Artex ceiling (cover or remove) cost UK 2026
The going rate for artex ceiling (cover or remove) in 2026 is skim over: £15–£32/m² · overboard & skim: £25–£40/m² · remove & re-skim: £30–£50/m² (total, ex VAT). Below: a calculator, what the job involves, materials at three price levels, and the prep that changes the price.
Artex ceiling (cover or remove) calculator
Market bands
| Option | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|
| skim over | £15–£32/m² | Checkatrade |
| overboard & skim | £25–£40/m² | Trade2Base |
| remove & re-skim | £30–£50/m² | Trade2Base |
What the job involves
| Stage | Task | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| prep | Protect floors, sheet and mask | 0.75 h |
| prep | Knock off artex peaks, seal with PVA/grit primer | 0.1 h per m² |
| skim | Skim ceiling, two coats | 0.35 h per m² |
| skim | Clean tools, bag waste, clear the room | 0.75 h |
Materials at three price levels
| Material | Budget | Trade | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finishing plaster (25kg) 25kg bag | £9 Own-brand finishing plaster — Fine for sound walls; shorter working time | £9 Thistle Multi-Finish 25kg — Wickes £11.25 inc VAT; 10 m² at 2 mm, sets in about 1.5 h | £12 Thistle Durafinish 25kg — Harder, more knock-resistant: halls, stairs, rentals |
| PVA / bonding primer (5L) 5L | £7 Trade PVA 5L — T2B: 5 L covers 10–20 m² diluted | £9 Everbuild 501 PVA 5L — Controls suction so the skim does not flash off | £14 Thistle Bond-It 10L grit primer — Grip on painted, glossy or artexed surfaces |
| Dust sheets, polythene and masking job | £6 Polythene and tape — Checkatrade: quotes include area protection | £10 Dust sheets, poly and floor protector — Protects floors and furniture | £18 Self-adhesive floor film + zip door — Lived-in homes |
Trade prices ex VAT, estimates checked 2026-09-27. Log your receipts in Grafto and your own prices replace these.
What changes the price
- How to deal with the artex? skim over · overboard & skim · remove & re-skim big effect
- Property built? 2000 or later · before 2000 · unknown
- Room empty? empty · furnished
Good practice
- Overboarding lowers the ceiling 9.5–12.5 mm
Prep to look for
| Condition | Check | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Sagging or cracked ceiling | Does the ceiling move when pushed or sag in the middle? | Take down and overboard the loose area £200–£600. Loose ceiling: take down or overboard; skim alone will not hold it |
Questions
How much does artex ceiling (cover or remove) cost in the UK in 2026?
The researched market band is skim over: £15–£32/m² · overboard & skim: £25–£40/m² · remove & re-skim: £30–£50/m² (total, ex VAT), from Checkatrade. A worked example of 12 m² comes to about £301–£338 across budget, trade and premium materials.
How long does artex ceiling (cover or remove) take?
The worked example of 12 m² takes about 1 working days.
What changes the price of artex ceiling (cover or remove)?
Mainly how to deal with the artex, plus any prep found on site: sagging or cracked ceiling.