Leak from upstairs, an overflowing bath or a roof that's let the wet in? We repair and replaces water-damaged ceilings across Exeter and Devon, cut out, re-boarded and skimmed back to smooth.
A water-stained, bulging ceiling only gets worse if it's left, and a sagging one can eventually come down.
Whether it's a burst pipe, an overflowing bath, a leaking shower tray or a slipped roof tile, once water gets into plasterboard it stains, blows and starts to sag. Painting over it never works, the damage is in the board, not on the surface. We cut out the affected area, re-boards it, and skims it back to a smooth, paint-ready finish that matches the rest of the ceiling. One bit of advice up front: get the leak itself fixed first. There's no point making good a ceiling while water's still coming through, sort the source, then we make it disappear.
Done properly, not painted over.
We check how far the damage has spread and make sure it's safe, wet plaster near light fittings needs care.
The stained, blown plasterboard is cut back to sound, dry material. No guessing, no shortcuts.
Fresh plasterboard fitted flush, ready to take a skim that sits level with the existing ceiling.
Skimmed to a flat, seamless finish that blends in. You won't see where the repair was.
Left clean and ready for a coat of paint, so the whole ceiling looks like new again.
An ongoing leak or something structural is a different job, and we won't just cover it up and leave you to find out later.
Wherever you are in the area, we can take a look.
Straight answers, no waffle.
Rarely. Water stains bleed straight back through ordinary emulsion, and if the plaster has been saturated it will have lost its strength. A light stain on sound plaster can be sealed with a stain-block primer, but a sagging, cracked or crumbling ceiling needs the damaged section taking out and re-boarding.
If it is stained but firm, it is usually a repair. If it is sagging, bulging, cracked around the edges or feels soft when pressed, the board has lost its integrity and that section needs cutting out and replacing. We can tell you which within a few minutes of looking at it.
Yes, always. There is no point replacing a ceiling under an active leak. Get the leak stopped, let things dry out, then we come in and make good.
A patch repair is usually a day. A full ceiling, strip, re-board and skim, is typically one to two days for an average room, plus drying time before you can paint.
It comes down to one question: has the board survived?
Stained but firm is usually a stain-block and a skim. Sagging, cracked at the edges or soft to the touch means that section has to come out. No amount of paint will hold it up.
There's no point replacing a ceiling under an active leak. Get it stopped, let it dry, then call us.
A patch section is far quicker than a full ceiling strip and re-board.
Standard height is straightforward. Stairwells, high ceilings and vaulted spaces need towers and take longer.
If the damaged ceiling is artexed and the property is pre-2000, it needs an asbestos check before anything is disturbed.
If you're claiming, we're happy to provide a written quote in the format your insurer needs.
Send us a photo of the ceiling and we'll tell you whether it's a repair or a replacement, usually within the hour.
Send a quick WhatsApp with a photo of the ceiling and we'll get you a free quote. No call-out charge, no hard sell.