How to Find a Good Drywall or Popcorn Ceiling Contractor

Drywall repair and popcorn removal look simple until the patch shows through the paint or the dust ends up in every room. The contractor you pick makes the difference. Here's what to look at before you hire someone, whether it's a ceiling crack, a hole from a plumbing repair or a whole house of popcorn ceilings.

Get a written quote based on the actual job

A number given over the phone before anyone has seen the damage often grows once the work starts. A good contractor looks at the job, in person or from clear photos, and gives you a written quote that covers the whole thing: protecting the room, the repair itself, matching the texture, primer and paint, and cleanup. Ask whether the quoted price is the final price, and get it in writing.

Be careful with the lowest bid

A quote far below the others usually leaves something out. The texture match, the paint, the dust protection or the cleanup gets skipped, or shows up later as an extra charge. Compare quotes line by line rather than by the total, and ask each contractor what's included.

Look at their finished work

With drywall, quality is in the details. A good repair disappears: the texture matches the wall around it, there's no ridge or halo around the patch, and the paint reads as one surface. Ask for photos of finished repairs and popcorn removals, ideally up close and in natural light. If you can, look at a job in person. Our article on why a drywall patch looks patchy shows what to look for.

Read reviews the right way

Review sites are useful, but they're easy to misread.

Watch for ads. On Yelp, Angi, HomeAdvisor and Thumbtack, the top spots are often paid placements. Look for the "Ad" or "Sponsored" label.
Look at the number of reviews. A perfect rating from five reviews tells you less than a strong rating from a hundred or more.
Read recent reviews, and read the complaints. The most common complaint about contractors is poor communication: missed calls, unclear timelines, surprises on the bill. See whether the company answers its negative reviews and how.
Check that reviews are for the same kind of work. A painter's glowing reviews don't tell you much about their drywall or popcorn removal.

Google reviews, the Better Business Bureau and recommendations from neighbors and real estate agents are all worth checking alongside the review sites.

Ask how they handle dust and cleanup

Sanding drywall and scraping popcorn create fine dust. Ask how the contractor protects floors and furniture, whether they contain the work area, and what tools they sand with. Dust-free sanding tools capture most of the dust at the source. Ask what the room will look like when they leave.

Pay attention to communication

How a contractor communicates before the job is how they'll communicate during it. A good one answers quickly, explains what they'll do and how long it will take, and tells you when something changes.

Ask about a guarantee

A contractor who stands behind the work will put a workmanship guarantee in writing. Ask how long it lasts and what it covers.

Hiring for popcorn ceiling removal

Popcorn removal has a few questions of its own:

Has the popcorn been painted? Painted texture takes longer to remove, and the quote should reflect it.
Is the home older? Popcorn applied before the mid-1980s can contain asbestos, and a lab test of a small sample is the only way to know. See testing popcorn ceilings for asbestos.
What finish goes back on? Ask whether the price includes refinishing smooth or with a light texture, and painting.

Hiring after a plumbing repair or re-pipe

Plumbing work usually leaves openings in walls and ceilings. The plumber's job ends with the pipes; the drywall, texture and paint are a separate job. Choose someone who will patch the openings, match the texture and paint, so you can't tell where the plumber went in.

Questions to ask before you hire

Is the quote in writing, and is it the final price?
What's included: protection, repair, texture, paint and cleanup?
Can I see photos of similar jobs?
How do you control dust?
Do you guarantee your work, and for how long?

How New Ceilings works

New Ceilings has repaired drywall and removed popcorn ceilings in Orlando and Central Florida since 2011. Every job starts with a free written quote, most sent the same day, and the number we quote is the number you pay, with no money down. We cover and contain the work area, sand with dust-free tools, match the existing texture and paint with Sherwin-Williams paint. Every job carries a one-year workmanship guarantee, and we don't take payment until you're completely satisfied. See drywall and ceiling repair or popcorn ceiling removal, or send a photo for a quote.