We have a lot of color samples up on the house now for stucco colors and trim colors. I took photos and loaded them, along with some photos of how much black semi gloss highlights imperfections in old wood, including a bunch of gouges that the painters made with their sanders.
Roofer is bringing several concrete tile samples over so that I can see if we can get something that matches. He confirmed with his boss and some of the more experienced guys that the reddish coloring is oxidation and age - not paint.
re sanding the windows:
Did you test for lead paint on windows before sanding? Is that something you need to worry about?
There’s a whole state bureaucracy around lead paint here, and the EPA RRP rules that went into effect a few years ago had everyone in a tizzy. It’s not uncommon for neighbors to drop a dime when they see work being done (particularly outside), and the fines are ridiculous.
We did not test for lead paint, but the painter followed EPA guidelines for scraping and removal of paint. Everyone gets scared about it, but the rules are pretty simple for removal, especially for exterior. Stricter rules for removal inside. We pretty much went down to bare wood everywhere (or replaced wood), so there should not be any of any consequence remaining.
I did have a neighbor call about lead paint removal when we were scraping the outside of the Arizona North Park house. I’m guessing neighbors call about exterior work because they worry it will get airborne and over into their property? But, we were only scraping and sanding the window sills and that is less than 8 square feet total. The original windows full of old paint were being disposed. So when the guy showed up (very quickly by the way, within days of the call… try getting someone else from the City to do something within days of the call) he passed us OK.
The interior is where I worry about for health reasons. We have walked around this whole house and, because of the plaster architecture, there is minimal wood trim inside the house. All windows and doors have a plaster surround, no window sills. So, we are OK inside doing any paint stuff. Research for paint history in California is that lead is usually only in the enamel paint that was used for wood. Not in the flat paint used for painting plaster.
My only concern at this time is the original doors. But, since they are in OK condition we do not have to scrape and/or remove any paint on the doors. We will just encapsulate it with oil based primer and new paint.
Out here those doors would be a problem if they have lead paint. Any “mouthable” surface like the edge of a door has to be stripped, replaced, covered, or encapsulated in order to get a compliance letter. And encapsulation doesn’t mean just painting over it, there are rules about how well the underlying paint is adhering and you have to use special kind of paint which produces a very thick (several times as thick as regular paint) plastic-like covering.
I’m pretty sure the EPA guidelines are federal so I had better research it some more. I don’t want any issues. If push comes to shove the doors will get thrown out
My understanding is that the EPA regs don’t require abatement, only what you have to do to control lead contamination when you are doing repairs, renovating, and painting. So you are not required to fix peeling paint, for example, you just have to use the proper procedures if you scrape it.
In MA there is a whole other level of state regulations that control what you have to do if there is a kid under six living in the property or if you want to get a letter from the state certifying that the risk from lead has been abated. This provides you with legal protection if you are a landlord in case someone becomes poisoned, because without the compliance letter, if lead paint has not been abated according to the rules you are presumed to be at fault. Huge legal liability and insurance doesn’t cover it.
You are forced to de-lead if a kid under 6 starts living there during the tenancy, and that gets really expensive because you have to pay to move them out, put them up somewhere, and move them back, and get it done as fast as possible to reduce the other costs.
And abating requires a bunch of expensive inspections and use of trained and certified contractors to do the work, who charge many times what it would cost to do the same work if there was no lead involved. Ask me how I know! 
In your case, I think you are safe from an EPA perspective if your painter has been following the rules. In fact if I were you I wouldn’t even test anything, because if you find something you have to indicate it in the lead disclosure forms when you sell the house. It’s generally better to be able to say “I don’t know”, although here it can be a positive selling point if you can certify that the house is lead-free.
I would just toss the doors so there is NO question about any existing fixture or surface that MIGHT have had lead paint applied at one time.
Realtors will NOT want to have to have that in a disclosure doc.
We took an inventory of doors today and we only have 3 we are going to re use. Two were such poor condition we tossed them, and we don’t have any use for all the 24" doors because they are just too small. So we will follow guidelines to encapsulate with the goo and repaint.
Today was a good day!!
