Renovating mechanicals in walls with lead paint

We put in a bid on a great old townhouse that has been in the same family for 100 years!  They took really good care of it, but it needs a full electrical (still has fuses) and plumbing upgrades, new kitchen, and new bathrooms (gulp.) The walls are in good condition, but our contractor is saying that we will need to gut the house in order to get rid of the lead paint.  I really don’t want to, I love the look of the walls and trim, and just seems like overkill.  We have a little one (15 mos.) and want to have another so of course that is my biggest concern if we weren’t to gut. I’m not sure if we’ll even get it, but need to decide how high we’ll go in negotiations! Any thoughts? thanks much.

pingala

in Brownstoner Renovation 13 years and 5 months ago

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armchairwarrior | 13 years and 5 months ago

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gutting would cost you less and faster job than vs restoration. has nothing to do with lead paint.

curiositykilledthecat | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Just echoing what everyone else said.  Gutting everything to get rid of lead paint is absurd.

ParkSlopePS | 13 years and 5 months ago

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if a remodel activity disturbs more than 6 sq ft of a lead paint, then the contractor must follow the  EPA regulations (known as  RRP). It means that they are certified to perform the work using lead safe methods. You DO NOT need to perform a lead  abatement just becasue you are remodeling.

pingala | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Thank you, all of you!  That’s what I was thinking, but I’m as inexperienced in this as I guess my contractor is.  Ahh! He’s such a nice guy, and has looked at a lot of houses with us, I feel badly to ditch him, but I am very happy not to have to ditch lovely plaster walls. The paint is peeling only in one spot on the ground floor, other than that its ok. An architect friend said that the state says once you cut into a wall with lead paint it has to be abated. How would it be abated other than a super expensive lead abatement company? Is just it painted over? Do they use special paint? Any affordable contractor suggestions? Thanks again!

BHS | 13 years and 5 months ago

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that’s rediculous. you should avoid that contractor because either he’s being manipulative or is very inexperienced, neither of which is what you want. The truth is it is quicker, more profitable, and easier for the contracter to gut the place than to retain and restore what’s in place. But in gutting you will be removing higher quality materials (plaster walls and detailed woodwork) and replacing them with lower quality materials like sheetrock and new woodwork. Also it is entirely possible that a gut renovation would release more lead dust than would a restoration. It is entirely possible that what this contractor is really indicating is that his team and/or his sub contractors don’t have the skills to do a restoration though they could do a gut (which is easier if a contractor is only familiar with new materials and techniques).

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Get rid of your contractor.  First of all, 100% of these old houses have lead paint.  It’s not a problem unless uou have flaking chipping paint and haven’t given it a modern coat (which it probably has 2-3 of already)   Secondly, but more importantly, it is not necessasry to gut a house or anything near it to do a full plumbing and electric upgrade.  You need a contractor who is more sensitive to restoration (if that’s what you want).

Rick | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Gut the house!? that’s a bit much. Total overkill.  If you gut the place you will be making lead dust airborn. You should be able to do the electric and plumbing safely and preserving the original walls. Find a new contractor!

jockdeboeraia | 13 years and 5 months ago

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There are other ways to deal with it. Is any of the paint flaking off?

bks2f | 13 years and 5 months ago

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HI I HAVE RESTORATION COMPANY WE ARE ALSO EPA LEAD CERTIFICATED. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT 347-279-8083\. THANKS