Asbestos in artex. Any suggestions?

marktruman

marktruman

marktruman

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Hi all

I have had my ceiling tested for asbestos and came back positive. I want to renovate the bedroom. So 4 walls and the ceiling need to be replastered. Quoted around 1k and 3 days work off one guy. Spoke to an abestos removal company who were so expensive

One guy said he would skim over the artex but won't that require him to scrape off the high points? I won't be able to install a downlight this way as it involves cutting into ceiling.

One guy said he would overboard it which would be a logical option. None of them mentioned xtex or steaming it

Any suggestions on how I should proceed?
 
Now you've got it confirmed you'll need to declare if you sell. Best to replace the whole ceiling imo.
 
I went the xtex route for a 7mx4m room, and the 3x2 en-suite. It was one of the worst jobs of my renovation, wearing full overalls, respirator and goggles. My neck was killing me looking up scraping it off, sweating like a fat boy at a cannibal convention, struggling to breath, goggles fogging up that I could barely see, about an inch or more of gunk stuck to the soles of my boots.

For the en-suite I used xtex again, but this time pulled the plasterboard down and bagged it, wasn't going to scrape it this time.

If I had the money I'd have had someone else do it.
 
Overboard potentially.

At least you tested yours, I tore mine down without doing so... had popcorn ceiling (less likely I think).
 
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I'm pretty terrified off asbestos so i wouldn't want to do it myself, but as someone else said you'd need to declare it if you ever sell as i know that'd be a red flag for me buying a house as you'd have to factor in the removal costs.

I'd stump up the grand and get someone else to get rid.
 
Just skim it - it’s exceptionally common and won’t hurt anyone unless they start messing with it - just declare it when you sell- otherwise have it removed.

wont be cheap if you do have it removed I’m afraid - that’s why most people just encapsulate and move on
 
fastwunz said:
Just skim it - it’s exceptionally common and won’t hurt anyone unless they start messing with it - just declare it when you sell- otherwise have it removed.

wont be cheap if you do have it removed I’m afraid - that’s why most people just encapsulate and move on
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is there any danger of the skim falling off? The skims attached to the artex right? The corners of my artex can be easily removed. It felt like plastic when I removed the sample.
 
Do your own research but my understanding is that asbestos in artex is a low risk form of asbestos, as it has been "mixed" into the artex so doesn't generate any fibres unless disturbed, e.g. by drilling or sanding. Artex can therefore be safely left in place if not disturbed; therefore probably best to leave it in place, and this will be a common occurrence in many houses.

A specialist asbestos removal firm would be required for asbestos that is generating fibres, e.g. a flaky old garage roof. Artex can be safely left.
 
It can indeed fall right off if they don't prep the artex right but generally skimming artex is a pretty common job for plasterers.
marktruman said:
is there any danger of the skim falling off? The skims attached to the artex right? The corners of my artex can be easily removed. It felt like plastic when I removed the sample.
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You can get it green-gritted and skimmed, or overboard. You will need to think long-term about access in the void above should you need to rewire/fit spotlights etc., the next guy might drill and pull a load of cables etc. through not knowing theres asbestos sandwiched up there.

If it was me I would pay to get the ceiling removed by a specialist company and air monitored, but I work in construction and have the fear of God put into us about Asbestos regularly...!
 
Oveboard and skim. Remember if you overboard it you're only using 9mm plasterboard sheets so that's all you're losing in ceiling height. If you overboard it can be sure you have sufficient ties to the ceiling joists too.

Only risk is if you hit pipes /wires whilst tying it in, but that's less likely, than say drilling floorboards
 
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I don't think it will affect resale OP, after all how many 1970s and earlier houses have had entire ceiling replaced? Definitely sub 1%.
I also don't think you have to declare anything.
Personally I'd just get it skimmed and painted, get your downlights fitted & forget about it.
 
Artex is DIY-able as I don't believe it's notifiable work (might be conflating 2 separate policies there...).

Firstly check if your local dump takes asbestos - if they do it will need double bagging in special plastic.

I'd take the boards down and replace assuming it's just that room. If the whole house is artexed then whatever you do in this room won't impact future risk, resale, etc in terms of ownership TBH.
 
Artex is horrible. No idea how that even became the in thing back in the day. It’s just absolutely horrible.

Anyway, I had it in my house got it tested and thankfully there wasn’t any of that **** in it. So I just got it plastered over and then stuck the spot lights, a/c grills and speakers in.

Don’t board over it, as further down the line if you need to do anything it’s a disaster.

If I had to get it removed, I’d just bite the bullet and get someone into physically remove the lot and start afresh with new plasterboard. You could easily do the plasterboard yourself but a collated gun is an absolute must and use small sheets so the 1.2 x 2.4 above your head. Nightmare.

Then get someone in to plaster it, be absolutely beautiful. Don’t attempted to do a ceiling yourself with plaster - it’s just going to be a monumental waste of time.

Sod scrapping it or getting someone in to scrape it horrendous never ending work.
 
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Never ask anybody if a tree has a preservation order. Nor ask a professional body if there is asbestos in a correctly named and addressed sample!

Trees get chopped over Bank Holidays, when the council are even less approachable than normal, cut up, carted off site and de-stumped citing "dangerously rotten".

Asbestos removal is cash in hand by Cavalier and untraceable "tradesmen" in plain Transit pickups ;)
 
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