Renovating While Working Full-Time

Renovating While Working Full-Time

Managing a renovation can be a full-time job. This is why a vast majority of homeowners doing renovations to their homes, choose to hire a general contractor to oversee and direct sub-trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc…

Unfortunately, hiring a general contractor is not always an option, and it comes at a rather hefty price tag, because no general contractor will manage the sub-trades for free (nor should they be expected to). So how are you supposed to oversee your home remodel if you’re working 9-5? How can you be sure that the job will be finished on time? A renovation can be stressful enough, but if you’re the type who likes to be involved in every last detail, having a contractor work in your home while you’re away all day can be downright nerve-racking. The following tips can help you avoid feeling like you have to check on the progress ten times a day.

Before the Renovation

– Research

First and foremost, do your research. If you have family or friends who have had similar jobs done, ask them if they’re happy with the job. Ask them approximately how much it cost. They may be uncomfortable talking about the price of a renovation, but would probably give you a ballpark figure. But remember that the price is only part of the whole job.

Remember to ask them the following questions:

– How long did the project take? Was it within the time frame promised?

– Was the final price different from the quote given? If so, why?

– Was the contractor respectful and did he/she communicate well with you?

– Were your questions about the project answered in a satisfactory manner?

– Did the contractor have references?

– Did the contractor do a basic clean-up afterwards?

– If permits were required for the renovation, was this taken care of prior to starting the work?

– Would you hire the contractor again?

– What would you do differently if you had to do it again?

– Get estimates

Unless you already know what it costs for your project, which is unlikely unless you’re in the industry (in which case you’d probably do the job yourself!), you’ll need a few estimates to find this out. Try to get at least three estimates. This is usually enough to tell you whether the job will cost $1000 or $10,000. You want to be able to compare the estimates properly, so make sure each one covers the same scope of work. Remember that cheapest price is not always the best deal. There may be a reason why they charge so little. Perhaps they cut corners or don’t pay their workers very well. Even worse, in the majority of cases, the cheapest contractor upfront, will end up nickel-and-diming you for every single little thing that should have already been included in the scope of work to begin with.

– Get references

Call Potential Contractors' References — Call Potential Contractors’ References

References are a must. Be wary of companies that can’t provide any. And make sure you actually contact the references. Ask them the questions listed above under Research. It is best to have references from the contractors’ recent jobs. The older a reference, the less valuable it is.

Also ask if they have any examples of their work, either to view in person, or photos in photos. Before and after photos are especially good as you can see exactly what was done.

Before & After Renovations: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Kitchen)

Before & After: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Living Room)

Before & After Renovations: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Master Bedroom)

Before & After Renovations: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Den)

– Get a written quote

Once you’ve decided on the company you’ll be using, make sure they give you a formal, written quote. This doesn’t necessarily need to be written on paper, but it should at least be sent to you by email, instead of just relying on a verbal quote. Most contractors are not out to take advantage of you, or try to get away with anything questionable, however, it’s worth it to protect yourself. You can’t go back to prove that a certain verbal quote was given.

– Read the fine print

Make sure to read any fine print in the renovation quote

Go over the quote carefully. Read all the fine print. Make sure everything you have discussed with the contractor is included. If you have any questions or concerns, or if any details are unclear, make sure to bring it up before work has begun. This can avoid miscommunication problems and disagreements later.

– Be aware of any warranties

If the quote doesn’t explicitly say anything about warranties, make sure to ask. Ask what is covered under the warranty, and how long the warranty is for. Of course, a warranty is no good if the contractor that you hire goes out of business 3 months after your remodeling project has ended. So pick a contractor with a long track record.

– Discuss a timeline with your contractor

Ask your contractor for an idea of the timeline of your renovation

No matter how well you plan it, construction involves unforeseen complications. Always, always, always give your renovation project more time than you are told it will take.

Ask for a timeline for the project. Of course, unexpected things can happen during a renovation that will delay or cause the project to take longer than possible, but for the most part, you should have a good idea of the end date and any important milestones along the way. If something does come up, a reputable contractor will let you know and will be honest about the change in timeline. For instance, if it’s a bathroom renovation, and there is unexpected, dangerous mold found inside a wall, there may be some extra time involved, and potentially extra cost, if it was not part of the expected renovation. The contractor should contact you to get your consent before going ahead with anything that was not included in the quote.

