Guide
Asbestos artex removal cost: remove, encapsulate or skim over?
Updated
Textured coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos, the UK ban only completed in 1999. The good news: a sound artex ceiling has three options, and the cheapest is often not removal.
Your three options, priced
| Option | Typical cost | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Leave it alone (sound, undamaged coating) | £0 | Asbestos in good condition and left undisturbed is generally not a risk |
| Encapsulate or skim over (seal, overboard or plaster) | £150–£500 per room | You want a flat ceiling; the coating stays sealed beneath |
| Full removal | £50–£100 per m2 | Renovation work will disturb the ceiling, or you want it gone for resale |
Encapsulation and skim-over figures are typical 2026 quotes for an average room and vary with ceiling condition and size; a large or damaged ceiling costs more. Removal at £50–£100 per m2 usually includes disposal but not the new plasterboard and skim afterwards, ask each contractor exactly what their price covers.
Why removal costs what it does
- The room is sheeted and sealed, the coating is softened (steam or gel) and scraped, and everything scraped off is hazardous waste.
- Work on textured coatings is usually non-licensed, but it must follow HSE method statements, and larger or deteriorated jobs can become notifiable; see licensed vs non-licensed work.
- After removal you're paying a plasterer to reboard or skim, so the true cost of "removal" is removal plus reinstatement.
Test before you decide
Not all artex contains asbestos, coatings applied after 1999 cannot legally contain it, and plenty of earlier ceilings were asbestos-free too. A sample test is cheap and turns a maybe into a number: either you can treat it as ordinary plaster, or you price the job properly. Many removal firms will sample and test before quoting, tick "not tested" on the quote form and ask.
Sound, sealed artex is one of the lowest-risk asbestos products in a home. The material becomes a problem when it is sanded, drilled or scraped dry, which is exactly what a DIY "just skim it myself" job risks doing. If you disturb it, you own the fibre release.