smhouse wrote:
It seems like popcorn ceiling usually went over drywall, but in our
case it went over plaster. Is this truely more difficult to remove as
our contractor claims? can't find any reference on the internet
regarding removing popcorn from plaster.


That may be, but if it's a sprayed accoustic or vermiculite as most is
and it was sprayed over painted plaster, I think it would scrape off as
easily or easier than over raw drywall. Your next statement makes me a
bit leery of the guy you hired.

correction: The joint compound is going over the popcorn ceiling


Are you/he sure it's sprayed accoustic or vermiculite and not some other
harder finish you have? Even when it's been painted over, I've seen the
vermiculite stuff scraped off fairly easily with the water treatment
others mentioned.