– Ask about any prep-work that you’ll need to do before the renovation starts

Before the agreed upon start date, ask if there’s anything you need to do before the contractor gets there to start. Most renovations require furniture to be moved and/or covered, some will require light fixtures to be taken down, it will just depend on the type of renovation you’re having done. Many contractors will take a spare key so that they have access in and out when you are not there. This is a good idea, especially if you have a door that requires a key to lock it. If the contractor goes for lunch, or goes to pick up supplies, they need to be able to secure your home. This also means that if you’re not living there, you don’t have to worry about getting there each morning to let them in.

– Leave a deposit

Your contractor will likely ask for a deposit. This can be anywhere from 10% to 50% of the total. Deposits are taken for several reasons. Contractors need to make sure that their clients are serious about having the work done. If they book a renovation, and at the last minute the client gets cold feet and backs out, the contractor may have a hard time finding another job to replace it. There are, of course, legitimate reasons why a client may have to cancel, even at the last minute. The scenario above is just referring to clients that weren’t really serious in the first place, or didn’t have the money to pay for the renovation. Leaving a deposit is a sign of good faith on the part of the client. They will be less likely to cancel for insignificant reasons if they have “skin in the game”. Another reason for the deposit is for materials. The contractor will need to buy supplies and materials for your renovation.

During the Renovation

– Initial walk-through

If it’s been awhile since the contractor has seen your home or the worksite, it’s a good idea to meet them there on the first day and do a walk through to make sure you’re both on the same page. If you have any last-minute instructions, or if there are idiosyncrasies about the house that they should know about, let them know now. For instance, if you have a cat that stays in a bedroom and should not be let out, let them know. You can give the contractor a set of spare keys at this time so that they can come and go.

– Progress reports

While it’s tempting to call multiple times a day to check on the progress, these phone calls will only stop the contractor from doing what they’re supposed to be doing: finishing your renovation. If you’ve done your due diligence and talked to references, you should be confident that your contractor knows what they’re doing and is competent to finish the project in the agreed upon timeline. If you’d like to stay involved (and it’s a very good idea to do that), ask them to give you an update at the end of each day, either verbally or a written account. That way you know what’s going on with the project, but you’re not disrupting their work all day long. That being said, if you do have actual questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call them at anytime.

After the Renovation

– Final walk-through

When the project is complete, make sure you do a walk-through with the contractor. If you’ve been in contact with the contractor throughout the job, there should be no surprises. This is the time to make sure you’re happy with the final project. If there are deficiencies, or areas that need to be touched up, say so. It’s far better to speak up now, rather than to give your okay and then later try to claim that you were unhappy with the job.

– Final payment

Once you’ve done the walk-through with your contractor, final payment will be due. Many companies will have a clause in their contract or quote that says payment is due immediately upon completion, and some will not accept cheques via mail.

– Clean-up

Most contractors will do a general clean-up, but you’ll likely be responsible for fine cleaning. After all, you’ve hired a renovation contractor, not a cleaning company.

– Reviews/Testimonials

If you’re happy with the work the contractor has done, they would appreciate a review on any social media network they’re on, such as Yelp or Facebook. If you’re not happy, before posting a negative review, consider contacting the company with your concerns. A reputable contractor will most likely work with you to make sure you’re happy. It’s worth it for them to make sure they have happy customers, for reputation, repeat business, and potential referrals.

– Referrals

If you know someone having the same type of project done, give them the name and number of any contractors you’ve dealt with that you were happy with. This will save your friends from hiring a company blindly, and will help the contractor, too. Some companies will even send some sort of thank you.

Before & After Renovations: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Entrance)

Before & After Renovations: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Dining Room)

Before & After Renovations: Ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1188 Quebec St (Bedroom)

Doing renovations? Start from the top by having your popcorn ceilings removed!

July 17, 2014January 24, 2023

5 DIY Mistakes Homeowners Make When Removing Textured Ceilings

Before and after ceiling texture removal in the entrance area of a Delta home.

Are you making these DIY mistakes when it comes to your ceilings?

I have to confess to a mistake I recently made. I walked out of a public washroom with the bottom of my skirt tucked up into my underwear. I’ve heard stories about this happening to other people, but I thought it was an urban myth. How could someone not notice that their assets were on display for everyone to see? My saving grace is that I did notice it quick enough to avoid a ticket for public indecency. We all make mistakes. At least that mistake wasn’t costly. But when it comes to home renovations, DIY mistakes can be expensive. Ceiling mistakes can mean paying twice to get the results that you want. Here are some common pitfalls that homeowners often fall into, when it comes to textured ceilings.

