
There are very few training providers as of this date. Following is information from the Construction Industry Compliance Assistance Center. (http://www.cicacenter.org/). In addition organizations like NARI (http://www.nari.org/) can assist you on what this means to your business. It will be interesting to see how many contractors obtain the certification.
Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Resources
| Locate RRP Program Trainers. Training providers have been accredited by EPA to provide training for renovators under EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program: EPA Trainer List. |
New Rule Establishes Requirements to Protect
Children During Renovation, Repair and Painting Activities that Disturb Lead-Based Paint
On March 31, 2008, to better protect children from lead-based paint hazards, EPA issued a new rule for home improvement contractors and maintenance professionals who renovate or repair pre-1978 housing, child care facilities or schools. The rule requires that by April 2010 contractors and maintenance professionals be certified, that their employees be trained, and that they follow protective lead-safe work practice standards (see EPA fact sheet).
The covered facilities include residential, public or commercial buildings where children under age six are present on a regular basis as well as all rental housing. The rule applies to renovation, repair or painting activities. It does not apply to minor maintenance or repair activities affecting less than six square feet of lead-based paint in a room or less than 20 square feet of lead-based paint on the exterior. Window replacement is not minor maintenance or repair.
Additonal Resources
General lead information from EPA
Renovate Right. Pamphlet containing important lead hazard information for families, child care providers and schools.
National Lead Information Center (NLIC). The National Lead Information Center (NLIC) provides the general public and professionals with information about lead hazards and their prevention. (1-800-424-LEAD (5323))
General RRP information. Beginning in April 2010, federal law will require that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
Information for construction trades and property managers/operators:
Information on how to become trained and certified:
Information for construction training organizations and community colleges:
- Renovator training. EPA has developed the following training courses to provide instruction to individuals seeking certification as a renovator or dust sampling technician.
- Training provider application
- Trainer "toolbox". This Web page contains application instructions and information that contractors and training providers need to become approved by EPA.
Information for child-care providers and schools:
- Steps to lead safe Renovation, Repair and Painting. EPA pamphlet describing how to safely work with lead-based paint in the home.
- Renovate Right. Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects in housing, child care facilities and schools built before 1978.
- Small business compliance guide. A handbook for contractors, property managers and maintenance personnel working in homes, child care facilities and schools built before 1978.
- PTA Article. How to help ensure a lead-free environment for children.
- Renovator training. EPA has developed the following training courses to provide instruction to individuals seeking certification as a renovator or dust sampling technician.
- Training provider application
- Trainer "toolbox". This Web page contains application instructions and information that contractors and training providers need to become approved by EPA.
Article for construction trades:
Article on EPA Rule Requiring Mandatory Lead Training
Federal Agency Compliance with EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule
Posted by Mark Paskell on Thu, Jul 16, 2009 @ 10:48 PM
In a recent post about standard education for residential contractors, I spoke about the existing career path provided for students who want to become professional commercial contractors. In the current market the starting income for 4 year graduates with a degree for commercial construction can be as low as 50,000 per year.
This morning I spoke with a graduate from a local college about his new commercial construction job. He was asked what he spent on his 4 year education to get a job starting at 50K? He said $200,000!
This got me thinking about the income that many residential contractors earn without formal education, albeit they have an education from the school of hard knocks. Many contractors I know earn well in excess of 50k per year. Imagine what they would earn if they received industry specific formal education and training?
There are limited education opportunities for residential contractors in our university and college system. The Contractor Coaching Partnership is championing the cause to bring professional education for residential contractors into the mainstream. Organizations like NARI and NAHB offer industry specific courses but more is needed to prepare today's residential contractors for the changing market.
Consumers are demanding a higher standard of professionalism from today's residential industry. The lack of standard education programs presents a huge opportunity for contractor business coaches and trainers to develop curriculum designed to help new and established residential contractors meet the challenges of the new market.
