FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CONTRACTOR BEFORE YOUR HOUSE IS TORN APART.
One of the largest issues facing homeowners during a renovation is dust containment. Anyone who has lived through a renovation knows that despite the best planning, dust can quickly travel to other areas of the home. At a bare minimum, dust is a nuisance. Taken to the extreme, dust can pose a real health hazard to the home's occupants. Here in the Northeast, the housing stock is very old which exposes homeowners and workers alike to even greater possible risks such as lead and asbestos.
What questions should homeowner's ask the renovation company before the dust starts to fly?
1. Will you be testing for lead and asbestos before the project begins?
If your home was built prior to 1978, you should absolutely have it tested for lead prior to any work commencing. There are specific laws in place in MA that address all phases of demolition when lead is present. Your state may have similar laws that are meant to protect you during this critical phase of the renovation. As alluded to earlier, a homeowner should also have areas involved in the demolition phase tested for asbestos. This may include testing wall coverings such as drywall and plaster, sheet vinyl flooring such as 6x6 and 9x9's, and popcorn ceilings. If any of the tests come back positive for lead or asbestos, the areas must be removed by a company that is licensed to do this work.
2. How will you protect my existing floors and personal belongings?
Prior to demolition, all furniture and personal belongings that can be moved should be moved. Those items that cannot be moved should be wrapped with a plastic that is 3 to 6 mil thick. All seams should be taped to ensure that no contamination takes place during the life of the project. The floors should be vacuumed and wiped down which reduces the chance of damaging the finished surface. After cleaning the floors, a 6 mil plastic is laid on top. All seams are overlapped by a minimum of 1 foot and taped. After applying the plastic, a number of overlays may be used to protect the finished flooring. This can include Ramboard (a protective cardboard) and masonite (a hardboard panel). These materials are placed on top of the plastic and offer further protection to the existing flooring.
3. How will you prevent dust from entering our living space?
Effective dust containment is successfully implemented by using several methods that must work together as a system. At a bare minimum, plastic sheeting should be installed between the demolition area and the living space. The plastic should be 6 mil thick and extend from floor to ceiling. The plastic is held in place by Zip Poles (or similar) and all seams are taped at the top, bottom and across any overlaps. It's also worth mentioning that any vents, air intakes, or smoke detectors are also covered with plastic and taped shut to prevent contamination to other areas of the house. Once the work area is sealed off, tack pads are placed in front of the zipped entrance. Tack pads are large, sticky pads that remove dirt and debris from workers shoes as they exit the workspace. This cuts down on the amount of debris that is tracked into the living space. Finally, the demolition area should be equipped with an air scrubber that is large enough to meet the minimum of 6 ACH (the room's air is changed 6 times in 1 hour). An air scrubber is effective on two fronts. First, it pulls air from the workspace and passes it through a series of filters before releasing it. This will dramatically reduce the amount of dust that is in the actual work area which makes for a safer work environment. Second, an air scrubber can be vented to the outside. Taking air away from the workspace and delivering it outside will create a negative air space which means air flows from the living space INTO the work space. This prevents dust from traveling into the clean area.
4. Who is responsible for the post construction cleanup?
Despite everyone's best effort, there is bound to be some residual dust at the end of a renovation. Find out ahead of time who is responsible for the clean up. On a small project this may be just a few hours of cleaning. On larger jobs it can amount to several hours of deep cleaning by multiple workers. Has this cost been included in the estimate? If not, you may find yourself dealing with the unpleasant task of the final clean up when all you really want to do is enjoy your new space.
About The Author
Derck Sturgeon is the owner of Sturgeon Construction & Restoration LLC. Derck grew up in Glens Falls, New York in the Adirondack region and drew inspiration from the rural area he was raised in. He began his construction career in upstate New York and has experience renovating properties throughout New England. With over twenty years of construction experience, Derck's broad depth of knowledge, strong interpersonal skills, creative approach to design, and meticulous focus on detail allows his company to work on a wide scope of projects from basic repairs to full home renovations.