How much does remove a popcorn ceiling cost in the Chicago suburbs?

Most homeowners in DeKalb County, the Fox Valley, and the northwest suburbs pay between $800 and $2,200. Labor per room for scraping, skim coat, and primer. The asbestos lab test is a separate small fee and must be done first. Painting is separate.

How long does it take?

Two to three days per room on site for a typical job.

Does this job need a licensed pro in Illinois?

No state license is required for this work in Illinois. Every pro we send is insured and background checked.

You pay the pro directly. Carpenter Next Door never asks homeowners for payment.

Remove a popcorn ceiling

After a lab test clears it, a pro scrapes the popcorn off, skims the ceiling, and leaves it ready for paint.

Two to three days per room on siteTest for asbestos firstLead-safe work if the home is pre-1978

What this job involves

Popcorn texture in homes built before the mid 1980s may contain asbestos. A small sample goes to a lab first, and the job does not start until the result is back. If it is clear, the pro seals the room, wets the ceiling, and scrapes the texture into bags. The ceiling is then skimmed, sanded, and primed. If the test finds asbestos, the ceiling must be handled by a licensed abatement company instead, or covered with new drywall.

What to have ready

The year the house was built
The rooms and their sizes
Whether a test has been done, and the result
Whether the ceiling has ever been painted
The room cleared of furniture, or ready to be covered

What a fair price looks like

Most homeowners in our area pay between $800 and $2,200 for this job. Labor per room for scraping, skim coat, and primer. The asbestos lab test is a separate small fee and must be done first. Painting is separate.

This is a range to help you judge a quote, not a quote. The pro you are matched with gives you their own price, in writing for anything over $1,000, and you pay them directly. We charge the pro a small flat fee only after the job is done. We never ask you for payment.

What a good pro will ask you first

When was the house built?
Has the ceiling been tested for asbestos?
Has the ceiling been painted over?
How many rooms?

People often add

Walls, ceilings, and paintSkim coat wallsA pro spreads thin coats of joint compound over a whole wall to make it smooth.Two to three days per room Walls, ceilings, and paintInterior painting by roomA pro preps, cuts in, and rolls one or more rooms with two coats of paint.One day per room Walls, ceilings, and paintPatch and textureA pro repairs a textured wall or ceiling and blends the new texture so the patch disappears.Half a day, often across two visits Electrical, smallReplace a ceiling light fixtureA licensed electrician takes down the old fixture and hangs the new one on a proper box.About an hour · Licensed electrical pro