Written by Micky Down, Micky's Property Services ·
Why the cost varies
A plain rectangular bedroom with four corners and one door is a simple run. A hallway with several doorways, a staircase string, radiator pipes and a chimney breast has far more cuts and joints for the same amount of board. The time goes into fitting, not just fixing lengths to a wall.
Because of that, a figure without seeing the room would be little more than a guess. Here is what actually changes the job.
Measuring the room
Skirting is measured in linear metres around the room, leaving out doorways. Count the internal and external corners too, because each one is a joint that has to be cut and fitted. Note any radiator pipes that come up through the floor near the wall, boxed-in pipework or alcoves, since the board has to be notched or shaped around them.
Doorways matter because the skirting has to finish neatly against the architrave. If the architrave is also being replaced, the two are fitted together so the heights and profiles meet properly.
Board profile and material
Taller boards and more detailed profiles take longer to fit than a simple rounded edge. MDF skirting is stable, smooth and usually comes ready-primed, so it is quicker to paint. Timber skirting is tougher against knocks and suits a natural or stained finish, but it can move more with the seasons and needs knots sealing before painting.
In older homes the existing profile may no longer be made. A close match can often be found, or a few stock mouldings combined to get near it, but a true copy can be more involved, so it is worth raising early.
Removing the old skirting
Old skirting is prised off carefully so it brings as little plaster with it as possible. Even so, the wall behind is often uneven or patched, and in older houses the plaster may stop short of the floor. Some making good is normal, filling gaps and fixing loose areas so the new boards have something solid to sit against.
Uneven floors, walls and corners
Few rooms are perfectly level. Where the floor dips or rises, the bottom of the board is scribed so it follows the floor without leaving a gap. Walls that bow mean the board is fixed in more places to pull it in. External corners are mitred, and internal corners are usually scribed so the joint stays tight if the timber shrinks. Ends that stop against a door frame or a fireplace get a neat return rather than a cut end showing.
Architrave and painting
Matching architrave around the doors finishes the room off, and it makes sense to do both together. Once fitted, the boards are filled, caulked along the top edge and painted. Because painting and decorating is one of our main trades, this can be part of the same job. See our interior painting page for how woodwork is prepared and finished.
Combining jobs in one visit
New skirting often goes in after new flooring or before a room is decorated, so it is worth listing the other jobs too. Doors, shelving and small repairs can often be dealt with in the same visit, which saves arranging separate trades. Our skirting and architrave page covers the fitting in more detail, and the wider carpentry page lists the other jobs we take on. Contact us or call 07735 852901 for a free quote.