Artex ceilings/walls - asbestos - cost remove

[3littlelambs]

I've seen a 1930's property that was probably updated in 60/70's that I'm interested in buying. It has artex ceilings in every room and also some rooms have it on the walls.

The house needs rewiring and I suspect that the artex may contain asbestos due to age. Therefore, I'm thinking it might need to be removed because it will be disturbed (need new fittings/light position in ceilings, chasing out walls etc).

Has anyone had asbestos artex removed recently? What was the cost?

Thanks

Legally you are allowed to remove textured coating yourself and dispose of it at the tip. A removal contractor can get very expensive depending on how much there is!

I don't think you should try removing it, it may be simplier and cheaper to have it skimmed over with plaster.

Around 10k to remove professionally and then put new ceilings and skim.

If it's currently in good condition, the recommendation is normally to skim over (I made the same enquiry on the 30s semi that I'm buying).

Cost for skimming over a ceiling for a living & dining room (40-45m2) was about £500-£700

Thanks, that's useful to know. How many ceilings would that be for?

It will be area dependent, in our case around 140 sqm

Yeah, if it’s 60s/70s artex, there’s a decent chance it could contain asbestos – it was pretty common back then. You won’t know for sure until it’s tested though, so first thing I'd do is get a proper asbestos survey done. It’s not that expensive – usually around £100–£200 – and gives you peace of mind before starting any work.
If it does have asbestos, then asbestos removal needs to be done properly by a licensed contractor, especially if it's on ceilings. Prices can vary, but for full removal you’re probably looking at around £15–£30 per square metre, depending on access and size of the job. Could be £2–4k+ for a whole house if every room’s affected.
That said, if the artex is in good condition and you’re not disturbing it too much, sometimes it can be overboarded and plastered instead – but that won’t work if you’re rewiring and chasing into it.
Definitely worth factoring into your costs early – surprises like that can really knock the budget.