How Much Does It Cost to Install Running Boards? What the Job Actually Takes

Plenty of pages will quote you a price range for this. None of the numbers we saw traced back to a maker, a shop rate survey or any other source we could check. So we answer the question that does have a documented answer: how much work is it?

What each sheet asks of you

Read November 2, 2026. Each row covers that one part. Do not carry a line over to another part, even from the same brand.

One more data point: Westin calls its Pro-e a "Fast, easy, no-drill DIY install", and its page gives no hours. Every sheet asks you to read it before you start.

We print a time only when a maker sheet states it, and that is one line in this table. A dealer-hosted write-up for another Rough Country kit gives a time too, but it is signed by a customer, so it stays out.

Three sizes of job

Bolt-on rail or board. Sockets, factory mounting points, a helper and time under the truck. This is the size of job the sheets write for an owner with hand tools.

Bolt-on with a catch. Some sheets add real work. Per our core notes, Tyger's TG-SS2D35318 and TG-RS2D40078 say "DRILLING MAY BE REQUIRED", and the 2007-2018 Silverado page covers a sheet that warns about cutting on trucks with a DEF tank. Expect a shop to ask about this, and read installing without drilling first.

Power step. Now it is a wiring job too. RealTruck recommends professional installation on the guide we read, and it warns that failing to follow the instructions could put occupants in a potentially dangerous situation. If you searched for what it costs to install AMP power steps, this is the honest answer: on that part, the guide states 3-5 hours at skill level 4, and that is the job you are asking a shop to quote. Ask whether the shop has done your truck before. See AMP Research for the rest of that guide.

Do it yourself or hand it off

• Do it yourself if the sheet has no drilling or wiring, you own the sockets and you have a helper. How to install running boards walks through the common steps.
• Hand it off if the sheet recommends a professional, or you are not comfortable with wire taps at your kick panel or a drill on your pinch weld.
• Stop and call the maker if something on your truck does not match the sheet. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy, because a wrong part is the most expensive way to start.

Who to call, and what to ask

Searching for an installer near you will turn up truck accessory shops, dealers and general mechanics. We have not vetted any of them and do not list shops. Whoever you call, send the same packet, so the quotes can be compared:

1. Your year, cab and bed, and the exact part number.
2. The maker's sheet as a PDF.
3. A photo of your rocker panel, if the truck has been modified or lifted.

Then ask:

• Is the quote written, and does it cover the whole sheet, including any wiring?
• Who drills, deburrs and paints any holes? RealTruck's guide says to paint them to prevent rust.
• Will the shop torque to the sheet and check every door on a power step, as the guide's final check asks?
• If the part arrives wrong for the truck, who pays for the lost time?

Keep your proof of purchase, and keep the shop's invoice with it. RealTruck's warranty applies to the original purchaser and excludes damage from misinstallation. For your truck's own coverage, read do running boards void your warranty. If the install puts you off a power step altogether, a fixed part is the shorter job.

Still choosing a seller? Where to buy running boards compares the options.