Popcorn always covers sloppy drywall, trying to get it to look like ‘level 5k’ drywall is hard- but not impossible. Does your contract define your expectations? The wavy ceiling should be repaired as that is exactly what a ceiling looks like when popcorn is removed. The orange peel wall is not acceptable either. The wavy wall is less of an issue for me as I’d have art hung there… Unfortunately it sounds like you need an uncomfortable conversation with your gc.

Thank you, I hate feeling like I'm picking on "the little things" but it doesn't seem so little to me because I'm the the who's going to have to look at it every-single-day!

Expectations are price driven here. A basic 15K ”popcorn removal and smooth” job has much different standards than a 100K full wall and ceiling redo skim.

To get the really high quality smooth results requires a new application of drywall on the ceiling, with carefull and exacting shimming to get things perfect. Or blueboard and plaster. Walls can be fudged a bit more than a ceiling, but when you have 1 stud out of plane on a wall, you generally want to remove that drywall and plane down that stud, then reapply the drywall.

Those are all high end practices that do not happen on the lower cost jobs. One homeowner where I did a built in 15’ DR china showcase, spent the same 40K on the high gloss lacquered ceiling as she did our china cabinets!