Artex & Textured Coatings.

Textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s often contain chrysotile asbestos. Left alone and painted they are low risk, but sanding, scraping or drilling releases fibres, so test before any redecoration or ceiling work.

Where you'll find it

Typically found in ceilings and feature walls in living rooms, hallways and bedrooms, most commonly in homes decorated between the 1960s and mid-1980s across every UK town. If your property fits that description and the material is undisturbed, don't panic, and don't drill, sand or break it. Send us a photo and we'll tell you what you're looking at, free.

How removal works

This is notifiable non-licensed work. Every job starts with sampling and a fixed written quote within 24 hours. Removal is carried out with the controls the law requires for this material, waste leaves site with consignment notes, and the area is handed back with the right certification for your records, whether that's a homeowner's document pack or a four-stage clearance certificate.

What it costs

Typical UK guide range: £25 to £60 per m², including disposal and paperwork. Access, quantity and condition move the number, our cost guide and calculator covers the detail, and once we quote, the price is fixed. Figures are industry guide rates, not Innov8 Group prices, we're typically cheaper. Contact us for an official quotation.

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Does your Artex contain asbestos?

If your ceiling or wall was textured before the mid-1980s, treat it as suspect. Chrysotile asbestos was added to Artex and rival textured coatings for decades to strengthen the mix, and although manufacturers phased it out in the mid-80s, old stock kept being applied into the early 1990s. Age is the best clue — swirls and stipples in a 1960s–80s home are the classic case — but no one can confirm asbestos by eye. The only certain answer is a lab test on a small sample, which we arrange through our sampling & testing service with a UKAS-accredited laboratory.

Flaking, water damage and drilling — when Artex becomes a problem

Asbestos in Artex is well bound into the coating, which is why intact, painted Artex is considered low risk. The risk appears when the coating is disturbed: sanding before decorating, scraping off the texture, drilling for light fittings and coving, or flaking caused by a leak. Those jobs turn a stable material into airborne dust. If your Artex is damaged or you’re planning ceiling work, stop before anyone sands or scrapes — send us a photo, get it tested, and let the result decide the method.

Paint over, skim over, or remove?

You don’t always have to remove asbestos Artex. If it’s sound, repainting it or having a plasterer skim over it are both accepted ways of managing it — the asbestos stays sealed beneath, at a fraction of removal cost. The trade-offs: the material is still there (so it must be declared to tradespeople and to buyers when selling the house), and skimming only postpones the day the ceiling needs real work. Removal is the right call when ceilings are coming down anyway in a renovation, when the coating is already damaged, or when you simply want the asbestos gone for good. Our Artex removal service covers both full removal and safe make-good.

What Artex removal really costs

The industry guide range is £25–£60 per m² including disposal and paperwork — so a typical 15–20m² room ceiling lands roughly between £400 and £1,200. Access, condition and how much making-good you want drive the price within that range. Artex removal is notifiable non-licensed work, which keeps costs well below licensed materials like AIB. Our cost guide and calculator covers every common job, and once we quote, the price is fixed — as industry guide rates go, we’re typically cheaper.

Where we remove Artex

We remove Artex and textured coatings across the North West, Yorkshire and the wider UK — most often in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, with local teams covering every town on our locations page.

Not sure what you’re looking at? See our photo ID guide — what asbestos looks like →

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Artex & asbestos questions, answered

Does Artex contain asbestos, and until what year was it used?

Artex and similar textured coatings applied before the mid-1980s very commonly contain chrysotile (white) asbestos — typically 1–4% by weight. Asbestos was phased out of most coating production in the mid-80s, but old stock stayed in use, so coatings applied right up to the early 1990s can still contain it. Only lab testing can say for certain — you cannot tell by looking.

Is flaking or damaged Artex dangerous?

Sound, painted Artex releases virtually no fibres and is low risk left alone. Flaking, water-damaged or crumbling Artex is a different matter: once the coating breaks up, fibres can be released into the room. Don’t sand, scrape or vacuum it — keep people away from the damaged area and get it tested. If it does contain asbestos, the damaged section can usually be repaired, sealed or removed quickly.

Can I paint, skim or plaster over Artex instead of removing it?

Yes — if the coating is sound, painting over it or having it skimmed with plaster are both legitimate ways to manage it, and often the cheapest. The asbestos stays in place, so it must be recorded (tell any tradesperson before they drill or sand the ceiling), and it becomes a job for us the day the ceiling itself needs work. Never sand Artex to “key” it before skimming — that’s exactly the disturbance that releases fibres.

How much does Artex removal cost?

The typical UK guide range is £25–£60 per m² including disposal and paperwork. A single room ceiling of 15–20m² usually lands between about £400 and £1,200 depending on access and condition; hallways and whole-house jobs are priced per m² on the same basis. We quote fixed from photos or a visit within 24 hours — and as industry guide rates, we’re typically cheaper.

Do I need the Artex tested before any work?

Yes — before any sanding, skimming, drilling or removal, a sample should be tested by a UKAS-accredited lab. It’s quick and inexpensive, and it decides everything: if it’s asbestos-free you can treat it like any other ceiling; if not, the work needs the right controls. We arrange sampling and testing and give you the certificate either way.

Can I drill or sand Artex?

Not until it’s been tested. Drilling, sanding and scraping are exactly the actions that release fibres from an asbestos-containing coating — a “quick key” with sandpaper before skimming is the classic mistake. Get a £125 test first: if it’s clear you can work normally, and if not, the job needs the right controls.

Is it cheaper to encapsulate Artex than remove it?

Usually yes. Skimming or sealing over sound Artex costs a fraction of removal (which runs £25–£60/m²), and it’s a legitimate way to manage the material. The trade-off: the asbestos is still there, it must be declared when you sell, and any future ceiling work has to account for it. Our encapsulation service covers both routes honestly.

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