so, lead. it is toxic and we all know it is toxic and has long-term effects. there is no arguing about that. the most typical pathway is ingestion. generally, i am relatively unconcerned about adults living in a house with lead paint. adults don't eat off the floor or chew windowsills. they do, perhaps, pick up some object off the floor and then eat without washing their hands first. also, if there is a garden close to your house, where chips would fall in it. but, adults are big and developed and this amount of exposure typically isn't such a big deal. Science has shown us that low-levels of lead exposure in pregnant women that wouldn't be a big deal otherwise can cause some neurological defects. Nothing obvious like a third arm, but something less obvious like a learning problem later in life. Or maybe the IQ is 125 instead of 130. But, as adults, if we are aware of a potential risk we can avoid that risk. A pregnant woman living in a house with lead paint chips or lead paint on contact surfaces (door jambs, etc) should wash her hands frequently, particularly before eating. Vacuum more frequently than usual and frequently vacuum around window sills and doors. If you exercise some caution, I don't see any reason to replace the windows and trim because you have a pregnant person in the house. But by the time that baby becomes mobile, you do want to make sure that the lead issue has been taken care of. How you do this is up to you. You can have the windows replaced by a reputable contractor that follows lead-safe practices (this basically means they use a bunch of plastic sheeting) or you can start with the worst offenders and fix them yourself. If you do this, you want to make sure your work area is isolated and that you aren't making things worse by tracking paint chips and lead dust around. I'm really not going to get into how to do the work yourself, but focus on the doors and windows you use the most.

Pickle Good ?'s and while responders are well intended not all info in factually correct I posted the EPA website for lead You should be concerned especially given the condition of the paint - Lead paint typically offers no harm until it is disturbed/flaking - Many think little ones eat lead & get poisoned - that is less frequent then nasal ingestion - occurs when lead is disturbed - becomes airborne, or surfaces are touched and then the person puts there hand near mouth or nose. Yes, handwashing is important - but by no means a guarantee. Any painted surface prior to 1978 should be suspect and tested. Another misnomer is to leave the premises while renovation/painting, disturbing the surface of lead is also not correct. While it is very advisable to be subject to any renovation/painting - it also must be cleaned up in accordance to strict criteria or when you move back you are moving in with lots of lead! - This should be included in renovation budgets but more often than not folks prefer having high end something or other & chose not to address a significant health threat. Another misnomer - There is NO acceptable lead level - while there are medical/epa criteria that is followed - there really is no evidence that clearly states lead is "safe" at any level. Yes we all lived through lots of exposures - but why subject a known exposure Simply using a mask while working w/lead does not safeguard either This is a cut/paste of some good abatement procedures Abatement? Lead paint abatement is the process of safely reducing lead paint hazards. Lead paint abatement can be very dangerous if done improperly. Its best to hire professional contractors to remove lead paint from your home. If abatement work is done improperly, a greater lead hazard may be created. Before beginning any work, contact your local health department for guidelines and state and local regulations regarding lead paint abatement in Massachusetts and in your city or town.You may also request a listing of Massachusetts-certified lead abatement contractors. If at all possible, hire a certified professional to do the work. Check their qualifications and request references. A Starting Point Use this information as a starting point to learn the basics about abatement, especially if you are considering doing any home remodeling or renovation projects yourself. If hiring a contractor, make sure he/she is taking the necessary precautions to protect your familyÂs health and safety. This pamphlet will provide you with some basic principles about lead paint abatement. Before Abatement Begins: Safety First  Have all family members, especially children, tested for lead poisoning.  Have your home inspected for lead poisoning by a professional contractor.Your local health department can help you find this information.  Relocate children and pregnant women that may be poisoned until after the work is completed.  Be sure to post warning signs at all entrances to the work area.  Seal off all doors, windows, ducts, etc., with 6-mil plastic sheeting.  Remove all furniture, carpets, drapes, etc.  Cover everything that remains with plastic drop cloths. Do not use newspaper or fabric drop cloths .  Limit access to the work area. No one must enter without proper protective equipment.  If any part of a surface (window sill, door jamb), contains lead paint, the entire surface must be abated. This is especially true for chipping and flaking paint.  Select the abatement method that will create the least amount of dust.  Use adequate barriers to prevent lead dust from entering the rest of the environment. Do not use paper wall coverings, contact paper, or fresh paint as these are not durable barriers.  DO NOT dry scrape; sand with a power grinder or electric plane; burn with a torch or a heat gun; sandblast; or use chemical removers that contain methylene chloride. CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION http://www.selfhelpinc.org/LeadProgram.html It is relatively easy to test children - know there "baseline" - and to test your home Good luck

For those reading this post and in the same situation (it's been 3 years now since the original post I see), there are some options. I believe Ikea has lead free fixtures like a shower head. Ikea may be a good place to check for other things too, as they are transparent with the materials in their products and will post the Prop65 warning if anything contains more than the stringent .5 microns/day exposure level to lead right on the description online. Though not completely lead free, many faucet companies commit to .25% lead content in their fixtures and faucets. I think Moen and Pfister comply with this. They may even have lead free options now. You can see in the descriptions of the products or contact the companies directly. Stainless steel is a good choice (solid, not coated) for cabinet and closet knobs. Door knobs I've had a harder time with, but you could look for solid stainless steel for those too I imagine. We actually moved out of our older home that had lead paint. Encapsulation is a good option but temporary. Especially in friction areas, like built-ins, doors, door ways, and windows, you need to really watch for chipping or wear on the encapsulation layer and get it redone every few years. We opted just to move.

I have a 1920 house. I can tell you the wishes to add will add up to over 100 if you do it with permits and hire out. Here is the breakdown of our costs over the 15 years we owned our house. Finished the basement ourselves, materials alone were 10k New appliances,sink, lighting bacsplash, added outlets to code and kitchen counters only no gutting or layout changes 16k. 15 years later we are getting quotes on a true remodel these are between 50k and 110k dependant on layout and brands. Adding a master bath above an existing first floor sunroom above 50k New driveway and landscape because upgrading plumbing for bath meant tearing through the drive way 12k Upgraded electric 8k New high effeciancy boiler 10k Adding ac 22k Our new quotes to do the roof are 8k but we only have a single roof layer if there are multiple layers the price is substantially higher. It looks like you need new siding I do not know the cost for that but we paid 4k to tie our new addition siding into our existing. It was an 8×13 foot structure. We will recoup our investments if we were to sell because we have owned long enough to do so and it sounds like you are acquiring this to keep in the family so it may very well be worth doing. However, I find shows showing how to turn a fixer upper into a showcase on budgets smaller than 120k very misleading and dangerous. It would have been much cheaper and quicker to have listed rather than to love it but my location and neighbors are too important to us and the older character is special. But these came at a large cost. Good luck with your restorations.