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What changes the cost of replacing skirting boards?
The cost of skirting board replacement depends on how many metres are being replaced, the board material, height and profile, how hard the old boards are to remove, the state of the wall behind, and whether filling and painting are included. This guide prints no price, so compare quotes for the same rooms and the same boards.
Last reviewed:What replacing skirting boards involves
Skirting runs round the bottom of almost every wall in a house. It hides the joint between wall and floor, takes the knocks from feet and vacuum cleaners, and frames the room. Replacing it is a common carpentry job, either room by room or as part of a bigger refurbishment.
A typical replacement job has five stages:
- Removing the old boards without damaging the wall more than necessary.
- Preparing the wall, filling holes and fixing loose plaster.
- Cutting and fitting the new boards, with scribed internal corners and mitred external ones.
- Fixing with adhesive, screws, pins or nails into timber grounds.
- Finishing with filler, caulk and paint.
Not every quote covers all five. Some carpenters fit the boards and leave filling and painting to a decorator.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns. Anyone in the UK can post a job. This guide does not print a price. It explains what changes the cost of replacing skirting, the questions to ask, and how to compare quotes.
What changes the cost of skirting replacement
| What is being priced | What makes it bigger or smaller | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Metres per room, number of rooms | How the length was measured |
| Corners and openings | Internal and external corners, doorways, bays | How corners will be jointed |
| Board material | MDF, softwood, hardwood | Which material, primed or bare |
| Height and profile | Plain, ogee, torus, tall period profiles | Which profile, and whether it is a stock item |
| Removal | Nailed, glued, set into timber grounds | Whether removal and disposal are included |
| Wall repairs | Loose plaster, missing grounds, holes | What happens if the wall is worse than expected |
| Fixing method | Adhesive, screws, pins, nails into grounds | How the boards will be fixed |
| Finishing | Filling, caulking, priming, painting | Whether the price includes painting |
| VAT | Whether the business is VAT registered | Whether the total includes VAT |
A business must register for VAT when its taxable turnover goes over £90,000 [S4]. Many sole traders are below that, so ask whether each total includes VAT.
Choosing the boards
The board you choose changes the price of materials and, sometimes, the time taken to fit them.
- MDF. Smooth and stable, and often sold ready primed. It is light, which suits adhesive fixing. Raw cut ends need sealing before painting.
- Softwood. Usually pine. It can be painted, stained or varnished, and is more forgiving of knocks at the edges.
- Hardwood. Oak and similar timbers, chosen where the wood will be seen. It is heavier and harder to cut, and the joints show more.
- Moisture-resistant boards. Some MDF is sold for bathrooms and kitchens. Ask whether it suits your room.
Height and profile matter too. Tall skirting with a detailed profile takes more care at every joint. In an older house, matching an original profile may mean a joiner making boards to order, which costs more than a stock board from a merchant.
Taking the old skirting off
Removal is where quotes often differ. Old skirting may be:
- Nailed to timber grounds. Common in older houses. The boards come away more easily, but the grounds behind may be loose, rotten or missing.
- Nailed or screwed into plugs in masonry.
- Glued to plaster or plasterboard. Glued boards come off slowly and often pull plaster or plasterboard paper away with them.
Expect some damage behind the boards. Filling and making good are part of a proper job, so ask whether they are included. If the plaster is crumbling or hollow along the bottom of the wall, a plasterer may need to patch it first, which adds time and cost.
Disposal is another small cost. Ask whether the carpenter takes the old boards away.
Old paint and older houses
In older homes, skirting may carry many coats of paint. GOV.UK says multiple coats of paint in properties built before 1970 are an indication that lead paint may be present [S2]. It says exposure is only likely if the paint is deliberately removed or sanded, and that children should not be present until the dust is cleared and the area aired [S2].
That affects how the job is done:
- removing old boards whole is usually cleaner than stripping them
- dry sanding and heat stripping of old paint should be avoided
- keep children and pets out of the room while old boards come off
- ask how the fitter will clear up dust and debris
If you want to keep and restore original skirting rather than replace it, say so in your job. That is a different job with different costs.
Fitting, fixing and finishing
The fixing method depends on the wall. Adhesive suits flat plaster and plasterboard. Screws into plugs suit masonry and uneven walls. Nails into grounds suit older houses where the grounds are sound. Many carpenters combine methods.
Good finishing is what makes new skirting look right:
- Scribed internal corners that stay tight if the wall moves.
- Clean mitres on external corners.
- Filled fixings, sanded flush.
