Asbestos and Artex: what a bathroom survey should do if it finds them
A lot of East Lancashire bathrooms still have a textured ceiling from the years when Artex was fashionable. Some of those coatings contain asbestos. So can old bath panels, floor tiles and heating boards. The risk comes from disturbing them, not from them sitting there painted.
What we will not do
We will not rake, sand or drill a suspect material to “see what it is”. We will not let a new downlight layout be the thing that releases fibres into the house. If it needs sampling, that is a licensed asbestos surveyor’s job.
What happens next
If a survey says the coating can stay encapsulated, we work with that. If it says remove, a licensed contractor does that part before our finish goes on. The price and the date move to match reality. That is better than a fine and a contaminated house.
Say it on the survey
If you already know the ceiling has been tested, bring the report. If you do not, tell us the ceiling is original. We would rather plan a week than discover it with a hole cutter.
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Quick answers
Does all Artex contain asbestos?+
No. Some does, particularly older coatings. You cannot tell by looking. If the ceiling is old and textured, assume it needs checking before it is sanded, scraped or drilled.
Will you just plaster over it?+
We will not sand or scrape a suspect coating. Leaving it undisturbed and skimmed can sometimes be appropriate, and sometimes it has to be removed by a licensed contractor. That decision follows a proper survey, not a hunch.
Does that stop the bathroom project?+
It pauses the ceiling. The rest of the design can continue. Removal, if it is required, is a specialist cost and should be known before we pretend the start date is fixed.
ProActive BathroomsTalk through your options on a free survey.