How Much Does Lead Paint Removal Cost in 2026? Full Price Guide
Lead paint removal in 2026 typically runs $8 to $17 per square foot, or roughly $1,500 to $5,500 per room and $10,000 to $30,000 for a full pre-1978 single-family home. NYC sits at the higher end of that range because of labor costs, disposal fees, and HPD filing requirements. This guide breaks down what drives the price up, what is included, and how to keep the bill reasonable.
Encapsulation (sealing lead paint under a specialty coating): $1 to $4 per square foot. Enclosure (covering with drywall or paneling): $8 to $15 per square foot. Wet-scrape removal: $8 to $17 per square foot. Component replacement (windows, doors, trim): $400 to $1,500 per component. Full abatement (combination of methods plus clearance): $10 to $25 per square foot.
Single room: $1,500 to $5,500. One-bedroom apartment: $4,000 to $9,000. Two- to three-bedroom apartment: $7,000 to $15,000. Full single-family home: $10,000 to $30,000. Whole multi-unit building: $40,000 and up depending on units and shared spaces.
Five factors push NYC abatement above the national average: union labor rates, hazardous waste disposal at $1 to $3 per pound, mandatory HPD filings and certifications, tenant relocation costs if units are occupied, and after-hours work for occupied buildings. A walk-up vs. high-rise also matters — material handling on upper floors adds time.
A proper quote from an EPA-certified contractor includes: XRF testing or pre-abatement assessment, plastic containment and HEPA negative-air machines, EPA RRP- or abatement-certified labor, all materials and PPE, lead waste manifest and disposal, post-abatement HEPA cleaning, third-party clearance dust-wipe testing, and HPD AF-5 Affidavit of Compliance filing. If a quote is missing clearance or filings, it is not a complete abatement.
Encapsulate intact lead paint instead of removing it where code allows. Replace single problem components (just the windows or just the doors) rather than the whole apartment. Schedule during vacancy to skip relocation costs. Bundle multiple units in the same building for volume pricing. Get XRF testing first so you only abate confirmed surfaces.
National average: $10 per square foot. NYC average: $12 to $15 per square foot. Boston and San Francisco: $11 to $14. Midwest cities: $7 to $10. The reason NYC is higher is regulatory — HPD filings, lead-safe filings, and clearance testing are required, not optional.
We provide written, line-itemed estimates with XRF, abatement, clearance, and HPD filings included. EPA RRP and MWBE certified, serving all five boroughs, same-day for emergencies. See cost of lead abatement, cost per square foot, or get a free estimate.