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- Showers & Glass DoorsWalk-in showers, benches and glass doors
- Niches & Accent TileShower niches, mosaics and borders
- Kitchen RemodelingBacksplashes, floors and full kitchens
- Tile FloorsKitchens, baths, entries and patterns
- Custom Tile WorkPatterns, borders and one-off details
- PaintingWalls, ceilings, trim and doors
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- Full RemodelsEvery room, start to finish
- Outdoor PatiosStone and tile patios
Lead paint rules for remodeling an older home in Massachusetts.
Built before 1978? What the rules require of the contractor, and what to ask.
Updated November 2026. The sources are at the end of the page.
The short answer
Assume there is lead, and hire certified.
If your home was built before 1978, anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces must be certified and use lead-safe work practices under the EPA rule, and Massachusetts runs its own licensing for lead-safe renovation. Before work starts you should get the EPA Renovate Right pamphlet. Owners working on their own home are generally exempt from the federal rule.
Why 1978
The year lead paint was banned.
The federal government banned lead-based paint for homes in 1978, so the rules apply to homes built before then. If you are not sure when your house was built, the deed or the town assessor's record will say.
What the rules require
Certified, trained and lead-safe.
- Certification. The EPA requires firms paid to disturb paint in pre-1978 homes to be certified, and their workers trained in lead-safe practices.
- Massachusetts. The state runs its own lead-safe renovation program under 454 CMR 22.00.
- The pamphlet. You receive the Renovate Right pamphlet before the work starts.
- The work. Containment, dust control and cleanup that keep lead dust out of the rest of the house.
What to ask
Before demo.
- Is your firm certified for lead-safe renovation, and is the person on site trained?
- Will you test the paint, or treat it as lead paint?
- How will you contain the work area and clean up each day?
- Will I get the Renovate Right pamphlet before you start?
Questions
What owners of older homes ask.
Does the lead paint rule apply to my house?
It applies to work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978.
Do I need a certified contractor to remodel an older home in Massachusetts?
If you pay someone to do work that disturbs paint in a pre-1978 home, the EPA requires a certified firm using lead-safe practices, and Massachusetts runs its own lead-safe renovation licensing.
What is the Renovate Right pamphlet?
An EPA pamphlet about lead hazards during renovation. You should receive it before work starts on a pre-1978 home.
Is a homeowner doing their own work covered by the rule?
Owners working on their own home are generally exempt from the federal rule, though the same lead-safe practices still protect the family.
Sources
Where these answers come from.
Official pages first. Rules change: check the source, or ask us at the quote visit.
- U.S. EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program
- U.S. EPA, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program rules
- U.S. EPA, the Renovate Right pamphlet
- 454 CMR 22.00: Massachusetts deleading and lead-safe renovation regulations
Last checked November 2026.
Keep going
Keep reading.
Costs, the service itself and the other guides.
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Let’s build it.
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Let’s build it.
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Projects
Start to finish.
01 SaugusAn attic turned into a living floorAn open attic became a bright floor with a full bathroom, a window seat and a new oak stair.
02 SalemA whole house in Salem, made newThree floors, two bathrooms, a new kitchen, new stairs and oak floors everywhere. One crew, one schedule, one number to call.
03 Manchester-by-the-SeaA walk-in shower in Manchester-by-the-SeaAn old tub alcove taken to the studs and built back as a walk-in shower with a glass door, a mosaic floor and two niches.
