Bay Area Lead Detectors

Nothing but happy with Don. Plus he was fun to talk with.

I didn’t get an inspection from Don but I wanted to write a review b/​c he speant a good amount of time educating me on the process of lead in homes, how reports are generated, where lead typically resides, etc. At the end I decided that I didn’t really need the inspection but he was so knoweldgable and nice I wanted to write the review anyway.

Wielding a «Thermo Fisher Niton XRF gun» that looks straight out of a B-​movie, Don Stader saved us a lot of money, trouble and time. He was on time, and did exactly what we contracted for, and then some. He spot tested close to 100 surfaces in our home, finding that only the exterior trim (and one spot in the kitchen) had lead paint at any depth.
In California contractors are not allowed test for themselves, and in the absence of testing must assume any paint they disturb has lead. The testing was cheaper than the protective protocols, and gave us comfort besides.
If you invite Don, have him test your water pipes. We found that in 2009 when our house was re-​piped, the plumbers used lead solder. Ouch.
(Don should get a Prius and/​or a Helicopter: he covers a huge area)

I really enjoyed working with Don from Bay Area Lead Detectors. We’re in the process of buying a new house built in 1971 and wanted to see if there was any lead based paint in the house. I had gotten one quote from another shop in SJ that wanted to charge $ 865 for an evaluation. Spending that kind of money gave me pause and when I spoke with the VP on the phone I definitely felt like I was getting a hard sell along with a few «scare tactics» to boot. I found Don through Unilocal and he did the same job for $ 500. Instead of giving me the hard sell, Don was a pleasure to speak with on the phone. He was also great with timely email follow up from start to finish (something I really value these days). The reports were easy to read, thorough, and Don answered all my questions. Would recommend him and his services without hesitation!

Don from Bay Area Lead Detectors is a wealth of knowledge on lead, lead detection and health effects. I secured his services prior to purchasing a house and am glad that I did! With his help, I was able to find out that parts of the house did contain lead paint. And then with this knowledge, work with the General Contractor to devise a plan to remove certain parts and also cover up certain less critical areas.
On the inspection day, Don spent at least 3 – 4 hrs reading paint readings using his XRF meter (non invasive) on the entire property. He was patient, meticulous and after the session, was very complete in his documentation in summing up where the lead was found.
Definitely recommend his services to other home buyers, especially if you have a pregnant person in the house or kids who are under 6 years old.