Lead Abatement

So we're getting a bunch of work done at our house the next couple weeks. Tucson has a program called the Lead Abatement Program where they will do re-modeling to make your house lead-free. Lead was an additive in paint and tile and other materials until the 80's when it was found to be toxic for young brains. So if your house is pre-1979 (which ours is) and you have little kids (which we do) and you fall into the income requirements then they will test the entire house and replace all "hot" items.

Our tile floor in the living room had lead in the decorative tile, our window frames and door frames, some of the paint on the oldest part of the house, and the outside eaves. So they are tearing up our floor and we got to pick out a new tile floor that they are putting down, even nicer than the one we put down in the bedrooms when we moved in 2 years ago. We also picked out a new front door because they have to replace the frame, so the door goes too. They are getting us new rain gutters because since they have to do the eaves they can't put up the old aluminum ones, so we're getting new vinyl ones. They are completely re-modeling our laundry room, which is something I had been in the process of doing anyway, now I don't have to finish it. I had just put up a wall with a door and laid some sheet rock over the exposed walls. The walls I didn't do anything to are the ones with lead.

So they put us up in a hotel, gave us a food allowance for restaurants, and delivered a mobile mini to the front yard a couple weeks ago. All we had to do was fill it with furniture from the living room/family room (not the bedrooms thank god) and then vacate for a couple weeks. The hotel is nothing special (although it does have a pool) so we are staying partly with Brie's parents in Tucson, and we're heading up to Flagstaff and Sedona around 4th of July weekend. Also going camping for a weekend in July. So we will lead a nomadic existence for awhile, but It'll be a good chance to check out new restaurants and such.

I didn't take too many "before pictures" but I'll make sure to post a bunch of pictures of the finished product in a few weeks.