Typical cost in Novato
Older paint can lie buried under newer coats on a pre-1978 Novato house: on siding, stucco, eaves, fascia, trim and railings. Novato Lead Paint Removal scopes exterior jobs part by part. One state rule shapes every job: California counts paint disturbed outdoors without a barrier as a lead hazard, so ground sheets and wall protection go in before the first scrape.
About 12,300 Novato homes date from the 1950s through the 1970s (the 1970s count includes 1978-79), so exterior work here is largely on mid-century wood or stucco walls rather than Victorian detail. We scope exterior lead work across Novato and nearby North Bay cities, including San Rafael and Petaluma.
Siding, corner boards and window casings can carry several coats. Wet scraping, chemical strippers and swapping out boards beyond repair keep debris down; dry sanding and torches have no place on a house this age. Every lead job needs containment, and the finished site has to be free of visible dust and debris.
Whether stucco counts depends on its paint. The EPA’s own FAQ puts painted stucco inside its renovation rule. If you mean to patch, re-texture or open up a new window hole, test the coats first: sound ones may only need stabilizing, failing ones come off behind barriers.
Boards at the roofline take sun and runoff, so their paint goes first. They are narrow and high up, which means scaffolding or a lift with a catch sheet beneath. A rotted board can be cleaner to replace whole than to strip in place.
Lead can turn up on any painted exterior part of a pre-1978 lot: posts, railings, gates, the garage door. Worn pieces and the ones people grab daily are the first candidates for stripping or replacement. A part that costs little to replace can simply be unbolted and bagged.
Flower beds under an old wall collect paint chips, and California classes contaminated soil as a hazard. The yard side of an exterior job therefore gets heavy sheeting past the drip line and a daily sweep-up. Treating the soil itself is outside what we do; a risk assessment that finds contaminated bare ground would be scoped separately.
At least five days before abatement starts, the contractor delivers CDPH Form 8551 and posts it at each entry to the work area, where it stays until the work and any clearance wrap up. CDPH guidance adds written notice to residents of the building and of adjoining dwellings. Where a lot line is tight, expect that conversation.
New siding, new stucco or structural trim replacement may call for a building permit. We have not confirmed Novato’s current handouts, so ask the building division about your scope. If the building belongs to the Hamilton Army Air Field historic district, or to another designated site, ask the planning division before changing the exterior. Nothing we found ties a Novato permit to lead; the lead requirements are state and federal.
Reach decides most exterior pricing. Ground-level work on a one-story ranch is simpler than a second story that needs wrapped scaffolding. After access come the questions of how much paint has failed, whether boards are rotten, strip or stabilize, and whether abatement notice and clearance apply.
Exterior paint is only part of a Novato house. If the same property has worn sashes, read lead paint window and door work; if some paint is sound enough to keep, read lead paint encapsulation. Novato Lead Paint Removal sets out the complete list and how the pieces fit.
House address first. Next, its approximate age, one floor or two, and which parts are peeling (siding, eaves, deck, garage door). Mention any lead test done before. We'll get back to you soon with an estimate or any questions we have. Estimates are free and there's no obligation.
Call (628) 214-2107