Skirting, architraves and internal doors rarely get the spotlight in a renovation, yet they're often what makes a finished space feel genuinely premium. This guide breaks down profiles, sequencing, 2026 costs and the small details a licensed carpenter gets right on Gold Coast projects.
Skirting, architraves and internal doors are the finishing carpentry details that determine whether a renovation looks premium or looks unfinished. Consistent profiles, tight mitres, correctly sized doors and quality hardware cost comparatively little against a full renovation budget but have an outsized impact on how a home presents. Budget roughly $35-$90 per linear metre for skirting and architrave installation and $450-$1,400 per door supplied and hung.
The details that separate a good renovation from a great one
When we walk through a completed project with clients in Robina, Carrara or Mudgeeraba, the feedback rarely mentions the skirting boards specifically - but it's almost always part of why the finished home feels premium. Skirting, architraves and internal doors are the quiet workhorses of interior carpentry. They frame every doorway, window and wall junction in the house, and any inconsistency in their size, profile or installation quality is immediately obvious, even to someone who couldn't tell you what an architrave is.
As a renovation company, we see this constantly in older Gold Coast homes: a kitchen or bathroom has been beautifully renovated, but the original 42mm colonial skirting and dated door hardware throughout the rest of the house make the new work look disconnected. Upgrading finishing carpentry across a home, or even just the rooms adjoining a renovation, ties everything together.
Skirting boards: more than a dust guard
Skirting protects walls from knocks and vacuum cleaners, but its profile and height set the tone for a room. Many Gold Coast renovations are moving away from the slim 67mm colonial profile common in project homes from the 1990s and 2000s towards taller, cleaner profiles - 90mm to 140mm square-set or bevelled skirting is now standard in most mid-to-high end renovations we quote in Mermaid Waters and Broadbeach Waters.
- Square-set (shadowline) skirting for a minimalist, architectural look with no visible timber profile
- Bevelled or pencil-round skirting, a popular mid-range option that suits most contemporary homes
- Traditional colonial or classic profiles for character homes and Queenslanders where heritage detailing matters
- Taller 140-185mm skirting increasingly used in new builds and full home renovations for a premium feel
Architraves and the art of a tight mitre
Architraves frame doors and windows, and their quality is judged almost entirely on the precision of the mitre joints at each corner. A carpenter who rushes this work leaves visible gaps that open up further as timber moves with the seasons - a real issue in the Gold Coast's humidity swings between wet and dry season. We match architrave profile and width to skirting throughout a renovation, and where a home has mixed profiles from different eras, we'll often recommend replacing architraves through connecting hallways so sightlines from room to room are consistent.
Internal doors: solid core vs hollow core, and hardware that matters
Internal doors are one of the most touched surfaces in a home, and it shows. Cheap hollow-core doors installed decades ago often sag, warp or sound hollow when closed. Upgrading to solid core or solid timber doors during a renovation improves acoustics between bedrooms and living areas, adds weight and quality to the feel of a home, and gives you the option of upgrading door hardware to lever handles and quality hinges that won't sag over time.
For homes near the coast at Palm Beach or Currumbin, door hardware in a quality finish (rather than bargain chrome that pits and corrodes) is worth the extra spend given the salt-laden air.
| Item | Typical cost (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Skirting supply and install, per linear metre | $35 - $90 |
| Architrave supply and install, per door/window | $120 - $280 |
| Solid core internal door, supplied and hung | $450 - $900 |
| Solid timber internal door, supplied and hung | $800 - $1,400 |
| Door hardware upgrade (lever handle set) | $60 - $220 per door |
| Full home skirting and architrave replacement (average 4-bed home) | $6,000 - $14,000 |
Sequencing finishing carpentry correctly
One of the most common mistakes we see in DIY-managed renovations is finishing carpentry installed at the wrong stage. Skirting should go in after flooring and painting of walls (with a final coat often done after skirting is fixed and caulked), while architraves are fitted after door jambs are set square and doors are hung. Getting this sequence wrong causes rework, visible caulk lines, and paint touch-ups that never quite match.
Getting finishing carpentry right
- Match skirting and architrave profile and height throughout connected living spaces
- Confirm door swing direction and hardware height before doors are hung
- Use moisture-resistant or engineered timber products in bathrooms and laundries
- Caulk and fill nail holes before the final paint coat, not after
- Check door clearance over new flooring, especially if installing hybrid or tiled floors
If you're only renovating one or two rooms, consider matching new skirting and architrave profiles into the adjoining hallway as well. It's a small additional cost that prevents an obvious mismatch where the renovated area meets the rest of the house.
Why this work is best left to a licensed carpenter
Finishing carpentry looks simple but rewards precision. A trusted renovation company will set out skirting and architrave runs to avoid awkward short offcuts at visible corners, scribe skirting neatly around uneven walls (common in older Queenslanders), and ensure doors are hung plumb and square so they don't bind or swing open on their own. Getting a QBCC-licensed team to handle this final layer of detail is often what makes the difference between a renovation that looks like a renovation and one that looks like it was always part of the home.
Want your renovation to feel finished, not just functional? Get in touch with Orange Projects for a free quote on skirting, architraves and internal doors.
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