Lead Paint Inspection Cost in NYC: XRF, Dust Wipe & Risk Assessment
In NYC, a lead paint inspection with an XRF analyzer typically costs about $300 to $700 for a single apartment, and less per unit when a whole building is tested at once. Dust wipe tests usually add $25 to $50 per sample for lab analysis, plus the inspector's visit. These are typical market ranges, not fixed prices. Your quote depends on the size and scope.
XRF lead paint inspection (per apartment): roughly $300-$700. Whole-building XRF for Local Law 31 (per unit, 10+ units): often lower per unit than single tests. Dust wipe sampling (per sample, lab fee): roughly $25-$50. Clearance test after lead work (visit plus samples): roughly $200-$450. Risk assessment (paint, dust, and soil): roughly $400-$900.
Number of rooms and painted parts to test. Whether the unit is occupied or vacant. How many dust samples are needed. Rush turnaround for lab results. Building size, since testing many units in one visit lowers the cost per unit.
XRF reads lead in paint layers without damaging the wall and gives results on the spot. Paint chip sampling sends pieces to a lab and is slower. Home test kits can miss lead under newer paint and are not accepted for NYC compliance. See are lead paint test kits accurate.
Local Law 31 compliance: an XRF inspection of every unit by an EPA-certified inspector or risk assessor. After abatement or a violation repair: a clearance dust wipe test. Buying or renting: an XRF inspection or risk assessment. Compare the options in lead testing vs risk assessment.
Test all units in one visit. Combine Local Law 31 testing with turnover work. Check the building on our free HPD violation lookup first so the inspector knows which apartments have open lead violations. Get a free estimate.