1) Living with popcorn ceilings

It’s entirely likely that you currently live in a home with popcorn ceilings, or you have at some point in your life. They were especially popular in the 1970s – 1990s, but are still being used in new buildings and homes today. That’s because it’s cheaper and easier to spray texture on ceilings, than it is to finish them properly to a smooth surface. What you may not realize, is that you don’t have to live with them. They’re dirty, they collect dust and allergens and they look pretty hideous. A ceiling professional can resurface the texture and give you smooth ceilings that your neighbours will envy.

2) Scraping the popcorn ceiling texture yourself

The DIY movement has everyone thinking they can do everything themselves. For instance, as these pins from Pinterest show, there’s a reason bakeries exist. Unless you’re Martha Stewart, buy a cake from a bakery for a special occasion. The same is true for removing popcorn ceilings. It’s not something that you should do yourself. If you don’t have the right tools, and most importantly the experience for the job, it’s a messy and time consuming job. What takes a professional just a few days, could take you weeks. And once the texture is off, your ceilings are going to look pretty rough unless they’re resurfaced. We’ve had several calls from homeowners looking for help after they tried the DIY approach.

The videos you watch on YouTube which explain the DIY process for getting smooth ceilings, are usually shot with some contractor’s cellphone camera, from 8 feet away, in a dimly lit home! They don’t really show how rough the ceiling looks when the DIY job is finished. Our process has been perfected over the years, and our finished product revolves around applying fresh compound to EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CEILING… AT LEAST TWICE! For a Do-It-Yourselfer to do this, it will take weeks.

Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.

3) Taking ceiling texture samples for asbestos testing to an asbestos abatement company

If you plan on removing your ceiling texture and your home was built prior to 1980, or you don’t know when the ceiling texture was applied, it needs to be tested for asbestos before removing. One mistake people unknowingly make, is to take a sample of ceiling texture to a company that specialized in asbestos abatement. Most of these companies are legitimate, but (and this is a big but), since they have a vested interest in finding asbestos so they can sell you on their abatement services, it is best to take it to a lab that is not involved whatsoever, in the abatement industry. A good lab in the GreaterVancouver area is HBM Environmental. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we offer a service to come to your home, professionally obtain a sample and deliver it to the lab. Once the results come back, we notify you and provide you with the report from the lab.

Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the dining room of a Delta home. — Before and after popcorn ceiling removal in the dining room of a North Delta home.

4) Hiring a contractor inexperienced with ceilings to remove the popcorn ceilings.

While you don’t want to scrape the ceilings yourself, you also don’t want a contractor who is not experienced with ceilings specifically. Ceilings can be tricky to work with. We’ve been contacted by owners who needed us to finish the ceilings after someone inexperienced realized he was not quite skilled enough to complete the job. We’ve also been contacted by contractors themselves who didn’t want to get involved with removing ceiling texture because they weren’t sure they could deliver a quality finish. We work with ceilings every day. We know how to deal with waves in concrete ceilings, cracks around the edges of walls, or cracks running through the middle of the room. We’ve worked on vaulted ceilings and skylights and we’ve fixed water-damaged ceilings.

During photo and after photo of popcorn ceiling removal in the living room of a Delta home.

5) Painting the ceilings yourself

Once your ceilings are smooth, they’ll need to be primed and painted. Just as with ceiling texture removal specialists, professional painters have the skills and tools necessary to create a quality finish. This is especially important when there is a lot of natural light in the space. Any imperfection in the paint will show, so it must be done meticulously and skillfully. In a typical home, walls and floors are usually camouflaged with any number of decorations, including picture frames, cabinets, furniture and floor lamps. Therefore, imperfections will not be glaringly visible. But such is not the case with ceilings. Ceilings receive minimal decoration and therefore, you are more likely to see visible imperfections. This is why it’s so important to have a professional smooth the ceilings, and a professional painter to paint the smooth ceilings.

Finally, painting ceilings is pretty hard on the neck, shoulders and back for people who are not accustomed to it. By having a painter paint your ceilings, you might just avoid a trip to your chiropractor.

Hopefully these tips will prevent you from making committing the typical mistakes that homeowners, and especialy Do-It-Yourselfers make when it comes to dealing with their ceilings. To learn more about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s texture removal process, or to get a FREE quote, give us a call at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email.

Avoid costly ceiling mistakes by contacting the ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com!

February 4, 2014April 8, 2023

The Lowdown on Textured Ceilings

This condo at 518 Moberly Rd in Vancouver had the textured ceilings removed

If your home was built from about 1950 onwards, there’s a good chance you have textured ceilings, also known as popcorn ceilings or stippled ceilings. It’s even being used today in the countless highrises sprouting from the earth like fungi. You might think, wouldn’t they be able to sell the units for more money if the ceilings were smooth and actually looked finished? Yes, they most likely would, but the problem is that old adage: time is money. Textured ceilings are quick and cheap and they need to sell the units as quickly as possible. This keeps us at RemoveCeilingTexture.com quite busy.

