Small works
Skirting and facings repairs
Match the profile or the room notices
The short answer
Damaged or missing skirting and facings are a joinery job of a few hours per room. In a period property the difficulty is matching the profile — modern stock rarely matches a Victorian moulding, so the options are salvage, a run of bespoke moulding, or careful repair of what is there.
What the work involves
Removing damaged sections, checking for rot or damp behind, scribing and fitting replacement lengths, filling and caulking joints, and priming ready to paint.
Rules and responsibilities in Scotland
No certification applies. In a listed building, original joinery should be repaired rather than replaced where possible.
What commonly goes wrong
Fitting modern chamfered skirting into a room with ornate original mouldings, which permanently cheapens the room.
What it usually costs
Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.
- Repair of an existing run is cheaper than replacement.
- Bespoke moulding runs are priced per metre and need a minimum order.
- Salvage yards can be the cheapest way to match a profile.
What to do, in order
- 1Photograph the profile against a ruler.
- 2Check whether damage hides damp or rot.
- 3Look for salvage before ordering bespoke.
- 4Fit, fill and caulk before painting.
- 5Keep any offcuts for future repairs.
Local detail for the Lothians
- Original Edinburgh tenement skirtings are tall and heavily moulded; matching them off the shelf is rarely possible.
- Damp at the base of a ground-floor wall often shows first as skirting decay.
- Salvage yards around Edinburgh and Fife carry period profiles.
When you need a professional
Rot behind skirting, or damage in a listed interior, needs a joiner and possibly a damp specialist.
Common questions
- Can old skirting be repaired rather than replaced?
- Usually yes. Splicing in a matching section keeps the original run and is cheaper than a full replacement.
- How do I match a Victorian profile?
- Take a template to a joinery shop for a bespoke run, or find a salvage match.
Lothian Property is a property information and professional-introduction service operated by Maybury Scotland Limited. Lothian Property is not an estate agency. Where requested, we may connect homeowners with independent estate agents and other property professionals. How we work.
Related pages
- Wall patching and making good
Filling cracks, holes and old fixing points so a room is ready to paint.
- Creaking and loose floorboards
Silencing floors and fixing loose boards, especially where neighbours below can hear them.
- Doors that stick or will not close
Easing, planing and re-hanging internal doors that have dropped or swollen.
Last reviewed 5 September 2026.