Who repairs nail pops along a ceiling in a Stittsville house?

A drywall contractor, or anyone who does drywall repairs, can take on nail pops along a ceiling. In Ontario, drywall finisher and plasterer is a voluntary trade whose scope includes repairing drywall taping, so a certificate is not required to do the work.

Why the pops appeared is something the contractor has to look at; we would not guess from a description. What the repair covers is a matter for the quote.

What changes the scope and the price:

• how many pops there are, and whether they run along one joint or across the ceiling
• whether the ceiling is smooth or has a texture that has to be matched
• the finish level wanted on the repaired areas
• whether primer and paint are included, or whether the job ends at sanded patches

For fastening, Ontario's Building Code sets minimums for single-layer board on wood framing: ceiling nails not more than 180 mm apart, ceiling screws not more than 300 mm apart, and fasteners at least 10 mm from the board edges, with heads that do not puncture the paper (O. Reg. 163/24, 9.29.5.8 and 9.29.5.9). These are minimums for new work; ask the City how they apply to your renovation. The City's lists do not name nail-pop repairs, so if the repair is part of bigger work, ask the City's Building Code Services.

Published Toronto and Ontario contractor prices put small patch repairs at about $150 to $600 per patch, read October 1, 2026; these are not Ottawa prices.

Ask the contractor how they will match the existing ceiling finish, and have the quote say whether texture matching, primer and paint are in the price.