For now, companies like The Contractor Coaching Partnership will continue to provide industry specific education and training to residential contractors. Although the investment or time committment does not come close to that of a 4 year college, we provide the best up to date curriculum specifically geared to construction companies who provide services to homeowners. Our "Four Legged Chair" system training covers marketing, sales, production, administration, self development, business planning and implementation of the systems into the contractor's business. Depending on the student, this training can be completed in one calendar year while still working. The income potential of residential contractor owners who invest in industry specific business education and training, ranges from high five figures and in many cases can exceed 100k.
Residential contractor education, is a worthy investment.
mark the coach
Posted by Mark Paskell on Wed, Jul 08, 2009 @ 06:34 PM
I spoke to a contractor last week who is considering contractor coaching for his business. His business is down like many in this challenging economy. During our conversation I asked him if he is following his business plan. He said he doesn't have one!
Prior to confessing he had no plan, he shared that he was nervous because he was going on vacation for the holiday. With this information, I asked him did he plan his vacation? He said yes we rented a condo on the beach, scheduled time off from work, booked a flight, rented a car, got travelers checks, arranged for boarding his german shepard, went shopping for clothes with his spouse and even booked his golf tee times.
Funny how some contractors and entrepreneurs make the time to plan a vacation yet fail to invest the time to make a plan for the very thing that pays for it, their business?
Remember the saying "if you don't know where you are going how do you know when you get there". Or "if you don't know where you are going any road you take will bring you there". He surely knows where he is going for vacation but doesn't have a clue where his business is going.
The contractor was asked why he failed to do a plan and he gave the following reasons;
1. No time, too busy working.
2. Business planning is for corporations.
3. Everything I need to do is in my head, I don't need to write it down.
4. The conditions change so quickly that any plan I do will be outdated, so why waste the time.
This has been a tough year even for those who have created a workable business plan, tougher for those who haven't. Part of the responsibility of having a business is doing a business plan. As the leader of your business you need to articulate your vision through you plan. You need to know where you are going and how you will arrive at your destination. Seat of the pants management or shooting from the hip causes mistakes and failure.
Suggestions for getting started;
1. Commit the time to plan to plan. Decide to set aside 1 hour per day to work on your plan and review it.
2. Have someone in your company or family do the plan with you.
3. Make an outline of your plan. Go online and search for business plan templates if you are stuck.
4. Engage a professional facilitator like a contractor business coach to help you.
I asked the contractor how much time he spent planning his ten day vacation and he said two days. That's 20% of the total 10 days on vacation. Imagine if he spent only 1% of his total hours worked in a year (50 hours per week for 50 weeks=2500 total hours times 1 % = 250 hours working on the business).
Do you think he would be nervous about going on vacation if he invested at least one percent of his work week planning?
Posted by Mark Paskell on Mon, Jul 06, 2009 @ 10:21 PM
It's 3:30 in the morning, woken by an strong dream and I find myself at the computer. My mind is racing with a plethora of ideas about founding a school for educating and training general and remodeling contractors, specialty trades and support industries servicing the
RESIDENTIAL (not commercial) homeowner construction market.
THE DREAM
It is a year in the near future and I am the leader of a school that teaches students how to set up and run a successful residential contracting business. This is no ordinary school. This school provides a career path for men and women interested in becoming a professional construction company in the residential remodeling and home improvement industry. The target market for these companies are homeowners, not commercial or institutional owners.
