Asbestos, Lead Paint, And more. NJ 3 family
South Amboy, NJ · Member since 2014 · 114 posts · 2 votes
Hi I am in the process of maybe purchasing a huge 3 family home for a pretty cheap price, however it needs a lot of repairs. We do our own work so I will save a lot of money that way. There is some things I am concerned about like Lead paint everywhere, and Asbestos on the piping in the basement. The problem is how will I know if the asbestos is throughout the house inside the walls and ceilings or just in the basement ?
My other question is when I get inspections from the state to rent it out what are the requirements I will need to meet when having lead paint or asbestos in my home. Does it have to be completely removed or just covered the proper way?
Not only could you face some pretty hefty fines, as Jim put it, but you, your family (if you’re doing the work at home) and your tenants could face some pretty serious health consequences if not done properly. As a nurse case manager for lead poisoned children, I can’t tell you how many cases I’ve seen as a result of DIY projects or hiring non-certified contractors.
If the paint is merely crackling, not flaking, you can encapsulate it with fresh paint after thoroughly washing the area with soapy water. If it’s flaking, it should be removed.
My understanding is that, unless the work is being done on your own residence, federal law requires you to hire a certified lead abatement contractor to remove it even if the house is unoccupied because it requires thorough clean up afterward. It doesn't matter if the property is in an LLC or your own name.
If you work on your own home, research it first as there are many precautions. For example, lead paint should never be dry scraped or sanded as it creates lead dust which is then inhaled or ingested. You can start your research here .
Any work with asbestos, whether in your own home or not, should absolutely be done by certified contractors and you should educate yourself on the precautions to be sure they are followed.
As an investor, I know these regulations can be a real pain and increase costs. However, the reason the law is so strict is the serious health consequences. Lead poisoning in children can lead to neurological damage that affects their ability to concentrate and learn, cause behavioral problems and result in a lower IQ…for life. It has also been linked to violent behavior when these children reach adolescence and early adulthood. Very high levels can be fatal for children and adults.
As for asbestos, it causes a rare and very aggressive form of cancer. Its prognosis is usually not good.
I apologize for the long post but, as you can tell, I’m passionate about public health. One of the things I like about real estate is that I can incorporate that passion in my investing by providing safe and healthy housing as well as educate other investors on how to do the same.
Regarding your pending purchase, I’d say do the math on safe renovations. If the numbers still work, great! If not, pass. The health, legal and financial risks are not worth it. There will be other deals.
You really need to get licensed lead paint and asbestos remediation contractors to check it out. If you try to do it yourself you're exposing yourself to some pretty hefty fines from the EPA. There was a guy here in KC (had 3 rentals) that was put out of business when he was audited by the EPA and ended up being hit with over $100k in fines because his window installer wasn't licensed in lead paint procedures.
Technically if you own the property in an LLC you are not allowed to do any lead or asbestos work, all work needs to be handled by a licenesed and insured remediation company.
You can buy a special paint at paint supply houses that encapsulates the lead paint and will prevent it from being exposed which is allowed as long as the paint is not flaking everywhere.
Asbestos should always be handled by licensed professionals, they will spray it with water, create a vacuum so none of the dust gets throughout the house or airspace, respirators, full body suits, ect. Its expensive because they have all the proper equipment, licenses and insurance for that kind of business.
If the asbestos is in good shape and not flaking, ect then you do not have to do anything with it, especially if your tenants do not get access to the basement (highly recommended, in low income areas people will steal their own (your own) boiler or copper for scarp if they really need some cash). The lead paint however is generally tested with a swipe across a window sill or handrail that is painted, then they measure to see if there was open lead. If you encapsulate it with the proper paint you will be fine.
This is a NOT LEGAL ADVICE
I can see the lead paint everywhere in the house and it's flaking all over
It's not occupied right now .. If I'm doing work on my own house such as lead paint removal myself by scraping it, that is considered illegal ?
asbestos on pipe or duct work in the walls - undisputed is fine. It's the visable, accessible pipes that are the problem.. Get a qualified contractor to professionally remove it- then get a 3rd party air test to properly test the air for asbestos -( save that document) btw- it's expensive and don't do it yourself- if somehow you don't do it properly and a tenant somehow get sick/etc.. Your cooked-
whereas if you did it the right way with the correct passing air test documention, there's not a lawyer out there that would want the case------ at least that's what my Asbetos guy says to me.!!!
@Dave Shellenberger Okay so if the pipes are in the walls and not visible it's fine & I don't have to do anything to them?
Do you have and knowledge of lead based paint ?
If its your own house you are allowed to scrape off the lead paint, however if you own it under an LLC or similar structure you CAN NOT touch it. The fine for getting caught is upwards of $6,000 in NJ. I am not sure about the legality of rental units in your own home.
Not only could you face some pretty hefty fines, as Jim put it, but you, your family (if you’re doing the work at home) and your tenants could face some pretty serious health consequences if not done properly. As a nurse case manager for lead poisoned children, I can’t tell you how many cases I’ve seen as a result of DIY projects or hiring non-certified contractors.
If the paint is merely crackling, not flaking, you can encapsulate it with fresh paint after thoroughly washing the area with soapy water. If it’s flaking, it should be removed.
My understanding is that, unless the work is being done on your own residence, federal law requires you to hire a certified lead abatement contractor to remove it even if the house is unoccupied because it requires thorough clean up afterward. It doesn't matter if the property is in an LLC or your own name.
If you work on your own home, research it first as there are many precautions. For example, lead paint should never be dry scraped or sanded as it creates lead dust which is then inhaled or ingested. You can start your research here .
Any work with asbestos, whether in your own home or not, should absolutely be done by certified contractors and you should educate yourself on the precautions to be sure they are followed.
As an investor, I know these regulations can be a real pain and increase costs. However, the reason the law is so strict is the serious health consequences. Lead poisoning in children can lead to neurological damage that affects their ability to concentrate and learn, cause behavioral problems and result in a lower IQ…for life. It has also been linked to violent behavior when these children reach adolescence and early adulthood. Very high levels can be fatal for children and adults.
As for asbestos, it causes a rare and very aggressive form of cancer. Its prognosis is usually not good.
I apologize for the long post but, as you can tell, I’m passionate about public health. One of the things I like about real estate is that I can incorporate that passion in my investing by providing safe and healthy housing as well as educate other investors on how to do the same.
Regarding your pending purchase, I’d say do the math on safe renovations. If the numbers still work, great! If not, pass. The health, legal and financial risks are not worth it. There will be other deals.