A paint job is only as good as the wall under it. Old wallpaper, popcorn texture, torn drywall paper and cracked plaster all have to be dealt with before paint. In Detroit most houses built before the 1950s have plaster, and later ones have drywall, and the repairs differ.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own surfaces move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
Can you paint over wallpaper?
You can paint over wallpaper only when it is firmly stuck and removing it would wreck the wall. Taking it off is nearly always better. Seams, texture and patterns show through paint, and moisture from the paint can lift the edges.
If it has to stay, loose seams are glued or cut out, the paper is sealed with an oil-based primer so water in the paint cannot reach the paste, the seams are skimmed with compound and then it is painted. Never put latex paint straight onto wallpaper.
How much does wallpaper removal cost?
Wallpaper removal costs $0.80 to $3.00 per square foot, or $320 to $1,200 for an average room, by the national figures. Paper that has to be soaked and scraped costs $3 to $8 per square foot.
| Room | National range |
|---|---|
| Bathroom | $160 to $900 |
| Kitchen | $200 to $1,050 |
| Bedroom | $240 to $1,200 |
| Living room | $400 to $2,100 |
The spread comes from what is underneath. One layer on primed plaster comes off cleanly. Several layers, painted-over paper or paper glued to unprimed drywall takes far longer.
The walls are torn up after removing wallpaper. Can they be painted, and do they need skim coating?
Yes, they can be painted, but not as they are. Torn walls need sealing and usually a skim coat first. Where the drywall face paper has ripped, the brown paper underneath bubbles as soon as water-based paint or compound touches it.
The steps are to wash off the paste, seal torn areas with a problem-surface primer, skim the wall with joint compound, sand, prime and paint. HomeGuide lists skim coating walls at $1.00 to $1.30 per square foot, or $580 to $800 for a 12 by 12 bedroom.
Can you paint a popcorn ceiling instead of removing it?
Yes. You can paint a popcorn ceiling, and it is cheaper than removing it. It is sprayed or rolled gently with a thick-nap roller, because the texture softens and falls off if it is overworked.
By the national figures painting a textured or popcorn ceiling costs $1.00 to $3.50 per square foot. A ceiling that has never been painted soaks up a lot of paint, and a water stain on it needs a stain-blocking primer first. Paint also makes later removal harder.
How much does popcorn ceiling removal cost?
Popcorn ceiling removal costs $1 to $2 per square foot for removal alone, and $2 to $6 per square foot with new texture or smoothing and paint, by the national figures.
| Ceiling area | National range |
|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $1,000 to $3,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $2,000 to $6,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $3,000 to $9,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $4,000 to $12,000 |
Scraping is the quick part. Making the bare ceiling smooth enough to paint is the real work, since popcorn was often sprayed on to hide rough taping.
Could my popcorn ceiling have asbestos?
Yes, it could. Asbestos was used in some sprayed ceiling textures, and you cannot tell by looking. A ceiling in a house from the 1980s or earlier should be tested by a lab before anyone scrapes or sands it.
HomeGuide lists asbestos inspection and testing at $250 to $850 nationally, and lab testing at $20 to $80 per sample. It publishes no price for a popcorn ceiling test on its own. If the result is positive, removal is work for a licensed asbestos abatement contractor, not a painter. The other choices are to leave the ceiling alone or cover it.
Is skim coating cheaper than painting over textured walls?
No. Painting over textured walls is cheaper than skim coating them. Skim coating is the extra job you choose when you want the texture gone.
By the national figures skim coating costs $1.00 to $1.30 per square foot of wall on top of the painting, and adding texture work to a paint job is listed at $0.80 to $2.00 per square foot. Skim coating is worth it when heavy texture, old patches or rough plaster would spoil the look of new paint.
Why does paint show every drywall repair?
Paint shows a repair when the patch was not primed, was not sanded flat or has a different texture from the wall around it. Fresh compound is more porous than painted wall, so the paint over it dries duller. Painters call that flashing.
To hide a patch, feather the compound wide, sand it flush, prime it, and then repaint the whole wall from corner to corner. Light from a window along the wall shows every flaw, so those walls need the most care and the lowest sheen.
Can a painter fix holes and dents in drywall?
Yes. Painters fix nail holes, dents, small holes, cracks and popped screws as part of the job. Drywall repair is one of our services, for both drywall and plaster.
Larger holes are cut square, backed, patched with new drywall, taped and finished in several coats. As a separate job, HomeGuide lists drywall repair nationally at $300 to $500 for small holes and $500 to $800 or more for large ones. Plaster in older Detroit homes can be patched with drywall or with plaster, depending on the damage.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (313) 209-8467.