# RRP Painter's Plan



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

_series of post_

*Part One*

IMO, RRP affects painting contractors the most. Just for grins ... let's do an example of Average Joe who owns a painting biz. With some painting contractors, 90% of their biz is on homes 1978 or older based on age of housing stock. With other painting contractors, only 50% of the homes were built in 1977 or older. Let's say the average is 75% of homes (age of housing stock) were built in 1977 or earlier.

This would mean that on 25% of homes, RRP doesn't even apply, because 25% of the homes were built after 1977. If I did 80 jobs a year, this would mean that on 20 of those jobs, RRP doesn't apply.

This also means that 60 of my jobs are in 1977 or older built homes.

30 of those 60 jobs are interior and the other 30 are exterior.

With 15 of those 30 interior jobs, I won't be disturbing more than 6 square feet per room.

This means that out of the 80 jobs I do, only on 45 do I have to worry about RRP.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

*Part Two*

Now out of those 45 homes, 30 of them are exterior. 

I spent a little time finding a lead inspector who will do a limited lead inspection for $150. _Having the customer pay for this, will be explained later._

On average (US average), around 15 of these 30 exterior jobs will have lead based paint on the exterior. This means RRP doesn't apply on those other 15.

Now ... from the original 80 jobs ... only 30 jobs (or 37.5%) do I now have to be concerned with RRP. Or 62.5% of my yearly jobs, I don't have to worry about RRP


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Dean,

not to fault your numbers, but I think location will create wide swings of the percentages.

as you can imagine, here in NE we start with a greater percent of older homes.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

*Part Three*

Alternative A

Now, let's go back to those 15 interior jobs where RRP applies. RRP is applying because I'm going to be painting trim. I could use sanding sealer or such and not disturb the paint in these rooms. If I was this type of painter ... RRP wouldn't apply to these 15, which means that now ... only 15 out of the original 80 jobs are RRP. Or 18.75%. However, I'm the type that sands the trim.

Aternative B

Probably 12 of the 15 don't actually have lead based paint. If I was in a state where I could check them with a test swab, I wouldn't have to worry about RRP on 12 of them. Taking this route means that only 18 out of the original 80 jobs are RRP. Or 22.5%

On the 3 interior jobs that actually have lead based paint ... I have to do RRP. Now, I normally (whether RRP or not), move the furniture into the center of the room and/or cover-up the furniture. I also put down tarps on every job. I also clean-up on every job. These things are the normal cost of business. RRP isn't really going to add much to the job. The LeadCheck cost. The plastic would cost much. The additional time to replace tarps with plastic is insignificant. 

Alternative C

In fact, since RRP is not going to add much, most likely, I won't test for lead and just do RRP on all 15 of these jobs. I would need to ...

1. Buy some plastic $5 to $7
2. Account for the extra time to tape the plastic down on the floor/furniture instead of just putting down tarps. Put plastic over door entry and on vents. Put up my reusable warning sign. 

What? It would take an extra 10 min or so?

I always do a good clean-up whether RRP or not. So not really seeing much extra time here. Verify clean. Fill out paperwork. Takes me about 5 min additional.

I already loose jobs to those painters who just repaint trim without sanding. Which means I'm use to selling higher quality jobs anyway. I don't feel that I'm going to lose that many jobs because I'm $15 to $20 higher. If I do ... then maybe I need to work on my salesmanship and finding better clients who are not looking for basement bargain prices.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

daArch said:


> Dean,
> 
> not to fault your numbers, but I think location will create wide swings of the percentages.
> 
> as you can imagine, here in NE we start with a greater percent of older homes.


Down here in Texas, we start with a lot lower percentage of older homes. Just trying to make this a US average.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

*Part Four*

Of those 18.75% left, there is no doubt that selling the job at a higher price, because of RRP is going to be tough. For those of you, who follow OSHA Lead in Construction ... you will probably lose very few RRP jobs, because OSHA regs cover about the same thing that RRP does ... so no additional cost.

For those who don't follow OSHA, you will get a certain %. It could be because it is a referral, repeat customer or the customer simply wants to have the work done legal. Some up sell these jobs by mentioning they have to do it the old fashion way (hand washing).

