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Need a Ceiling Expert, Not a Roofer?

We repair ceilings every week - not roofs. Call or text Carrigan Painting for your free quote:

Do Roofing Companies Repair Ceilings?

While many homeowners believe roofers repair ceilings after a roof leak, this is generally not true. Roofers often lack the expertise to deal with the different types of ceiling substrates found in Western New York homes, whether that’s drywall, plaster or textured ceilings.

At Carrigan Painting we specialize in ceiling repair (NOT roof repair), we have almost two decades of experience solving ceiling related problems in Western New York which many local contractors avoid. Roofers work outside on roofs. It’s like hiring a landscaper to fix your roof. After a roof repair, roofers want to move on to the next roofing project, not hang around trying to fix your damaged ceilings.

Repairing ceilings is often discounted as a basic repair to those who are less experienced with the nuances of ceiling work. Ceiling work requires a unique skillset not found in other trades, and specialized equipment to ensure the repair is as seamless as possible. Even those who professionally hang and finish drywall, often lack the specific skills for patching ceilings. As a homeowner you want the best ceiling repair possible, just like you want the best roof repair possible. These are two very distinct skilled trades that have very different skillsets.

South Lockport NY 14094 Roof leak causes substantial water damage to plaster ceiling.

Water damage repaired and painted in South Lockport NY 14094.

Water damage due to roof leak.

- South Lockport NY, 2025.

Ceiling Repair After Roof Leak in Buffalo NY Suburbs

We fix ceilings throughout the suburbs of Buffalo NY. We regularly work in Williamsville (14221), Clarence (14031), East Amherst (14051), Lancaster (14086), Snyder (14226). If your ceiling was damaged after a roof leak or insurance claim, and you're located in the suburbs of Buffalo, we are the ceiling experts local homeowners trust.

Insurance covers the roof. But what about the ceiling inside your home? If your roofer fixes it wrong, insurance won’t pay twice.

Water damage drywall ceiling repair in Pino Verde, East Amherst NY 14051.

Water damage due to roof leak.

- Kenmore NY, 2025.

Who to Call for Ceiling Repairs?

It used to be that you would call a painting contractor to repair damage to your ceilings. However, in the last 15 years or so, the number of painters capable of repairing complex ceiling damage in Western New York has dwindled as experienced professionals retire. At Carrigan Painting, we have repaired over 300 ceilings in the last 15 years and have become highly efficient at it. We understand the differences between drywall and plaster and treat them differently when it comes to repairing these substrates.

We repair so many ceilings that we have begun creating case studies on the specialized work we do, so that potential clients can see what is involved with repairing ceiling damage. It’s easy to post after photos and leave it up to the reader’s imagination. However, we feel it is equally important to show the process involved, not just the results.

What kind of contractor repairs ceilings?

Professional ceiling repair is often performed by drywall contractors, some painters - like us, plasterers, and handymen. However its important to understand that while many claim to be able to repair ceilings, getting the most seamless results, takes years of practice, and acquired skill to do it right.

For most contractors perfoming this type of work, theyre using drywall for all substrates. This is fine if the ceiling is textured, or is drywall, however when it comes to plaster ceilings, even floating out a drywall patch, will leave a different texture, and often a bump on a plaster ceiling. Plaster is hand trowelled until it is smooth as glass. Drywall is feathered out over the undamaged existing surface in an attempt to blend the repair. This sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't.

It's also important to find out prior to hiring a contractor to repair your ceilings, if painting is included. Many who do the repair, do not paint. We do both as one service.

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716-697-3560

Water damaged plaster cornice repair in Williamsville NY 14221.

Water damage plaster cornice due to roof leak.

- Williamsville NY - 2023.

Plaster ceiling removed from this Amherst NY 14221 home.

Plaster ceiling removed in preperation for new drywall ceiling.

Amherst NY - 2025.

Is it a big job to replace a ceiling?

The full replacement of a compromised ceiling is a big job. In New York, its also a capital improvement and is sales tax free. Ceiling replacement is a multi-day process. Anyone claiming that a ceiling replacement takes 1-2 days must be talking about closets or small bathrooms. In our experience your looking at a minimum of 4-5+ days, possibly longer depending on the size of the ceiling, and wether its plaster or drywall. Its very loud, dusty, dirty, back-breaking work which requires a dumpster. The complete tear-out of a plaster ceiling, replaced with drywall is normally north of $8,000.00.

We prefer to salvage the existing ceiling if possible, however sometimes, the ceiling isnt salvage-able and must be removed and repalced due to safety concerns to the occupants. If a ceiling collapses, it will destroy whatever it lands on.

How much does it cost to fix a ceiling after a leak?

The cost to repair a water damaged ceiling in Western New York is often over $1,500, and does not include mold mitigation. The cost estimates available online are woefully under estimated and do not take into account overhead costs for a business. For us, the average repair takes 2-3 days, depending on what it is. The bigger the damage, typically the more it costs. Plaster can be very deceiving in size and scope, due to delamination of the layers of plaster. It takes a trained eye and ear to accurately estimate the size of a water damaged plaster repair, and even then we sometimes get it wrong. However when we give a price to do a job, our price does not change if we under-estimated the duration or the project.