Leaks from above
A leaking pipe, shower or appliance in the room or flat above soaks the ceiling, leaving staining, blown paint and softened plaster.
- Home
- Services
- Water damage repairs
- Ceiling damage repairs
Ceiling Damage Repairs in Edinburgh
A ceiling is often where hidden damage shows first: a brown stain spreading from a leak upstairs, a bulge in the plaster or a section that has come down altogether. We assess what can be saved, what has to be replaced and how the finished ceiling will match the rest of the room.
01 / Damage & causes
What damages a ceiling
Most ceiling damage comes from above. Water is the usual culprit, but heat, smoke and the odd heavy knock all leave their own marks.
Sagging and collapse
Plaster that has absorbed a lot of water becomes heavy and can bow or fall. Keep clear of a sagging ceiling until it has been checked.
Roof leaks
Slipped slates or damaged flashings let rain into the roof space and onto top-floor ceilings, sometimes for weeks before it is noticed.
Fire, heat and smoke
Heat can crack and loosen plaster, and smoke leaves staining that soaks into the surface rather than sitting on it.
02 / The repair
Repairing or replacing a ceiling
Small areas of staining or cracking can usually be cut out, made good and redecorated. Where plaster has lost its grip on the laths, or plasterboard has softened and sagged, the damaged section is taken down and replaced. Sometimes renewing the whole ceiling is the more sensible option, so the finish is consistent across the room.
Many Edinburgh tenements and older villas still have lath and plaster ceilings, some with decorative cornicing. A repair needs to sit flush with the original, so we record the existing ceiling at survey and allow for the right method in the scope instead of a quick patch.
03 / Your claim
Ceilings and your claim
Ceiling repairs start once the source of the leak has been fixed and the ceiling has dried out. Insurers usually want to see the damage before it is removed, so photograph it and keep any fallen material until the claim has been reported.
We photograph the damage and set out the repair, including making good and redecoration, in an itemised quote for consideration by your insurer. If the damage started with a leak, our water damage repairs page explains the wider process.
Damaged ceiling in Edinburgh?
Report the damage to your insurer, then request a survey. We'll photograph the ceiling and prepare a clear repair scope for your insurer to consider.