Of course, homeowner-directed renovations can still pose a risk to buyers, but these risks typically relate to mistakes made in the course of a do-it-yourself project. Older homes, in contrast, often contain features and make use of materials that are subject to strict regulations today but were once incredibly commonplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asbestos, for instance, was once widely used to fireproof and reinforce homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We know today that asbestos is a dangerous carcinogen, but that wasn\u2019t always the case. According to some sources, more than 30 million homes<\/a> nationwide\u2014homes that are lived in, and homes that are on the market\u2014are contaminated by asbestos-based building materials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Undisclosed renovations not only risk inadvertently upsetting old asbestos and other dangerously degraded toxins like lead and aluminum, but they could expose homeowners and real estate agents to the very real possibility of litigation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, \u201chome renovation\u201d is a broad term that is often used to describe almost any alteration to an existing property, structure, or exterior feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any of the following types of projects could be considered renovations: <\/p>\n\n\n\n An expanded version of this definition<\/a> is used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enforce the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule. Similar rules apply to renovations that risk upsetting other toxins<\/a>, like asbestos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in both cases\u2014that of lead paint, and that of asbestos\u2014regulations tend to apply to contractors rather than individual homeowners. Unless prohibited hy a state-specific law or local ordinance, most people don\u2019t need permission to conduct minor renovations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a commissioned survey<\/a> of adults and prospective homeowners, AsbestosClaims.law found that asbestos can be a big sticking point for buyers, of whom about: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerns about asbestos and other toxins are anything but rare, but most states don\u2019t require testing, even after homeowners make extensive renovations or rebuild after a wildfire or other natural disaster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Of the homeowners surveyed, only: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The relatively small percentage of homeowners who do their due diligence in identifying and addressing toxin-related risks isn\u2019t a byproduct of some sort of societal neglect: nearly half of all homeowners conceded they\u2019d never realized testing could be necessary, whereas about 30% said they delegated responsibility for risk identification and mitigation to an insurance company or third-party contractor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Big Problem with Undisclosed Renovations<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, most states, from California to Texas and Rhode Island, have statutes that very specifically detail the rights and responsibilities of homeowners throughout the sales process. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Legal Definition of a Home Renovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
At the federal level, there is no single, one-size-fits-all definition of what constitutes a home renovation.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Renovation and Risk Disconnect in Real Estate Sales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Latest Research on Asbestos and Home Sales<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Homeowners may not always have a legally-binding duty to report renovations to the government, but that doesn\u2019t mean they get a free pass when it comes time to set sail and sell their property. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n