Who can replace my drop ceiling?
March 24, 2017 3:01 PM Subscribe
I want to replace a drop ceiling with a regular ceiling in my house. I can't DIY this. Who (what kind of professional) do I need to call?
Drop ceilings sometimes hide multitudes of sins, so it's possible that people ran pipes or did electrical work in a haphazard manner. Take a few panels out and shine a flashlight in there.
posted by fixedgear at 3:25 PM on March 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by fixedgear at 3:25 PM on March 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
General Contractor, one with a licence, you need tear down, framing & possible electric work, drywall, & texture/paint..........
posted by patnok at 3:27 PM on March 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by patnok at 3:27 PM on March 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Yeah, you need a GC... and I would also do the flashlight thing so there are no "surprises".
posted by lobstah at 3:33 PM on March 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lobstah at 3:33 PM on March 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
As others said, you need a general remodeling contractor because you are going to need several trades involved -- carpentry, drywall, paint, possibly electrician and plumber.
First you need to be clear on what you want to accomplish. Do you have acoustic ceiling tiles you don't like? Do you want the ceiling raised higher?
If all you want is a drywall ceiling to replace the acoustic tile, the simplest solution would be to have the contractor replace the ceiling tile channels with stronger steel channels that will support the weight of drywall. It avoids all the issues of wiring or plumbing that might be above your current ceiling. Suspended drywall ceilings are quite common in commercial buildings. So you would want to ask if the contractor is experienced in steel framing.
If you want to raise the ceiling, things could get more complicated, involving plumbing and wiring, and you also have to raise the drywall on the walls to match.
posted by JackFlash at 10:27 AM on March 25, 2017
First you need to be clear on what you want to accomplish. Do you have acoustic ceiling tiles you don't like? Do you want the ceiling raised higher?
If all you want is a drywall ceiling to replace the acoustic tile, the simplest solution would be to have the contractor replace the ceiling tile channels with stronger steel channels that will support the weight of drywall. It avoids all the issues of wiring or plumbing that might be above your current ceiling. Suspended drywall ceilings are quite common in commercial buildings. So you would want to ask if the contractor is experienced in steel framing.
If you want to raise the ceiling, things could get more complicated, involving plumbing and wiring, and you also have to raise the drywall on the walls to match.
posted by JackFlash at 10:27 AM on March 25, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks, guys! I will call a general contractor.
posted by J. Wilson at 10:26 AM on March 26, 2017
posted by J. Wilson at 10:26 AM on March 26, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
I'd be tempted to say you just need a drywall company. They could probably be convinced to help you pull down/demo the existing ceiling. If it's a suspended ceiling, you could remove it yourself or hire someone off Craigslist or task rabbit to help you remove what is there and dispose of it. Lead paint might be a concern.
posted by amanda at 3:18 PM on March 24, 2017 [2 favorites]