buying house with artex ceiling - asbestos scare

orange86

Hi, im in the process of buying my first house. the living room and upstairs landing has artex ceilings. The house was built in 1997 however i'm concerned about possible asbestos risk. I have a home buyers survey in a couple days but not sure if they would look at the artex ceiling.
Ideally i want the artex removed and a flat ceiling, what are my options?

anselld

Plaster over it.  It is perfectly safe if undisturbed.

Slithery

Unless you grind it up and snort it there's nothing to be scared of.

davidmcn

Asbestos had long stopped being used in Artex by 1997.

orange86

davidmcn said:

Asbestos had long stopped being used in Artex by 1997.

Have a read of this page: https://www.oracleasbestos.com/blog/artex-asbestos-testing/
section; When was abestos used in artex and why? ...and was still being installed well into the late 90s

davidmcn

orange86 said:

davidmcn said:

Asbestos had long stopped being used in Artex by 1997.

Have a read of this page: https://www.oracleasbestos.com/blog/artex-asbestos-testing/
section; When was abestos used in artex and why? ...and was still being installed well into the late 90s

If it ceased to be produced in the UK in 1984, how likely is it that the builders were using something they found at the back of the warehouse? Anyway, you can get it tested if you want. Your surveyor isn't going to confirm it one way or another. But what's the point? It's hardly a material risk to anyone. The people who come down with asbestos-related diseases are almost exclusively those who worked with the stuff day in and day out, not people who just happen to have a tiny concentration of it embedded in their ceiling.

pinkshoes

We just had our artex ceilings skimmed to cover them up. As long as you do not disturb it, it is fine.

NQManchester

Your survey will just have a copy and paste disclaimer with general information about asbestos that could be in the textured ceilings. You’d need to get your own test done. 

orange86

I think i can get a company local in ledds to take samples and test for me. I want a smooth ceiling so is skimming or plastering the way forward ?

Slithery

orange86 said:

I think i can get a company local in ledds to take samples and test for me.

Why bother if you're going to cover it up?

orange86 said:

I want a smooth ceiling so is skimming or plastering the way forward ?

Yes. They skim it with plaster.

Robin9

orange86 said:

I think i can get a company local in ledds to take samples and test for me. I want a smooth ceiling so is skimming or plastering the way forward ?

Don't forget the asbestos in the floor tiles, base of sink .....................