New hardwood floor - how to save original Victorian skirting boards?

[Sparklysleeves]

I live in a Victorian sandstone house in Scotland, it's beautiful but cold! Temperature not helped by the draughty floorboards (not original, softwood and poor condition) so we want to install a new hardwood floor - but how do we do this without disrupting the original Victorian skirting boards and panelling? Issue not helped by the fact that our sockets are mounted on the tall skirting boards - apparently electrics only 15 years old so not a case of needing to just bite the bullet and rewire at same time. Do we remove the old floorboards and lay new boards in their place? Or must we remove the skirting and install over them? Any other solutions?

I'm in an old Victorian house in Scotland too. It needed so much work when we moved it! We had to rip the old floors up as they were a mess and we needed to install new insulation. We took the old skirting boards off too and got new MDF ones made. The new skirting boards were made in exactly the same size and shape as the old ones and we painted them so you wouldn't know. They are really tall so look authentic.

We've just spent 3yrs renovating what was a derelict, 1930's property. Short answer is- I don't know how you could keep and re-use the existing skirting boards. IF they didn't need removing at all, then fine. We did try to do this very thing and re-use what we could- but often they'd snap, had hidden damage, multiple layers of paint (possibly containing lead!) or warped.

Many places sell skirting in historical styles if you want to match the current large ones. I assume you already have heaters, but we looked into an option where the heating comes up through the skirting boards- so no need for wall hung heaters and saves space. For wooden flooring, we got lots of samples and went with woodpecker, who have a 100yr warranty.

Who will be installing the flooring? Ask them IF it can be done without removing the skirting, or what they recommend.

Thanks @pharmachameleon, maybe that's the way to go. Just worried about the electrics and additional plastering. Was there damage and did you need to replaster? You're no longer allowed sockets on skirting boards so I worry I'll also have to get an electrician to move them up the wall....

A good installer can rout out a groove all along the skirting that flooring slots into or you can install a bead over the join to cover the expansion gap and paint it to match the skirting ( that's what I have done in my house with a bit of a groove/ slot cut into thr architraves for neatness.
Removing the skirting and replacing sockets is asking for trouble with old lath and plaster, especially on exterior walls, you could end up with a lot of patching to do.

I live in an early Victorian sandstone house in Scotland too by the way so know the perils of disturbing old lime plaster.

Thanks @Wbeezer , that could be the way to go. I'd be particularly worried about where the skirting and panelling join around the bay windows to not damage those.

I think it looks absolutely fine ( beading) in a traditional house as there are other mouldings all over the place, it doesn't look as appropriate in a modern interior with more clean lines.
Top tip - paint the beading before you install it and then you won't get paint on your new floor or have to use masses of making tape.

I agree beading would look fine in an old house.
We had to replaster the whole house before we moved in so it was a huge job but I'm glad we did it as it looks great.
We are adding panelling to our hallway just now and the electrician moved our sockets higher up the wall to accommodate the panels. Hardly any mess at all and it was a fairly quick job.