Lead-Based Paint, Answered in Monroe, Louisiana.

An inspection answers where: a surface-by-surface XRF survey that documents which painted components contain lead-based paint. A risk assessment answers whether it is a hazard: it evaluates the condition of the paint and adds dust-wipe and soil sampling to determine if lead is actually exposing occupants, with options for addressing what it finds. Transactions and disclosure usually call for an inspection; HUD programs and homes with young children usually call for a risk assessment. Black Pine performs both and will tell you which one your situation actually needs.

The fee depends on the size of the property and whether the scope is an inspection, a risk assessment, or both. Black Pine quotes a flat fee and a committed delivery date before work begins, so the price and the timeline are both fixed at engagement. Send the property address and what is driving the evaluation and we will respond with scope, timing, and price.

XRF (X-ray fluorescence) is a handheld analyzer that reads the lead content of painted surfaces in place, in seconds, without cutting or scraping. It is the standard method for lead-based paint inspections: every painted component can be tested without damaging the property, and the readings feed a signed report measured against the federal standards.

Swabs can indicate lead on the one spot you rub, and some kits are EPA-recognized for limited uses. What a swab cannot do is produce the documentation that matters: it cannot survey every painted component, cannot measure dust or soil hazards, and cannot generate the signed report that landlords, HUD programs, lenders, and renovation contractors need. If the answer has to hold up beyond your own curiosity, it needs an inspection.

No. Black Pine tests buildings, not people. Blood lead testing belongs with your pediatrician or health unit. What we can do is the other half of that investigation: when a child has an elevated blood lead level, a risk assessment of the home finds where the exposure is coming from, which is the fact the health department and your doctor will want next.