having ceilings redone

popcorn ceilings are not only unsightly but cause extreme lack of insulation thus your apartment could get either very cold or very hot.

I think it looks much better and bought a one bedroom recently about the same sq footage. It cost about $5k for my job and I did some other things too.

I have no regrets - ceilings look taller and it is more attractive to a prospective buyer. Plus it is harder when you have fully moved in. I did it before I moved actually. I recommend it!

Hey #1, thanks for starting this topic. I too am faced with the popcorn ceiling issue. I don't know why these bloody ceilings exist, as I have yet to hear anyone say "I love popcorn ceilings!"

#3, would you mind sharing the name of the firm or the individual that smoothed out your ceilings? Thanks.

I used my contractor and not sure I should post his personal cell which is what I have. Any decent contractor can do it though. So if you have contractor recommendations - that is fine. If you still need a contractor, we can find a way to do it without posting directly. Perhaps i can send to your email etc.

about popcorn ceilings--I read that they could contain asbestos and removal is very tricky if done properly because of the probability of releasing the asbestos into the air. I just made a bid at the Opera on UWS but am reluctant to go forward because of the popcorn ceiling issue---any insights???

OP here - thank you all for the insight! I'm already move into my place but haven't completed furnishing yet, so I guess it's now or never.

Wondering about the asbestos issue....but then again wouldn't there be a risk if the ceilings remain?

I too wonder about asbestos. No, if you do not disturb the ceilings, the asbestos is not an issue if it is indeed in that stuff.

I think it depends on when your building was built. I believe asbestos was last used in 1978. You should check. My building was built in 1982/1983 and so asbestos was not allowed at this time. Again, you should check your situation. This is #5.

I have been doing a lot of research on this and apparently it is very easy to test to be sure. To poster #9-you are right about the dates although from what I read, not every builder was compliant and there could be asbestos is these ceilings as late as 1984!!! I think it pays to test to be sure because once you release the asbestos into the air, it becomes extremely hazardous.

OP again. My neighbor told me her place was tested for asbestos by the previous owner before having her ceilings done; it cleared and has a certificate showing it meets EPA standards.

I hear it's expensive to get the test done (like upwards of $1500) but the super won't approve any removal of popcorn without EPA clearance. Alternatively I could have the ceiling plastered.

Does that make sense? Have the tests come down in price?

OP - when was your building built?

I'm no contractor but I'd be surprised if you could plaster over that stuff, it's very light & crumbly & I don't think the plaster would adhere. Also, if there IS asbestos in there it would be released as the plaster was applied. It looks like your options are to live with it as is or get the inspection & then remove it. Have you ever seen a work site where that asbestos removal is taking place? It's a hazmat scene draped in layers of plastic to confine the asbestos fibers & the workers are in hazmat gear. It's serious business!

Yikes! OP here - building was constructed in stages - lower floors in the 70's and higher (incl my floor) in the mid-80's. And given that my neigbor was cleared chances are my unit is asbestos-free. But I may still need to test.

Thx again everyone for your advice!

Asbestos was banned in 1978 or 79, but there were massive stores of it that were allowed to be used up. So if your home was built before 1986, there is still a chance of asbestos being in the popcorn ceilings. Asbestos testing is pretty inexpensive, in Colorado I had a lab do it for $66, but I have heard other people say they had it done for $30. Just google asbestos lab testing and your state and it should come up with a list of labs. I just sprayed the ceiling with a little water and scraped about a teaspoon from three areas of the house into ziploc bags and brought it in. The results came back in 3 days.

If you're going to be disturbing that stuff, my thought is that you'd want to wear a mask of some sort. Perhaps those white masks sold at hardware stores would do the trick but asbestos is pretty dangerous to the lungs, I believe.

Is it possible to just laminate sheetrock over the ceiling, this way nothing is disturbed?

Yep you can sheetrock over but drops your ceiling height more than you would think as sub frame needs to be contructed.
....though good opportunity for downlights which as a foreigner to NY I cant believe how few you guys have. Wall lights or freestanding lamps are crap in comparison.

Cheers,
Dean

Interesting, Dean. Years ago in Architectural Digest a designer said, "Overhead lighting makes a baby look 40." I'm still laughing !!!

Interesting to read this post from 2 years ago. We've recently come across an asbestos issue in a co-op we want to purchase. The quote we got was $23,000 for a 750 sq ft 1 BR apartment! Actually, I got 2 quotes in the same range. Does this sound high?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWmmjPhC5R4

thanks Matt, but the dude doesn't say what to do with it if it is positive for asbestos.

Oh. Well, I suppose the answer to that is just learn to like popcorn ceilings!

Think of it as being retro!

Very retro...

I could do it myself legally. The rule is that I can put my life at great risk, I just can't pay someone else to do so.

Thanks for the video, might inspire me to DIY and RIP.

If your ceilings are high enough, I would just put sheetrock on top. It has to be less than $23K.

not that high, and we would still have to disclose to future buyers that there is asbestos under the sheetrock. Plus if we ever want to drill (for lights, etc), we risk putting fibers in the air.
thanks for the tip.

"do it myself" is legally construed to include having illegal-alien day-laborers do it for you. Just have the video translated so they know what is meant by "most people today would rather have their popcorn in a bowl...".

in that case, i would go to home depot get a body suite with the big face mask, not the one in the video, and do it myself. the only people who got sick from it, were breathing it for years, you'll be breathing it for a few hours through the mask. just make sure you have all walls and floors covered in plastic and keep the windows open. then carefully peel the plastic sheets off the walls and floors and fold them up and double bag them. buy a vacuum to clean the remaining debri and toss it out.

I should add that asbestos only adversely affects life-long chain-smokers who have worked with asbestos for decades in enclosed areas -- mostly asbestos factories and naval boiler-rooms or whatever they're called.

It's no problem for illegal-alien day-laborers.

You can make a video of them scrapeing your ceiling to show your guests for years to come.

ab-11218: not bad suggestions. It looks easy, esp if the ceiling was never painted (neither I nor the asbestos tester could tell). I actually use full body Tyvek suits and respirators in my work (for biological research), so I have access. But it would still be a lot of work, esp if the water doesn't penetrate the popcorn (if its painted).

alanhart: I've seen the youtube videos and all I could think was that these idiots probably all will come down with some sort of lung condition (it doesn't take much asbestos to cause a cell to start dividing). If I were to do it, I would wear a full body Tyvek suit with a HEPA filtered air system, not just an N95 face mask (and I doubt the video'd jokers were wearing proper N95 respirators!).

my painter, approx 2 yrs ago, removed the popcorn ceiling and painted a 1200 sq ft apartment for $3K, labor only. the ceiling was painted and he had a problem in one area where they oversprayed the popcorn. unfortunately, he's not licensed to use his paint brush, so you can't use him in Manhattan. i'm still amazed that they require a painted to be licensed and insured, but that's a different topic for a different day :-).