The warmth of natural wood trim is the finishing detail that outlines windows and doors and adds distinction to a room. Whether furnishings are stark contemporary or tried-and-true traditional, any furniture style is complemented by wood trim, and white oak is one of the most popular choices. If you’re remodeling, a sure way to tie an addition to the existing rooms is with the same woodwork, so it appears to have always been there.
If you have carpentry experience and tools, trimming out a room with oak woodwork is a job to consider. However, if you’re unsure of your abilities, the high cost of materials warrants professional installation. The cost of miscuts and other mistakes can consume the savings of doing the job yourself.
A finish carpenter will charge $1,318 to install oak trim in a 10-by-12-foot room with entry and closet doors, a window and ceiling and baseboard woodwork. You can buy the material for $540 and install it yourself, saving 59%. To do the job you'll need a full suite of carpentry tools and a workspace to set them up. If you decide to tackle this job, making all the fine cuts for woodwork is the perfect justification for buying a new miter saw.
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Pro Cost — DIY Cost — Pro time — DIY Time — DIY Savings — Percent Saved
$1,318 — $540 — 13.7 — 18.0 — $778 — 59%
