Here we put together a list of common things that legitimately increase the costs of a trim carpentry project. It’s not just the stuff that HGTV and Pinterest flat out lied about – it’s the stuff that clients rarely realize until they get into the details.
Material Choices
Stain grade vs Paint grade. Hardwoods such as oak, alder, maple cost significantly more that primed finger jointed pine or poplar.
Wide or large profile materials not only cost more, but they can also be more labor intensive to install
Cheap materials. Don’t be fooled by the siren song of MDF or Foam trim materials. Whatever cost savings you think you may earn from purchasing an inferior product will be radically offset by the increased labor to install them, much less the increased time and labor lost to having to replace these materials in short order when they inadvertently fail.
Material sizes and complexity
Taller baseboards (8″ vs 4″) aren’t just more material, they require more cuts, more coping and more waste.
Stacked or built-up trim = additional laps around the house for measuring, cutting and installing. Pinterest is notorious for omitting that little tidbit.
Curves and corner work
Curved walls and round details may look cool on Instagram, but your trim carpenter secretly hates them. HGTV loves to obfuscate how much actual real-world time and skill level goes into creating and installing curves, radii and other custom items. Whether its baseboards, chair rail or wainscoting – be prepared for your trim carpenter to call a time out and have a serious discussion with you about your target budget.
Lots of corners that your architect thought would add interest are actually slowing your trim carpentry project to a crawl. Every dinky 6-inch piece of material needs to be independently measured, mitered, coped and installed individually. If your entryway has 19 corners to navigate instead of 4-6, well I think that is easy math to figure out on your own.
Existing home conditions
Out of square walls / corners and out of level floors are a very common but often hidden item that isn’t always talked about before your trim carpenter arrives. Unskilled framing and drywall installation opens up a big can of worms. Uneven walls, poor planning and goofy layout issues are often pushed onto the next guy down the line. Well guess what? The buck stops at the trim carpenter and now it is too late to make corrections without serious backtracking. Think of it this way, us trim carpenters are really good at decorating the cake, but if that cake was already burned before we get started – there really isn’t a lot that a high quality frosting can actually fix.
Expectations for materials choices
Stain grade materials like crown molding require top tier trim carpentry skills. Think grain orientation, end grain control, mitered returns and invisible joints.
Paint grade can be a bit more forgiving. High level pros know that a quality paint crew can masterfully caulk seams and fill nail holes for a flawless finish.
Specialty or custom items
Wainscoting, ceiling beams and accent walls require lots of intricate planning and design before your trim carpenter ever fires up their saw. Skills in geometry, meticulous layouts and experience will keep your stunning design from looking like a DIY disaster.
Preparing for the paint crew
Whether it is your crown molding, baseboards, new interior doors or wainscoting – a good trim carpenter will spend labor hours making sure that your painting / staining crew isn’t left with a complicated mess to fix. Sanding joints for that smooth finish, keeping crisp reveals and creating tight joints along with balanced proportions are what sets the pros apart from the chumps on Thumbtack / Angi.
Trim carpentry is an investment in your home
Higher prices = more skill, more details and higher grade materials. Remember, you aren’t paying a skilled trim carpenter for their hours working in your home – you are paying them for the years that they have dedicated to the craft. The craft of making your home into a showstopper.