[Bay Kid]

Has anyone had their popcorn ceiling removed? Cost? Who did you use? Is it worth the money?

[villagetinker]

If you go to completely flat finish, you will see every imperfection, if you go with a knockdown or orange peel finish the imperfections will disappear and you will typically have a very nice finish. There have been several threads in this in the past as well as info on DIY projects. As i recall this was generally considered a messy project, I do not recall any costs on contractor info.

[Decadeofdave]

Yes, j and s drywall. Approx 4k including painting 1600 SF.
Make sure your estimates include closets. My was done before move in, it's messy but they completely bag every room with plastic.

[manaboutown]

I have had it done but not here. We found a contractor who specialized in it. The workers covered everything with plastic and got in done in two or three days if I recall correctly. They were very neat and clean. I would definitely ask for referrals.

[MrFlorida]

Although I don't like popcorn ceilings, the cost and mess are not worth it for me....your mileage may vary.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

Has anyone had their popcorn ceiling removed? Cost? Who did you use? Is it worth the money?

We had our popcorn ceilings removed prior to moving in to our house. We had an excellent crew with plastic covering anything not to be scraped. We were happy we did it and would do it again if needed, ONLY if we were not living in the home. It is a soppy, damp mess and not anything to which we would subject our furniture and belongings. The expense is healthy but was recovered upon the sale of that house.

[shut the front door]

I've seen DIY projects where people covered it with bead board. No mess and it actually looked good!

[Michread]

Yup, cover it. Cheaper, cleaner, faster. Any wood planking would look nice.

[Jillbugg]

Had our Villa’s popcorn ceiling removed before we moved in. There was some leftover “popcorn” to sweep up but the ceilings look new and not old. We had the knockdown type. Love it. But would recommend having done prior to moving in. I believe the cost was $3200. It will increase the resale value of your home.

[timcarnicom]

Finally a useful answer to your question not just an opinion. I had AB Drywall remove my popcorn ceiling about 3 years ago and they textured it with knock down. I had put it off for years because of the mess and expense but found it to be very reasonable cost wise and they completely took care of the mess. It was about a day and a half process and they did everything from removing furniture to cleaning up afterwards. I have about a 1,500 sq ft home and I think the cost was just under $2,300. I highly recommend Alan Boatright and his crew @ 352-266-8901.

[Kingsport]

If your house is empty, I think it is a good idea to remove the popcorn. I can highly recommend Performance Drywall - 352-266-3350. Scott is the owner and very good communicator. The cost in August of 2021 was $2 per square foot, with a knockdown pattern being applied. However, that $2 is if the house is empty. We did not have the closets or garage done. Performance will prime your ceiling, too. However, we found it less expensive to have the people who painted the house after popcorn removal do the ceilings, too.

[Villages Kahuna]

Complete replacement of the drywall might have a more satisfactory result.

[lawgolfer]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

Has anyone had their popcorn ceiling removed? Cost? Who did you use? Is it worth the money?

Our popcorn was scraped off and the ceiling retextured (knockdown) as part of a complete remodel. Any sheetrock contractor can do the job. Obviously, the cost depends on the square footage of the house. In TV this means $2500-$4500.

Three things:

1. It is one h*** of a mess. You could clear one room at a time and seal off the doorway with plastic. While that will work for removing the popcorn, it won't when applying the new texture. When spraying the new texture, the worker will want to continue from room to room without interruption. Plan on removing all the furniture and covering everything, cabinets, counters, etc. which can't be removed.

2. When you do the job, that is also the time for other things. The registers or vents will have to be removed. That is the time to have them washed and painted or, better yet, replaced. If you want to add recessed lighting, solar tubes, ceiling fans, new exhaust fans, or additional HVAC vents, this is the time.

3. When the popcorn is being scrapped off and the new texture sprayed on, make sure to have the air conditioner turned off. If it isn't, large amounts of dust will be sucked into the return air ducts.

Is it worth all the trouble and expense? Yes, if you want to update and modernize your house, particularly with new lighting, fans, etc. If all you want is to clean up a dirty, dingy ceiling, just have it painted.

[palasmith]

AB drywall did my home and did an awesome job. No mess when they left my home. It took less than 2 days.

[banksupply]

Another option would be to install 1/4" drywall over the popcorn and finish it out if you are looking for a flat surface. Cost is about $20.00 per 4' x 8' sheet plus installation.