OK, lead and asbestos information coming at you – and earlier than you click on away, I do know these things may sound boring, however it’s really riveting as a result of I can see all of the {dollars} we’re saving. I’m GIDDY. In previous intestine renovations, I’d have simply relied on our skilled contractor to rent the consultants to do the work wanted, and hear, typical GCs don’t supply up price range or DIY concepts. You aren’t going to stint on stuff like basis or ask the home-owner to DIY asbestos (particularly on a public mission) as a result of you need to assure the work long-term. ARCIFORM, as an example, is a high-end firm, and for our enormous renovation, they employed one of the best of one of the best in Portland, which meant the costliest subs that assured very high-quality work that lasts without end (however it certain did add up). That was nice for this residence (exhausting to swallow at instances, however I’m grateful that it’s finished proper and previously). Now, for the visitor cottage, we simply don’t wish to spend cash if we don’t actually need to. And by mission managing myself (no GC), I’m studying SO MUCH. I’m getting a number of quotes and asking the consultants what they might advocate we attempt to sort out ourselves versus hiring out. I used to be shocked by what the solutions have been re lead paint and asbestos, and in the present day I’m sharing.
Now I really feel compelled to provide the disclaimer that clearly I’m not an professional in poisonous residence substances, and the web may advocate you not do this stuff your self (what we’re DIY-ing is authorized, btw). And but, all of the subs that toured our visitor cottage gave us the very same recommendation on the place we may simply save by doing it ourselves and could be simply nearly as good/secure as in the event that they did it. So that is all anecdotal, and I’m taking no obligation as a result of I’m not giving ANY recommendation right here, simply telling you what I realized and what we’re enthusiastic about doing.
Asbestos – How A lot We Have And How A lot It’s Going To Value
The excellent news was that our home is so previous that there isn’t any insulation, which is often the place there may be A TON of asbestos. Our inspection report indicated that there is likely to be asbestos within the linoleum flooring (which is over the unique wooden we wish to refinish in the primary room) in addition to the ducting close to the range (round 12 toes). So it’s fairly minimal. However nonetheless, I’d by no means have thought-about doing asbestos abatement myself (hold studying). I had 3 abatement corporations come, examine, and submit quotes.
Firm A – John
The primary firm got here in at $7,130. Round $4k to take away the asbestos within the flooring and $2,250 for the ducting, then with a bunch of prep and authorized charges. I didn’t love this quote, clearly, however having by no means finished this earlier than, I didn’t know if it was market charge or not. Thank goodness I continued to get quotes.
Firm B – Leon
This firm requested us if we needed to check for asbestos and ranges of lead, which price $450 in lab exams (we didn’t know the price after I agreed, whoops). Whereas that does appear to be rather a lot, he really useful it as a result of he wasn’t satisfied it was beneath the linoleum. Seems the ground got here again NEGATIVE FOR ASBESTOS!!! INCREDIBLE. His price for eradicating it within the ducting was solely $995! He did, nevertheless, say that there was asbestos round all of the knob and tube wiring, which might price $1,595 for him to take away. However he was very clear that we may do that ourselves and that most individuals don’t rent out for this (extra on that beneath). But when we simply did the ducting, it might be $995.
Firm C – Barry
At this level, understanding that the flooring wasn’t asbestos, I had Barry solely quote for the ducting. They got here again at $1,782 for a similar job as Leon (though Leon charged $450 in lab charges, and I’m assuming they make some cash off of that).
Our Choice For Asbestos Abatement And What We Are Going To DIY Ourselves
I feel it’s fairly clear that we went with Leon, firm B, at $995 (having already spent $450 on the testing labs), after which he walked me by way of learn how to safely eliminate the knob and tube that has encapsulated asbestos round it, in order that we may save that $1,595. He mentioned to gear up in full PPE (hazmat swimsuit, masks, and so forth), spray water on it with a sprig bottle to stabilize it (and scale back the prospect of unfastened fibers/particles), clip it with clippers, and throw it in a bag. Now, I must look into the place I legally dump this, however he mentioned it was very a lot DIY-able, and most of the people do that themselves.
