NAHB has created two new web pages to help members understand two important issues affecting new construction and remodeling projects.

Chinese Drywall
This topic has been the subject of much speculation in national headlines, and is causing concern for home owners and home builders. NAHB’s legal affairs department and building product issues committee worked together to develop a set of Chinese drywall resources. NAHB has also developed its own materials to help builders and associations understand the issue and communicate about it with home owners and their members. The newest resource on the page is an insurance coverage analysis entitled, “Which Contractors Will Be Covered by Their CGL Insurance Policies for Liability Arising Out of Chinese Drywall?”

These resources will be updated frequently as more information and the potential impact on builders is discovered. The resources are available to NAHB members and affiliated home builders association staff at: www.nahb.org/chinesedrywall.

Lead Paint
New resources on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule governing the work of professional remodelers in pre-1978 homes where there is lead-based paint have been compiled easily on a new NAHB Web site. The new materials, plus other resources on the EPA rule, "Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting," are now available at www.nahb.org/leadpaint. Available to NAHB members, the information also provides sample contract language that remodelers can use to minimize liability on jobs before the rule goes into effect on April 23, 2010.

The EPA rule addresses remodeling and renovation projects disturbing more than six square feet of potentially contaminated painted surfaces for all residential and multifamily structures built prior to 1978 that are inhabited or frequented by pregnant women and children under the age of six.

While training and certification will be required under the new rule, training currently is not available. The EPA, however, is reviewing applications for training professionals and NAHB expects the EPA to share information on training availability with NAHB soon. The NAHB lead paint rule Web site will be regularly updated as more information becomes available about training, certification and rule implementation. The Web site also includes a “Latest News” section where updates from NAHB on news and resources for preparing for the lead paint rule can easily be found.