The Nitty Gritty of Textured Ceilings

So let’s break it down. What are the arguments for and against textured ceilings?

“Textured ceilings are quick and cheap to build.”

This argument really only works for the developer. But this is about you, the homeowner.

Ceilings transformed from textured to smooth at a condo at 1230 Haro Street in Vancouver

You’re likely not pocketing the savings the developers made by spraying the

texture. Do you know what else is quick and cheap? Leaving the concrete floors unfinished and not painting the walls. How many developers do that? For some reason textured ceilings have become almost an industry standard and people put up with it.

“Textured ceilings mute sound.”

If you live in a modern condo building, the texture is not making a difference in sound transmission. Generally, you shouldn’t be able to hear your neighbours walking around.

Living room of Vancouver condo now has smooth ceilings - 1230 Haro St, Vancouver — Living room of Vancouver condo now has smooth ceilings – 1230 Haro St, Vancouver

However, if your upstairs neighbour insists on channeling her inner Victoria Beckham by walking in heels at all hours, textured ceilings will not make one iota of difference. You’re going to hear that clickety-clack whether or not you have textured ceilings. Likewise, the creaks and groans of an older home are going to come through regardless of the texture on your ceilings. The sound may not even be coming through the ceilings. If walls are missing insulation, sound will travel through. Unless you have a seriously sound proofed room that can silence a nine-year old boy and his drum set, you’re going to get some sound transfer.

The other sound issue people talk about is echo within a room.

Removal of textured ceilings in the dining room of a Vancouver Condo - 1230 Haro St. — Removal of textured ceilings in the dining room of a Vancouver Condo – 1230 Haro St.

Echoes occur when sound waves bounce off of hard surfaces such as walls and ceilings, multiple times. It’s true, if you have an empty room with no furniture, textured ceilings will slightly dampen echoes. But once you add softer components such as sofas, chairs, beds, carpets, rugs, etc., the sound waves will be absorbed by these softer items and won’t create an echo. So your textured ceilings are not helping.

“Textured ceilings don’t bother me.”

Are you sure about that? They may not bother you visually, but what they harbour could be affecting your health. Asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems can be aggravated by the dust and allergens that are present in every home. In most homes you vacuum, you dust…problem solved, right? Not so fast. The dust gets stuck in the nooks and crannies of textured ceilings. It can then fall back down at its leisure, making your symptoms worse.

Smooth ceilings appear higher - Vancouver condo at 1331 Homer St. — Smooth ceilings appear higher – Vancouver condo at 1331 Homer St.

Resurfaced concrete ceilings at a Vancouver condo - Bedroom at 1331 Homer St. — Resurfaced concrete ceilings at a Vancouver condo – Bedroom at 1331 Homer St.

Smoothing Out the Nitty Gritty

The good news is that you’re not stuck with textured ceilings. From penthouse condos to heritage homes and everything in between, we can provide smooth ceilings for pretty much every type of dwelling (we’ve yet to do a hobbit-hole, though).

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our name only tells part of the story. Removing the ceiling texture is only the first step to smooth ceilings. Once the texture is gone, you’ll often see inconsistencies in the ceilings. If you were to paint at this stage, they wouldn’t look very good. The next, crucial step is where our expertise really shines: resurfacing the ceilings. Our process will leave you with flawless, smooth ceilings that look fantastic.

Contact us today for a FREE QUOTE for getting rid of your textured ceilings. Send us an email, or call us at 604-420-7578.

Close-up view of corner after ceiling texture removal at a condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver

Living room with smooth ceilings - condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver — Living room with smooth ceilings – condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver

Tired of your textured ceilings? Contact us today for a FREE quote!

January 8, 2014November 23, 2023

Ceiling Finishes

Your Own Personal Sistine Chapel

Ceiling finishes are pretty much only limited to your imagination. From Michelangelo-esque works of art to wallpaper to coffered ceilings, the one thing required before beginning is a flat surface. Popcorn ceiling texture gets in the way of most ceiling finishes.

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth ceilings in North Vancouver - Fireplace — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth ceilings in North Vancouver – Fireplace

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we specialize in not only removing the texture, but more importantly, in creating sleek, blemish-free surfaces. They are beautiful left this way, or use them as a base to apply mouldings, medallions or stencils to get the look you want.

Sashimi, Steak Tartare, Egg Nog: Must Our Concrete be Raw Too?

