This Vancouver condo had ceiling corner cracks in the texture
Ceiling corner cracks. Cracked corners of the ceilings. Entrances to other portals. Whatever you call them, popcorn-texture cracks in the corners of your ceilings are ugly and should be taken care of. And if they are indeed entrances to other portals, you risk the possibility of Narnia-like creatures invading and eating all the cookies in your cupboard. So there’s that.
But aside from thwarting mystical beings, there are practical reasons to get these cracks fixed. To start with, the cracks look terrible. Also, dust and moisture can get in there and create problems, possibly leading to more cracking in the texture. And if that’s not bad enough, just think about insects and spiders setting up shop in there. The ceiling corner cracks have to go if you want peace of mind.
Why Do Ceiling Corner Cracks Appear?
Ceiling texture can crack around the walls
Ceiling texture often cracks in the corners and around the edges of walls because of the way the drywall was finished. If insufficient amounts of mud are applied to the drywall tape at these critical wall-ceiling meeting points, the tape will eventually become too dry and will start to lift off the drywall. The ceiling texture is lifted with the tape and this creates a crack. If you are experiencing this problem, we can fix it during the process of removing the ceiling texture and resurfacing the ceilings with fresh mud compound. This stops the corners from delaminating and cracking again in the long run.
Fix the Cracks and Seal off the Portals
Close-up of ceiling texture in Kamloops
These homeowners weren’t sure what to do about their cracks. They decided to find someone who specializes in ceilings. That’s when they contacted us. At RemoveCeilingTexture.com, we deal with ceilings and ceiling texture each and every day. Our experience makes us qualified in a way that drywallers and general contractors aren’t because they don’t specialize in ceilings. In fact, we’re often contacted by general contractors who know they don’t have the expertise when it comes to ceilings.
Because the drywall tape underneath the ceiling texture is the culprit, trying to fix the texture won’t solve the problem. The corners are likely to keep cracking in the future. So the homeowners opted to remove the texture altogether and have the ceiling resurfaced. The mud compound we use will stop the tape from lifting. This fixed the ceiling corner cracks problem, but also gave them modern, smooth ceilings that literally freshen the home. Air quality is better after ceiling texture is removed because dust and other allergens can no longer become trapped up there. Now they don’t have to worry about ceiling cracks, asthma aggravation, or half human-half goat fauns leaving muddy hoof marks in the living room.
Other types of ceiling cracks that we often see:
Cracked, water damaged ceilingsAnother crack fixed in the den of a Burnaby condoAnother view of ceiling cracks in BurnabyCeiling cracks in the living room of a Burnaby condo.
Living room ceiling cracks were repaired by RemoveCeilingTexture.com
If you have ceiling cracks, or you just want more information on removing ceiling texture, contact us today. Call us at 604-420-7578 or contact us by email for a FREE quote.
Have ceiling cracks, or want your texture removed? Contact us today!
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
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.
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.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 FREEQUOTE 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, VancouverLiving room with smooth ceilings – condo at 1331 Homer St, Vancouver
Tired of your textured ceilings? Contact us today for a FREE quote!
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
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
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 removedCeiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Living room with smooth ceilings in Port Coquitlam
Ceiling Finishes: Smooth Ceilings – Close up of texture removal around a light fixture in North VancouverCeiling 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.
Contact us today for a FREE quote on ceiling texture removal!
Popcorn ceiling removal around a ceiling fan that could not be removed in a Vancouver condo
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
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’sunique process.
Bedroom of Burnaby condo after popcorn ceiling removalPopcorn ceiling removal in dining room of Burnaby condoBrighter hallway after popcorn ceiling removalPopcorn 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.
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 sanderThe 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.
Ceiling refinishing using the same method used by plaster artisansDuring 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 VancouverRefinished ceilings with potlights in Vancouver
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!
Cheapest price and best quality don’t always go hand in hand. Just ask this unfortunate person. While we don’t know much about fixing bad tattoos, we do know a lot about fixing bad ceilings.
RemoveCeilingTexture.com was recently contacted by a homeowner in Delta. We had given her a ceiling texture removal/resurfacing quote a few months earlier and she had declined to go with us. She was calling us again now because she regretted that decision. She had hired a cheap “renovation” company that didn’t have a lot of experience with ceilings.
Close Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
You can see how RCT needed to fill in the waves left in the ceiling after ceiling texture removal was attempted by an inept company.
Unfortunately for her, the company she originally hired did not realize that removing the ceiling texture is the easy part, and is just the first step. While the popcorn ceiling texture was technically gone, the finished result was far from professional. Instead of being perfectly flat (the result she had hoped for), the ceiling had visible, undulating waves that created shadows. They had removed the texture and apparently decided that it was good enough as is. This could have explained their low price.
