Working in construction often means investing in quotes and estimates that don't result in projects. You may even make bids that require large-scale presentations. By the time someone decides to hire you, you have probably invested many hours into considering and...
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Construction Practice
Getting to the closing table when building custom homes
Although many people buy used homes, the demand for new homes is also consistently high. In recent years, there has been a noteworthy gap between the number of new houses coming on the market and the number of people hoping to purchase a home. A lack of adequate...
EPA Delays Enforcement of Certification for Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting
If you have not yet taken the EPA approved RRP contractor certification class, and have work to do on your pre-1978 properties, you have a little breathing room. The EPA announced Friday, June 18th that it is postponing the enforcement of the requirement that...
Lead Certification Training for Landlords and Rehabbers
As I write this article, we are less than a week away from the imposition by the EPA of its new requirements to minimize lead exposure during remodeling and renovation of pre 1978 housing units. Since last month, I have attended along with over 20 other ACRE...
EPA Lead Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule Effective April 22, 2010
The EPA promulgated in June 2008 a new “Lead Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rule” which affects renovation work done on rental housing units, child care facilities and schools (Covered Properties) built prior to 1978. We first reported on...
Seven Things You Need to Know Before You Buy Rental Property — Thing Six: State of Repair and Contractors
Looks can be deceiving. You can’t judge a book by its cover. Beauty is skin deep. All of these sayings are even more relevant to the purchase of rental property. When I began renovating properties and holding them for rental, I tried to cut corners in the work...
2009 Mechanic’s Lien Law Changes
A mechanic’s lien is a security interest in personal or real property for those who have supplied labor or materials without being fully paid. In Pennsylvania and most other states, these liens are statutory in nature. These protective devices exist to provide...
Home Improvement Contractor Registration Act 132
Dramatic change has come to the home improvement contracting business in Pennsylvania, with the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which has an effective date of July 1, 2009. The new law, also known as Act 132 of 2008, and found at 73 P.S. Section...
When Is A Contract Not A Contract
Sometimes, the cases I find myself going to court on deal with issues which would be of great interest to real estate investors. That is the situation with a case I argued before the Pennsylvania Superior Court on March 19, 2008. In my case, a bank was the...