Fit Skirting Boards: Trade vs DIY
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Fit Skirting Boards: Trade vs DIY
Find out whether fitting skirting boards is worth doing yourself or hiring a joiner.
Fitting skirting boards is a realistic DIY project for most homeowners. It requires a mitre saw, coping saw, and adhesive or nails. A professional joiner will produce cleaner corner joints and finish faster, but the task carries no legal requirement to use a tradesman.
The DIY Option
Fitting skirting boards sits at an intermediate DIY skill level. A complete beginner will find internal corners tricky, but anyone comfortable using a mitre saw and working accurately with a tape measure can achieve a tidy result. Allow a full day for an average-sized room (roughly 12–15 linear metres), plus drying time for filler and caulk. You’ll need a mitre saw or mitre box and tenon saw, a coping saw for internal corners, a nail gun or hammer and lost-head nails (or grab adhesive for dot-and-dab walls), a pencil, tape measure, spirit level, and decorator’s caulk. Material costs for MDF skirting run from roughly £3–£8 per linear metre depending on profile height; solid wood costs more. Total DIY spend for a typical room including fixings, filler, and caulk is usually £50–£200. The main risks are poor mitre joints at external corners, gaps at internal corners that open up as the house moves, and boards pulling away from dot-and-dab plasterboard if adhesive isn’t applied correctly. You can read our guide on how to fill gaps in skirting boards once fitted. When you’re ready to start, follow our step-by-step how to fit skirting boards guide.
The Trade Option
A professional joiner or carpenter will measure, cut, and fix skirting boards to a high standard, coping internal corners rather than mitring them so joints stay tight as timber moves seasonally. They’ll also scribe boards to uneven floors and walls — a common problem in older UK properties — and leave surfaces ready to paint. Expect to pay roughly £150–£400 per day for a skilled joiner (day rates vary by region; London and the South East sit at the higher end). For an average room, the job typically takes half a day to a full day including prep and caulking, bringing typical trade costs to £300–£900 once materials are included. To find a reputable tradesman, use a vetted directory such as the Federation of Master Builders (findabuilder.co.uk) or Checkatrade, and ask to see examples of previous joinery work before committing. Always get at least two written quotes.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | DIY | Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £50–£200 (materials only) | £300–£900 (labour + materials) |
| Time | 1 full day per room | Half to 1 day per room |
| Skill Required | Intermediate | Trade-level joinery |
| Risk Level | Low–Medium (cosmetic errors) | Low |
| End Quality | Good with care; corners may show gaps | High; coped corners, scribed to floor |
| Legal Requirements | None | None |
When DIY Makes Sense
- You are replacing skirting in a newer build where walls and floors are relatively straight and level, making cuts more predictable.
- You own or can hire a powered mitre saw and are comfortable making accurate 45° and compound cuts.
- The room has straightforward geometry — mainly square corners with few bay windows, alcoves, or curved walls.
- You’re happy to spend time practising coped internal corners on offcuts before committing to the finished boards — see our related guide on how to cope skirting boards around corners for technique.
When You Must Use a Tradesman
- There are no legal or building regulation requirements that compel you to use a tradesman for fitting skirting boards — it is a purely cosmetic joinery task with no Part P electrical, Gas Safe, or structural implications.
- However, you should strongly consider a professional joiner if the property is a listed building where original period skirting profiles must be matched precisely or where any works may require listed building consent from your local authority (gov.uk).
- If the existing skirting conceals pipes or cables that need relocating before new boards are fitted, instruct a qualified plumber or Part P-registered electrician for those elements before any joinery work begins.
- If your floor has significant undulation or the walls are heavily out of plumb — common in pre-1919 properties — a joiner experienced in period homes will scribe boards accurately and avoid unsightly gaps at the base.
If You DIY — Where to Start
Before buying materials, strip out your existing boards carefully using our guide on how to remove skirting boards without damage — this avoids tearing plaster and gives you accurate length measurements. Then work through our full step-by-step Fit Skirting Boards how-to guide, which covers timber selection, cutting sequences, fixing methods for both stud walls and solid walls, and finishing. Once fitted, the boards will need painting — visit our Timber & Joinery Guide for related finishing topics including how to fit architrave to complete the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fit skirting boards yourself in the UK?
Material costs for MDF skirting typically run £3–£8 per linear metre, so a room with 12–15 linear metres of perimeter will cost roughly £50–£200 including fixings, filler, and caulk. You’ll also need access to a mitre saw, which you can hire if you don’t own one.
How much does a joiner charge to fit skirting boards in the UK?
Expect to pay £150–£400 per day for a skilled joiner, with an average room taking half a day to a full day. Including materials, most homeowners pay £300–£900 for a single room; larger projects or period properties with complex profiles will cost more.
Do you need a professional to fit skirting boards — is it a legal requirement?
No. Fitting skirting boards is a cosmetic joinery task with no legal requirement to use a qualified tradesman. There are no building regulations, Part P electrical rules, or Gas Safe requirements involved.
What is the hardest part of fitting skirting boards for a DIYer?
Internal corners are the most challenging element. Mitred internal corners tend to open up as timber moves with seasonal humidity changes; professional joiners use a coped joint instead, which stays tight. Practising this technique on offcuts before cutting your finished boards saves wasted material.
Can you fix skirting boards to a dot-and-dab plasterboard wall?
Yes, but you must use a grab adhesive specifically rated for plasterboard rather than nails, which can crack the plasterboard face or pull away from the dabs. Apply adhesive in short horizontal bands to the back of the board and hold it in place with masking tape while it cures.
When cutting external mitre joints, cut both boards 1–2° beyond 45° (i.e. slightly undercut the back face). This ensures the front faces close tightly even if the wall corner isn’t perfectly square, which it rarely is in UK homes.
Sources
- Checkatrade — Cost to fit skirting boards — checkatrade.com
- Federation of Master Builders — Find a Builder — fmb.org.uk
- GOV.UK — Listed buildings: consent and alterations — gov.uk
This guide is for general information only. Always work safely and follow manufacturer instructions. DIYnut accepts no liability for injury or damage arising from DIY work.
