Textured ceilings
Cost to Plaster over Artex or Textured Coating
Separate the visible plastering price from the assessment and safe method required before disturbing a textured coating.
There is no responsible fixed price until the coating, adhesion and work method are assessed. If a ceiling is suitable for a conventional skim, current size bands run from £200–£350 at about 9m² to £425–£725 at about 25m²; overboard-and-plaster is reported around £1,000 on average. HSE confirms that textured coatings, including some Artex, can contain asbestos.
What changes the result?
A useful calculation starts with the physical scope and the written commercial terms. These are the factors to make explicit:
- Age, condition and identification of the coating
- Whether the planned method disturbs it
- Ceiling area, height and profile
- Skim, encapsulation, overboard or removal scope
- Fittings, protection and waste controls
Use one scope for every quote
Give each business the same information and ask it to resolve the same boundaries. That makes the totals more comparable and exposes work left as an allowance or exclusion.
- Do not sand, scrape or drill suspect material
- Arrange competent assessment where uncertainty remains
- Ask for the proposed method in writing
- Separate plastering, electrical work and decoration
The plastering-only comparison
Checkatrade's June 2026 ceiling bands are £200–£350 for about 9m², £280–£440 for 15m² and £425–£725 for 25m². An overboard-and-plaster job is reported around £1,000 on average. These are only relevant after the contractor establishes a suitable and safe substrate method.
Why the material must be considered first
HSE identifies textured coatings, including some Artex, as materials that can contain asbestos. The risk and legal work category depend on the material, condition and method. Visual appearance alone is not enough to confirm absence.
This page does not provide a DIY disturbance method. Avoid sanding, scraping, drilling or uncontrolled removal of suspect coating; use a competent survey or testing route and an appropriately trained contractor for the proposed work.
Compare method-specific quotes
One contractor may propose preparation and skimming, another overboarding, and another controlled removal. Those are not like-for-like prices. Ask each to state the assessment relied on, disturbance method, containment, waste route, board or plaster system, fittings, final surface and evidence supplied on completion.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to plaster over Artex?
A conventional ceiling skim is currently observed at £200–£725 across example sizes, but the coating and safe method must be assessed first. Overboarding and plastering is a larger scope reported around £1,000 on average.
Does all Artex contain asbestos?
No, but some textured coatings can contain asbestos. Age or appearance alone cannot confirm whether a particular coating does.
Can I sand textured coating before skimming?
Do not sand or otherwise disturb suspect material. HSE guidance and a competent assessment should determine the safe method.
Is overboarding safer than removing textured coating?
The appropriate method depends on the material, condition, ceiling structure and work required around fittings. Ask a competent professional to specify and document the method rather than choosing from price alone.
Method and sources
The model is a planning tool, not a quotation. These are the published sources used for this page; read the full assumptions before relying on a range. Source review: 14 September 2026.
- HSE asbestos material guidance
Official textured-coating identification and work-risk context; reviewed 14 September 2026.
- Checkatrade room-skimming cost guide
June 2026 ceiling-size and overboarding observations; reviewed 14 September 2026.