I want smooth walls (Artex/Plastering questions)

lipidicman

We have been in our house for ten years (privately owned). We think the place was ruined with artex just before we moved in. We now want to have the walls and ceilings redone.

I have some questions. Does anyone have any answers?

1) Is the first step to test for asbestos? Is this done by councils (eg Env. Health) or Private sector? Cost?
2) Do we remove the artex or work over? Most of the walls are sound but some parts sound hollow and in the kitchen (yes, artex on the kitchen walls!) there appears to be moisture behind the artex (it is soggy and peeling!). I dont like the idea of skimming over and would be happier removing the artex and/or the old plaster underneath.
3) Costs? The house is a small 3 bed victorian terrace. The artex is wall and ceiling on the ground floor (not including the bathroom extension) and the plastering upstairs (not artexed) probably needs doing. I am looking for a ball-park figure here. If the removal is a safe job (ie no asbestos) then I am happy to do it myself.

I also need the floorboard sorting out throughout and some new stairs, but that is for another discussion.....

Thanks in advance!

Tia91

My local council do not test for asbestos, its a private contractor from Yellow pages, however make sure they are registered I think this is with the Health and Safet Exec

loungelizard_3

I have just had a piece of REALLY old plasterboard tested for asbestos. One sample cost £35+vat. 2nd sample would have cost an extra £12.

Luckily negative. Look in yellow pages for private companies that test, price should be comparable with above.

The bloke who tested it said as long as it was sealed and cannot be damaged/disturbed it should be ok.

If it turns out to be safe, you may want to think about plasterboarding over it using the "dot and dab" method depending on how deep the artex grooves go. This would give you nice flat walls at a fraction of the cost of plastering. Alternatively, the artex should come off using a steam wallpaper stripper.

nikkih_4

If your house was artexed just before you moved in, the artex could contain asbestos (its use was only banned at the end of the nineties!).
I work for my local authority and we do test materials for asbestos, even from private housing - its worth ringing them, either environmental health, pollution control or they may have an asbestos department. Otherwise look for private companies which do have to be UKAS accredited to analyse samples commercially - prices can vary from £8 to £30+, likely to more expensive if its just a one off sample. If the artex is proven to contain asbestos you cna get a licensed contractor to remove it but it will cost thousands of pounds per room!! Personally, I would remove it myself (if thats what you want), just use a steamer to keep it damp, wear a paper mask with P3 filter and disposable overalls. However, if it is in sound condition, I'd leave it as it can be really difficult to remove. You will have to remove the stuff thats damp, but should come off pretty easily. Plasterers generally charge £120-£150 a day (good ones, not 'plasterers' who've been on a 4 day course!!!) plus materials, could probably do a basic room (walls & ceiling and no making up) in two to three days.

How boring do I sound!!

Good luck with the jobs - any more asbestos questions, I'm your girl!!!

tomstickland

The only way to get rid of Artex AFAIK is to fill over it or remove it completetly.

Nile

Hello nikkih


Welcome to the MSE site.:wave:

pinkpauline34

I had asbestos content in the artex in my ceiling which was removed by a company called Rhodar (http://www.rhodar.co.uk/) - this was arranged through my insurance company but there is a freephone number on their website so it might be worth giving them a call.

It was a huge upheaval as the whole living room had to be emptied of furniture and the whole room was sealed off while the ceiling was removed - a huge upheaval but well worth it.

Good luck.

jockettuk

have you seen the advert for polycell smooth over.. we bought it and it did the job for us covering the ceiling.. you wouldnt be able to tell there were horrible artex under there.. not all artex is horrible but cant stand stipple.. its abt £25 per tub one tub did our ceiling but you might need more than one for a wall etc.. might be worth while getting a quote for a plasterer and then take it from there

lipidicman

Thanks for all the replies.

We are really not keen to do a patch job. Basically as the floors need doing and the kitchen chimney needs pulling out and a complete kitchen refit is in order I favour removal of the artex and complete replastering. I am hoping to get the entire house done by moving out during the work. This isnt a smooth over job!

lipidicman

nikkih wrote:

I work for my local authority......Personally, I would remove it myself (if thats what you want), just use a steamer to keep it damp, wear a paper mask with P3 filter and disposable overalls. However, if it is in sound condition, I'd leave it as it can be really difficult to remove. You will have to remove the stuff thats damp, but should come off pretty easily.

This sounds scary due to the implications of inhaling minute amounts of asbestos (even white). However if there is no asbestos we did want to do as much of the prep as possible and only pay to have the plastering done

woodbutcher_2

In my last house,there was artex everywhere and after spending two days steaming all the walls and ceiling in one room,i decided life was too short for such a laborious task and got a plasterer in to sort the other rooms.He scraped off all the high spots with a shovel of all things and then painted all the surfaces with P.V.A.He then simply reskimmed all the walls and ceilings.He said it was more difficult than normal skimming as the plaster had to be put on thicker than normal to cover the artex but he charged me by the day(about £90.00 at the time)and went through the house in no time with me providing the materials and bacon butties and mugs of tea.Cost of plaster and P.V.A was next to nothing and it all looked great when he had finished.When decorated you really couldn't tell there had ever been any artex on the walls and faced with the same problem again,this is the way i would go.