Repairing Old Ceilings

Period home hallway with plaster moulding and cornices
(Image credit: getty images)

If you wrote a book entitled ‘Crimes Against Property’, the chapter on ceilings would contain some pretty grizzly horrors. Top of this list is thick, textured ‘artex’. There is something profoundly off-putting about forests of drips frozen in time, dangling above your head.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, textured coatings often contain small amounts of asbestos fibres. Fortunately this is not considered a hazard as long as you do not drill, sand or damage such coverings and inhale the fibres.

Ian Rock

Chartered surveyor Ian Rock MRICS is a director is Rightsurvey.co.uk and the author of eight popular Haynes House Manuals, including the Home Extension Manual, the Self Build Manual and Period Property Manual.


Ian is also the founder of Zennor Consultants. In addition to providing house surveys, Zennor Consultants provide professional guidance on property refurbishment and maintenance as well as advising on the design and construction of home extensions and loft conversions, including planning and Building Regulations compliance.


Ian has recently added a 100m2 extension to his home; he designed and project managed the build and completed much of the interior fit-out on a DIY basis.