California · testing and lab reports only
Pre-Renovation Lead Paint Testing in California — What the Rules Actually Require
Before renovation, repair or painting disturbs a painted surface in a home or child-occupied facility built before 1978, federal and California rules assume lead is present unless a test says otherwise. The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule lets you either presume lead and use lead-safe work practices, or test the surface and document the result — testing is what removes the presumption. A lead paint test from ClearGuard costs $425, uses paint-chip samples read by an accredited laboratory, and returns a written result you can keep in the project file.
ClearGuard collects samples and reports accredited laboratory results. We do not prepare surveys or permit documents, and we never bid or perform removal work.
Instant estimate · about 60 seconds
What your test will cost
What do you need tested?
Choose the concern at this property.
Testing only. We report what the accredited lab finds and never bid the removal or remediation work.
Accredited lab
Third-party analysis
Testing only
No removal sales, ever
Same-day visits
Fast written results
Chain of custody
Tracked from start to finish
The rules that apply
EPA RRP rule (40 CFR Part 745, Subpart E)
Applies to compensated renovation, repair or painting that disturbs more than small areas of paint in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978. The firm must be certified and use lead-safe work practices unless the components being disturbed are documented as lead-free.
California Title 17, Division 1, Chapter 8
California's lead rules define lead-based paint, lead hazards and who may perform lead inspections, risk assessments and clearance work, and require CDPH-certified personnel for those regulated activities. Laboratory analysis of the paint is what the determination rests on.
Cal/OSHA lead in construction (8 CCR 1532.1)
Where workers disturb lead-containing coatings, the employer owes exposure assessment, controls and training. A written laboratory result for the coating is the cleanest starting point for that assessment.
Disclosure at sale or lease (24 CFR Part 35)
Sellers and landlords of pre-1978 housing must disclose known lead-based paint and provide any available records or reports. A laboratory report is exactly the kind of record that satisfies the 'known information' part of that duty.
This is a plain-language summary to help you plan, not legal advice. Your local building department or air district has the final word on what your specific project needs.
Who usually needs this test
- Contractors and painters working on pre-1978 homes and apartments
- Landlords preparing a unit turnover or responding to a tenant concern
- Homeowners about to strip, sand or replace painted trim and windows
- Property managers and HOAs planning exterior repainting
- Buyers and sellers who want the paint question answered before closing
- Schools, daycares and other child-occupied facilities built before 1978
How the test works, step by step
- 1Tell us the address, the building age and which painted surfaces the work will disturb.
- 2We quote $425 up front and confirm a sampling window — usually same day or next morning.
- 3A sampler collects paint-chip samples from each distinct component and coating, photographing and logging every location.
- 4Samples travel under chain of custody to an accredited laboratory for analysis.
- 5You receive a written report with the lead concentration per sample, in plain language, typically within 24 hours.
Structured summary
Lead paint testing — price and turnaround
| Test | Lead paint testing — sampling plus accredited laboratory analysis and a written report. |
|---|---|
| Price | $425, quoted before anyone is dispatched. Expedited 4–8 hour handling adds $99. |
| Laboratory method | Paint-chip samples analysed by flame AAS or ICP (EPA SW-846 3050B) and dust-wipe samples reported in µg/ft² against the current EPA clearance levels |
| Turnaround | Same-day or next-day collection, written laboratory result within 24–48 hours |
| Not included | Surveys, permit documents, abatement scopes or removal work — we never sell any of it. |
| Contact | (510) 340-7791 · orders@clearguardenvironmental.com |
Independence
A company should not test the material it hopes to remove.
We collect and test material. ClearGuard does not sell removal work, keeping the finding independent. An abatement crew offering a "free inspection" is running a sales call with a lab form attached. We only sell the test, so a clean result and a positive result pay us exactly the same.
- No removal bids, no upsell, no referral kickback
- Every sample goes to an independent, accredited laboratory
- You get material names and percentages, not a vague pass or fail
- If a result is positive, we point you to licensed local abatement crews and exit the job
FAQ
California pre-renovation questions
Is lead paint testing legally required before renovation in California?
Not in every case. The EPA RRP rule lets a certified firm either presume lead is present and work lead-safe, or document that the components are lead-free through testing. Testing is how you remove the presumption — and many contractors, landlords and insurers require the written result before work starts.
Which buildings are covered?
Housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978. Older buildings carry more coats, so pre-1950 San Francisco and Oakland stock almost always warrants testing.
How much does the test cost and how long does it take?
$425 including laboratory analysis, with a written result usually inside 24 hours. Optional 4–8 hour expedited handling adds $99.
Do you provide the lead inspection report a regulator would accept?
We provide accredited laboratory testing of the paint and a written report of those results. We do not prepare surveys, clearance certificates or permit paperwork, and we never perform abatement — that independence is the point.
Can a swab from the hardware store replace this?
Consumer swabs give false results in both directions and are not laboratory analysis. Contractors, landlords and insurers generally want an accredited laboratory report instead.
What if the result comes back positive?
You take the report to any certified lead-safe contractor you choose. We stay out of that decision entirely, because we have nothing to sell you after the test.