Remodeling a Pre-1978 Tennessee Home: Lead, Asbestos, Radon

Nashville's older neighborhoods are full of houses worth remodeling: bungalows in East Nashville, cottages in Inglewood, mid-century ranches in Donelson and Madison, and older homes around the courthouse squares in Franklin, Lebanon and Columbia. Houses built before 1978 come with a few extra rules and risks that newer homes don't. None of them should stop a project. All of them should shape the plan and the bids.

Lead paint: the 1978 line

Lead-based paint was banned for use in homes in 1978, so any house built before then may have it under newer coats. Disturbing it (sanding, scraping, cutting, demolition) creates dust that's especially dangerous for young children and pregnant women.

The federal RRP rule. According to Tennessee's Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies to firms and individuals doing renovation, repair and painting for compensation in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities. It covers work that disturbs:

• 6 or more square feet per room of painted interior surfaces, or
• 20 or more square feet of painted exterior surfaces.

TDEC notes the rule also covers weatherization, electrical and plumbing work that punches holes into painted surfaces. So it isn't just painters. Your electrician cutting outlets into plaster walls and your window installer pulling old casings can both be covered.

Who enforces it here. TDEC says Tennessee administers its own lead-based paint abatement program but isn't currently authorized to administer and enforce RRP, so in Tennessee, EPA enforces the RRP rule. TDEC also describes a state pre-renovation education program and an amended rule that's pending. Check TDEC's page for current status.

What to ask contractors:

• Is your firm EPA RRP certified, and who's the certified renovator on my job?
• How will you contain the work area, control dust and clean up?
• How will you verify cleaning when you're done?

Ask for the containment and cleanup plan in writing. Lead-safe work takes more time and materials, so expect it to show up in the price. A bid that's much cheaper because it skips those steps isn't a good deal.

Abatement is different. Removing lead hazards permanently (abatement) is regulated by the state and done by state-certified lead professionals. Most remodels are RRP work, not abatement.

Asbestos: siding, floors, ducts and demolition

Older houses can contain asbestos in materials such as cement siding shingles, some floor tiles and adhesives, and old pipe or duct insulation. The risk comes mainly when those materials are cut, broken or torn out, which is exactly what remodeling does.

• Demolition permits. Gallatin's permit guide says demolition permits require an asbestos letter from the State of Tennessee, through TDEC's asbestos program. Other cities may ask too. Allow time for it if you're tearing down a garage or part of a house.
• Siding. HomeGuide's Hardie Board siding guide (Oct. 24, 2025) puts asbestos siding removal at about $7 to $10 per square foot, on top of the new siding. Some owners side over it instead. Ask your contractor about both options. See siding.
• Testing first. If you're unsure, have a sample tested before demolition. Don't sand, drill or break suspect material to "check."

Radon

Radon isn't tied to a house's age, but a remodel, especially one that touches the basement or crawl space, is a natural time to test. Tennessee's Radon Program offers free test kits and reports that about 1 in 4 homes that request a kit test above the EPA action level. If you're finishing a basement or encapsulating a crawl space, test before and after. See our radon guide and basements and crawl spaces.

Old wiring, plumbing and framing

The rules here are code, not hazard programs, but they drive budgets in older homes:

• Wiring. Older systems may be ungrounded, undersized or spliced together over decades. New work has to meet the current code, and opening walls often uncovers more than the bid assumed.
• Plumbing. Galvanized supply lines and cast-iron drains are common in older houses. Replacing them while walls are open is often cheaper than later.
• Framing. Rough-sawn, non-standard dimensions and past "remodels" without permits can mean extra carpentry.

Write into your contract how hidden conditions are handled and priced.

Historic review

Many pre-1978 houses in Nashville are in a historic or conservation overlay. In a Historic Preservation overlay, most exterior changes are reviewed. The MHZC handbook says the commission doesn't review paint color, but does review painting masonry. If you're thinking of painting brick, ask first. See our historic overlay guide and exterior painting.

A sequence that works

1. Check for historic overlays and HOA rules.
2. Test for lead and asbestos where the work will disturb paint or suspect materials, and test for radon.
3. Get bids that state RRP practices and how hidden conditions are priced.
4. Pull permits, including any asbestos paperwork for demolition.
5. Do the hazardous work first, then rebuild.