If you live in a highrise building, you likely have concrete ceilings. Designers of these buildings use various concrete ceiling finishes to achieve whatever look they’re going for. Sometimes they’re left bare for a raw, industrial look. This look isn’t for everyone.

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Texture removed from concrete ceilings in Vancouver — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Texture removed from concrete ceilings in Vancouver

While it may look glamourous in magazines or movies, in real life it can feel cold, impersonal and just plain unfinished. Other times the concrete’s sprayed with ceiling texture just like drywall ceilings are. Why? It’s cheaper to spray popcorn texture than it is to finish them to a nice smooth surface. If you have over 100 condos in a building to finish, speed usually triumphs over quality. RemoveCeilingTexture.com can remove the texture, fix any cracks and holes and skim over the concrete to create a warmer, finished look.

Smooth Ceiling Finishes

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Dining room in Port Coquitlam has the texture removed — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Dining room in Port Coquitlam has the texture removed

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North Vancouver — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North Vancouver

Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings - Stain in North Vancouver living room is gone, along with the ugly texture — Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Stain in North Vancouver living room is gone, along with the ugly texture

Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a FREE, no obligation, quote for ceiling texture removal. Send us an email, or give us a call at 604-420-7578. We’d love to discuss your project and answer any ceiling related questions you may have.

December 17, 2013November 2, 2016

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

You know the saying, popcorn doesn’t grow on trees? Oh, that’s not the saying? Well, it doesn’t grow on trees. And it shouldn’t grow on ceilings either. Popcorn ceilings is another term for textured ceilings. I guess they started calling it popcorn ceilings because warty ceilings just doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?

*On a side note, I did a Google image search for warts when writing this post. Do not do that. Ever.

Whether you call it popcorn ceilings, textured ceilings, stippled ceilings, or what it really looks like, diseased ceilings, you can have it removed. RemoveCeilingTexture.com specializes in popcorn ceiling removal.

So Popcorn Ceilings Look Bad, What’s the Big Deal?

Apart from the fact that they’re hideous to look at, popcorn ceilings are harmful to your health.

Entrance area of a Vancouver condo that has had popcorn ceiling removal

Since they are next to impossible to clean, dust gets trapped up there. Do you know what dust is composed of? It’s a mixture of many things, including plant pollen, hair, and skin cells. Yes, all those things are trapped up in your popcorn ceiling. If you or a family member has allergies, you’ll benefit from smooth ceilings. Even if you don’t have respiratory problems, I think we can all agree that when it comes to breathing in skin cells, less is better. Now that you’re completely grossed out over popcorn ceilings, how can you have them removed?

Popcorn Ceiling Removal by the Experts

Popcorn ceiling removal in Vancouver - Living Room — Popcorn ceiling removal in Vancouver – Living Room

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we’re experts in creating smooth ceilings. But it’s not as easy as simply scraping the popcorn off. There are a few steps involved. First the popcorn is removed with a special machine to minimize any mess. After this step, the ceilings look rough and unfinished. The second step, ceiling resurfacing, is where the real magic comes in. This is where we even out any dips, waves, or other blemishes apparent when the popcorn comes off. The last step is a quick sanding to make the ceiling flawless. Read more about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s unique process.

Bedroom of Burnaby condo after popcorn ceiling removal

Brighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removal

Popcorn ceiling removal in the living room

No Strings Attached

If you’re like us, you believe that popcorn belongs at the movies, not stuck to your ceilings. Contact RemoveCeilingTexture.com today for a quote on popcorn ceiling removal. Unlike some companies, we don’t charge for providing a quote and our quotes are always obligation free. So send us an email, or give us a call at 604-420-7578.

Get a FREE quote on popcorn ceiling removal!

December 2, 2013November 2, 2016

Increase the Value of Your Home

We can work around things like fire sprinklers when removing ceiling texture.

Do you want to increase the value of your home? That’s kind of like asking someone if they like pancakes. No rational person answers no to that! So unless you’re one of those weird, pancake-hating ~~monsters~~ people, here’s a simple way you can add some value to your home. (If you do hate pancakes, that’s okay. I’m sure your mother still loves you.)

Increase the Value of Your Home with Ceiling Renovations

Easy way to increase the value of your home: This West Van condo had ceiling texture removed

Renovations. The very word invokes fear in some and manic glee in others (you know who you are). But before you haul out the chainsaw and start hacking away at walls, a huge mortgage-your-house transformation may not be necessary. If your home is in decent shape but could use some tweaking, consider having RemoveCeilingTexture.com remove your ceiling texture and refinish the ceilings. Removing the popcorn ceilings can dramatically change your home’s appearance. Ceiling texture is outdated, dusty and full of allergens. It also makes rooms feel small. Smooth ceilings reflect light better and make spaces appear larger.

