Lead Abatement in a 6-unit Rehab

[Dan Kelley]

Hey folks, my first post here!

I'm looking into a 6-plex that needs a decent amount of rehab. I've never dealt with lead paint so I'm not even sure if what I'm dealing with is lead paint. The walls in the building are all plaster and the paint is flaking/peeling just about everywhere. Keep in mind the place has been abandoned for several years with the Iowa cold (-20F) taking a toll on it. 

Do you have any suggestions as far as how to tell if it's lead paint or what the cost is to have it tested? Can I do the lead abatement myself? What does it cost to have someone else do it?

Some of the plaster will be removed to expose interior brick walls, however a lot of it will remain, assuming I can make the wall look nice enough. UNLESS: The cost to remove all the pastor and install sheet-rock is low enough to justify the job.

I plan on doing a lot of the work myself/ hiring friends or highschool/college kids to help. I will be hiring out the installation of new electrical panels and water meters.

Any thoughts?