How much does a carpenter cost?

When should I hire a carpenter?

You should probably consider hiring a carpenter in more situations than you’d think. If a job involves wood, then it involves a material that rewards those who know how to treat it. Experience is important in knowing how to work with different types of wood. And work that’s done well will tend to last longer than work is done poorly - saving you money in the long run.

Another reason to hire a carpenter is if the job that needs doing is large or complicated, and would benefit from specialized equipment. For instance, if the job requires circular or band saws, it’s likely that a professional carpenter or joiner might have access to better equipment that will leave a cleaner finish that you’ll ultimately be happier with.

You might also consider hiring a carpenter if your time would be more enjoyably or profitably spent elsewhere. And you could hire a carpenter even if you’d like to work on the job yourself. It always helps to have another pair of hands, and another person to talk about tasks with. 

Common tasks for a carpenter 

Some common tasks performed by carpenters include:

• Building a patio, or timber decking
• Building a backyard pergola
• Building or repairing home furniture
• Installing timber doors
• Installing or repairing cabinets
• Building home extensions or granny flats
• Repairing or replacing aged wood fittings 
• Installing, cutting, laying, and repairing wooden floorboards
• Building wooden seating - for instance, balcony bench seating 
• Advice on construction plans 
• Pitching roofs and erecting wooden ceilings 
• Constructing pre-fabricated units

The qualifications of carpenters

The qualifications required to be held by carpenters differ in different US jurisdictions. In some states, licensed carpenters require passing examinations. For instance, in California, a licensed carpenter must have a Specialty C-5 Framing and Rough Carpentry Contractor license or a C-6 Cabinet, Millwork and Finish Carpentry Contractor license issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board. To obtain it, the carpenter must show four full years of experience in the last ten years, and pass an exam, among other requirements.

Some qualifications do not rise to the level of formal trade training. For example, vocational colleges also offer courses in joinery, furnishing, and furniture making below the level of a licensed tradesperson. 

Questions to ask carpenters 

If you’ve hired a carpenter, or are considering hiring a carpenter, it’s a good idea to at least ask them a few things about what sort of work they do. Some possible questions you might want to ask include:

• Do they have a specialty? What sort of carpentry work do they most often perform?
• What are their qualifications?
• Do they charge by the hour, or by the task?
• Do they charge for building materials? Or should you go and buy your own materials?
• What was their most recent job?
• Will they be available to work for you until the completion of your task?
• Could they show you images of their recent work?

How much do carpenters charge?

It depends. If it’s a small job, there is a good chance that a carpenter will quote you for the price of finishing the job.

On the other hand, if you’re doing a major piece of work - such as, for instance, putting up the frame for a granny flat - a carpenter might quote you on an hourly or daily rate. You also will need to determine whether you will have to pay multiple carpenters an hourly or daily rate. In some instances, particularly where there are larger tasks involved, it can work out to be more cost-effective to hire more people to do the job.

The cost of carpentry materials

The materials you’ll need for your carpentry tasks can add significantly to the overall cost of your work. But whether they will or not will depend on what you need to be done, and what you’re looking for out of the job. For instance, if you want some wooden floorboards laid, then there is a huge discrepancy between the cost of different types of flooring. Your carpenter should be able to advise on whether you need more or less expensive materials, but ultimately the choice will be yours. If you’re determined to get your pergola made from a particular type of wood - say, one with a sentimental value - then that’s great. It just might cost you a bit.

How to reduce the cost of carpentry services 

If you’re concerned about the cost of a carpentry job but still want to hire someone to work on it for you, there are a few ways you might be able to lower the bill.

You could attempt to start a task yourself, and then hire a carpenter to finish it off. The advantage of this approach is that you might be able to knock off a lot of the more time-consuming labor while leaving the important task of providing a neat finish to the professional. The disadvantage is that you might mess up the job, and ultimately create more work for the person you are paying.

Another option is to work on the job alongside the carpenter you’ve hired. This way you can take direction from someone else, but still, ensure that the task is finished quicker than it might otherwise have been.

And you can also attempt to source the building materials for yourself. You could do this before or after you’ve hired your carpenter. 

Things to look for in a carpenter

One thing to look for in a carpenter is whether they regularly do the type of work that you need help with.

If a carpenter is a rough carpenter - meaning that they typically erect wooden frames on building projects - they might not be the right person to repair your cherished wooden cabinet. 

Another thing to look for is whether they come with recommendations. If you know someone who has a good word to say about a carpenter, it just might give you peace of mind when you’re hiring them. 

Browse some recent carpentry tasks on Airtasker to see how it’s possible to get any type of carpentry job done through to Airtasker, and to get an idea of what details to include in a listing of your own:

• Decking around a shed
• Build shelving in walk-in wardrobes
• Build or adjust the height of the kitchen cabinet
• Gutter clean and silicone seal any cracks