Wood Trim Costs

All homes have both interior and exterior trim, or moldings. However, not all are fitted with moldings at the time they are first built, and many properties will have moldings removed during renovations or as part of redecorating over the years. And though trends change, wood trim seems to be a perennial favorite and a great way to give a room a particularly finished and clean look.

Some wood trim installations are very ornate and therefore very pricey, and it is often slow rates that are applied to the work, though basic wood trim can be priced at medium or even fast rates depending on the simplicity of the project. As someone considering a wood trim project, it pays to understand how your carpenter or contractor views and evaluates the work.

Wood trim installation: 500 linear feet of interior trim in a 1,500 sq.ft. house.

Wood trim installation: 500 linear feet of exterior trim in a 1,500 sq.ft. house.

Other considerations and costs

• Older homes or buildings may have walls that are not even, level or flush. This can make it very difficult for a professional carpenter or finishing expert to get the joints and tighter fits desired. They may have to adjust cuts to the walls. Wood trim is still possible but may cost a great deal more due to specialized labor
• Moldings include crown molding at the top of the wall, chair rail in the middle section, and baseboard. Because baseboard is a very common wood trim installation on almost all homes, it is less expensive than upper level and exterior wood trim. It can cost less than a dollar per linear foot and take less time because the cuts are quite simple and basic
• Framing around doors and windows is another type of molding, usually called casing, and there is also the picture rail style. These are different than basic wood trim and come in at different price points. Casings range no more than $1.20 per linear foot, while picture rail averages around $2 per linear foot without installation.

DIY considerations

• While it is entirely possible to tackle wood trim installation as a DIY project, it is not for an inexperienced person. It takes special tools and skills, and it is a very specific type of work, often coming down to a fraction of an inch and even shaving wood trim to fit it properly. It is best to contact a carpenter or contractor with trim as a noted offering.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2019.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY Web sites.