We passed all inspections for the window replacement permit and it is closed now. The original window size in hall bedroom did not technically meet fire egress requirements but, because it was a retrofit in existing frame, he let it pass. I need to be really careful with the other bedrooms. Also passed rough on electrical permit.
But that left us with a dilemma on final for electrical. To get final we need all switches, lights and smoke alarms installed. Luckily he understands that a portion of the house is getting demolished. So I begged him to let me completely finish the hall bedroom and bathroom even though the plumbing and non load bearing wall changes are going to be in the next permit. He inspected the plumbing and wall changes and told me to go ahead!!!
Finally, get to have some fun with tile and stuff
Meanwhile, cannot get any traction from draftsman to get plans done.
Just want to say…I really like those two square windows on the sides of the fireplace. I think they are the perfect size…and will look great with built ins underneath. I know there was some thought that a longer window would be better…but now that these are in…I think they are just right!
Thank you thumper1. Staying with the windows saved about $2,000 so I need to learn to love them just the way they are!
There seems to be some progress with the draftsman and engineer. Yesterday the draftsman showed up with an architect who works in their office ‘to take more measurements’. He then proceeded to re-measure the entire exterior of the house… what the hey??? You are just getting started???
Anyway, the architect (whom I have never met) spent a lot of time telling me how to make the basement liveable and digging out the exterior of each window for ‘egress’. He is not from San Diego… just started working here. I had to explain to him that the last thing I want right now is to try to make the basement ‘liveable space’ since it would require an act of God to get that type of conversion through the City Building Department.
The next thing he was worried about is that I eliminated the coat closet to create the hallway from kitchen area to powder room and stairs. I explained that noone in San Diego ever uses a coat closet. Most of the homes do not even have one. I don’t remember ever having a coat closet by front door the whole time I was growing up in Southern California. And, if we did have one we never used it for coats or guest coats. I’m not sure if my experience is totally normal, but we keep our coats in our closet and we get them out the 3 or 4 times we use them (mostly when packing for a trip somewhere cold). We live a very casual life style… if guests come over with coats or sweaters, they just get piled somewhere. I think it is a cold weather climate functionality thing that needs a coat closet by front door.
Then he got into the kitchen and was worried that the stove vent was going to bump out from wall about 18-20" and could look weird with two windows on each side. We measured it out and it doesn’t affect the ‘view’ from the left window (which is all I care about). He proceeded to try to convince me to put the sink in that alcove and move the stove to the island area by the dining room. I explained that the major view out to the ocean was standing at that island and people prefer a big view from their sink rather than from the stove (besides… how am I supposed to vent over that island??? - it would be a weird obstruction hanging from ceiling). My experience is that buyers tend to stand at a sink and ‘survey’ the surroundings during the buying process. They don’t stand at a stove and ‘survey’ their surroundings.
Am I wrong about sink with view vs stove??
No, you are not wrong! I like the view of my lovely backyard from my sink area, thank you very much builder of my house! 
What a waste of an architectural consult. Argh.
My DH says…architects sometimes marchntomtheir own drummers instead of listening to their clients first.
The mark of a good residential architect…they ask questions and listen FIRST. Doesn’t sound like this one did that!
(this discussion reminds me of Tracey Kidder’s excellent NF book House about the building of a house from three perspectives the owners, GC and architect…it was excellent)
One thing about a coat closet is it is a great place to stash your vacuum cleaner. Where does yours go if you have no coat closet?
In this house, I would guess the laundry room. Or maybe the garage, if it would fit in the dumbwaiter (is there still a dumbwaiter?).
I would vote for sink view vs. stove view. You usually don’t have to stand at the stove for that long and you’re supposed to be watching the food while you’re there! When I have to stand and stir for a long time, like making a roux, I set up my phone with John Oliver first. Those 22 minute segments he does on his HBO show are just perfect!
Sink view. Not stove view.
To think about it, I do not recall seeing a house with a stove facing the kitchen window - ever. A vent above would be impossible, and the downdraft vent would block most of the view when it is in the “on” position. That architect is full of himself, IMO.
I suspect that the architect doesn’t know of cb’s track record. Does he know you’re in the business of flipping, or does he think you’ll be living in the house?