How much does popcorn ceiling removal cost in the Inland Empire?

Popcorn ceiling removal cost depends on square footage, ceiling height, and whether we're wet-scraping versus skim coating over the texture. Most single rooms range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars, while whole-home projects vary more. We provide free, no-obligation estimates after seeing the space in person.

Do you scrape the popcorn texture off or skim coat over it?

It depends on the ceiling's condition. Wet-scraping removes the texture entirely for a smooth, paint-ready finish and is our most common approach. In some cases, especially with older or more fragile ceilings, skim coating a thin layer of joint compound over the texture is faster and more cost-effective. We'll recommend the right method after inspecting your ceiling.

Could my popcorn ceiling contain asbestos?

Homes built or textured before the late 1970s and early 1980s may have popcorn ceilings containing asbestos. If your home falls in that range, we recommend testing before any scraping begins. We can advise on next steps and coordinate around testing results to keep the project safe.

How long does popcorn ceiling removal take?

A single room typically takes one day, including scraping, patching, and texture or paint prep. Larger homes with multiple rooms usually take two to four days depending on ceiling condition and square footage.

How messy is the popcorn ceiling removal process?

It's one of the messiest drywall jobs there is, so we cover floors, furniture, and belongings in plastic, often doubling up in high-traffic areas, before any scraping starts. We also handle cleanup and haul-away of debris so you're not left with dust and texture chips.

Do you also handle the ceiling texture and paint after removal?

Yes. After the popcorn texture is removed, we can finish the ceiling smooth, knockdown, or orange peel, and prep it for paint. Many homeowners pair popcorn removal with a fresh ceiling finish in the same visit.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

Popcorn ceilings (also called acoustic or cottage cheese ceilings) were sprayed on in almost every tract home built across the Inland Empire from the 1960s through the late 1980s. If your house in Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, or Redlands still has the original ceiling texture, you're not alone — it's one of the most common calls we get.

How we scrape a popcorn ceiling

We start by clearing the room and sheeting off everything that isn't leaving with us — floors, cabinets, light fixtures, closets. Popcorn removal kicks up a lot of debris, so we usually double up the plastic in doorways and vents to keep dust from spreading into the rest of the house. Once the room is sealed off, we lightly mist the ceiling with water to soften the texture, then scrape it off with a wide taping knife, working in small sections so the texture comes off in sheets instead of turning to dust. After the ceiling is bare, we skim a thin coat of joint compound over any rough spots, seams, or fastener heads, sand it smooth, and prep it for whatever finish you want next — flat paint, knockdown, or a smooth level-5 finish if you're going for a more modern look.

On ceilings that are in rougher shape, or where the drywall underneath isn't in great condition, scraping isn't always the better move. In those cases we'll sometimes recommend skim coating directly over the texture instead of removing it — it's faster, costs less, and still gets you a flat, paintable ceiling. We'll tell you honestly which approach makes more sense once we've had eyes on it in person, rather than quoting a method over the phone.

A note on asbestos

If your home was built or last textured before the early 1980s, the popcorn texture can contain asbestos — it was a common additive in ceiling texture until it was phased out. We're not able to tell just by looking at it, so for older homes we recommend getting a sample tested before we start scraping. If a test comes back positive, that changes the process (it needs to be handled by an abatement specialist rather than scraped conventionally), and we'll walk you through what that looks like. We'd rather you know upfront than find out halfway through a job.

What it costs and how long it takes

Pricing comes down to square footage, ceiling height, how thick the texture is, and whether we're scraping versus skim coating. A single bedroom is usually a one-day job from start to finish, including cleanup. A full house runs anywhere from four to seven days. We give free estimates in person because texture thickness and ceiling condition vary enough from house to house that a phone quote wouldn't be accurate — and we'd rather give you a number you can actually count on.

We've handled this job in older Corona and Redlands neighborhoods where the texture was original to the house, newer additions in Moreno Valley, and everything in between. If you're not sure whether your ceiling is a scrape job or a skim-coat job, send us a photo and we can usually give you a general read before we even come out.

Picture Showing the difference before and after popcorn ceiling removal in Riverside, CA

A drywaller holding a piece of popcorn ceiling he removed from the ceiling in Tustin,CA

Popcorn ceiling removal cost depends on square footage, ceiling height, and whether we're wet-scraping versus skim coating over the texture. Most single rooms range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars, while whole-home projects vary more. We provide free, no-obligation estimates after seeing the space in person.
It depends on the ceiling's condition. Wet-scraping removes the texture entirely for a smooth, paint-ready finish and is our most common approach. In some cases, especially with older or more fragile ceilings, skim coating a thin layer of joint compound over the texture is faster and more cost-effective. We'll recommend the right method after inspecting your ceiling
Homes built or textured before the late 1970s and early 1980s may have popcorn ceilings containing asbestos. If your home falls in that range, we recommend testing before any scraping begins. We can advise on next steps and coordinate around testing results to keep the project safe.
A single room typically takes one day, including scraping, patching, and texture or paint prep. Larger homes with multiple rooms usually take two to four days depending on ceiling condition and square footage.
It's one of the messiest drywall jobs there is, so we cover floors, furniture, and belongings in plastic, often doubling up in high-traffic areas, before any scraping starts. We also handle cleanup and haul-away of debris so you're not left with dust and texture chips.
Yes. After the popcorn texture is removed, we can finish the ceiling smooth, knockdown, or orange peel, and prep it for paint. Many homeowners pair popcorn removal with a fresh ceiling finish in the same visit.