We're currently dealing with asbestos popcorn ceilings in our house. We've had a few contractors come out for quotes on scraping the ceilings, knowing it will require a level 4 finish afterward. However, the last contractor suggested that fully removing the ceilings might actually be safer for his crew and more cost-effective for us in the long run. I'm curious if the cost of replacing the ceilings with a level 4 finish will really be much higher than just refinishing the scraped ceilings.
3 Answers
If you're definitely going with a level 4 finish, the refinish on the scraped ceilings might indeed be cheaper, but it can vary based on how much square footage you're dealing with. Also, make sure that your contractor is licensed to handle asbestos; you want to avoid any potential horror stories with that!
In most cases, the bulk of the cost comes from labor. So, you might find that removing and replacing the ceilings could actually end up being cheaper, especially if you get a better finish out of it than just repairing what you have.
From my experience, it’s often quicker and easier to replace drywall than to scrape and finish the existing stuff. I did it myself and found that replacing was way less of a hassle than trying to deal with the mess of scraping. You also need to consider how the old drywall was put up—it can be a lot more complex than just swapping in new panels!