Legally you can, but we strongly advise against it until the ceiling has been tested for asbestos. Chrysotile asbestos was mixed into ceiling texture through the 1970s and into the mid-1980s, so any home built before the mid-1980s should be treated as suspect.

• Test first: Ontario Regulation 278/05 governs asbestos-containing material and requires testing before you disturb suspect material. Removal itself is not mandated by law, and the Ontario Building Code does not regulate popcorn ceilings.
• Testing cost: We coordinate lab testing at cost with no markup, typically $300 to $500.
• DIY risk: Scraping releases fine dust through the whole house and is messy even when the ceiling is asbestos-free.
• If it tests positive: Licensed abatement is required. We coordinate it but do not perform it ourselves.

If the test is clear, we handle the rest. Unpainted popcorn ceilings are $4.50/sqft all-inclusive (removal, 2 skim coats, primer and 2 coats of paint). Latex-painted ceilings are $6.50/sqft and oil-base painted are $7.50/sqft. A main floor, a few rooms or a condo of 400 to 600 sqft runs $2,000 to $4,500. We are insured for $2M and WSIB covered, and have finished 500+ Kitchener-Waterloo homes since 2019. Call Eddie at (519) 729-7394. KW Popcorn Ceiling Removal · Kitchener service area · Google Reviews