Reading · England
Artex Removal for Play Hatch
Artex removal across Play Hatch, for houses, flats and commercial buildings. Every job is quoted in writing.
- Ceilings due to be knocked through or removed
- Ceilings due for rewiring or new downlights
- Flaking textured ceilings
Artex removal in Play Hatch
What it might be made of
Textured walls
Walls can have textured coatings too.
Artex ceilings
We test each different coating.
Artex removal for Play Hatch properties
According to HSE, textured coating work is normally non-licensed. Bigger jobs using steam or gel must be notified before they start. Typical jobs include ceilings before skimming and rented homes refurbished between tenants, involving swirl patterns, coated plasterboard and Artex ceilings.
In a village like Play Hatch, textured coatings turn up in cottages and later homes alike, often added during past renovations. Everything is explained in plain English, including when it’s better to leave a material in place.
- Where
- Play Hatch (RG4)
- Region
- Reading
- Service
- Artex tested, then removed with wet methods
- You receive
- Result and waste note
- Quote
- A written quote before work starts
- Phone
- 07833 053 749
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Towns and villages near Play Hatch
What else we do in Play Hatch
Textured ceilings in Play Hatch
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. Homes, landlords and businesses in Play Hatch contact us for Artex jobs about all kinds of jobs. Play Hatch is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading where we work.
A school like St Martin's Catholic Primary School should know from its asbestos register whether coatings have been tested. If you’re refurbishing a rental near Reading station, coatings can be tested while the flat is empty.
We carry out Artex jobs all over the RG4 postcode area and the streets around it. Whether your property is on Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane or a nearby road, we can help. Nearby, we also cover Dunsden Green (1 mile north), Caversham Park Village (1 mile west), Littlestead Green (1 mile north-west), Emmer Green (1 mile west) and Sonning (1 mile south-east). We also cover nearby towns such as Norcot (4 miles west), West Reading (3 miles south-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south) and Horncastle (5 miles south-west).
A little further out are The Oracle (2.4 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). Open spaces near Play Hatch include Alder Moors and South Lake.
- Nearby schools include Reading Blue Coat School (1 mile south-east) and Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre (1.8 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Shoulder of Mutton pub (under half a mile south-west)
How we price Artex removal
Our quotes take into account:
- The type of material and its condition
- Parking and access charges
- The category of work
- How easy it is to reach
Every quote says whether VAT is included.
Photos that help
When you send photos, these help most:
- A closer photo of the material, without touching it
- The access route
- A wide shot showing where the material is
- Damaged areas
Include any existing survey or test when you fill in the enquiry form or give us a call on 07833 053 749.
Typical Artex jobs in Play Hatch
Textured coatings continued to be made after asbestos was taken out of them, so testing is the only way to know.
If any of these sound familiar, it’s worth getting advice:
- Flaking textured ceilings
- Textured walls before a refit
- Loft conversions and extensions
- Rented flats before redecoration
Older homes across Play Hatch may have coatings added during past renovations.
Questions to ask before you book
- That licensed work will be done by an HSE-licensed contractor
- The documents you’ll receive
- Waste disposal and the consignment note
- What exactly is included: the areas, materials or samples
Can I do it myself?
A professional job comes with paperwork: a record that buyers, insurers and builders may want to see.
HSE’s advice to the public is not to try to repair or remove asbestos yourself. Licensed materials are strictly for licensed contractors.
What happens
We soften the coating and take it off by hand, never sanded or scraped dry. On the day, we check the area and talk you through the plan first.
- Get in touch with photos
- We arrange testing
- We talk through the options
- We carry out the removal
- We dispose of the waste legally
Preparing for the visit
- Tell neighbours if the work is close to their property
- Do not disturb the material before we get there
- Let us know if something’s broken
How to get a quote
For an accurate quote, tell us what you’ve found, where it is and what you are planning. Then send photos through our quote form, or phone 07833 053 749.
Helpful guides
Duty holders and landlords in Play Hatch
If you manage or own a block in Play Hatch, the register for shared areas needs keeping current and sharing with trades, and condition checked regularly.
Schools, halls and community buildings are non-domestic premises, so whoever runs them has a duty to manage asbestos.
FAQs for Play Hatch
Do you cover Play Hatch and the area around Reading station?
Yes. Reading station is about 2.2 miles south-west of Play Hatch, and we cover both.
Do older homes in Play Hatch have asbestos?
Homes built or refitted before 2000 can. A sample test is the only reliable answer. Look at garage roofs, textured ceilings, old floor tiles, soffits and flues.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone has to let us into all the areas in the job, and it helps if you are around to answer questions.
Is it OK to scrape off Artex?
Not until it’s been tested. Sanding or dry scraping an asbestos coating releases fibres.
How do I know if my property contains asbestos?
Looking won’t tell you. Laboratory analysis of a sample gives the answer, especially in buildings from before 2000.
Is it better to remove the coating or the ceiling?
Both work; it depends on the room. We will advise for each room.
Is my textured ceiling in Play Hatch asbestos?
Not necessarily: many textured coatings don’t contain asbestos. The only way to know is to test a sample.
My builder has found asbestos. What now?
The builder should stop and close off the area. We can test the material and, if needed, plan its removal.
Afterwards
Covered coatings should be recorded.
A few practical points:
- Keep pets away
- Plan where you’ll stay or work while rooms are closed off
- Photos help us quote
- File the test result and waste note
Things not to do
If a coating has been damaged by a leak, keep people away from fallen pieces and ask for advice.
Do not try DIY removal products on untested coatings.
Good to know
We’re upfront about what’s included:
- Untested coatings are tested first, since a negative result changes everything
- Big jobs need notifying in advance, which affects the start date
- Plastering and making good are generally separate jobs
If in doubt, ask: we will recommend a test, a survey or removal before booking.
Common materials
- Artex ceilings
- Ceiling roses and cornices (coated)
- Swirl and stipple patterns
- Textured walls
- Coated plasterboard
- Patched or painted coatings
- Identify it first: we test or survey before planning removal
- Done to the regulations: HSE guidance and CAR 2012
- Written paperwork: reports, results and waste consignment notes
- Waste sealed and labelled, then taken to a permitted site