What to Consider When Choosing a Carpenter or Joiner

So, you have decided you would like to have some custom furniture built, bespoke joinery done, new bespoke windows or even some bespoke kitchen cabinets built. How do you go about finding suitable carpenters and joiners that live close to you and that also have the skills required for your job? Follow our simple tips below and you are on your way to finding a qualified tradesman who has the right carpentry or joinery skills you need.

What’s the difference between a carpenter and joiner?

The terms carpenter and joiner are often used interchangeably but there is a difference. In simple terms, joiners join wood and carpenters fix wood or make items from wood. Another difference is that joiners will most often do their work in workshops, producing the items such as windows, stairs and trusses whilst a carpenter will work in your home fixing these items into your house. There is some overlap between the two with many professional tradesmen learning the skills required of both carpentry and joinery but most will then go on to focus in one of the two areas.

Carpentry Skills

In addition to deciding whether it is a joiner or carpenter that you need you should also have some understanding of what carpentry specialism you need. The main categories of carpenters are:

• Trim carpenter: This type of tradesman deals with trims and mouldings, including ornamental work such as skirting boards, mantle pieces and window casings
• Joister: This type of carpenter is responsible for laying joists – horizontal boards that are connected to the frame of a structure just below the door level to provide strength for the floor
• Rough carpenter: Takes care of rough carpentry, which may include roofing, framing, formwork and other structural work where polishing or joining is not needed
• Finish carpenter or joiner: Focuses on wood where absolute joins and minimal margins of error are vital. A finish carpenter may deal with furniture making, cabinetry, model building and instrument making
• Cabinet makers: Specialise in making furniture such as cabinets, wardrobes and chests of drawers. A highly-skilled trade, they may well hold the key to your furniture building success. They often focus on bespoke carpentry
• Roofer: They are responsible for roof construction, dealing with rafters, beams and trusses
• Framer: Builds the skeletal structure – or framework – of a building

Choosing the right carpenter for you

Ok so you now know exactly what you want done, whether you need a joiner or carpenter and even the right kind of carpenter. How do you now go about choosing your carpenter?

Finding carpenters

Whether you are looking for carpenters in Berkshire or looking for carpenters in the Midlands there are many ways to find a list of local carpenters – some easier than others.

You could use search engines to get a list of carpenters in your local area. The risk here is that you have no real knowledge of how good they are or what skills they really possess and it can be time consuming calling numerous carpenters, having to leave messages asking them to call you.

Another option is to use the yellow pages but again you have the same issues as using a search engine.

A recommendation – this is arguably a better option than using a search engine or yellow pages but you are unlikely to have more than one recommendation which makes comparisons difficult

An easy, hassle free way of identifying local skilled carpenters is to use the service of site such as www.xpertfind.com. xpertfind.com has a database of skilled carpenters along with rating and feedback provided by customers like yourself for all their carpenters. You simply post details of you job on the site and wait for suitably skilled, local carpenters interested in your work to contact you. It is a quick and easy way for customers to find carpenters for a whole range of jobs and the website has national coverage. So whether you are looking for emergency carpenters in London, carpenters in Devon or joinery for windows in Liverpool, you can post your tiling job online and let xpertfind.com do the hard work of finding 3 local quality carpenters who can provide you with quotes. Who you go with is your decision.

Choosing the right carpenter for you

Once you have got 3 suitably skilled, local carpenters how to do you choose between them?

Ask for references

When hiring a carpenter, don't be shy in asking for references on their work. You could even take the time to call these people and ask how the work went for them. It may even be wise to go and see the work that has been done. Seeing with your own eyes what the carpenter has accomplished is the best way to know what you are paying for.

Compare your quotes

Make sure you have a detailed quote from each of the carpenters you have identified and compare estimates on the cost of the project and see how they differ. The written quotation should list materials, labour and VAT (if appropriate). Ask them in person why things cost the way they do and why the charge what they charge to do the job. If the carpenter is honest, he will answer you straight forward and be open about the costs of materials and the profit he is trying to make.

It is fairly standard for the carpenter to ask for a deposit of about 25%-30% to cover the cost of the materials. However you should not be expected to pay the balance until the carpentry work has been completed to our satisfaction.

Time to complete the job and where it will be completed

Be clear on how long will it take the carpenter to complete the job. Finding a carpenter that can work efficiently and quickly is beneficial - they will cost less because the hours will be less. Even if the cost per hour is more, if they have the third of the hours of another, it will most likely be less money in the end.

It is also helpful to know where the carpenter will be working. Will they be completing work at your place or will be completing the project at their workshop. This will help manage your expectations.

Prior experience

It's all to do with experience! Ask what experience they have. Also, ask if they could bring a portfolio of photos with them so you can see the type of work they do. One sure way of assessing whether a carpenter is experienced is if he takes the trouble to come and look at the job to be done and advise you before giving a quotation.

Are they licensed or registered?

As there is no governing body for carpenters, and no accreditation, you may want some written proof of the capacity of the person. You could look for people who have apprenticeships with the Associate Builders and Contractors, the Associated General Contractors and perhaps the National Association of Home Builders. Choosing a carpenter or joiner who is a member of a professional body may also help your peace of mind. The Institute of Carpenters is a body which requires carpenters and joiners to have taken exams before joining. For more information visit their website at: www.instituteofcarpenters.com.

Click on this link to: Post a Carpenter or Joiner Job with xpertfind.com