Popcorn Ceiling Removal Colorado Springs: Test First, $2–$6

Popcorn ceiling removal in Colorado Springs runs $2–$6 per square foot when the texture tests asbestos-free, and $5–$20 per square foot when asbestos abatement is required. Here the test comes first: the state regulates asbestos work under Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 8, Part B, and the 1950s–70s ranches around the Broadmoor and the older neighborhoods are right in the age range where I see it. Removal is also one of the most requested pre-sale projects I used to get called for (a bumpy ceiling dates a room the same way wood paneling does), and done right it can help a house sell faster.

I stopped taking drywall, texture, and popcorn ceiling jobs in 2026, so this guide is what I tell homeowners when they ask who to hire and what to pay.

Do You Need to Test a Colorado Springs Popcorn Ceiling for Asbestos?

Yes. Test any popcorn ceiling in a home built before the mid-1980s before anyone scrapes, sands, or drills into it, and don’t hire anyone who will quote or schedule a removal before the result is in. The EPA banned spray-applied asbestos surfacing materials in 1978, but stock already on the shelves kept getting used for years afterward. That is why a home built in 1981 can still test positive, and why the build year alone never settles it.

An intact popcorn ceiling that nobody disturbs is generally not an immediate hazard, even with asbestos in it. The risk starts when the texture is scraped or sanded and the fibers get into the air. CDPHE, the state health department, lists popcorn ceilings among the building materials that can contain asbestos and notes that the diseases it causes, including mesothelioma and lung cancer, often show up decades after exposure.

Here is what the state says about the process, as of my October 2026 read of CDPHE’s page:

• A lab test is the only way to know. CDPHE says the only way to know whether a material contains asbestos is to have it tested by an accredited laboratory.
• Some renovation work needs a certified inspection first. If a project disturbs more than the regulation’s trigger levels of suspect material, an inspection by a Colorado-certified asbestos building inspector has to happen before work starts, and any asbestos found has to be dealt with. A whole-room ceiling will almost always be past the trigger for a single-family home.
• The details depend on who is doing the work. Colorado treats an owner doing their own work in their own primary residence differently than a hired contractor, and a rental or a house you are about to sell is different again. I don’t guess on this one. CDPHE’s asbestos line is 720-507-5136 and they answer it.

Your testing options:

• At-home test kit: $10–$35 at most hardware stores. You take a small, lightly misted sample and mail it to a lab.
• Certified asbestos inspector: $250–$850. A professional takes the samples and gives you documentation, which matters if you are selling.

If the test is positive, a certified asbestos abatement contractor (a specialist trained to remove asbestos safely) has to handle the ceiling, and the cost jumps to $5–$20 per square foot. I never did that part, and I no longer do the patching and skimming that follows it either. Once the abatement contractor clears the room, you need a drywall contractor to patch and skim the ceiling, then a painter. For a deeper look at sampling and what happens after a positive result, see my guide on popcorn ceiling asbestos testing in Colorado Springs. If the test comes back clean, standard removal can go ahead.

What Does Popcorn Ceiling Removal Cost in Colorado Springs?

A typical Colorado Springs bedroom runs $400–$1,200 for removal only and $700–$2,100 with finishing and paint, and the price is driven by four things: square footage, whether the ceiling has been painted, ceiling height, and the finish you want afterward. Those are the same four questions I used to ask on every walkthrough before I wrote an estimate, and they are the ones any contractor you call should ask you (my handyman pricing guide explains how flat-rate numbers like these get built).

By Square Footage

These ranges assume the ceiling tested asbestos-free. Asbestos abatement is priced separately.

Painted vs. Unpainted Popcorn

Painted popcorn adds 25–50% to the labor time and cost. Unpainted popcorn soaks up water fast and comes off the drywall with fairly little effort. Paint acts as a barrier and keeps water from soaking in, which makes scraping slower and raises the odds of gouging the drywall underneath.

Ceiling Height

Vaulted or cathedral ceilings typically add 30–50% to the cost, while a standard 8-foot ceiling is straightforward. Taller ceilings need scaffolding or staging and take more time. Many Colorado Springs homes in Briargate, Flying Horse, and other newer subdivisions have 9- or 10-foot ceilings. Those are still manageable, but worth factoring into the price.

How Is a Popcorn Ceiling Removed, Step by Step?

A clean removal is six steps: test, prep, wet the texture, scrape, patch, and refinish. The wetting step is where most DIY jobs go wrong.

Step 1: Test for asbestos. Non-negotiable in any home built before the mid-1980s, and nobody should schedule the rest of the job until that result is back.

Step 2: Prep the room. Furniture out or heavily covered. Floors protected with plastic sheeting. Outlets and fixtures taped or removed. Ceiling fans disconnected. This step takes longer than most homeowners expect. Do it thoroughly: popcorn texture falls off in chunks and makes a lot of debris.

