Renovating a pre-1978 Michigan home? Make sure your contractor is lead-safe certified.
If your home was built before 1978, federal law assumes the paint inside contains lead. Almost any renovation work — windows, drywall, painting, siding, doors — disturbs that paint and falls under the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule. The rule applies to your contractor, not to you. Here's what you should ask before anyone starts cutting.
Lead inspection vs. EPA RRP — what's the difference?
Most Michigan homeowners searching “lead inspection” don't actually need an inspection — they need a contractor who works lead-safe.
Lead inspection
A certified lead inspector tests the painted surfaces in your home to determine which contain lead-based paint. Useful if you want to confirm the presence of lead, qualify for a homeowner opt-out, or document the home's status before purchase. Not required to renovate.
EPA RRP compliance
The work practices a contractor must follow when renovating a pre-1978 home: containment, certified-renovator supervision, lead-safe work practices, HEPA cleanup, and a documented record. Required by federal law for almost all renovation work, whether or not you've had an inspection.
Three questions to ask any contractor before they start
If a contractor can't answer all three with confidence, they're not equipped for RRP work — and you're the one who inherits the risk.
- 01
Are you an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm, and is the renovator on my job a Certified Renovator?
Both are required by federal law for any RRP-regulated work. Ask for the firm certification number and the renovator's individual certification.
- 02
How will you contain the work area, and what happens to the dust and debris?
EPA requires 6 ft of interior plastic containment (10 ft outdoors), HEPA-vacuum cleanup, and a final cleaning verification. Plain old plastic sheeting and a shop vac don't satisfy the rule.
- 03
Will I get a written compliance record when the job is done?
EPA requires the firm to keep records for 3 years. You should receive a copy of the pre-renovation pamphlet acknowledgment, a record that the work followed lead-safe practices, and contact information for the certified renovator.
FAQ
Is lead paint inspection the same thing as EPA RRP compliance?
No. A lead inspection tells you whether your home contains lead-based paint. EPA RRP compliance is a set of work practices your contractor must follow when they disturb that paint during renovation. If your home was built before 1978, the EPA presumes lead-based paint is present — your contractor is required to follow RRP work practices regardless of whether you've had an inspection, unless they have a documented test result showing otherwise.
Do I have to pay for a lead inspection before renovating?
Usually no. The EPA RRP rule does not require homeowners to test for lead. The rule requires the contractor to assume lead is present in any pre-1978 component and to follow the work practices accordingly. A homeowner pays for inspection only if they want to opt out of RRP work practices — and that opt-out has narrow eligibility (no children under 6 or pregnant women in the home, etc.).
What happens if my contractor doesn't follow RRP?
Federal civil penalties to the contractor can reach tens of thousands of dollars per violation, but the bigger risk to you as a homeowner is exposure: dry-sanded paint, open-flame paint stripping, and uncontained debris can leave lead dust in the house long after the crew leaves. Children and pregnant occupants are most at risk.
How do I know if my home has lead paint?
If your home was built before 1978, the EPA presumes it does. Pre-1940 homes carry the highest concentrations (paint manufacturers used up to 50% lead by weight before WWII). The only way to know for sure is a certified lead inspection or risk assessment, but presumption is enough for compliance purposes — your contractor must work lead-safe regardless.
What is ECT and how does my contractor use you?
Environmental Compliance Technical (ECT) is an EPA-Certified-Renovator-led compliance firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We work alongside your general contractor — pre-setting the lead-safe containment, training their crew on-site, monitoring the work, handling cleanup and verification, and delivering a 24-hour digital compliance packet. Your contractor books us at a flat fee. You can ask your contractor to book us, or share this page with them and we'll handle it from there.
Working with a Michigan contractor?
ECT works alongside your general contractor — we handle the lead-safe side of the job (containment, training, monitoring, cleanup, and the 24-hour compliance packet) so your contractor can focus on the build. Most GCs in our footprint can book us directly at a flat fee.