If you are building your home or wanted to improve the looks of your home interior, one of the best things you should consider is installing crown molding which as we all know are the trim pieces of board that cap the seams between the corners of the walls and the ceilings.
Installing crown molding not only makes your home interior look great but can also increase the value of your home. But then, although some homeowners would choose to install these on their own, hiring a professional would always come up with a perfect job. In this case you have to know how much does it cost to install crown molding.
Crown molding comes in three-piece types: the single, double and the three-piece crown molding. They are also available in three styles: the classical, colonial and the Greek style. Each has unique design and features to match up anyone’s home style.
So let’s say you have chosen your type of crown molding, how much would the average crown molding installation could cost then?
Average Crown Molding Installation Price
The installation cost of crown molding actually depends on many factors like where you live (installation in the city is costlier), the type of crown molding you want and the price the company will quote you and this include the materials needed, labor, supplies and if there’s the need to repair before installation. In most cases like home renovations, included in the cost package is removing the old molding and cleaning up the space to make way for the new batch.
You must also remember that the cost of the overall installation depends on the length of the area you want to crown and this is measured by linear feet. Linear feet is simply the length of your room in feet from corner to corner. For example, if the overall measurement of your room’s corners measure 125 linear feet and the cost per linear foot quoted to you by the company is around $6.22, the total cost you pay can be from $777.50 (125X$6.22) up to $780 and that covers everything. This, however, is considered the low-end estimation.
Some companies, on the other hand, especially the more established ones could quote you $9.59/linear foot so multiply that by 125 linear feet that comes up to $1,199. Especially if you want the hard wood crown, these are literally the expensive types.
These are just some examples of the costing and like we said, the crown molding installation cost will always depend on the materials to be used, the supplies needed, the labor required and the reputation of the company you want to hire for the job.
Crown Molding Materials and Cost Range (labor not included):
Since we discussed above the estimated total average of the crown molding installation cost, homeowners should also know that they have many choices when it comes to the type of crown molding materials that are now available in the market. It is also necessary to note that each material type has a corresponding cost for every linear foot.
In the past, the old school crown moldings are generally made of wood. Wood crown moldings are lightweight, readily available, can be painted with any color and easily customizable. But today, we have a number of material options for the crown molding aside from wood and crown molding sellers do price them differently based from how they are made.
So let’s say you want to buy your own crown molding, how typically each type could cost per linear foot? Here is what we got and we still included the wood types.
- Soft wood like walnut, ash, and knotty pine has an average of $1 to $6/linear foot.
- Cherry from $4 to $6/linear foot.
- Maple can be from $2 to $5/linear foot.
- Poplar would range from $2 to $3/linear foot.
- Exotic or hard wood like white and red oak, mahogany, hickory, quartersawn and white oak may go from $10-$45/linear foot.
- Plaster molding. Average cost runs at $6 to 12/linear foot. However, this is quite hard to install because plaster is hard to deal with.
- Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) has an average $1-$3/linear foot
- Polystyrene foam which is the cheapest averaged $1-$2/linear foot.
- Polyurethane ranges from $2 to $6/linear foot.
- PVC which is best installed in bathrooms and kitchens where there can be constant moisture may be priced from $1 to $3/linear foot.
- Aluminum, steel or copper molding which are best for outdoor installation like garage and workshops are priced from $20 to $25/linear foot.
As of early 2017, it is estimated that the average crown molding installation price that were spent by homeowners in the US (national level) averaged at around $1,094 being $300 at the lowest and $3,000 for the highest cost. This means that regardless of the size of homes and economic status of homeowners, people still prefer having their homes installed with crown molding.
Will You Install It Or Hire the Pros?
How much does it cost to install crown molding is always a question of wanting to have it installed but will it cost you much? Would you rather install it yourself as you see on YouTube or hire professionals to do arduous job? Remember that if you do the installation yourself, the outcome depends on your skills and patience although you may save some money with this endeavor.
Technically, you have to know that crown moldings should always sit from simple to compound angles where the ceiling and walls meet so aside from having the materials you need and the right tools, you must also know the mechanics of angling, measuring and cutting.
But then if you are far from the ideal carpentry guy, or don’t have the tools to use or cannot even cut a 90 degree angle on a Styrofoam, we suggest you hire a contractor to do the job. Hiring professionals of course will spell larger bill but your return of investment is far much better than producing a child’s home renovation project.
Done by a professional crown molding installer, your home will have a more aesthetic appeal as you put on elegant accent to every corner of your ceiling. And when it comes to supplies you won’t be able to buy things that you may not actually need. In effect, hiring professional crown molding installers would still be a better idea and will eventually satisfies you and your family with the outcome.