How Much Does Baseboard and Crown Molding Installation Cost in St. Petersburg, FL?
One national cost guide puts baseboard installation at about $5.70 to $9.00 per linear foot. That covers materials and labor. Most baseboard projects run $800 to $2,250, and the average is about $1,100.
Crown molding installation has a wider range. National cost guides put it at $4 to $23 per linear foot, installed. Most crown molding projects run $609 to $2,125, with an average of about $1,302.
These are national market numbers, not our price list. Our carpentry services page covers the trim work we do in St. Petersburg and across Pinellas County.
What do baseboards and crown molding cost per linear foot?
The table pulls ranges from national cost guides. A linear foot is one foot of trim, measured along the wall.
| Trim job | National range per linear foot | What the range covers |
|---|---|---|
| Baseboard installation | $5.70 to $9.00 | Materials and labor |
| Baseboard labor only | $5 to $7.75 | Measuring, cutting and fastening |
| Old baseboard removal | About $1.50 | Taking the old trim off |
| Painting baseboards | $1 to $6 | Paint or stain on unfinished trim |
| Crown molding installation | $4 to $23 | Materials and labor |
| Crown molding labor only | $3 to $12 | Standard crown molding |
| Painting crown molding | $1 to $3.50 | Paint or stain |
The crown molding range is wide because material prices swing so much. Treat every range as a rough guide.
How much does baseboard installation cost per linear foot?
One national guide puts baseboard installation at $5.70 to $9.00 per linear foot, with materials and labor included. Labor alone runs $5 to $7.75 per linear foot in the same guide.
The guide lists shoe molding at $5.50 to $8.50 per linear foot, all in. Quarter round runs $5.50 to $9.00, and base molding runs $5.50 to $10.50.
Replacing old baseboards adds a removal step. The guide puts removal at about $1.50 per linear foot and new baseboards at $6 to $9. Another line prices removal labor at $50 to $100 an hour. Disposal can add about $20.
Pulling old trim can also turn up problems behind it. One guide mentions moisture damage and uneven walls or floors. Those get fixed before new trim goes on, and that adds cost.
How much does crown molding installation cost?
National cost guides put crown molding installation at $4 to $23 per linear foot. One guide says labor can be more than half of the total cost. It lists standard labor at $3 to $12 per linear foot. Custom crown molding labor runs about $15 to $20.
The molding itself runs $1 to $30 per linear foot, but most people spend $1 to $15. Wood and polyurethane are the most common types.
What drives the price of baseboard and crown molding installation?
Material
| Material, before labor | Baseboard, per foot | Crown molding, per linear foot |
|---|---|---|
| PVC | $0.90 to $1.40 | $1 to $4 |
| MDF | $1.00 to $1.40 | $1 to $7 |
| Wood | $1.40 to $10.00 | $3 to $30 for solid wood |
| Polystyrene foam | Not listed | $1 to $4 |
| Polyurethane | Not listed | $2 to $10 |
MDF is a budget pick that is easy to install and takes paint well. One guide calls it a good choice in any but the most humid rooms. PVC resists moisture, which suits kitchens and bathrooms, but it dents more easily and is harder to repair.
Finger-jointed pine is built from short pieces of pine joined end to end. It is paint-grade trim, since stain would show the joints. Wood is the most expensive baseboard material in one guide. Foam crown is light and cheap, but it carries little detail.
Profile size
A taller baseboard or a bigger crown profile uses more material per foot. Heavy pieces also take more work to fit, and one guide notes hardwoods and plaster are harder to work with.
Paint-grade or stain-grade
Paint-grade trim, like MDF or finger-jointed pine, hides small seams under filler, caulk and paint. Stain-grade trim shows its grain, so every joint and nail hole shows, and it often means hardwood. One crown molding guide lists common softwoods at $3 to $10 per linear foot. Common hardwoods run $10 to $12.
Corners, cuts and coped joints
More corners mean more cuts and more time. Outside corners are mitered. Inside corners are often coped, which means one piece is cut to fit the face of the other. Crown molding needs precise cuts at complex angles, and one guide says to buy about 10 percent extra for waste.
Caulk, filler and paint
Caulk, nail-hole filler and paint are often a separate line. National guides put painting baseboards at $1 to $6 per linear foot and painting crown molding at $1 to $3.50. New trim often gets painted with the walls during interior painting.
Casing around a door is trim too. It often comes up during door installation, when a new door needs new casing.
Why do older St. Petersburg homes change the price?
St. Petersburg’s median home was built in 1969, according to the Census. More homes here were built in the 1950s than in any other decade, 32,033 of them. About 7 in 10 were built before 1980.
Walls and ceilings in older homes are often out of straight. Baseboards have to follow a wavy wall and an uneven floor. Crown molding shows every dip in the ceiling line. On a crooked wall, one guide describes gluing the board, bracing it tight and filling the gaps, which adds time.
Old paint is the other cost factor. EPA says homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint. That is the year the federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for use in homes. EPA advises finding out whether your home has it before a renovation, repair or painting project.
So old painted trim coming off a home built before 1978 gets a lead test first. The test can add cost. A positive result can change the plan for the old trim, and the price with it.
Do you need a permit to replace baseboards or crown molding in St. Petersburg?
The City of St. Petersburg keeps a list of work that is exempt from a building permit. Item 8 names cabinetry, counter tops, painting, papering, tiling, carpeting and other similar finish work. Baseboards and crown molding are not named.
Trim reads like similar finish work, but confirm with the city before work starts. A home in a designated flood zone still submits a cost breakdown for work that may be exempt. A home in a locally or nationally designated historic district may not be exempt.
This is general information, not legal advice, and the city has the final word. Outside St. Petersburg, ask your own city or Pinellas County.
How do you get a price for your baseboard or crown molding job?
The ranges above are national market numbers. Your price depends on the length of the run, the material, the corners and the walls in your home.
Flow Home Services does trim and finish carpentry in St. Petersburg and across Pinellas County. That includes baseboards, shoe molding, crown molding and door casing. Our carpentry services page has more on the work.
Send photos of the room and rough wall lengths for a free estimate. You can also call or text (727) 404-7164.