Fixing Bad Ceilings: RemoveCeilingTexture.com to the Rescue
She decided that she couldn’t live with the imperfect ceilings and asked if we could fix the mess. We assured her that we had experience with wavy ceilings and fixing bad ceilings was definitely something we were familiar with. We filled in the waves and resurfaced the entire ceiling so that it was level and perfectly smooth. Ceiling resurfacing requires an artisan’s touch and this is what we specialize in. Most “renovation” companies don’t take the time and effort necessary for a perfect finish.
Once RCT filled in the waves, resurfaced the ceiling and painted it, it was perfect.The homeowner was thrilled with the ceilings once RCT was called in to fix the mess from a previous contractor.
One Man’s Mistake is Another Man’s Lesson
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”
Don’t make the same mistake this homeowner made. If you have ceiling texture you want removed, or other ceiling repairs done, contact the ceiling experts, RemoveCeilingTexture.com from the start. You could save yourself time and money. If you’re in the same situation as this Delta homeowner and would like your ceilings fixed, contact us online or call us today at 604-420-7578 for a FREE quote.
Click through to our gallery to see more examples of our ceiling repair and ceiling texture removal.
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.
Renovations on the concrete ceilings in the living room of a condo at 1010 Burnaby St, VancouverRenovations on the concrete ceilings in the entrance of a condo at 1010 Burnaby St, Vancouver
Ceiling renovations create a smooth living room ceiling for this home in LangleyCeiling 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!
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
This apartment at 1010 Burnaby Street needed 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.
After removing walls, ceiling repairs will need to be done, as you can see at this condo at 1331 Homer Street
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 – LangleyCeiling 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!
There is a big Do It Yourself movement right now. If you turn on HGTV, you likely won’t have to wait long for a DIY program. The book section at Home Depot is filled with DIY guides. The idea is that you’ll save money by doing a project yourself. The problem with this theory is that it doesn’t consider your time to be worth anything. Whether you’re working to earn income, socializing with friends or spending quality time with family, your time is valuable.
At RemoveCeilingTexture we’re often contacted by homeowners who have attempted to scrape off their popcorn ceiling texture. This is a messy, time-consuming process, but the real problem comes after the texture has been removed. There’s a reason texture is applied to ceilings. It’s to hide imperfections. Once the texture is removed, these deficiencies are obvious. The ceilings will still need to be finished by a professional.
This is what DIY texture removal and ceiling smoothing looks like. Remove Ceiling Texture was called in to fix the mess.Smoothing ceilings is harder than it looks! This was a DIY attempt.
This is after Remove Ceiling Texture was called in to professionally fix the DIY mess.Remove Ceiling Texture was able to fix the homeowner’s DIY disaster.
Hiring a professional contractor offers several advantages over attempting a project yourself.
Practice Makes Perfect
Could someone off the street walk into your place of work and do your job? Not likely. Perhaps you have a degree or have taken relevant courses. You’ve had training and experience. You are a professional at what you do. In the same way, professional contractors have had training and they have experience. This is what they do every single day. They have know-how that can’t be taught in a 30-minute DIY show.
Time is Money
What might take you several days or a week to get done, a professional contractor can accomplish in a day or so. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, the contractor doesn’t have to consult books or internet articles to make sure that he’s doing it the right way. As mentioned above, they have the knowledge and experience already. And second of all, this is their full time job. You have other things that need to get done. Maybe you work full time and can’t commit to the hours at a time that are often needed. You might have to drive kids to soccer games or piano lessons. When you’re constantly interrupted, it’s difficult to get much done at all. Just ask any mom with small kids!
Tools of the Trade
Many projects require specific tools. Unless your neighbour is Mike Holmes and he loves to lend you his tools, you’ll either have to rent or buy the tools necessary. And there’s a learning curve to many of these tools—it takes a few tries to get it right. A skilled professional knows the tools of his (or her!) trade like the back of his hand.
Quality Craftsmanship–Guaranteed Perfection
The other problem with the saving money theory, is that often the project doesn’t get done the right way the first time. You could end up spending more time and money having to redo the work you’ve already done. A professional contractor does it right the first time. They also guarantee their work. If something does go wrong or doesn’t look quite right, they’ll come back and fix it. Their reputation is on the line, so perfection is important. A project that has been done DIY-style is often apparent to most people. Even if it was done fairly well, it usually doesn’t have the polished look that it will when done by a professional.
So how should you go about hiring a professional contractor?
