Trims are woodwork elements used to enhance a house’s walls, ceilings, and floors. Homeowners use moldings to complement and uplift their home design by styling them with their furniture and wall color. Though trims serve a largely decorative purpose, they are also effective in covering gaps and hiding any uneven work.
Many homeowners undertake trim replacement projects as part of larger home renovation projects as they want to change the trim to match their new interior design. This is a good idea as you’ll find it cheaper this way.
The total cost to redo a trim will vary for each individual home. It’s mostly dependent on your current fittings and your preferences for the kind of new moldings you want.
You can follow this guide to understand how to create a budget and plan for your new trim replacement project.
Average Cost to Redo the Trim in a House
Trim replacement is usually done when the existing trim becomes damaged due to rotting or other problems. Replacement is done in cases where there is severe damage due to bad weather conditions like destructive winds. Trim is essential in providing structural support, along with its aesthetic appeal, so homeowners should undertake renovations as soon as a problem is noticed.
The average cost to redo the trim in the US is around $1,250. The average range for trim remodeling costs lies between $600 and $1,900. The minimum cost for a low-end house trim repair job is around $200, which will only cover basic finishing and changes. Prices can reach as high as $5,500 for high-end jobs with custom-made, premium woodwork elements.
Factors That Affect the Cost to Redo the Trim of a House
The total cost to redo trim can differ widely for each individual project. As responsible homeowners, we need to know what factors can affect the price of repairing or replacing your old trim. Here are some of the factors:
- Linear Footage: The cost of most home remodeling projects is calculated via the square foot area of work. However, the cost for work on crown molding, trim molding, or window/door trim is calculated based on linear foot.
- Material: Plaster crown molding is the most expensive and requires professional installation. Other materials will have different costs. The design of the trim will also impact your final cost.
- Location: The cost to redo trim is usually higher in more affluent neighborhoods.
- Carpenter Location: If the job is out of your carpenter’s standard service range, they will charge an extra travel fee. Ask about the travel fee before hiring a professional that lives far away.
Total Cost to Redo Trim Per Linear Foot
Most carpenters will charge for molding and trim work by the linear foot, as mentioned above. These costs can often be negotiated in several different ways. The fee charged per linear foot often includes both materials and labor; however, it can also include finishing as well if you want. On the other hand, the cost per linear foot may only include the cost of labor. Evaluate all options and negotiate the one you think is the best.
Additionally, the type of trim being installed will affect the final cost per linear foot that you have to pay. Chair rail, casing, crown molding, etc., will each have different complexity and require different levels of labor effort to install.
A rough average cost per linear foot for trim restoration projects would be between $1 and $5. This is what most homeowners pay when they redo the trim, but that does not mean that your project will cost the same.
Removing Existing Trim
In order to install new trim, you need to safely remove the old fittings without damaging any of the other structures in your home. You will most likely need professionals to carry out this task as trim might be bonded tightly to your home’s surface. This cost will also include the disposal of your old moldings and preparing the surface for new fittings.
Removal costs are between $0.50 and $1.20 per linear foot.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Quarter Round Molding
Quarter round molding is used to cover the gap between the floor and the bottom of your home’s baseboards. The cross-section of a quarter round will look like one-quarter of a circle when seen from the side. The quarter round will protrude from the wall at the same length as its height.
The benefit of quarter round moldings is that they’re quite flexible and can be bent to match the floor’s leveling. They’re a fantastic way to give your floors a refined and polished look.
On average, the cost to install quarter round molding is $0.50 per foot.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Shoe Molding
Shoe moldings serve the same function as quarter round moldings; they act as a fix for unsightly gaps between baseboards and floors. These gaps also lead to lots of energy-wasting drafts and should be sealed immediately.
The difference between shoe molding and quarter round molding is that in the former, the trim’s height is greater than the length of protrusion from the wall. This gives you more flooring room and offers a more subtle look. Shoe moldings will also typically cost $0.50 per linear foot to install.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Casing
Essentially, your total cost to redo trim in your house will depend on how many individual pieces of trim need to be replaced or fixed. The two mentioned earlier served the purpose of filling gaps between baseboards and the floor. A casing, on the other hand, is used to trim a window or a door to cover any space left between the frame and drywall.
The casing is also a decorative piece of trim and is usually one of your most visible frames. Make sure that the style of your casing works well with the rest of the trim in the house. Consistency is key.
The casing can cost anywhere between $0.60 and $1.30 per foot, depending on the type of material, finish, and design used.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Base Molding
Baseboards are the 3 to 8-inch high boards that run between the floor and the wall as a defining line. Functionally, they hide gaps and block drafts that escape through the bottom of the walls. They are available in a variety of finishes that can be painted or stained according to your wishes.
To install fiberboard base moldings, you will have to dish out at least $0.60 per foot. Wooden baseboard installations start at $1.20 per foot. Your choice will depend on the design and materials used for the other trims around the house.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Crown Molding
Crown moldings are trims across your ceiling. Like many other trim pieces, its functional purpose is to cover the gaps where different building materials intersect. However, they are much more than just gap coverings in modern interior design. They often contain an intricate design that adds a sense of class and grandeur to your home, making for an excellent interior design tool.
Crown moldings come in both basic stock designs or custom-made ones that are created by a carpenter. The detail in designing, materials, and type of finish will influence the total cost to redo trim on your home’s ceilings.
Basic crown molding styles are available for around $2 to $3 per foot, whereas custom trims will cost $8 to $10 per foot.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Picture Rail
Picture rails are thin horizontal trims on the wall placed around 15 inches below the ceiling. Their main function is to provide a subtle and easy avenue to hang pictures without any invasive procedures in your drywall.
Picture rails are narrow pieces of trim that have a lip on top to allow the use of anchor hanger wires for picture frames. They can be installed for around $1 to $2.50 per foot.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Chair Rail
The name can be misleading, especially after we dealt with picture rails earlier. The chair rails have less to do with chairs and more to do with height and aesthetics. They’re used to add character and interest to an otherwise dull wall. You can find chair rails running horizontally across the wall at a height that is around 1/3 of the total wall height.
The name chair rail was accurate when this trim was first invented. At that time, their primary purpose was to protect walls from chairs. But times have changed, and their purpose today is mostly based on style. You can find them in stores for around $1 to $2 per foot.
Trim Remodeling Costs and Wall Frame
Wall frames only serve a decorative purpose in the interior home design of high-end houses. They are found as premade squares, unlike other trims on this list. Prices vary significantly due to the variety of materials and sizes available.
Expect to spend anywhere between $7 and $25 for this type of remodeling.
Conclusion
You may be tempted to try and do a trim project on your own if you’re a devout DIY-er. However, we advise you to hire professional help for this project, as you may not be able to get the tight joints and smooth runs on curved walls effectively. An experienced carpenter will know how to adjust cuts and get the best finish possible.
Keep your home design in mind when shopping for new trim. Make sure that it matches or complements your walls and furniture.
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