Step 3: Wet down the texture. Soak the texture with water and let it soften before touching it with a scraper. Dry scraping is slow, damages the drywall, and kicks up a lot of dust.

For smaller areas, a hand-pump garden sprayer works well. Fill it with warm water and add a small splash of white vinegar (this is a trick I picked up years ago and used on every job, and it genuinely speeds things up). The acid in the vinegar helps break down the glue-like binder in the texture, so it comes loose faster. Mist the ceiling in sections, wait five to ten minutes, then scrape. For larger areas, like a whole floor or an open-concept main level, a low-volume airless paint sprayer set to a fine mist covers ground much faster than a hand sprayer.

Work in sections you can handle at once. Don’t soak the whole ceiling at the same time: the drywall’s paper face can soak up too much water and start to peel apart from the board if it stays wet too long.

Step 4: Scrape. A wide drywall knife (10–12 inches) works best. The goal is to remove the texture without gouging the paper face of the drywall underneath. Any damage to that paper makes the finishing job much harder.

Step 5: Patch and prep. Once the texture is off, you’ll see the flaws underneath: seams, screw dimples, and any spots where the paper got torn during scraping. These need to be filled with joint compound (drywall mud), smoothed out, and sanded before any new finish goes on. Colorado’s dry climate helps here: joint compound dries faster than it does in humid states, which speeds up this step somewhat. If the damage is bigger than dimples and seams, my drywall repair guide covers what a proper patch looks like and what it costs.

Step 6: Apply new finish and paint. Most Colorado Springs homeowners choose one of three options:

• Smooth Level 5 finish: the highest smoothness rating in the drywall trade. It’s the most labor-intensive option, needing a full, thin coat of joint compound over the whole ceiling, but it gives the cleanest result. Popular in higher-end remodels.
• Orange peel: a light spray texture that hides small flaws while still looking modern. The most common choice.
• Knockdown: a texture applied by hand, with a flatter, more custom look. Needs a skilled hand for even results.

Finishing adds $1–$3 per square foot. Painting adds another $0.50–$1.50 per square foot. The paint step is its own craft on a fresh ceiling; I cover primer and sheen choices in my interior painting guide for Colorado Springs. If you need the ceiling painted after the drywall contractor is done, that is painting only, and I still do it under painting and finishes.

What Should You Look For When You Hire Someone to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling?

Hire an insured drywall contractor who asks for the asbestos result before quoting, shows you a finish sample, and controls dust. Since I no longer take this work, this is the checklist I would use:

• Insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance showing general liability before anyone brings a ladder inside.
• Asbestos test first. For any ceiling in a home built before 1985, the lab result comes before the quote. If the contractor offers to “just scrape it and see,” walk away.
• A texture or finish sample. Ask to see the Level 5, orange peel, or knockdown finish you are choosing on a sample board, and ask who is doing the skim coat, since that is the part that shows in raking light.
• Dust control. Plastic sheeting over doorways and vents, floors covered, and a wet-scrape method rather than dry scraping.
• A written scope. The quote should say whether finishing and paint are included, so you can compare it with the “Removal + Finish + Paint” column above.

Should You Remove a Popcorn Ceiling or Cover It?

Remove it in most cases. Covering is worth considering only when the existing texture is painted and removal would tear up the ceiling underneath, or when the ceiling already needs major repair anyway.

Some contractors suggest installing new drywall or bead board right over the popcorn instead. The downsides: it adds weight to the ceiling structure, lowers the ceiling height by at least half an inch, and doesn’t remove any asbestos in the old texture. It only traps it in place. If the home is renovated again later and someone disturbs that covered-over layer, the asbestos problem comes right back. That is also why a covered ceiling gets disclosed at sale if you know it contains asbestos.

For most Colorado Springs homes being prepared for sale or long-term enjoyment, full removal and finishing is the cleaner long-term solution.

Does Removing a Popcorn Ceiling Add Value in Colorado Springs?

Usually yes for a home you plan to sell, though I can’t promise a dollar-for-dollar return on any specific house. In my experience, buyers and agents treat smooth ceilings as a plus and popcorn as a turn-off during showings, which is why it was one of the most common pre-sale projects I got asked about.

It matters most in neighborhoods with plenty of competing listings. Briargate, Wolf Ranch, and Northgate were mostly built after the 1978 ban, so asbestos is unlikely there (test anyway if you are unsure), but removing a dated texture before listing can still help a home show better. Landlords turning a unit get the same benefit; I cover that in my rental-ready checklist for Colorado Springs.

Jonathan Shea is the owner of The Colorado Handyman, serving Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region. Flat-rate written estimates, no hourly billing surprises. Licensed and insured with $2M general liability coverage.

Need the ceiling painted after the drywall contractor finishes? Request a painting estimate. I no longer take drywall, texture, or popcorn ceiling removal work.