Baseboard Installation Cost Guide
Last updated August 21, 2026. What baseboard actually costs — material by material, DIY vs. hiring it out, and what pushes a quote higher.
Cost per linear foot by material
| Material | Cost / linear ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MDF | $0.50 – $1.50 | Cheapest option; pre-primed and paint-ready |
| Vinyl / rubber cove base | $0.75 – $2.00 | Glued, not nailed — fastest to install |
| Finger-jointed wood | $1.00 – $2.00 | Paint-grade only, joints show under stain |
| Solid wood (pine/poplar) | $1.50 – $4.00 | Paint- or stain-grade |
| PVC / cellular vinyl | $2.00 – $5.00 | Waterproof, mid-to-high cost |
| Commercial rubber cove | $2.00 – $4.00 | Heavier-duty than residential vinyl cove |
| Solid wood (oak/hardwood) | $3.00 – $6.00 | Premium stain-grade |
| Polyurethane / foam | $4.00 – $8.00 | Ornate profiles cost more to mold |
| Aluminum / metal | $8.00 – $20.00+ | Most expensive; modern/architectural use |
Ranges reflect typical retail material pricing and will vary by region, profile complexity, and finish. Run your own numbers with the calculator.
DIY vs. hiring a professional
DIY installation
Material cost only, plus tools if you don't already own a miter saw, coping saw, and finish nailer. A weekend project for most single rooms once you're comfortable coping inside corners — see the full DIY guide.
Professional installation
Labor typically adds $1.50–$4.00 per linear foot on top of material, or a flat day rate for larger jobs. Removing and disposing of old baseboard, painting/finishing, and a high corner-to-wall-length ratio (small, chopped-up rooms) all push labor cost higher.
Total project cost by size
| Project | Approx. linear ft | DIY (material only) | Professionally installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small bedroom | ~40 ft | $25 – $160 | $100 – $360 |
| Average single-story home | ~250 ft | $150 – $1,000 | $625 – $2,250 |
| Whole house (larger home) | ~600 ft | $350 – $2,400 | $1,500 – $5,400 |
These use mid-range MDF-to-solid-wood pricing and standard labor rates as a rough planning baseline — get your exact linear footage first with the calculator, then price it against local material and labor quotes.
Ways to bring the cost down
Choose MDF over solid wood
For painted trim, MDF looks nearly identical at a fraction of the material cost.
Buy longer boards
12–16 ft lengths on long walls reduce seams and cut down on waste from offcuts.
Install it yourself
Labor is usually 50–70% of a professional quote — the biggest single line item to cut.
Order the right waste %
Under-ordering means a second, often pricier, small-quantity trip. The calculator's waste allowance avoids both.
Keep the profile simple
Ornate profiles cost more per foot in every material — a clean, simple profile reads well in most rooms.
Reuse existing baseboard
If the old trim is in good shape, patching and repainting it is far cheaper than a full tear-out.
Get your exact material cost.
Enter your rooms and a price per linear foot to see a real total, not just a range.