Skirting board fitting cost in Market Harborough
Short answerSkirting boards typically cost £18 to £26 per metre supplied and fitted in the UK in 2026 (Checkatrade average about £22), with MDF from about £8 and oak up to £35 per metre. Fit-only labour is around £5 to £12 per metre, so a typical bedroom costs roughly £120 to £400. These are typical ranges; your carpenter's quote sets the price.
Skirting board fitting cost in Market Harborough usually works out at somewhere between £8 and £35 per metre supplied and fitted, depending mostly on the material. Checkatrade puts a standard 75mm board at about £22 per metre fitted, with most jobs between £18 and £26. For a typical room that's a few hundred pounds, not thousands.
This guide sets out typical 2026 ranges from UK cost guides, what makes the price go up or down, and what to ask. They're typical ranges, not quotes: the real figure comes from the carpenter after they've seen the room.
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Typical skirting board fitting cost in Market Harborough
We haven't found Leicestershire-specific skirting prices, so these are UK figures. Carpenter day rates in the Midlands are generally quoted around or below the national average, so they're a fair guide for LE16.
| Job | Typical range | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard skirting, supplied and fitted | £18 to £26 | per linear metre | Checkatrade, 75mm board, average about £22 |
| MDF skirting, supplied and fitted | £8 to £15 | per linear metre | Bookabuilder |
| Softwood (pine) skirting, supplied and fitted | £12 to £20 | per linear metre | Bookabuilder |
| Hardwood (oak) skirting, supplied and fitted | £20 to £35 | per linear metre | Bookabuilder; more for tall or special profiles |
| Fit only (you supply the boards) | £5 to £12 | per linear metre | Trade2base |
| Replace skirting (remove old, supply and fit new) | £20 to £60 | per linear metre | Checkatrade |
| Skirting for a typical room | £120 to £400 | per room | Our estimate from the per-metre rates, about 15m of skirting |
| Architrave, priced separately | around £100 | per door | One source (Hamuch); usually included when a door is hung |
The spread between sources is wide because some quote labour only, some include materials, and some include taking the old boards off. When you compare quotes, check which one you're looking at.
How much skirting is in a room?
Skirting is priced by the linear metre, so it helps to know roughly how much you need. Measure round the walls and take off the door openings. A bedroom of about 3.5m by 4m has a perimeter of 15m, so after a door you're looking at roughly 14m of skirting. Add around 10 percent for cuts and waste.
At Checkatrade's £18 to £26 per metre, that bedroom comes to about £250 to £370 supplied and fitted. In plain MDF from a cheaper fitter it could be under £150; in oak with a tall profile it could pass £450.
What drives the cost
- Material: MDF is cheapest and comes primed, ready to paint. Softwood is a little more and can split if it isn't fixed carefully. Oak and other hardwoods cost the most and take longer to cut and fit.
- Height and profile: a plain 70mm to 95mm board is quick to fit. Tall boards (150mm and up) and moulded profiles like torus or ogee take more care at the joints.
- Removing the old skirting: prising off old boards can pull away plaster. If that happens the wall may need making good by a plasterer before the new boards go on.
- Uneven walls and floors: in older houses walls are rarely flat and floors rarely level. The carpenter may need to scribe the board to the floor or pack it out, which adds time.
- Bay windows, curved walls and lots of corners: every internal and external corner is a joint, so a room with a bay or chimney breasts takes longer than a plain box.
- Matching an existing profile: if you're only replacing part of a room in a period house, getting a matching profile made can cost more than the fitting.
- Painting: usually extra. Some carpenters fill and caulk ready for the decorator; some will paint. Ask.
What can bring it down
- Doing several rooms at once rather than one at a time
- Choosing primed MDF in a standard height
- Supplying the boards yourself, if the carpenter is happy to fit only
- Fitting skirting at the same visit as doors and architraves, as part of second fix
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Architrave
Architrave is the moulding round a door frame. When a carpenter hangs a new door, trimming or replacing the architrave is usually part of the job, so it's often not priced separately. Trade2base notes that a joiner typically fits one or two internal doors a day, including the architrave. Where architrave is priced on its own, one guide puts it at around £100 per door, but we've only found that in one place, so treat it as rough. Our internal door fitting cost guide covers door prices in more detail.