Finding a Qualified Contractor
Ask around. Friends, family or neighbours can be a good source of referrals. Not only can they tell you about the contractor’s performance, but you can see the work for yourself. Home building associations can also be useful. An internet search of the project you want done (for example: ceiling texture removal) should pull up a list of relevant contractors also.
Discuss your project with a few potential contractors to get their advice and suggestions on how they would do the work. At the first meeting, some may give you a rough estimate of costs, depending on the project’s scope and complexity. The first meeting is usually more to get to know the contractor and the contractor’s work. Unless you have been able to check out the contractor ahead of time you should not sign anything or pay anything at this stage.-1
If possible, have the contractors visit the project site before giving you a quote. For accuracy, it’s important that they see the entire scope of work and take their own measurements where necessary. While they are there, ask as many questions as possible. As the CMHC guide points out:
You won’t offend reputable firms with questions. If a contractor doesn’t seem to know much about the technical details of the job or doesn’t want to talk about them, you may have the wrong contractor.-2
It’s also important to ask about workers’ compensation and insurance coverage. Every reputable contractor should have these basics. Feel free to ask for samples of work and references. If they are experienced professionals, they should have no problem providing you with this.
You Get What You Pay For
A few quotes should be enough to make a decision. They should be in writing and state clearly what is included. There should also be an expected time frame. If the quotes are vastly different from each other, make sure each contractor understood the project completely. If something was missed on one quote, you won’t be able to compare them properly. While price is important, it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider. Think about your interaction with each contractor. Did you feel comfortable asking questions or were you made to feel stupid? Did they communicate well with you or did you have to drag answers out of them? Did they offer suggestions or were they not very familiar with the type of project? If you aren’t comfortable with your contractor, the cheapest price isn’t necessarily worth it in the long run.
The Nitty Gritty
Once you’ve hired the contractor, the open communication should continue. The best way to avoid misunderstandings is to talk. If you have questions or concerns, don’t be afraid to voice them. Likewise, if something unexpected comes up that could change the scope of the project (as sometimes does with renovations and construction), your contractor should discuss it with you as soon as possible and give you options on how to solve the issue. You should always feel involved in the process and never forced into any decision—after all, it’s your house and your money.
Upon Completion
When the project is complete, inspect the work to make sure that you’re happy with it. If there is a problem, contact your contractor right away. They will be glad to fix it. Remember, contractors often work on referrals, so your satisfaction is important to them.
Some people love puttering around the house, working on a project bit by bit for weeks on end. If this is you and you can live with less than perfect results, by all means, go the DIY route. But if you demand quality results and want things done properly the first time, hire a qualified professional—you won’t regret it.
This DIY ceiling texture removal job left the ceilings uneven, patchy and full of ridges.The homeowner made a mess of smoothing his ceilings as he attempted to DIY.
Remove Ceiling Texture cleaned up the DIY mess and the homeowners were left with perfectly smooth ceilings.The DIY ceiling smoothing attempt was professionally fixed by Remove Ceiling Texture.
Did you attempt to DIY with your ceilings? Contact us today!
One of the issues with strata living is sometimes having to deal with other people’s messes. When condo owners Thomas and Maria experienced water damaged ceilings due to a neighbour’s flood, they had a restoration company come in to repair the ceilings.
What should have been a simple job turned into a nightmare for them.
The restoration company took much longer than they had expected, causing harm to their home-based business and causing them unnecessary stress. Soon after the “restoration” was finished, the ceiling texture began to crack and peel off and they were left with a botched job.
They mentioned to their postman the headache they were dealing with, and he happened to know that another homeowner on his route had just had his ceilings refinished and was very pleased with them. He promised to get the name of the ceiling company for them. That is how they got in touch with us at RemoveCeilingTexture.com!
We came in to have a look. Their ceilings really were a mess and they were understandably hesitant about more work being done. They had been promised quality work before, and the restoration company couldn’t deliver. We assured them that since we specialize in ceiling work, we have expertise that other restoration and renovation companies just don’t have. We had dealt with numerous water-damaged ceilings before and we knew we could fix their problem (read about our repair of water damaged ceilings caused by a leaky roof in Burnaby). Thomas and Maria were still somewhat nervous, but decided to have us start right away.
They were finally able to relax when they saw that we did indeed have the expertise we promised. We transformed their peeling, cracked, water damaged ceilings into smooth, pristine ceilings that now look even better than before the flood.
The before and after photos show the extent of damage to their ceilings. The before photos are after the original “restoration” company worked on them and the after photos are after we fixed them.
Water damaged ceilings near doorwayCracked, water damaged ceilings
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