Look into drywalling over it. Tearing it down seems unnessesary, messy and expensive if drywall can be attached somehow.

It would be fairly easy to put up strapping and then 1/4" drywall and finish them flat - of course, I'd hire a drywall professional... It's interesting, where in the country do you see this kind of design element?

I would consult with a GC to see what all your options are. Maybe you can take the ceiling up?..what is the current height?

I wouldn't be able to say how much it would cost, for more or less, but have you thought of adobe or some sort of similarly applied layer? Drywall would be less expensive I'm sure, but I'm not sure how much cooperation you would get from those metal beams, unless they are to be completely obscured with the brick. Personally, I would try to leave them exposed and fill in all the brickwork with something else, if possible.

Ironically, the brick ceilings are awesome especially when the rustic quality is enhanced by using it as a cue for the rest of your decorating scheme. Having said that, there are lots of alternative remedies. Obviously paint, stucco and sheet rock are available but I'd look into other materials. Wood planks, Venetian Plaster, and concrete can be used to change the ceiling. Finally though, if you're preference is for a more traditional or formal interior, I'd seriously reconsider the purchase.

Thank you for all your suggestions! I actually like rustic homes, just the brick ceilings feel oppressive to me. If I decide to buy this house I will probably plaster the ceilings with stucco or Venetian Plaster. Anything to create a more airy feeling. I wonder if I am the only one who feels that way because when I did a search on google as to how to change a Boveda ceiling to a flat ceiling I only found postings on how to convert a flat ceiling to a Boveda ceiling.

It's what I call a "deal breaker " for me, unless this house is located in a spectacular, very high demand area with few alternatives available. No, you're not the only one, I think they're horrible, but I like everything understated.

Consider doing a wash treatment on the brick instead of painting. It will lighten the tone of the room and elevate the ceiling while still keeping the detail work of the brick

Unless you get a price to change it before you put an offer in I would walk away.
It would be different if it was only one room, but I have no idea how costly it would be to change all ceilings.
I agree with Bailey R IF it’s perfect in every way go for it knowing you’ll have to put money out for renovations

This is a post from five years ago