When skirting goes on in a renovation
Skirting is second fix carpentry. It goes on after plastering has dried and usually after the floor is down, or at least after the floor level is known. If you're laying thick flooring later, tell the carpenter so the board sits at the right height. Our first fix and second fix carpentry guide and order of trades guide explain where it fits.
How long it takes
A straightforward bedroom with MDF skirting is often half a day to a day's work for one carpenter, including taking off the old boards. Hardwood, tall profiles and awkward rooms take longer. For a whole house, it's commonly priced as a few days of work, so our carpenter day rate guide is a useful cross-check.
How to get an accurate quote
Message us on WhatsApp with:
- Which rooms, and rough sizes (or the total metres if you've measured)
- A photo of the existing skirting, close up and from across the room
- The height and profile you want, or a link to the board you like
- Whether the old skirting needs removing
- Whether you want it painted
We'll pass it to the carpenter we use. For tips on comparing prices, see how to get quotes from tradespeople.
Message us about a carpenterFree. We pass you straight to the tradesperson we trust.
Questions to ask
- Is the price per metre or per room, and does it include the boards?
- Does it include removing and disposing of the old skirting?
- How will you fix it: glue, nails, screws or a mix?
- Will you caulk and fill ready for painting, or paint it yourselves?
- What happens if the plaster comes away when the old boards are removed?
- Can you fit architraves at the same time?
For more on the carpenter we recommend, see carpenters in Market Harborough.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard skirting board, supplied and fitted | £18–£26 per linear metre | Checkatrade, 75mm board, average about £22. |
| MDF skirting, supplied and fitted | £8–£15 per linear metre | Bookabuilder 2026. |
| Softwood skirting, supplied and fitted | £12–£20 per linear metre | Bookabuilder 2026. |
| Hardwood (oak) skirting, supplied and fitted | £20–£35 per linear metre | Bookabuilder 2026; tall or special profiles more. |
| Skirting fit only (boards supplied) | £5–£12 per linear metre | Trade2base. |
| Replace skirting (remove old, supply and fit) | £20–£60 per linear metre | Checkatrade. |
| Skirting for a typical room | £120–£400 per room | Estimate from per-metre rates, about 15m of skirting. |
| Architrave, priced separately | £100 per door | Hamuch, single source; often included in door hanging. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to fit skirting boards per metre?
Checkatrade puts standard 75mm skirting at about £22 per metre supplied and fitted, with most jobs between £18 and £26. Bookabuilder gives a wider spread: MDF £8 to £15, softwood £12 to £20 and hardwood £20 to £35 per metre. Fit-only labour, where you supply the boards, is around £5 to £12 per metre according to Trade2base.
How much does it cost to skirt a room?
A typical bedroom needs around 14 to 15 metres of skirting once you take off the door. At UK rates of £8 to £26 per metre supplied and fitted, that's roughly £120 to £400. Oak, tall moulded boards, bay windows and uneven walls push it higher. Removing the old skirting and painting are often priced as extras, so check what's included.
Is MDF or wooden skirting better?
MDF is cheaper, comes primed and doesn't have knots, so it's the usual choice for painted skirting. It doesn't like getting wet, so be careful in bathrooms. Softwood is tougher against knocks but can split or show knots through paint. Oak is the choice for a natural wood finish and costs the most to buy and fit.
Should skirting go on before or after flooring?
Usually after, or at least once the finished floor height is known. Fitting skirting over a laid floor hides the expansion gap at the edges and gives a neat line. If carpets are going in, skirting is often fitted slightly above the floorboards so the carpet tucks under. Tell your carpenter what flooring is planned before they start.
Does a carpenter or a decorator fit skirting boards?
Most skirting is fitted by a carpenter or joiner, because cutting clean mitres and scribing boards to uneven floors takes the right tools and practice. Some decorators and handymen fit simple MDF skirting too. The carpenter will usually fill nail holes and caulk the joints, then a decorator paints it, though some carpenters will paint as well.