Greater London · England
Artex Removal in Forest Gate
Artex removal for Forest Gate: textured coating testing and removal. Tell us what you’ve found and we’ll explain your options.
- Coatings already disturbed
- Ceilings before downlights go in
- Structural work through coated ceilings
Artex removal near Forest Gate
Artex removal for Forest Gate properties
HSE’s code of practice says work on textured coatings will not normally be licensable. Bigger jobs using steam or gel must be notified before they start. Whether it’s walls before tiling and coatings already disturbed, we deal with Artex ceilings, swirl patterns and coated ceiling roses and more.
Textured ceilings are a common find in renovations in areas like Forest Gate, often painted over many times. If you’re unsure what you need, ask: we’ll recommend a test, a survey or removal, whichever fits.
- Area
- Forest Gate (E7, E15, E11)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Service
- Artex tested, then removed with wet methods
- Afterwards
- Test result and waste paperwork
- Quotes
- A written quote before work starts
- Call
- 07833 053 749
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Can I do it myself?
HSE’s advice to the public is not to try to repair or remove asbestos yourself. Higher-risk materials such as lagging, sprayed coatings and most insulating board must only be dealt with by an HSE-licensed contractor.
A professional job comes with paperwork: a record that buyers, insurers and builders may want to see.
Step by step
Our team wears protective equipment, and keep the room closed while we work. It helps if we can park nearby.
- Describe the coatings and rooms
- We sample each coating
- We plan the removal and send a quote
- We seal off the room and remove the coating wet
- The room is cleaned and you get the paperwork
Preparing for the visit
- Ensure pets and children are elsewhere
- Let neighbours know if the work is near them
- Mention any damage before we arrive
Get a quote
Photos and a postcode help us quote quickly: just ring 07833 053 749, or send the details through our contact page.
Read more
What we deal with in Forest Gate
Many electricians and plasterers ask for a test result before working on textured ceilings.
Get advice if you are dealing with any of these:
- Textured walls before a refit
- Coatings already disturbed
- Ceilings due for rewiring or new downlights
- Ceilings before plastering
Non-domestic buildings like Woodgrange Infant School should already have records of any textured coatings, before decorators start.
Before you book anyone
- What exactly is included: the areas, materials or samples
- Whether VAT is included
- Insurance appropriate to asbestos work
- Which laboratory analyses samples
Which option is right?
Test, leave, cover or remove? Intact coatings with no work planned can often stay; if you want smooth ceilings or need to cut into it, removal is typically better. Identifying asbestos early is cheaper than stopping work later, when the whole project can be held up.
Why people choose us
- Paperwork you can show your buyer, landlord or builder
- Clear written quotes
- Legal disposal, with paperwork
- Honest advice, even when the answer is to leave it
See how we price jobs and our cost guide.
Forest Gate questions
Do textured ceilings in Forest Gate homes contain asbestos?
Some may, but many coatings don’t contain asbestos. Testing a sample is the only way to know.
Do you work near Wanstead Park station?
Yes, we cover Forest Gate, including the streets around Wanstead Park station.
What does licensed work mean?
Licensed work is work on the materials most likely to release fibres: pipe lagging, sprayed coatings and most insulating board. It needs a contractor with an HSE licence.
Do you need a licence to remove Artex?
Normally not: HSE treats textured coating work as normally non-licensed, though large steam or gel jobs are notifiable.
Can I put asbestos in a skip?
No. Asbestos is hazardous waste and must go to a site that accepts it. We take it to a permitted site with paperwork.
Do you cover Forest Gate?
Yes, we do: Forest Gate is within the area we cover in Greater London. Share the postcode and a short description and we’ll quote.
What if the weather’s bad?
It depends on the job: indoor jobs aren’t affected, but outdoor removal may be rescheduled for safety.
Is my textured ceiling in Forest Gate asbestos?
Not every coating does: many coatings are asbestos-free. Testing a sample is how you find out.
Looking after things afterwards
The surface is left ready for making good.
Once we’re done:
- Empty the rooms in advance
- Line up the plasterer for afterwards
- Send photos of the coatings
- Keep the results and paperwork
Things not to do
Don’t use a steamer or chemical stripper on an untested coating.
Never sand or dry-scrape Artex before testing.
Good to know
To be clear about the scope:
- We test before removal, since a negative result changes everything
- Plastering and making good are generally separate jobs
- Big jobs need notifying in advance, so allow time
Not sure what you need? Send us photos and we will tell you honestly before booking.
Materials we see
- Textured walls
- Swirl and stipple patterns
- Coated plasterboard
- Patched or painted coatings
- Ceiling roses and cornices (coated)
- Artex ceilings
Materials we deal with
Artex ceilings
Swirl, stipple and other patterns on ceilings are the most common textured coatings.
Painted coatings
Paint often hides the coating, but the coating underneath is the same.
Towns and villages near Forest Gate
Other services in Forest Gate
Forest Gate properties and textured coatings
Forest Gate is about 6 miles north-east of London, in Greater London. Anywhere in Forest Gate, just send the postcode, and we will quote. We work in all 764 towns and villages in Greater London. Our area stretches from Forest Gate to London (about 6 miles away).
If you’re refurbishing a rental near Wanstead Park station, a void period is a good time to deal with textured ceilings. In older homes in Forest Gate, textured ceilings were often added in later decades.
We carry out Artex jobs all over E7, E15 and E11 and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Elm Road, Ash Road and Cary Road or anywhere nearby, we can help. With the A114 and A116 close by, Forest Gate is easy for us to reach. Neighbouring places we cover include Upton (1 mile south), Aldersbrook (1 mile north), Holloway Down (1 mile west), Plashet (1 mile south-east) and Little Ilford (1 mile east). We also cover nearby towns such as London (6 miles south-west), City of Westminster (8 miles west), Marylebone (8 miles west), Kensington (10 miles west), St Pancras (6 miles west) and Shoreditch (5 miles west).
As a London location, Forest Gate is inside the ULEZ, and parking and loading need planning: let us know about parking and access when you get in touch.
Nearby you will also find Cann Hall (0.8 miles north-west) and Passmore Edwards Museum (0.9 miles south-west). Open spaces near Forest Gate include Hollow Pond and Old Ford Island.
- Schools near Forest Gate include Forest Gate Community School (within half a mile west) and Tyndale Academy (0.6 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Hudson Bay pub (less than half a mile south)
What it costs
What changes the cost:
- How much waste there is
- Licensed or non-licensed
- Parking and access charges
- How many samples are needed
Very low prices can mean corners are being cut: proper controls, lab analysis and legal waste disposal cost money.
Helping us quote
When you send photos, these help most:
- Visible markings
- Where we could park
- How we’d reach it
- A closer photo of the material, without touching it
Tell us about the material, its location and your plans. Ring 07833 053 749, or send the details through our contact page.
- Nothing removed blind: unknown materials are tested first
- Work planned to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE guidance
- Everything in writing: quotes, reports, results and waste notes
- Legal disposal at a permitted site, with a consignment note