Lead and asbestos abatement

What happens first

If screening tests came back positive for asbestos, the L&I-certified asbestos abatement contractor mobilizes first:

1. Update (or confirm) the pre-renovation asbestos inspection.
2. Submit PSCAA notification — typically a 10-business-day waiting period before work starts.
3. Set up containment — plastic sheeting, negative-air machines, decontamination unit.
4. Remove regulated materials per WAC 296-62-077.
5. Conduct a clearance air sample (third-party lab).
6. File the post-abatement notification with PSCAA.

Total: 1–3 weeks for typical residential scopes (popcorn ceiling + pipe wrap + vinyl floor tile is the common combination).

Lead RRP runs alongside everything

Once the asbestos sub is done, the GC's RRP-certified crew begins demo. Lead-Safe Work Practices apply to every activity that disturbs lead paint: plastic containment, HEPA-vacuum cleanup at end of each shift, wet-method demolition where feasible, specific waste-handling for lead-painted debris, and documentation kept on-site.

Cost ranges

• Asbestos-only abatement: $3,000–$15,000 typical.
• Lead RRP overhead: $2,000–$10,000 added cost across the demo and rough phases.

Both should be separate line items in the GC contract, sized against the screening results from Phase 0 step 5.