Walls and Ceilings - Repair or replace bathroom ceiling?

I'm getting ready to remodel my master bathroom and I want to take care of the ceiling first. The previous owner painted the ceiling in a stucco style with mixed results. The paint has lots of cracks in it and is peeling in places. I want to get rid of this mess but I don't know if I should try to remove the old paint with a scraper and sander (a mess), or if I should hang a new ceiling below the old one. It's a relatively small bathroom and the ceiling runs about 5 feet by 7 feet. Any ideas on what I can do with a minimum mess and headaches?

I would take 1/2 drywall and hang right over top of it, this will probalby be the less messy of the two eviels, you will have to find your ceiling joist and mark them on the walls and use a longer drywall screw to go through both layers.

Mcrowley. I had the same problem w. a wall bigger than your ceiling in what is now the nursery, where it had a very stubborn stucco like paint on it. I put 3/8" sheetrock (lighter, cheaper) over the wall and taped/mudded. It looks great after 2 coats primer and 2 coats paint. I am NOT a patient man nor a great mudder but it looks 110% better. Sanding it would have left me wondering if it will come out nice. I used a studfinder to locate the studs and then used a sheetrock saw to REALLY locate the studs. Then ran the new rock. NEVER missed a stud w. a screw.

If the ceiling does not have a ceiling light consider one now as it will be easier prior to putting up sheetrock.

Peace: e3