Lead Paint Removal in Bellingham, Done Safely and by the Book
EPA Lead-Safe certified containment, removal, and repainting for pre-1978 homes — safe for your family, done by our own trained crews.
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A Certified Firm Your Family Can Trust
Full-Service Lead Paint Removal in Bellingham & Whatcom County
If your home was built before 1978 — like most of Bellingham's Columbia, Sunnyland, and York neighborhoods — disturbed paint can release lead dust that's hazardous to children and pets. As an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm, we test, contain, remove, and repaint following the federal RRP rule. No shortcuts, no dust left behind.
Lead-Safe Services We Offer
Testing & Assessment
Suspect surfaces tested before work begins, with a clear written plan for what we find.
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Containment & Removal
Sealed work zones, plastic sheeting, and careful scraping that keeps dust out of your living space.
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HEPA Cleaning & Disposal
HEPA vacuuming and proper bagging and disposal of every scrap of debris.
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Prime & Repaint
Sound surfaces primed and repainted, so the finished work looks as good as it is safe.
Get a Free EstimateOur 5-Step Lead-Safe (RRP) Process
The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule exists to protect your family. Here's what following it actually looks like.
TEST & PLAN
Homes built before 1978 are presumed to contain lead until tested. Knowing exactly which surfaces are affected keeps the project focused and the cost honest.
CONTAIN THE WORK AREA
Lead dust travels. Containment — sealed plastic, closed windows, covered ground — is what keeps it out of your soil, garden, and living space.
REMOVE WITHOUT DUST
The RRP rule bans open flame burning and power sanding without HEPA capture for good reason — those methods fill the air with lead. We work wet and contained.
HEPA CLEAN & VERIFY
The most important step is the one you can't see — removing every trace of dust before the containment comes down.
PRIME, SEAL & REPAINT
Sound remaining paint gets sealed under new primer and finish coats — closing the system so surfaces stay safe for years.
What Affects Your Price?
The Sherwin-Williams Products We Recommend
After lead-safe removal, the repaint system seals what remains. These are the products we trust to close the job safely.
What the RRP Rule Requires — and Why It Matters
The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies to any work disturbing more than six square feet of painted surface inside a pre-1978 home (twenty outside). It requires certified firms, trained workers, containment, dust-minimizing methods, and verified cleanup. Hiring an uncertified crew is illegal, with fines that can exceed $37,000 per violation.
Removal
Failing paint wet-scraped and removed under containment — the right call where layers have already lost adhesion.
Encapsulation
Stable lead paint sealed under specialized primers and coatings — safe, economical, and EPA-recognized when layers are sound.
Component Replacement
Windows, trim, and doors so deteriorated that replacing them is safer and cheaper than stripping them.
Does All Lead Paint Have to Come Off?
No — and it's usually safer if it doesn't. Lead paint that's intact and well-adhered poses little hazard; the danger is dust from failing, chipping, or disturbed surfaces. That's why the standard approach is targeted: remove what's failing, seal what's sound, and repaint the whole system.
Where we recommend full removal — usually friction surfaces like window sashes and door jambs that grind paint into dust with every use — we'll explain exactly why, in writing, before any work begins.
Planning a Lead-Safe Project
Lead-safe work adds containment and cleanup phases to a standard repaint — here's how that fits your calendar.
Testing takes a single visit and settles the scope. Never let anyone — including a DIY weekend — disturb pre-1978 paint before testing.
Exterior lead-safe work follows the same dry-weather calendar as painting, with a day or two added for containment and verified cleanup.
Interior lead-safe projects run in any season — rooms are contained, cleaned, verified, and returned to service one at a time.
DIY Scraping vs. a Certified Firm
What Neighbors Say About Our Lead-Safe Work
"When I called Hilltop Painting Daniel came out and walked thru the entire project and explain everything on detail. The whole crew was super nice and they listened to my requests. I enjoyed working with Hilltop Painting."
"We had a great experience with Hilltop painting! They do an excellent job preparing the house by cleaning, sanding and caulking wherever needed. A special shout-out to Mat, who was detail oriented and wanted to make sure we were happy with the results!"
"Hilltop Painting to the rescue! I am thrilled with everything about this company. I am a real estate agent and have a listing in Bellingham, out of my normal service area."
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything homeowners ask us about lead paint and RRP work
Worth a Read Before You Paint
Lead-Safe Work Across Whatcom County
From Bellingham to the border — pick your city for local project photos, reviews, and pricing.
Recent Lead-Safe Projects
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Explore our other professional painting and finishing services.
