# Popcorn removal



## gp_wa (Aug 19, 2008)

I'm looking for a really rough ballpark on popcorn ceiling removal, by the square foot. Assume it's asbestos and has been painted over a few times. Anybody have a rough idea?

Thx.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

You won't get cost estimates here. There are way too many variables, so it is best to contact contractors in your area for budget numbers or actual estimates. 

Have you had it tested for asbestos? How old is the house? I'd be surprised if the popcorn ceiling has asbestos in it.


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

agree 100% with above from KCtermite.

couple coat of paint??? hmmm that makes it tougher to remove....????
just a swag is .50 to .75 SF plus cover-up/ plus disposal / plus clean-up/ plus content manipulation. +++++ all the other stuff I can't see.
if the sf $ doesn't work you have minimum charges..... back bedroom ...drop cloth runners, set-up time....etc & etc...

call a local contractor....it is really the best way

odds on asbestos...very slim / popcorn removal is a wet mess anyway


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## gp_wa (Aug 19, 2008)

thekctermite said:


> Have you had it tested for asbestos? How old is the house? I'd be surprised if the popcorn ceiling has asbestos in it.


Not tested, was told older popcorn usually had it. The house was built in '65, and I'm just assuming it's original.


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

If you are freaked out about asbestos then take a sample and have it tested. Or call the local Asbestos expert to come out and sample... min $200. 
Life is all about your comfort zone...

Testing for asbestos is governed local code requirements. 

Call your building department and see what they require.

If you want the asbestos protocol add $3000 to my above swag.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Local municipalities occasionally have requirements for dealing with friable asbestos, so it is worth a call to see. Most municipalites don't concern themselves, and defer to the EPA or state/county health and environmental departments. Asbestos abatement is BIGTIME expensive. It will make your head spin. 

The EPA regulates friable and non-friable asbestos abatement on multifamily residential structures of 4 dwellings or more, as well as commercial buildings, but they don't take any interest (enforcement or rules) in single family homes.


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## gp_wa (Aug 19, 2008)

Big Bob said:


> If you want the asbestos protocol add $3000 to my above swag.


That's what I was afraid of 


Guess I'll get it tested. Thanks for the help guys.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Depending on the age, it's a VERY good possibility that a popcorn ceiling could contain asbestos. Asbestos was very often used as a binder in textured finishes. For the most part, states regulate asbestos abatement, not local municipalities. There are exceptions however. Find a lab that can test for asbestos and send them a sample. Then you can make an educated decision on how to handle it.


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## Big Bob (Jul 27, 2007)

Unless it has changed ...the EPA requirements 1992 were as KC termite advised. I believe most States deffer to these requirements.

If your test come back positive for ASB... consider doing a rock over (encapsulating) instead of the big $$$$$ removal protocol. 

again this is your comfort zone thing... I do not believe you are required by law ( but check local code authority)to do anything special.
You could mimic the protocol to suit your concerns.

Disposal:: ? double 6 mil bag and label ASB (ask your local Dump...oops..landfill.) 

ASB is all around you... Many cities have (Transite)water pipes. It is a common mineral that could be in the air you breath and the water you drink. It deserves respect not fear.


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## km5tq (Sep 6, 2008)

*I have the problem with a popcorn ceiling. I was told that the best, and cheapest way to remove it was to spray a section at a time, then scrape. As long as the popcorn is kept wet, it will not be harmful. It is extremely costly to have the popcorn tested, and then removed if it has asbestos. *
*I was also told that it was more than likely my ceiling contained asbestos because it was built in 1977.*
*If it was after 1985, then it should be okay to remove.*
*It was suggested to us to just install a new ceiling over it, but that is also extremly expensive.*
*Think the cheapest way is to spray,scrape and paint.*

*Good luck.*


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## fidoprincess (Sep 27, 2008)

Don't know if you are still looking for help but we did this last year and this might help someone else. We scraped some of the popcorn from 3 different areas and sent it away to be tested. It was very inexpensive-only $60 and they emailed us the results in 3 days. They did also send us a hard copy later. It was NOT expensive to test but oh boy, it is expensive to remove if it is asbestos. We had popcorn in our entry hall, living room, dining room and long hallway, thankfully not the bedrooms, family room or kitchen.

We had a big dilema because ours came back as <1%, not negative as in NO asbestos but not in the "hazard" range either. Still no one could tell us what exactly that meant in terms of health hazard to scrape it off and we have small children. So I double checked our options. 1st was basically a "haz mat team" and it was over $30K! Then someone else bid to simply cover it with new sheet rock (encapsulating) for a lot less but you lose some ceiling height and finally a drywall worker did it for $1500 for the whole job. 

He wet and scraped it all off and kept plastic over all the walls and doorways doing one room at a time. Because it was <1%, it was considered just regular trash or waste and we did not have to pay an extra fee to take it to the dump. If it had been higher, we would have been "allowed" to scrape it ourselves and pay the extra fees for hazardous waste here. There are govenment sites that show you step by step directions and what type of mask to wear. If it is painted, it is much more difficult to remove. I did try a spot or two to see exactly how hard it was to do and because ours was not painted, it was really really easy to do. I just sprayed a bit of water, waited a few minutes and it scraped off like butter but we had soooo much that it was well worth paying to have someone else do the whole job down to the retexture of the ceiling and he did a few other things for us so I felt like we got a real bargin.

(After it was all done, he told us he would have done it even if it had tested higher! That shocked me but I would have never taken the chance then with 2 small kids. I did take the extra precautions of having them out of the house and covering up all the vents, etc. because I was still worried over the <1% that I never could get a straight answer on. He told me no one ever tests it, he just removes the popcorn straight away! Even though most of the houses here are about the same age, some have asbestos, some don't so we were "fairly" lucky after talking to friends who had levels higher than 10% or more.)

Remember, after it is all removed, you need to have the ceiling retextured, primed and painted with 2 coats so it is a big job! He also rescrewed each piece of ceiling drywall before the texture which meant tape again. We were having new floors put in right after so everything was moved out. Good thing too because it is the biggest mess I ever saw and he cleaned up every day and I came behind him and cleaned again and again. I would never do it with any furniture, drapes, anything left in the room.

So pay for the peace of mind to have it tested and then decide from there but keep in mind that if you do it yourself, it is the biggest mess I ever saw-easy but messy! Once ours was done though, it was so much better!! The rooms are lighter and brighter and no more cobwebs collecting on the ceiling. DO IT! I am mad that I waited so long....


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