Repair · skim coat · popcorn ceiling removal
Drywall Repair, Skim Coating & Popcorn Ceiling Removal
Water damage, cracks, holes and failed old patches fixed so the repair disappears into the wall — across New Hampshire and Maine.
What kind of drywall repair and skim coating work does J&B handle?
J&B Drywall & Paint repairs water and ice dam damage, sagging and stained ceilings, settlement cracks, dented corner bead, nail pops, released tape and holes cut by other trades throughout New Hampshire and Maine. The company also skim coats walls and ceilings flat and removes popcorn and heavy stipple texture.
A repair is only successful if you cannot find it afterward. Anyone can push compound into a hole; the work is in cutting back to sound material, rebuilding the surface at the same plane as the wall around it, feathering the compound far enough out that no ridge catches the light, and matching whatever texture was there before. That is what we do, whether it is a doorknob hole or a ceiling that came down after a roof leak.
We repair water and ice dam damage, ceiling stains and sagging, settlement cracks, corner bead that has been dented or rusted, nail pops, tape that has released, holes cut by plumbers and electricians, damage from removed cabinets or built-ins, and patches from a previous contractor that were never finished properly. We also handle full-surface work: skim coating walls and ceilings flat, and scraping off popcorn and heavy stipple texture.
Water damage gets treated as a moisture problem first and a drywall problem second. If board is soft, stained or smells, it comes out — we do not paint over compromised material. We open up enough to see the framing and insulation, confirm the source has actually been fixed, let things dry, replace wet insulation, and then reboard. If we find mold beyond a small surface area, we will tell you plainly that it needs a remediation contractor before we close the wall.
Popcorn ceiling removal and skim coating are the two jobs that transform a dated room the most for the money. Both are messy, so containment is most of the labor: plastic on the floors and walls, doorways sealed, fixtures dropped or masked. After scraping, we skim the entire ceiling smooth, sand it, and prime, because a scraped ceiling that has not been skimmed will show every trowel mark once paint hits it.
One note on older homes, which is most of what we work on in New England: ceiling texture applied before roughly 1980 can contain asbestos, and paint from that era can contain lead. We do not test for either. If your house predates 1980 and the texture has not been tested, get it tested before scraping starts. We would rather delay a job a week than disturb something that needs a licensed abatement contractor.
How the work is done
How is a drywall patch made invisible?
J&B Drywall & Paint finds the cause first, contains the area with plastic and sealed doorways, cuts back to solid material, rebuilds the surface flush with backing behind the seams, beds paper tape, then feathers each coat wider than the last and matches the existing texture before priming and checking the wall under raking light.
- 01
Look at the cause, not just the hole
We find out why the damage happened. A crack that keeps returning is a movement problem, a stain that returns is still leaking. If the source is live, patching it is throwing money away, and we will say so.
- 02
Contain the area
Plastic on floors and furniture, doorways sealed, fixtures covered. Repair and sanding dust travels much further than people expect, and containment is what keeps it out of the rest of the house.
- 03
Cut back to solid material
Damaged board is cut out to the nearest framing or to a clean square, not just skimmed over. Wet insulation comes out, framing gets checked, and anything that needs to dry gets time to dry.
- 04
Rebuild flush
New board is set at the same plane as the surrounding surface with backing behind the seams, screwed to framing or furring, then taped with paper tape bedded in compound rather than mesh and a single pass.
- 05
Feather and match texture
Coats get progressively wider so the repair has no visible edge, then we match the existing finish — smooth, orange peel, knockdown or hand texture — before it is sanded and primed.
- 06
Prime and check the light
Primer is what reveals whether a patch is truly flat, so we prime and then look at the surface from a low angle with a work light. Anything that reads gets another pass before we call it done.
What does a drywall repair estimate include?
A J&B Drywall & Paint repair includes cutting out damaged board, rebuilding flush, taping and three-coat finishing, texture matching, replacing wet insulation in the opened area, containment and cleanup, priming the repair, and a three month workmanship warranty. Leak repairs, mold remediation, asbestos and lead abatement and structural framing work are not included.