- A thin bead of caulk along the top edge.
- Primer and paint, or stain and varnish on timber.
Ask whether painting is part of the price. If it is not, you will need a decorator, or to do it yourself. Painting skirting is easier before carpets go down.
Skirting with new floors and doors
Skirting often goes in alongside other work. If you are having new floors laid, the order matters. Skirting usually goes on after the floor, so it sits neatly on top, and boards fitted before a floor may be damaged when the floor goes down. With laminate or engineered wood, the skirting may also hide the expansion gap at the edge.
If architrave round the doors is being replaced too, it often saves time to have the same carpenter do both, because the profiles can be matched and the joints at the bottom of each door frame can be cut together.
Skirting replacement in Cheshire
When you ask for quotes, list the rooms, give rough lengths if you can, say whether the old boards are still on, and add photos of the existing skirting and a corner or two. A carpenter covering Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach or the villages nearby can then judge removal, wall repairs and the number of joints.
If you live in an older house and want the new boards to match the old, say so clearly and include a close-up photo of the profile. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business on QuoteZila.
What to have ready before you ask for quotes
- the rooms involved and rough lengths, if you can measure them
- photos of the old skirting and a close-up of its profile
- the board material, height and profile you would like
- whether the old boards are already off
- whether new floors or doors are being fitted at the same time
- whether you want the carpenter to paint
- your postcode and when the work could be done
How to compare skirting replacement quotes
Check each quote for:
- The rooms and total length included.
- The board material, height and profile.
- Removal and disposal of old boards.
- Filling, wall repairs and making good.
- The fixing method.
- Caulking, priming and painting, or not.
- Whether VAT is included, and whether the price is fixed.
Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three different traders, and says to be cautious if one is a lot lower than the others [S1]. After the work, Citizens Advice says the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill to be used [S3]. If joints open up or boards come away soon after fitting, raise it with the carpenter in writing.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Replace skirting in the lounge and hall with primed MDF, and fill and caulk ready for painting." Or: "Remove old painted skirting in three bedrooms of an older house and fit new softwood boards to match the profile in the photo." Or: "New engineered wood floor going down next month. Please quote to fit new skirting after the floor is laid."
Get quotes for replacing skirting
Describe the rooms, the boards and the finish you want, with photos and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See the carpenters page, the joiners page or painters and decorators for the painting. For fixing advice, see which skirting board adhesive to use and whether you can glue skirting boards.
Official and public sources
QuoteZila is not affiliated with these organisations.
- Quotes: Citizens Advice: before you get work done on your home [S1].
- Old paint: GOV.UK: lead, information for the public [S2].
- Poor work: Citizens Advice: problem with building work or home improvements [S3].
- VAT: GOV.UK on when to register [S4].
Questions about skirting board replacement
How much does it cost to replace skirting boards?
This guide does not print a price. The number of metres, the board material and height, the number of corners and doorways, removal of old boards, wall repairs and painting all change the total. Ask each carpenter to price the same rooms and the same boards.
Is skirting priced by the metre or by the room?
Either, depending on the business. Some quote per metre fitted, others per room or as a whole job. A per-metre price may leave out corners, removal or painting, so ask what each quote includes.
Should I choose MDF or timber skirting?
MDF is stable, smooth and often sold primed, so it is easy to paint. Softwood can be stained or varnished and takes knocks differently. Hardwood is used where the wood will be seen. Ask the carpenter which suits your rooms and finish.
Could old skirting have lead paint on it?
In an older house, it might. GOV.UK says multiple coats of paint in properties built before 1970 can indicate lead paint, and that exposure is likely if the paint is sanded or removed. Ask how the fitter will handle old painted boards.
Is it worth replacing skirting at the same time as flooring?
Often, yes. Skirting usually goes on after a new floor so it can sit neatly on top, and fitting both at once avoids damaging new skirting when the floor is laid. Ask the flooring fitter and the carpenter to agree the order.
Does QuoteZila check the carpenters?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
Related guides
- Carpenters: skirting, architrave and doors
- Joiners: boards made to match old profiles
- Painters and decorators: painting new skirting
- Flooring fitters: if new floors are going down too
- All cost guides
Part of Cost guides. All services
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Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ "How does getting quotes work?".
- S1: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S2: Lead: information for the public, UK Health Security Agency (GOV.UK). Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lead-poisoning-advice-for-the-public-and-healthcare-professionals/lead-information-for-the-public
- S3: Problem with building work, decorating or home improvements, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/problem-with-home-improvements/
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat