Getting the Lead Out
Sep. 15th, 2011 09:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancerjodiWe had our house tested for lead quite a while ago. Being built in 1900 we knew they would find some - they found surprisingly less than we expected. The inspector told us that our house was actually in good shape, and that typically kids with lead poisoning get it because either:
A) the house is in disrepair and there is peeling paint for kids to easily pick up/pull off and eat
B) construction occurs disturbing the lead paint, putting it into the air and it is ingested simply by breathing it in
He told us that given the state of our house and where lead was, and the fact that all of our windows have already been replaced there was only a minor chance our kid could end up with lead poisoning. I grew up in a house that was never deleaded (and we did a ton of construction), and all of us turned out just fine. That slight chance - it was something I was curious to look into at least.
The inspector filed the report with the state (though they don't do anything to follow up on it) and gave us a list of suggested contractors for us to call for quotes. I compared them to Angie's List reviews and to friend's own suggestions and we called three companies: Alpine, Oxford and a third I'm forgetting now. Alpine and Oxford were the only ones to call us back, and there was a bit of phone tag, e-mail tag and blowing off going on. We finally got Alpine out last week to look at the house (after having reviewed the full report from the inspector online). We received their quote yesterday. $5k for the outside work and $6k for the inside work. This is pretty much what I expected.
We aren't convinced we want to do this at all, but least of all, we definitely are not concerned about the outside work at this point. Additionally, we have no desire to do the work in the basement (some old windows need replacing). Lead paint is the least of our concerns down there given all of the mess and pointy things and chemicals from Brian's prop building. That area would be off-limits for a long time to the babe. Brian is going to get in touch with Alpine to see what they say to that.
I wanted at least one other quote to compare to. Oxford still was blowing us off. The third initial contractor never even replied. We had called a fourth (after getting a name of a smaller 'Jack of all Trades' type guy who did our friends house in Dedham) and haven't heard back from him yet. Well Brian said yesterday "they must smell it". Oxford got back to us and wanted to come over today to look at the house, jumping all over themselves to be accomodating. Our schedules and such being what they are, they are going to come by next Tuesday.
At least we'll have 2 quotes to compare, and then we need to decide what (if anything) we want to do. We do know that the neat dutch door that goes between our dining room and den (the den was once just a porch but now is a year-round, heated room) will have to go. The whole thing is lead and stripping it will be such a pita, given the split in the middle. On the one hand it will be nice to open up that room as a kind of normal living space (we always keep the door open anyway). On the other hand we won't be able to easily lock our bunnies in and our cats out. Though our bunnies are OLD (10) and we won't be getting any more once they are gone. It is a pretty door, but it will need to go. I've taken pictures of it at least for memory sake - I love the brass hardware on it. It is original to the house:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6135928159/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6135927297/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6135926049/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6136471250/in/photostream/
Anyway, we have a bit more waiting and then some decision-making to do. If we do have the work done we will need to live somewhere else for the week or so until the work is completed and it is reinspected. Brian's company has an apartment for out-of-town employees, so we're hoping we could stay there (we could bring our cats with us). The lovely September has offered to take our bunnies as has a friend with a son who would just love taking care of them. Given their advanced ages though, I would feel TERRIBLE if something happened to our buns (as we are expecting it will "soon") in a child's care, so I think the Tember household would win out. Funny, since they also have a snake there (our buns are large enough that a snake wouldn't think it could eat them, presumably).
Fun. Or something. :)
A) the house is in disrepair and there is peeling paint for kids to easily pick up/pull off and eat
B) construction occurs disturbing the lead paint, putting it into the air and it is ingested simply by breathing it in
He told us that given the state of our house and where lead was, and the fact that all of our windows have already been replaced there was only a minor chance our kid could end up with lead poisoning. I grew up in a house that was never deleaded (and we did a ton of construction), and all of us turned out just fine. That slight chance - it was something I was curious to look into at least.
The inspector filed the report with the state (though they don't do anything to follow up on it) and gave us a list of suggested contractors for us to call for quotes. I compared them to Angie's List reviews and to friend's own suggestions and we called three companies: Alpine, Oxford and a third I'm forgetting now. Alpine and Oxford were the only ones to call us back, and there was a bit of phone tag, e-mail tag and blowing off going on. We finally got Alpine out last week to look at the house (after having reviewed the full report from the inspector online). We received their quote yesterday. $5k for the outside work and $6k for the inside work. This is pretty much what I expected.
We aren't convinced we want to do this at all, but least of all, we definitely are not concerned about the outside work at this point. Additionally, we have no desire to do the work in the basement (some old windows need replacing). Lead paint is the least of our concerns down there given all of the mess and pointy things and chemicals from Brian's prop building. That area would be off-limits for a long time to the babe. Brian is going to get in touch with Alpine to see what they say to that.
I wanted at least one other quote to compare to. Oxford still was blowing us off. The third initial contractor never even replied. We had called a fourth (after getting a name of a smaller 'Jack of all Trades' type guy who did our friends house in Dedham) and haven't heard back from him yet. Well Brian said yesterday "they must smell it". Oxford got back to us and wanted to come over today to look at the house, jumping all over themselves to be accomodating. Our schedules and such being what they are, they are going to come by next Tuesday.
At least we'll have 2 quotes to compare, and then we need to decide what (if anything) we want to do. We do know that the neat dutch door that goes between our dining room and den (the den was once just a porch but now is a year-round, heated room) will have to go. The whole thing is lead and stripping it will be such a pita, given the split in the middle. On the one hand it will be nice to open up that room as a kind of normal living space (we always keep the door open anyway). On the other hand we won't be able to easily lock our bunnies in and our cats out. Though our bunnies are OLD (10) and we won't be getting any more once they are gone. It is a pretty door, but it will need to go. I've taken pictures of it at least for memory sake - I love the brass hardware on it. It is original to the house:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6135928159/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6135927297/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6135926049/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dancerjodi/6136471250/in/photostream/
Anyway, we have a bit more waiting and then some decision-making to do. If we do have the work done we will need to live somewhere else for the week or so until the work is completed and it is reinspected. Brian's company has an apartment for out-of-town employees, so we're hoping we could stay there (we could bring our cats with us). The lovely September has offered to take our bunnies as has a friend with a son who would just love taking care of them. Given their advanced ages though, I would feel TERRIBLE if something happened to our buns (as we are expecting it will "soon") in a child's care, so I think the Tember household would win out. Funny, since they also have a snake there (our buns are large enough that a snake wouldn't think it could eat them, presumably).
Fun. Or something. :)
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no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 05:03 pm (UTC)I really worry about lead paint though, especially after my chinchilla got lead poisoning (bad enough to cause seizures) after having free-range of my old apartment.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 05:19 pm (UTC)There is also no law requiring us to reveal that we have tested and know there is definitely lead, were we to sell. MA laws about lead are strict though, so the inspector was assuming that someday, we would be legally required to tell potential buyers we knew there was lead. Deleading could be a potential selling point, were we to sell. We're planning on staying put for a good long time though.
Do chinchilla's chew wood like bunnies do? I wonder if that's where they got it?
$6k isn't a lot of money for the peace of mind. We'll probably end up taking care of the inside for now, but I want to compare to another contractor before hiring them. I also have no clue how they think they are going to clean our basement or pack up and move to the middle all of the things down there . . . it is a nightmare. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 10:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-18 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-15 11:02 pm (UTC)I'm still not authorized to view your flickr account, it seems.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-18 11:20 am (UTC)Lead Inspector
Date: 2011-10-04 09:00 pm (UTC)Ron Albert 617 680 6900
Found him on Angie's list - was very happy with him.