Asbestos Artex Removal: Textured Ceilings & Walls Removed Safely
Artex and similar textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s frequently contain chrysotile asbestos, and any coating applied before 2000 should be treated as suspect until a sample says otherwise. The asbestos is locked into the coating and poses little risk while the surface is sound — the danger comes when it is sanded, scraped dry or drilled during renovation. We remove asbestos Artex from ceilings and walls across Surrey, London and the South East using controlled wet and steam methods that keep fibres out of the air, and every job ends with the waste double-bagged, taken to a licensed facility and a consignment note in your hand. If you haven't yet tested the coating, start there — it costs a fraction of removal and often ends the worry.
First, confirm it actually contains asbestos
Not all Artex contains asbestos, and the swirl pattern, colour or age of the house cannot tell you which is which. A single bulk sample analysed by a laboratory settles it for a modest fee, and it also tells you the coating's condition — the two facts that decide whether you need removal at all. Our asbestos Artex testing service takes the sample safely without releasing fibres, and our guide to asbestos in Artex explains which products and dates are most likely to be affected. Removal without a test means either paying for controls you may not need or, worse, skipping controls you did.
How we remove asbestos Artex
Method one — wet or steam stripping in place
The coating is softened with steam or a wetting agent and lifted from the surface in sheets with hand scrapers, working small areas at a time so nothing dries out. There is no sanding, no dry scraping and no power tools at any stage — those are what turn a stable coating into airborne fibres. The room is sealed with polythene, furniture removed or wrapped, and the stripped surface wiped down before it is released back to you ready for skimming.
Method two — removing the board with the coating attached
On plasterboard ceilings it is often cleaner, faster and cheaper to take the boards down whole with the Artex still on them, wrap and bag each board, and reboard. No stripping means far less handling of the coating and a fresh surface at the end. Which method suits your room depends on the substrate, the condition of the coating, and what you plan to do with the ceiling afterwards — we recommend one in the written quote and explain why.
What the law requires
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, removing textured coatings is generally classed as non-licensed work when carried out with controlled wet methods; it becomes notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW) where the coating is badly deteriorated or the method cannot avoid generating dust. It is not licensable work, which is why Artex removal costs a fraction of jobs involving insulating board or lagging. Whatever the class, the same controls apply: no dry abrasion, wetted removal, sealed work area, correct PPE, double-bagged labelled waste and disposal through a licensed route. You can read the three classes in plain English in our guide to UK asbestos regulations.
Sometimes the right answer is not to remove it
A sound, undamaged Artex ceiling that nobody is going to drill, sand or disturb can legitimately stay in place and be managed. Plastering over it — encapsulation — seals the coating behind a new surface and typically costs far less than removal. It stops being the right answer when you plan downlights, a loft conversion, a wall removal or any work that breaks the surface, or when the coating is cracked, flaking or water damaged. We will tell you honestly which side of that line your ceiling sits on; our encapsulation-versus-removal guide sets out the trade-offs in detail.
Where we remove Artex
We remove asbestos Artex from homes and commercial premises across Surrey, London, Berkshire, West Sussex and the wider South East, working from our base in South Croydon. Local pages for the areas we work in most:
County pages: London · Surrey · Berkshire · West Sussex · all areas
Recent Artex removal projects
See how the method plays out on real ceilings: our Artex removal in Epsom, Artex removal in Sutton and Artex ceiling removal in Worthing case studies each walk through the property, the approach chosen and the outcome.
What affects the price of Artex removal
Area is the biggest driver — a single ceiling and a whole house of textured walls are different jobs — followed by the method (stripping in place versus reboarding), the condition of the coating, ceiling height and access, and how much furniture and flooring needs protecting or clearing. Whether the room is occupied or empty matters too. For current UK market ranges per square metre and against other job types, see our asbestos removal cost guide; for your ceiling, the only accurate figure is a written quote, which we provide free and without obligation.
What you get at the end
A clean, dry surface ready for plastering or reboarding, the waste removed the same visit in sealed, labelled bags, and a consignment note documenting disposal at a licensed facility. Keep it with the property paperwork — it is what a buyer's solicitor, a landlord's file or a future contractor will ask for.
Frequently asked questions
Does my Artex contain asbestos?
Possibly. Textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s frequently contain chrysotile asbestos, and anything applied before 2000 should be tested rather than assumed safe. Appearance cannot tell you — only laboratory analysis of a sample can.
Is asbestos Artex dangerous if I leave it alone?
A sound, undisturbed coating releases negligible fibre. The risk arises when it is sanded, scraped dry, drilled or damaged. If you are not planning work that disturbs it and it is in good condition, managing it in place is a legitimate option.
Can I remove asbestos Artex myself?
Legally, textured-coating removal is non-licensed work, so householders are not prohibited from it — but the control measures still apply in full, dry sanding or scraping is exactly how people contaminate their homes, and the waste must still go through a licensed disposal route. For most people the saving is small against the risk of getting it wrong.
Is Artex removal licensed asbestos work?
No. It is generally non-licensed work under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, becoming notifiable non-licensed work where the coating is deteriorated or the method is dusty. It does not require an HSE-licensed contractor, which is why it costs far less than work on insulating board or lagging.
Can I just plaster over asbestos Artex?
Often, yes — if the coating is sound and will not be disturbed afterwards. Skimming over it encapsulates the asbestos and usually costs much less than removal. It is not appropriate where the surface is damaged or where future work will break through it.
What happens to the waste?
It is double-bagged in labelled asbestos sacks, transported to a licensed disposal facility and recorded on a consignment note that we give you. Asbestos waste can never go in household or builders' waste.
Send us a photo of the ceiling, the approximate area and your postcode, and we will come back with a written, no-obligation quote and a recommended method — or book a free site visit and we will assess it in person. Call 07345 062075 or request a free quote online.