If you are planning a large renovation, smooth, refinished ceilings can be the crowning glory. But a smooth ceiling is also a great option if your house just needs a little bit of TLC and you’d like to increase the value of your home. The great thing about RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s ceiling texture removal process is that you don’t have to put your life on hold while the renovations are being done. We can work around you. In just a few days your ceiling will go from a lumpy, breeding ground for spiders to a smooth surface that makes the space feel more welcoming.

The kitchen in a Main Street condo gets an update simply by removing the popcorn texture on the ceilings

Seller Beware: Smooth Ceilings Sell Better

We’ve dealt with many buyers who are in the process of putting an offer on a home.

Living room of Vancouver condo feels larger with smooth ceilings

They contact us to see how much it will cost to have the ceiling texture removed, and they’re going to factor that into the offer. If your ceilings are already smooth, your home will naturally fetch better offers from potential buyers. If the choice for a buyer is between your home and a similar home, you want to get whatever edge you can. If one has modern, smooth ceilings and is move-in ready and the other has dingy popcorn ceilings that will need to be dealt with before the buyers move in, it’s clear which one is going to be the winner. *Unless the purchasers hate pancakes. In that case they are loose cannons and there’s telling what they’ll do!

Ceiling texture removal in Vancouver - Bedroom — Ceiling texture removal in Vancouver – Bedroom

It couldn’t be easier to increase the value of your home. RemoveCeilingTexture.com provides FREE, no obligation quotes for ceiling renovations and ceiling texture removal.. Contact us today at 604-420-7578 or send us an email.

Would you like to increase the value of your home with ceiling texture removal? Contact us today for a FREE quote!

November 23, 2013November 2, 2016

Ceiling Refinishing

Most fads of the 60s and 70s have pretty much disappeared. Except pet rocks. Like parrots and other long-living animals, pet rocks often outlived their owners, ending up abandoned in animal shelters.

This condo at 55 Blackberry Drive in New Westminster has had ceiling refinishing

Anyway, for some unexplainable reason, popcorn ceilings, sometimes known as stippled ceilings, are also still hanging in there. What you may not know is that you can do something about it! Ceiling refinishing is an option that will leave you with smooth ceilings.

Can’t I Just Scrape Off My Ceiling Texture?

Getting smooth ceilings isn’t as simple as scraping off the texture. There are other things to consider, outlined below, and this is why a professional who has a lot of ceiling experience should be hired. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, our entire business is built around ceiling refinishing. We have the expertise necessary to turn your outdated, textured ceilings into smooth, flawless surfaces.

Asbestos:

If your home was built prior to the early 80s, the ceiling texture could contain asbestos. Asbestos fibres are generally not dangerous unless they are airborne, which they will become if you scrape the texture. These fibres are microscopic and when breathed in can get lodged in your lungs. This can lead to breathing problems, scarring and in extreme cases, mesothelioma. If you do have asbestos in your texture, you can still have smooth ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s unique process can give you smooth ceilings without disturbing the asbestos fibres. The fibres are sealed in and won’t be disturbed unless there’s some sort of home demolition, or a major earthquake, in which case, ceiling texture would be the least of your problems.

Painted Ceiling Texture:

People often don’t know what to do with dirty ceiling texture. It can’t be cleaned, so they just slap some paint over it. This method is not an ideal solution. Who wants to repaint their ceilings every 6 months? If the texture has been painted, it won’t scrape off easily, if at all. It’ll be very difficult to remove it without gouging the ceiling. This is another great reason to have the professionals at RemoveCeilingTexture.com deal with your ceilings.

Uneven Ceilings:

The reason stipple is applied to ceilings is so that they don’t have to be finished properly. This saves the builder time and money. If you do manage to remove the texture from your ceilings, you will likely find that they’re in rough shape. They may be uneven or wavy. Wavy ceilings are seen especially in condos with concrete ceilings. The concrete frames they use are not perfect, so you’re left with waves, ridges, holes and other blemishes. This is where ceiling refinishing comes in.

What is Ceiling Refinishing and What is Remove Ceiling Texture’s Process?

If there is no asbestos in the ceiling texture, the texture is removed with a special sander/vacuum. This is not some Red Green inspired duct-taped contraption, but a refined piece of German engineering created specifically for the wall and ceiling industry.

*If there is asbestos in the ceiling, we skip the sanding step and add an encapsulant to the mud compound for the skim coating step below.