What is included
- Cutting out damaged board and rebuilding flush with backing behind seams
- Taping, three-coat finishing and feathering out beyond the patch
- Texture matching for smooth, orange peel, knockdown and hand textures
- Replacing wet or compressed insulation in the opened area
- Skim coating walls and ceilings, and popcorn or stipple texture removal
- Containment, floor protection, daily cleanup and debris removal
- Priming the repaired area so it is ready for finish paint
- Three month warranty on our workmanship
What is not included
- Finding and fixing the leak itself — roofing, plumbing and gutter work
- Mold remediation and any work requiring a licensed abatement contractor
- Asbestos or lead testing and abatement on pre-1980 texture and paint
- Structural repairs to framing, joists or trusses
- Full-room repainting, unless it is added to the estimate
- Moving heavy furniture, appliances and electronics
- Electrical or plumbing work behind the wall we open
Typical timeline
How long does a drywall repair or popcorn ceiling removal take?
One to three small patches take a single day, a ceiling section after a leak takes 2 to 3 days plus drying time, popcorn ceiling removal in one room takes 2 to 3 days, and skim coating a full room takes 3 to 4 days. Written estimates arrive within 24 hours of the site visit.
- Small patches, one to three spots
- 1 day
- Ceiling section after a leak
- 2 to 3 days, plus drying time
- Popcorn ceiling removal, one room
- 2 to 3 days
- Skim coating a full room
- 3 to 4 days
- Estimate turnaround
- Within 24 hours of the site visit
Pricing
How much does drywall repair cost?
J&B Drywall & Paint prices repairs by the job rather than by the square foot, because one hole in an awkward spot can take longer than several in an open wall. Estimates are free, written, and list each area being repaired. Payment is 50% to schedule the work and 50% on completion.
Repairs are priced by the job rather than by the square foot, because a single hole in an awkward spot can take longer than several holes in an open wall. The estimate states each area we are repairing so you can see what you are paying for.
What raises the price: ceiling work and anything overhead, high ceilings and stairwells that need staging, matching an existing texture, several coats of drying time between visits, wet insulation that has to come out, and containment in a house you are still living in.
What lowers it: clustering all the repairs into one visit instead of calling us back three times, clearing the room before we arrive, and repainting the whole wall or ceiling afterward instead of trying to spot-match old paint.
Honest limit worth knowing: a patch can be made invisible, but paint that has been on a wall for years has faded, so spot-painting a patch will often show as a lighter square even when the drywall work is perfect. Painting the full wall or corner-to-corner ceiling is the only way to avoid that.
Our work
Repair and skim coat jobs across NH and ME
The photos below are repair, skim coat and texture jobs completed by J&B Drywall & Paint in New Hampshire and Maine, including walls opened to the studs and ceilings rebuilt after leaks. They are our own job site photos, not stock images. Select any photo to view it full size.
Questions we get
Common questions about drywall repair and skim coating
The questions J&B Drywall & Paint hears most are whether a patch can be made truly invisible, whether a stained ceiling has to be opened up, how dust is kept out of the rest of the house, whether popcorn ceilings need asbestos testing first, and why the same crack keeps coming back.
Can you make a repair completely invisible?
The drywall work, yes — a properly cut, backed, taped and feathered patch should not be findable once primed. The paint is the harder part, because existing paint has aged. We prime the repair and recommend painting the full wall or the whole ceiling so there is no sheen or color difference.
My ceiling has a brown stain. Do you need to open it up?
If the board is still firm and dry and the leak is fixed, sometimes a stain-blocking primer and paint is enough. If the board is soft, sagging, or the stain keeps growing, it has to come out. We check moisture at the estimate and tell you which situation you are in.
How do you keep the dust out of the rest of my house?
Plastic sheeting on floors and furniture, sealed doorways to the rooms we are not working in, covered vents, dust containment while sanding, and vacuuming at the end of each day. It is standard on every repair, occupied home or not.
Do you test for asbestos before removing a popcorn ceiling?
No, we do not test or abate. Texture applied before about 1980 can contain asbestos, so if your home is that age we ask you to have it tested by a licensed lab first. If it comes back positive, it needs a certified abatement contractor before any scraping.
Why does the same crack keep coming back?
Recurring cracks are usually movement — seasonal framing movement, settlement, or a truss lifting in winter. We can repair it with tape and a wider float so it is far more resistant, but if the movement is structural, the framing issue has to be addressed or the crack will eventually return.
Free estimate
How do I get a written estimate?
Send the job details through this form and J&B Drywall & Paint replies the same day, then provides a free written estimate within 24 hours of the site visit. Payment is 50% to schedule the work and 50% on completion. Call (978) 805-8654 if it is urgent.