Your house has character: plaster walls, a heavy cast-iron tub, a few two-prong outlets, and a shower that never quite gets good pressure. Those details are common in older Fresno homes, and they shape how a kitchen or bathroom remodel should be planned. The short version is to test first, leave room in the plan for what you find, and know which parts belong to licensed specialists.

How old is Fresno’s housing?

Census Bureau estimates put the median year built for housing in the city of Fresno at 1979. That means roughly half of the city’s homes and apartments were built before 1980, and about one in three predates 1970. Around one in ten was built before 1950.

Age alone doesn’t tell you what’s inside a particular wall. A 1950s house may have been updated twice, and a 1970s house may still have original materials throughout. What age does tell you is which questions to ask before demolition starts. Our Fresno service area page has more on kitchen and bathroom remodeling across the city.

Lead paint and the 1978 line

The federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for use in homes in 1978, so a house built before then may have lead paint under newer layers. Under the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, firms paid to disturb painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes must be certified, use trained renovators, and follow lead-safe work practices. California is not one of the states EPA has authorized to run its own RRP program, so the federal rule applies here. In practical terms, that means:

• Before work starts, the contractor must give you the EPA’s Renovate Right pamphlet.

• Work areas are contained, certain dusty methods are prohibited, and cleanup is verified at the end.

• Paint can be tested. A certified renovator can use an EPA-recognized test kit on specific components, and in California, paid lead inspections and risk assessments are done by inspectors certified by the California Department of Public Health.

Small repairs that disturb only a few square feet of paint can be exempt, but demolition of painted surfaces is always covered. Most kitchen and bathroom remodels in pre-1978 homes fall under the rule unless testing shows the affected paint is lead-free. This is a summary, not legal advice, and EPA’s RRP pages have the full requirements.

Asbestos in older materials

Asbestos was used in many building products. The EPA lists places it may be found in homes, including vinyl floor tiles, the backing on sheet vinyl, flooring adhesives, textured paint and patching compounds on walls and ceilings, and coatings or wraps on hot water pipes. You can’t tell whether a material contains asbestos by looking at it.

The EPA suggests having materials inspected by a trained and accredited asbestos professional before a remodel that will disturb them. Material in good condition that won’t be touched can usually stay put. If testing finds asbestos in something your project will remove, that removal is specialized work: in California it falls under the C-22 Asbestos Abatement license classification, and it happens before remodeling continues in that area.

Galvanized pipes and older plumbing

Galvanized steel water lines were installed in homes from the late 1800s into the 1960s. Over time the zinc coating wears away and the pipe corrodes from the inside, narrowing the opening. That is why older homes often have weak pressure at a fixture, brownish water or sink stains, or leaks.

A remodel is a natural time to look at the pipes feeding the room, because the walls are open. Replacing supply lines is re-piping, which is work for licensed plumbing trades, and it is evaluated during the in-home consultation along with drains and shutoff valves. If minerals are part of the problem, our guide to hard water and fixture choices covers that side.

Two-prong outlets and older wiring

Two-prong outlets mean there is no equipment ground at that outlet. Kitchens and bathrooms are where that matters most, since electrical codes have required ground-fault (GFCI) protection for bathroom outlets and kitchen countertop outlets for decades. Older homes may also have fewer circuits than a modern kitchen needs for its appliances.

Replacing a light fixture or a switch on an existing circuit is fixture-level work. Adding circuits, upgrading a panel, or rewiring belongs to licensed electrical trades, and it is evaluated during the in-home consultation. Whether an ungrounded outlet can be protected another way or needs new wiring is a call for a licensed electrician.

Cast-iron tubs and plaster walls

Cast-iron tubs

An old cast-iron tub is extremely heavy, and getting one out of a small bathroom usually means breaking it up in place or planning extra hands and a clear path. If the enamel is in good shape, keeping the tub and remodeling around it is a real option. If you want a walk-in shower instead, our tub-to-shower conversion page explains what that swap involves.

Plaster walls

Older homes may have plaster over wood lath, metal lath, or gypsum rock lath instead of drywall. Plaster is typically thicker and more rigid than modern drywall, so where a wall is opened, the patch has to be built out to meet the old surface. Cutting into plaster can also loosen or crack the area around the opening, and older paint layers on plaster bring the lead question back into play.

Permits, testing, and a realistic plan

Permit needs are confirmed during the in-home consultation, and our City of Fresno remodel permit guide explains the local process. When testing for lead or asbestos is needed, it comes first, because the results shape the schedule, the work practices, and which licensed specialists are involved. If a result comes back positive, ask how it changes the work plan, who handles the specialized part, and how the area will be cleaned and checked afterward.

Older homes are more likely to reveal surprises once walls open, so leave room in your planning for discovery. Our guide to what changes the price of a remodel explains how existing conditions affect a range, and our guide to checking a contractor’s license shows how to confirm that specialty work is in properly licensed hands.