The first step to smooth ceilings is sanding the texture with the Festool specialty sander

The Festool sander is German-engineered for the wall and ceiling industry

Next comes the crucial step that will make your ceilings look professional: ceiling refinishing. A mud compound is applied by hawk and trowel, the same method used by plaster artisans for centuries. Depending on the condition of the ceiling, one to three coats are applied in this fashion, with time for drying between each coat.

During the ceiling refinishing process a mud compound is applied

The last step is sanding. Our method of applying the compound is so precise that the ceilings don’t really need much sanding at all. Just a light sanding and the finished product is revealed: a smooth, flawless surface.

Ceiling refinishing and repair in Vancouver

Refinished ceilings with potlights in Vancouver

I Immediately Regret This Decision

A North Vancouver homeowner called Remove Ceiling Texture after a failed DIY attempt

So you thought getting smooth ceilings would be easy. You armed yourself with a scraper and the same single-minded determination that wives often witness when husbands refuse to follow the IKEA directions (seriously though, you need the Rosetta Stone to figure out those Swedish hieroglyphics). You thought, “I’m a handy guy (or gal), how hard could it be?” You got up on your ladder and you began the tedious process of scraping the popcorn texture. You soon regretted this decision. Either the texture didn’t come off nicely and you’ve damaged the drywall, or the texture did come off, but then you saw that the ceilings were uneven and looked terrible.

Failed DIY ceiling texture removal attempt in North Vancouver. RCT was called to fix the ceilings.

It’s shortly after this happens that we get a lot of calls from bashful homeowners. Our name may be Remove Ceiling Texture, but only because “Remove Ceiling Texture & Refinish Ceilings & Repair Ceiling Imperfections & Fix Homeowner’s Ceiling Mistakes” makes for a pretty long domain name.

Instead of trying to do it yourself, contact us from the start. We provide FREE, no obligation quotes for ceiling refinishing. Call us today at 604-420-7578 or contact us here or use the form below.

Do your ceilings need refinishing? Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation quote!

October 29, 2013April 8, 2023

Interior Design: All About Ceilings

This homeowner incorporated smooth ceilings and potlights into her interior design

Smooth is better: Update your ceilings by having them resurfaced

Ceiling texture removal plays a part in interior design for this North Vancouver home

Interior design is the art of taking a space and making it functional and pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, ceilings are an often overlooked piece of the interior design puzzle. This is such a shame because the surface area is so large that any change will make a big difference in the feel of your home. A simple thing such as having the popcorn texture removed from your ceilings, will make the space feel larger, brighter and more modern. In addition, smooth ceilings provide better air quality. Once the ceiling texture is gone and the ceilings have been resurfaced, there will be no nooks and crannies for dust, spider webs and other allergens to hide. Modernization and less asthma attacks: a win-win situation.

Bulkheads & Valances: Ceiling texture doesn’t make them more attractive

Let’s face it. Bulkheads and valances are not the most attractive features in a home.

No Realtor selling a home advertises all the first-class bulkheads. However, they can be necessary to cover up ducts or pipes, especially in basements. Without doing a major renovation, you just have to live with them. Likewise, no interior designer or architect designs a home trying to get as many valances in as possible. Sometimes they’re just unavoidable. But what if your bulkheads or valances are also covered in ceiling texture? It’s as if the builders said, “Ceilings covered in horrible, popcorn texture that collects dust? Check. Now let’s see where else we can spray this nasty stuff.” While you may have to put up with these unwelcome necessities, they should at least not look diseased. Ditch the texture. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com we can remove texture from anywhere.

Ceiling texture removal from the ceiling and valances

Lighting: What’s interior design without a little mood lighting?

The new flooring is in, the furniture is picked out and now you’ve found the perfect lights. When you show off your interior design and the new light fixtures, do you really want people inspecting your dusty ceiling texture too? A smooth, texture-free surface will make the important things, like fantastic lighting, stand out.

This Vancouver homeowner incorporated smooth ceilings and potlights into her interior design

North Vancouver home gets ceiling texture removed after installing potlights - both great interior design ideas — North Vancouver home gets ceiling texture removed after installing potlights – both great interior design ideas

Whether you have bulkheads or valances covered in texture, or you have new lighting that requires smooth ceilings or you just want the modern look that texture free ceilings give, contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal and ceiling resurfacing. Or give us a call from anywhere in BC at 604-420-7578.

Do you want smooth ceilings incorporated into your interior design? Contact us now for a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal!

October 7, 2013November 2, 2016

Renovations: A Quick Makeover Before the Holidays

Ceiling renovations in the entrance of a condo at 1010 Burnaby St, Vancouver

Not to alarm you, but…Christmas is right around the corner!! How does the song go…Deck the halls (and smooth ceilings) with boughs of holly?

