How much does it cost to replace exterior trim in Virginia?

No fair single number covers trim replacement in Virginia, because the price is set by your house: how many pieces are damaged, how far hidden rot has spread, how high the work is, what the new trim is made of, and whether old paint has to be handled lead-safely. What you can control is the quote. Describe the job the same way to several licensed contractors, ask how surprises will be priced, and the numbers you get back will mean something.

What moves the price

Hidden rot. This is the largest unknown. Water gets into trim at its ends and joints, and a surface can look sound over decayed wood, so probing several areas with a small-tipped screwdriver is advised.^[6] Because liquid water enters wood 10 to 100 times faster through end grain than through the other faces,^[6] rot found at a sill often continues into the casing above it or the corner board beside it. A careful contractor will probe before quoting and still give you a unit price for what turns up once the old boards are off.

Height and access. Ground-floor casing reached from a stepladder is quick. Second-storey trim, rake boards and fascia along the roofline mean extension ladders, scaffolding or a lift, more setup time and more crew, and the price reflects it.

Material. Like-for-like wood is usually the least expensive board, but species matters: finger-jointed boards are common for fascia and trim, and paint on them often fails in a patchwork pattern or at a joint.^[6] Versatex says its cellular PVC trim will not swell or shrink like wood experiencing a moisture cycle,^[8] which makes it a sensible choice for sills and low trim, but it has its own rules: PVC lengthens when it warms and contracts when it cools, and Versatex limits paint on its trim to colors with a light reflective value of 55 or greater.^[8] Custom profiles on an older house may have to be milled to match, which adds cost no matter the material.

Priming and paint. A lasting repair means back-priming installed wood with one coat of primer and giving exposed end grain two coats,^[7] then caulking and two topcoats. Some bids include painting; some assume a painter follows. Find out which.

Lead-safe work on older houses. Under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to disturb paint in a home built before 1978 must be certified, and that includes painters and carpenters.^[5] Minor repairs that disturb 20 square feet or less of exterior paint are exempt, but window replacement is always covered.^[5] Containment, cleanup and disposal take time, so expect a higher price on a pre-1978 house, and be wary of a bid that ignores the rule.

The cause of the rot. If an overflowing gutter or a failed flashing caused the damage, fixing that is part of the real cost. Roof flashing is a roofer's job, so it may be a separate bid.

Permits and approvals

Most trim jobs carry no permit fee: the Uniform Statewide Building Code lists installation or replacement of trim, and application of paint, among the ordinary repairs that need no permit application.^[4] Two exceptions can add time or cost. A building official may still require a permit in a special flood hazard area,^[4] and historic districts have their own reviews. Loudoun County requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for changing materials on an existing structure in its historic districts, though not for replacement in kind or repainting.^[9] If you want to switch from wood to PVC in a historic district, ask your locality before you sign.

Licences, bids and deposits

Virginia sorts contractors by job size. Class C contractors take jobs over $1,000 but less than $30,000; Class B contractors take jobs of $30,000 or more but less than $150,000.^[1] So any business quoting more than $1,000 for trim work should hold a licence that covers it. Home improvement contracting (HIC) covers repairs and improvements to dwellings,^[2] and painting and wallcovering contracting (PTC) includes the surface preparation, caulking and sanding before painting.^[2] For more, see how to check a contractor's licence in Virginia.

The Board for Contractors' advice for homeowners is to get at least three written bids built on identical specifications, and to be wary of any bid substantially lower than the others.^[3] Its rule of thumb is a deposit of no more than 10 percent of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less,^[3] or up to 30 percent when custom-made items or special orders are involved.^[3] "Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work."^[3] Read before signing: any bid or estimate you sign may become the contract.^[3]

What to ask for in a written quote

• Every piece being replaced, by location, and its length or count.
• The material and profile, with brand or species named.
• Primer on all faces and cut ends before installation, and which caulk and paint, with the number of coats.
• The fastener type, such as stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized nails.
• A price per additional foot or piece for rot found during the work.
• For a pre-1978 house, the firm's EPA lead-safe certification and how it will contain and clean up dust.
• Cleanup and disposal, start and finish dates, and any workmanship warranty in writing.

Doing part of it yourself

Ground-floor casing and corner boards are within reach of a handy owner, and doing them yourself saves the labor, which is most of the bill on small jobs. See how to replace rotted exterior trim. If you are deciding which trade to call, read carpenter or painter for exterior trim.

Stop and call a pro if

• The rot has reached the sheathing or framing behind the trim, which turns a trim quote into a structural one.
• The damaged trim is above the first storey or along the roofline.
• You find mud tubes or tunnels in the wood. "A termite tunnel is a sure sign of infestation."^[6] Have it inspected before any carpentry is priced.
• The house was built before 1978 and the work will disturb a large area of paint.

Getting it priced on Loclis

On Loclis you describe the trim job once, with photos and the list above, and licensed local businesses quote it. A business that needs to see it first can offer an estimate visit, free or paid, and a paid visit's fee comes off its price. Browse shutters and exterior trim, find exterior pros around Blacksburg, or read more exterior answers.