How to choose an Artex removal contractor: questions to ask and red flags

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Artex Removal team

Short answer: Choose an Artex contractor who asks about the age of the coating, recommends an asbestos test before any sanding or scraping, explains whether skimming or removal suits your ceiling, and gives a written fixed price covering protection, preparation, plastering and waste. Avoid anyone who offers to sand Artex off, dismisses testing, or cannot explain how asbestos waste would be handled.

How to choose an Artex removal contractor: questions to ask and red flags

What a good contractor does first

A competent plasterer or Artex specialist will want to know when the house was built or last decorated, look at the pattern and condition of the coating, and ask whether it has been tested. If the coating may pre-date 2000 and has not been tested, they should suggest a sample before quoting a method. That is not upselling; it is the step that decides how the job can safely be done.

They should also tell you plainly which option they think suits your ceiling and why. For most rooms that will be a skim over, but a contractor who has looked properly may point out loose boards, deep patterns or old lath and plaster that change the recommendation. Someone who quotes the same method for every ceiling without looking is not assessing the job.

Questions to ask

Do you recommend an asbestos test, and how will the result change the method?
Will you skim over the coating or remove it, and why?
How will you deal with deep swirls or peaks without disturbing the coating?
What bonding or sealing product do you use before plastering?
How many coats of plaster will you apply?
How will you protect floors, furniture and the rest of the house?
How long will each room take, and how long to dry?
If removal is needed, how will waste be bagged and disposed of?
Do you hold public liability insurance?

Red flags

Offers to sand the Artex off with a power sander
Says asbestos testing is unnecessary for a pre-2000 coating
Plans to scrape or drill before the test result is back
Cannot explain the difference between skimming and removal
Suggests putting removed coating in a household bin or general skip
Quotes without seeing photos or the room
No written quote or vague wording about what is included

Sanding is the clearest warning sign. It is the method most likely to release asbestos fibres, and even with a negative result it fills the house with fine dust.

Comparing quotes

What to check	Why it matters
Testing included or separate	Avoids a surprise cost once work is booked
Skim or removal	The two methods differ widely in price and time
Preparation described	Deep patterns need more work, and cheap quotes often skip it
Repairs and cracks	Loose boards should be fixed before skimming
Light fittings	Someone needs to isolate and refit them safely
Protection and clean-up	Sheeting and daily cleaning should be included
Waste disposal	Especially important if asbestos is present

A higher quote that names each of these is often better value than a cheap one that does not.

Check the finish you are buying

Ask what finish to expect. A good skim should be flat when you look along it with a light shining across the ceiling, with no ridges, trowel marks or visible pattern showing through. Ask how the contractor deals with the junction between ceiling and walls, and whether coving will be removed, kept or replaced. Agreeing this in advance avoids disappointment when the plaster dries.

Who to call for what

For most jobs, an experienced plasterer who understands textured coatings can test, skim and finish. If a coating is positive and must be removed at scale, the work may be notifiable non-licensed work, so ask whether the operatives are trained in asbestos work and under medical surveillance. For anything beyond textured coatings, such as asbestos insulating board, you need a licensed asbestos contractor.

Planning the job around other trades

Artex work often sits in the middle of a bigger project, and getting the order right avoids paying for the same ceiling twice. A good contractor will ask what else is happening in the room and fit the plastering around it.

Electrical work first: new cables, downlight positions and smoke alarm wiring should be done before the ceiling is skimmed
Any drilling into an untested coating should wait until the sample result is back
Loft insulation or boarding above the ceiling is best done before, as foot traffic in the loft can crack new plaster
Coving goes up once the ceiling is skimmed and dry
Decorating comes last, after a full drying period and a mist coat
Flooring is ideally fitted after plastering, or fully protected if it is already down

If several trades are involved, ask the plasterer how much notice they need and how long they need the room to themselves. A clear timeline agreed at the quote stage stops the electrician cutting holes in a freshly finished ceiling.