Skirting Board & Flooring Installation Guide

o3 / AI Assistant

01/10/25, 16:19

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Remove existing skirting, beading and fixings; lift carpet or laminate edges as needed.
Check wall straightness, locate pipes / cables, make good plaster so new boards sit flush.
Supply or collect agreed skirting profile (MDF, softwood or hardwood) and any new flooring, underlay and trims; allow timber to acclimatise on site.
Precise measuring, mitred external corners and scribed internal corners for tight joints; biscuit, dowel or pin‑nail where required.
Bond and fix boards with grab adhesive and lost‑head nails or screws into studs; pack out uneven walls.
If flooring is included, lay underlay, moisture barrier, laminate or engineered boards, leaving expansion gaps; fit threshold strips and scotia.
Fill nail holes, caulk tops, light sand; apply primer/first coat or leave ready for decorator (as agreed).
Re‑install or trim doors if floor height changes; clear waste, vacuum and dispose of off‑cuts.

Charge type	Low £	High £	Notes
Call‑out / minimum	£60	£120	Often waived if full‑day booked
Labour per hour	£30	£45	Carpenter / floor‑fitter rate Checkatrade
Materials	£80	£300	25 m MDF skirting; add £25–£60 per m² for laminate flooring Checkatrade Checkatrade
Disposal	£0	£50	Old timber, packaging
Extras (e.g. door trimming, staining, threshold strips)	£20	£150	Depends on door quantity & finish
TOTAL (most jobs come in here)	£350	£1,400	Skirting‑only at lower end; flooring + skirting at upper end

(Prices based on 2025 cost guides from Checkatrade, MyJobQuote and PriceYourJob.) MyJobQuoteCheckatradepriceyourjob.co .uk Checkatrade

Skirting only: ½ – 1 day for an average 4 × 5 m room.
Flooring + skirting: 1 – 3 days depending on floor area, sub‑floor prep, acclimatisation and drying time for finishes.
Extra time if walls are out of square, pipe‑boxing needs notching, or multiple doorways require precision cuts.

Which skirting profiles and materials do you recommend for my room and why?
Will you scribe internal corners rather than square‑cut joints?
Is painting/staining included or left to a decorator?
How will you treat or hide existing cables and trunking?
If new flooring is fitted, how will you manage expansion gaps and threshold transitions?
What is your policy on public‑liability insurance and workmanship guarantees?
Can I see recent customer references or photos of similar jobs?

Clear furniture and ornaments; agree where saw‑cutting and dust extraction will happen.
Arrange parking for the van and confirm free access to mains power.
Check if floor height changes will require door trimming or adjustment of appliances.
Reserve waste‑disposal space (skip bag or council collection) if existing boards are removed.
If the property is leasehold or above ground floor, confirm any working‑at‑height permits for external cutting or balcony access.