The school has a curriculum that is approved and sanctioned by public education officials. Once students complete their studies they will have a degree like any other college, university or community college. Scholarships, grants, and student loan programs are available like any college program today. Courses are approved for CEU credits in any state in the nation. The school is inclusive and offers courses specific to businesses in the residential construction industry. In addition to the standard trade courses on how to build, there are industry specific subjects; Business for Residential Construction Companies, Leadership, Residential Estimating and Markup, Best Practices and Ethics in Contracting, System Development, Administration and the contractor's office, Company Handbook Development, Hiring employees, Accounting, Computer and Software Applications for Residential Construction, Website Design, Marketing, Production Management for Residential Construction, Professional Sales Training, Networking and Strategic Alliance Development, Self-development, Green Building and Remodeling, Lead Carpenter Management for Remodelers, Lead Foreman for Replacement Trades and the Retrofit Industry, Design Build , Kitchen and Bath Design and Remodeling, Interior Design, Aging in Place, Lead Paint, Safety and OSHA Compliance, Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Roofing, Painting, Siding, Windows, Insulation, Excavation, Fencing, Asphalt Paving, Landscape Design and Construction, Tile, Masonry, and other courses specific to the residential construction market.
The school has an active internship program placing students with professional local contractors. We have great instructors all who have demonstrated experience with residential construction servicing the homeowner market. Our graduates work and network with other graduate companies.
Homeowners demand our graduate contractor companies to work on their home because they know they are professionally trained to be the best.
Wow its late and I realize that this is a dream. In America can you find a conventional college or university that offers a comprehensive degree in Residential Construction that includes the courses listed above? Where would you go to school to be a residential professional remodeler or a professional roofer? Sure there are consultants who offer industry specific training, but conventional schooling caters primarily to the commercial construction industry. Trade schools teach the how to, with little or no training on how to set up a construction business that services the residential homeowner market. The career path for commercial construction is established. The career path for education and training to set up a residential contracting company is incomplete in our conventional education system!
This is a great dream. The funny thing about this dream is that it is possible and now is the perfect time for it to become a reality. Any dream or thought backed by an intense desire and a well thought out plan can become reality. This intense desire and drive resides within me. I believe in this dream so much that I left a well paying 16 year job to set up my coaching business to deliver best practice education and training to contractor clients.
I see this school and schools like it, revolutionizing the entire residential construction industry as we know it. I know, given the opportunity and the right backing from angels or venture capitalists, we could build this school in short time and provide a standardized career path for those who want to become a professional contractor. The residential construction industry is ready for a rebirth and complete overhaul. Can you imagine the day when the public looks at residential contractors as professionals in the same light as other professions?
Now for the next step, building the team of industry experts to launch the dream and convert this thought impulse into its physical counterpart. The future is now.
mark the coach
Posted by Mark Paskell on Thu, Jul 02, 2009 @ 08:54 PM
Recently, I spoke with a veteran contractor who was having challenges with his business. There was significant budget slippage on projects and poor communication between his carpenters and customers. These challenges were causing significant culture issues among the employees in the field and the office. The owner found himself putting out fires every day. All departments were playing the blame game pointing fingers at everyone but themselves.
I educated them how come it's not working?
We delved into the situation and learned that the carpenters were great craftsman who were educated on the lead carpenter concept. The premise behind the education was once they were trained in the classroom, they would be first class lead carpenters in the field.
We discovered that after the lead carpenter training, the owner and office personnel were suppose to develop a paperwork system based on the lead carpenter concept. Then they were to help implement the system for the field personnel by providing checklists, pre-construction meeting forms, weekly meeting forms and a binder system. Well that was five years ago and the carpenters are still waiting!
All to often, contractor owners pay for education and rah rah motivation for their employees and then without any more effort, assume that their employees will perform like superstars in the field. Education without application, system development and implementation produces poor results. The money spent on education is wasted if it is not followed by application.
In our contractor coaching programs we start with education then follow up with system development and implementation into the contractor's business while the information is fresh. This reinforcement is vital to the success of the coaching program.
Follow up plan
If you are considering contractor education for yourself or your employees, protect your investment. Create a follow up plan for the development of a system that will reinforce the education you paid for. The owner needs to lead the charge and insure that the education is transfered to the field. The resulting outcome will be less slippage, better communication between employees and customers, less workplace stress and maybe a good night's rest for the owner!
mark the coach