Now Onto Lead Paint
An enchanting and horrifying historic truth about lead paint, which is not any joke. Banned within the late 70s, most paint earlier than then had a good quantity of lead in it (which made it sturdy), however lead is lead; it’s poisonous in each type. However I suppose that the explanation they even realized that it may be so toxic particularly for teenagers’ mind growth is as a result of youngsters have been gnawing on window sills and consuming the chipped paint from window sills off the ground, as a result of lead paint is oddly candy. WHAT???? However most homes constructed earlier than the Seventies have lead paint possible beneath more energizing paint, however it’s universally accepted that it’s solely harmful if it’s “disturbed” (i.e. flaking off), consumed instantly by inhaling mud, consuming flakes of it, or in water/soil (which is why you don’t sand blast it off – it really makes it far more harmful). Once more, I’m not giving recommendation right here, simply passing on my analysis (which includes each deep web and asking like 6 contractors/consultants I do know with plenty of data and expertise). We’re safely and legally abating it, don’t fear.
The place Is The Lead?
The excellent news is that we don’t have very a lot paint in the home. A lot of the rooms are paneled with wooden or simply have open beams. So it’s principally the steps and the room upstairs (and the ground of the prop room). If it have been on a bunch of previous gross drywall, we’d take away all of it and simply substitute it, however because it’s all on good wooden paneling, we aren’t demo-ing it out.
First And Solely Quote For Lead Paint Abatement
Firm B (The identical as above, Leon) gave me fascinating perception. He mentioned that generally in these actually previous houses, they couldn’t afford lead paint (it was the fancier, extra sturdy paint again then), and there was an opportunity that there wasn’t sufficient lead within the paint to even fear about. He examined it at a lab (that was included in the identical $450 price, above), and it got here again to have twice as a lot that’s authorized, which isn’t that a lot, really (the authorized quantity is 5000 ppm, ours had 10k ppm – elements per million). It’s fairly minimal. He additionally jogged my memory of what the web advised me – that lead is de facto solely harmful if consumed instantly by inhaling mud, flakes, or consuming it. Leon mentioned we may completely do that ourselves, however gave me the quote anyway. He quoted $4,495 to stabilize and prime over all of the lead paint.
I requested Leon a number of instances how he would do it versus a traditional DIY home-owner, and he mentioned the method was the EXACT identical. You gear up in PPE, then “stabilize” it by scraping off any unfastened paint, maybe sanding with a block sander, then prime over it to encapsulate it. So we’d be doing the very same course of; he’d clearly be sooner at it, however it’s not a extremely expert job nor requires fancy instruments. He actually simply thought we must always do it ourselves and save the $4,495. I agreed with Leon 🙂
Complete Value If We Employed Out For Lead And Asbestos
If we had employed the primary asbestos removing man ($7,130), added on the knob and tube asbestos removing (which he didn’t quote for however Leon did at $1,595), after which employed out to take away the lead paint ($4,495) plus the $450 testing price, we’d be at a whopping $13,670.
Complete Value We Are Paying
We’re solely hiring Leon to take away the ducting asbestos for $995 + the already-spent lab price = $1,445. We’ll (safely) be doing the lead paint stabilizing and the knob and tube abatement on our personal, and we’re so glad that we received a number of quotes as an alternative of simply hiring the primary firm who assumed the flooring had asbestos with out testing. Now, in fact, there shall be some purchases of provides (PPE, spray bottle, scrapers, primer, and so forth), however fairly minimal, we hope. Additionally, this isn’t one thing I’m going to let my staff assist me with simply because I really feel slightly bizarre subjecting them to identified poisonous supplies, even when we’re secure with PPE. So that they’ll assist movie an intro and arrange a time-lapse then take off (I imply, it’s fairly boring stuff to movie anyway).
Subsequent up are the inspiration quotes, that are coming again with some fairly excellent news, THANK GOD. I’m ready on yet one more earlier than evaluating all of them and displaying you what we’re doing.
If anybody has expertise doing both of those initiatives themselves and can provide any suggestions, let me know within the feedback!
*Photograph by Kaitlin Inexperienced
