You can repair water-damaged drywall yourself for small stains, but if the ceiling has popcorn texture, water damage often means the texture is failing and needs professional removal, not just a patch. Once drywall or texture gets wet, it can crack, sag, or lose adhesion, and repeated leaks weaken the surface underneath.

• Small stains only: let the area dry fully, seal with a stain-blocking primer, then repaint to match.
• Sagging, crumbling, or peeling texture: the damaged section needs to be cut out, re-skimmed, primed, and repainted, not just painted over.
• Popcorn ceilings before the mid-1980s: under Ontario Regulation 278/05, suspect texture must be tested before it's disturbed by water damage repair or removal. We coordinate asbestos testing at cost, typically $300 to $500. Testing is required before disturbance, though removal itself isn't mandated by law.
• Full ceiling replacement: unpainted popcorn removal with 2 skim coats, primer, and 2 coats of paint runs $4.50 per sqft all-inclusive; if it's already painted, that's $6.50 per sqft for latex or $7.50 per sqft for oil-based paint.

We assess water-damaged ceilings across Kitchener-Waterloo and quote a firm price before starting. Call (519) 729-7394. KW Popcorn Ceiling Removal · Google Reviews