The"Gotelé" is Spain's version of Artex
In the UK, textured coating on walls and ceilings is commonly known as Artex, after the brand that popularised it. In Spain, the equivalent finish is called "gotelé" — a stippled or bumpy texture applied over plaster, very common in properties built from the 1970s through the early 2000s, especially along the Costa Blanca.
The reasons British buyers want it removed are usually the same reasons it fell out of fashion back home: it's harder to clean than a smooth wall, it collects dust in its texture, it dates the property visually, and it doesn't suit the more contemporary interior style most buyers want to achieve when renovating a Spanish home.
How gotelé removal actually works
There are two main approaches, and which one applies depends on the condition of the wall underneath. The first is stripping the texture back completely to the original plaster and applying several thin coats of smoothing paste until the surface is perfectly flat — this is the more thorough option, and the right choice if you're planning to hang wallpaper or want the smoothest possible finish.
The second is skimming over the existing texture with smoothing paste without removing it first — faster and less messy, and a good option when the gotelé isn't heavily damaged. Both methods generate dust, so the rest of the property is protected with sealed sheeting at doors and vents before work starts.
What to check before you commit
Ask whoever is doing the work which method they recommend for your specific walls, and why — a good contractor will tell you honestly which approach suits the condition of your property rather than defaulting to whichever is quicker for them. See our gotelé removal and wall smoothing service for the full detail of how we approach it.
Once the wall is smooth, it needs painting or wallpapering to finish — this is usually quoted together with the smoothing work for a consistent result, though it can be priced separately if you already know what finish you want.
Getting a quote
For an indicative price range before committing, try our online estimator — upload a few photos and answer some quick questions, and you'll have a ballpark figure in under a minute, no obligation.