Plastering over Artex

Cuilean

My new house was previously owned by a couple with an Artex fetish. There's artex in the living room, hall, up the stairs and onto the landing. To add to the fun of it, it's also had several coats of paint slapped on it over the years. I know it can be removed, but I think skimming it will work out cheaper. I've got people coming on Monday for quotes, but one guy came over on Friday and quoted £700 for the lot, including materials and his time. Is that a good price?

Room measurements are 14'6" in the lounge, about 20' by 5' in the hall, a small staircase and the landing is about 15' by 5'.

Gorgeous_George

Seems a bit steep to me.

It'll take him a good few hours but materials are cheap. I think nearer £400 would be reasonable.



GG

silvercar

CAreful if you intend removing it, the original 1970s stuff sometimes contained asbestos.

nelly_2

Is this ceilings only or walls too?

Cuilean

I'd rather just do the walls - we've got a very limited budget at the moment.

So far, I've just had two quotes, with another guy coming over this afternoon. The £700 (Which was admittedly from a pair of guys for whom English was not their first language - dare I think "cowboys"?) the second was a well known local firm who want £1200 but would include the ceilings and asbestos testing in all the rooms which are artexed. Thing is, if we got for that, that's almost half our renovation budget gone.

foxybabe

seems a bit steep to me. we have just had a room done 17ft x 10ft not including the ceiling £70. this was to cover artex.

tanith

Don't dismiss the guys for whom English was not their first language, if they are Poles for instance they have an excellent work ethic in the main and usually do a fast and excellent job. Can you not ask them for a reference from maybe a job they have completed .

Sounds like you 'local firm' are thorough though and I am sure you would be able to find someone local that could tell you wether they do a good job or not....

cupid_s

It definately would be best to skim over the artex. But plasterers are expensive. Getting one ceiling done we were getting quotes of about £400.

Couldn't you try doing it yourself?

cargo

Foxy. :eek: :eek: :eek:
You must be the luckiest person around to get a good job at that price.
But for the most surely we have to keep this real.

Don't mean to offend but that price scares the life out of me, to think a fully trained Plasterer would work for them rates of pay.

edit: Just read your post again and it didnt say plaster over did you mean cover Artex with something else.

Cuilean

Cupid, I would love to have a go at plastering myself, but I'm not sure O.H. would be too chuffed given the state of the wall after I decided to de-tile the kitchen today

Cargo, we'd just want the walls skimmed with another layer of plaster.

nelly_2

£300 per room maybe £250, is about right...well its what I charge anyway

And £70 for a full room when was that 1970 ?????