Ceiling texture removal at 1725 Pendrell Street condo in Vancouver

While renovations may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of holiday preparations, it’s a good idea to plan ahead a little. Fall is the perfect time of year for renovations, including ceiling texture removal.

The Frazzled Festive Holiday Season is Upon Us

What is it about the holiday season that makes otherwise sane people act crazy? Everyone (myself included, unfortunately) seems to be in a tizzy trying to get everything “just right”. But you know what? Unless Martha Stewart’s visiting, no one is going to remember the lavender infused whipped cream afloat your gourmet hot chocolate. As long as no one dies from food poisoning, no fingers or toes are lost and your cousin doesn’t show up in his RV prepared to stay for weeks, I’d say it’s a successful Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Thanksgiving or Festivus.

North Pole-Worthy Ceiling Renovations

While your home may not be featured in the Christmas edition of House & Home, there’s no reason why it has to look shabby or outdated, either. A quick and painless way to spruce up your home before the holidays is by doing ceiling renovations, specifically popcorn ceiling removal. This can really change the look of your home. Smooth ceilings reflect light much better and make a space feel larger and brighter. There’s a health benefit to removing ceiling texture also. Allergies and asthma can be aggravated by the dust and allergens trapped up there. So not only will ceiling resurfacing make your home look more modern, but there will be less sneezing and itchy, watery eyes as well. We’re sure your guests (including Santa!) will appreciate this.

Before and after photos from some of Remove Ceiling Texture’s jobs:

Renovations on the concrete ceilings in the living room of a condo at 1010 Burnaby St, Vancouver

Ceiling renovations create a smooth living room ceiling for this home in Langley

Ceiling repair renovations and texture removal in living room of Langley home

Ceiling Renovations Minus the Mess

At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we’re in and out in in under a week. An added bonus is that we can work around you while you still live there because our custom process of ceiling resurfacing isn’t messy like you generally see with major renovations, do-it-yourself attempts or even other ceiling contractors.

The floor was a complete mess after the homeowner tried to scrape his own ceilings. RemoveCeilingTexture.com’s process is not nearly this messy.

Our ceiling texture removal process produces almost no mess. Quite a difference from most contractors out there.

We’re ceiling professionals who know that your time is important. Rather than stressing over large renovations, have your ceilings renovated so you can spend time on more important things. Like finding the perfect Christmas outfit for your pet.

For a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal, call RemoveCeilingTexture.com at 604-420-7578 or send us an email.

Need a quick makeover before the holidays? Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling renovations!

September 26, 2013November 2, 2016

Removing Walls–Ceiling Repair

Renovations such as moving or removing walls can greatly improve your home’s layout. Not to mention the therapy demolition can provide! *Sidenote: Make sure there’s no plumbing before you go swinging the sledgehammer!

Removing walls also provides the perfect opportunity for ceiling texture removal. Once a wall is removed, there will be a section of ceiling that is missing the popcorn texture. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we can remove the texture on your ceilings and blend the missing area in with the rest of the ceilings to give you a seamless look.

Ceiling Repair After Removing Walls

We’ve dealt with this many times. In downtown Vancouver, a couple was renovating their Burnaby Street condo with guests in mind. They had removed a closet wall in their den for a murphy bed installation. We were called in to repair the ceiling and remove the popcorn ceilings throughout the condo. Once we were finished, the ceiling showed no visible sign of the former wall.

We saw this again in another Vancouver condo on Homer Street. A wall had been removed and there was a large strip of concrete ceiling that was unfinished, and without ceiling texture. The homeowner decided to have us smooth all of the ceilings instead of applying new texture to try to match the existing texture. This was a smart move, as it’s nearly impossible to match it exactly.

A young couple in Langley recently updated their home by removing walls dividing the kitchen from the living and dining rooms. It opened up the floor plan nicely, but they were left with strips of ceiling that they didn’t know how to finish. We were contacted to remove the ceiling texture everywhere and resurface the entire ceiling so that it was one continuous surface.

Ceiling repair after removing walls between the kitchen and dining room - Langley — Ceiling repair after removing walls between the kitchen and dining room – Langley

Ceiling repairs after removing walls between the kitchen and living room - Langley — Ceiling repairs after removing walls between the kitchen and living room – Langley

If you’re going to be moving or removing walls, contact Vancouver’s ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com for ceiling repairs. Call us at 604-420-7578 for a FREE quote or send us an email.

Are you moving or removing walls? Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling repairs!