Whole-house work needs a phasing plan
Ask whether furniture must be removed from every room at once or whether the crew can work by zone. Clarify when each room can be reoccupied and how dust is kept from finished areas as the project moves through the house.
If only selected rooms are being updated, choose transition points before work begins so smooth and textured ceilings do not meet awkwardly in the middle of an open area.
Compare specialist bids with broader contractor bids fairly
A specialist may bundle removal and smoothing, while a drywall company may itemize repairs and a painter may include final coatings. Normalize the scope when comparing a price. Ask every bidder to state whether skim coating, sanding, primer and paint are included.
Where an older ceiling texture has not been identified, settle any testing questions before the crew starts scraping or sanding. Direct popcorn-removal experience is valuable, but material identification remains a separate safety question.