Adding a thin sheetrock over the existing popcorn and ceilings, and then texturing that would be the fastest way. As long as the damage hasn't weakened the joists it's an acceptable repair. The problem with applying texture directly to the popcorn is that the moisture in the texturing compound can loosen the popcorn and it all falls off. If that happens, you are stick with having to take it all off and start texturing again. If GC#2 will guarantee that his method will not cause the popcorn to separate, and have a plan to deal with it if it does (at no added cost), it would be faster than #1. Removing popcorn is messy, and painted popcorn is messier.

It's really tough to say how much asbestos it takes since some are exposed for a short time and get mesothelioma very quickly and at a young age. Others like my FIL are exposed daily at work for 40 years or more and don't get it until 50 years after first exposure. They do know that significant direct exposure over a long period of time makes it nearly certain. Many people have had some limited exposure without getting the disease. There are some factors like smoking that seem to hasten the onset of the disease. Hopefully your friends weren't exposed that much over too long a time. In your friend's situation and since they are so concerned I would recommend testing to see if they have had asbestos exposure. It's possible that there's nothing to worry about.

I can't get any of my vacuums or attachments under the couch or other pieces of heavy furniture so I use one of those swiffer things on the long handle to push the hair/dust out and then vacuum it up. I bought one of those extensions that they sell for vacuuming under the frige (I think I got it from the Solutions Catalog) but the swiffer thing works better. I have the Dyson as well and it does great at picking up the dog hair on the hardwoods--I just have to make sure I have the beater turned off (to floors instead of carpet) so that it doesn't blow it around. I also have the little dirt devil bagless power stick vac that we used to use to quickly vacuum up the visible hair (the cordless is great) but since it is bagless and we now have 3 large shedders, the cup gets filled up very quickly. I also have the Hoover GUV--Garge Utility Vac (if you have mostly hardwoods this would probably be a great less expensive alternative for you to the Dyson). I have a small house (approx. 1100 sq. ft) and the GUV has a really long hose that reaches to almost my entire house--it's like having one of those central vacuums. I have it mounted in my utility closet but it easily lifts off its mount and can be brought to another room if the hose isn't long enough for you (the hose is 30 ft). It picks up hair just as well as the Dyson does but you would need another vac with the beater bar if you need to do area rugs or carpet (it was designed for the garage, after all). I love it because I don't have to drag a vacuum around and it's quieter to vacuum since the motor is inside the utility closet instead of right next to me. I bought the GUV after I bought the Dyson because I have to fight too much with the hose attachment on the Dyson--mine is really stiff and I can't stretch it very far without the whole vacuum following. De

Breezygirl, this does help since one of the reasons my kitchen was going to cost so much was because I wanted to remove the empty soffit and install 36" cabinets with crown molding. Most stores wanted to then remove all the popcorn first in all rooms downstairs telling me they could not patch it up. My most recent quote was in January 2014 and the contractor was going to put a beam to separate the rooms which I did not like as he said he had to remove the popcorn. I prefer no beam and to have just a straight line with the other room having popcorn if it costs too much to remove. I will try to take a picture of my kitchen. I love my tiles and it is helping to see that BM Simply White looks best with my tiles. I am going to put the recessed lights in my living room which is my home office and leave the fixture in the dining room part of the home office. I will then see if that room becomes a mess (has no lights in the ceiling now) before seeing who can patch up my ceilings. I will revisit my kitchen cabinets after the lighting is done downstairs, my wood floors are installed in the other three rooms to close out my insurance claim and my windows and doors downstairs are replaced as the vinyl has cracked and it is cold in the winter time. I really want kitchen cabinets and a counter like Breezygirl. I needed tiles due to little dogs going in and out the sliding door in the kitchen and having a KitchenAid dishwasher that will be 5 years old at the end of October with now poor reviews of a failing pump. I can't afford another insurance claim for my wood floors. I am only using the dishwasher if I am home. I paid a lot for this dishwasher.