Because of this ultimate 12% to 15% drop in sales ... you will have to adapt. Move into a related field (mold remediation, minor carpentry, etc.) to make up this ground. Start trying for more interior work to make up this ground. Increase prices across the board a tad bit. Start going after non-bargain hunters. If you adjust, you can make up this 12% to 15%. It's not fair. You just got to do what you got to do.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

OK Reality check. Part whatever..


On a room that RRP is done-

Somewhat similar set up, but the plastic ( I find that 2 layers of 4 mil on the floor is much more successful than one 6 mil, ) plus a ful 1 mil to drape with because regular painters plastic gets ripped if you look at it hard.. plastic.= at least $25/30.
Then you need to tape down with duct tape. Except duct tape doesn't stick to thick poly hardly at all. So I find I have to use sheathing or tyvec tape. And you certainly dont want that stuff ripping up trim paint or floor varnish, so you have to pre tape with blue, then use the heavy duty stuff. 
Lets be light on it and say you use 1 roll blue and 1 roll sheathing.
About 6+ 10 for tape. 
And to do that will add (thats add on top of what a regular set up would take) at least 1/2 to hour onto set up , depending on how much stuff was left in the room. emptier the room, the easier.
Now after done, pulling up the containment and bagging goes pretty quick. But seeing as I have yet to do a job that would have passed the official "white glove" test before I started, and some would horribly fail, washing the floor and surfaces almost always requires multiple washings. This is where the real time gets added on. Then if you test it with the wipe and fail, wash it and then watch it dry for an hour ( really?) , and test again, another hour and a half.
To finish off a room usually I plan on 2+ hours. Sometimes it will be more. 
So does it actually add to the cost of the job?

Hell ya.

The only thing I can tell the HO is its going to be a really clean job when I'm done. Sometimes they get that.
And If there are no kids to poison, it's a bit harder of a sell..


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

Oh ya- I didn't mention that in order for anything to dry in a plastic bubble you need to get the humidity out. 
And you can't just open the window and put a fan in it.
Air scrubber vented out window- investment of $6-900.
And then there is the hepa vac. I have a Fein- + floor beater- investment of $5-800.
Then you have the zip doors and poles, misc cleaning crap etc. 
Most are one time buys, but you have to ramp up to do this, you can't just pull up with a roll of poly and a roll of tape and be ready to go.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

I thought a homeowner can decline, if there are no children in the home.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

MikeCalifornia said:


> I thought a homeowner can decline, if there are no children in the home.


That hasn't been an option for some time now.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

Actually never was an option - just a thought before it went live.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

BrushJockey said:


> OK Reality check. Part whatever..
> 
> 
> On a room that RRP is done-
> ...


It is perfectly fine to do it your way, as long as you realize that you don't have to double sheet the plastic ... tape the floor plastic all the way around ... use blue tape and then duct tape ... use sheathing ... etc. Doing it your way, I could see it taking much longer.

Do you wrap up the sheathing in plastic or put it into a heavy duty bag?

I mop the floor until it is clean ... RRP or not. No waiting in between and no need to do another verification.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

So.. what you do is not exactly what the rrp rule is, then. 
Bagging is required ( remember that little bend over the top of the bag part?)
Sealing all the way around is required, or did you miss that part too? 
Another 37,500!!
Re testing is required.. etc.
That is if you do it by the book...
Must be proud, poisoning children and all... ( back at cha)

Doubling the floor makes it much easier to contain dust when picking up.
But I'm a painter. And I do lots of plaster repair, so I do make dust.
Not sure what you do,.


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## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

BrushJockey said:


> So.. what you do is not exactly what the rrp rule is, then.
> Bagging is required ( remember that little bend over the top of the bag part?)
> Sealing all the way around is required, or did you miss that part too?
> Another 37,500!!
> ...


I stand corrected.

1. I don't do what RRP says
2. Bagging is required on all items.
3. Sealing all the way around the floor plastic is required.
4. I don't do things by the book.
5. I poison children.

Thanks for your expert knowledge!


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

Anytime bud!


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