Expert Carpentry – Choosing the Right Tradesman

If you are adding any type of woodwork to your home or property whether you intend to include it in the structure of your building or are opting for decorative woodwork, it can be essential to find the best carpenter. The woodwork should be long lasting and completed to a superb finish, yet it’s difficult to choose a carpenter simply by looking online.

Carpenters are specialists in wood. They should be able to ensure you that the work they complete is sturdy enough for everyday use and looks stunning. We have put together a few tips and advice on choosing the right tradesman or company so that you pick the very best that you can afford.

What Type of Carpenter Will You Need?

All types of carpenter work with wood yet each individual carpenter may specialise in a certain style of woodwork. There are rough carpenters, finish carpenters and repair carpenters. Each covers a different area of their trade so it’s vital to know what type of work you are planning, whether it’s structural, decorative, inside or outside.

Rough Carpenters

A rough carpenter will carry out framework and structural projects. They will tackle framing and covering buildings for the construction industry. Building wooden structures they will take care of the blueprint, will use architectural drawings, CAD (Computer Aided Design) and sketches to plan their work, and will take instructions orally.

Finish Carpenters

Also known as Trim carpenters or Joiners, Finish carpenters concentrate on the aesthetics of woodworking. Including things like trims, decking projects and mouldings that can be seen (as opposed to working on structures inside walls that will later be covered over.) This type of carpenter will finish jobs such as kitchens with crown mouldings, they will build wooden stairways, hand doors or create bespoke items such as cabinets and bookcases.

Repair Carpenters

Carpenters working in the maintenance industry may also be Repair Carpenters. They will generally be able to attend in emergencies or for scheduled repairs and will help with property renovations, fix doors and window frames and can help following a burglary or accidental damage.

Credentials

It doesn’t matter how polished a website is or that you have found what appears to be a reasonably priced carpenter. As there are many different types of carpentry, you will need to be sure that you firstly are selecting a carpenter who is experienced in completing projects that you are looking to hire them for. Whether you need a structural specialist, a joiner for building furniture, or one who can maintain or repair woodwork it is vital to check their credentials.

Does the company you are checking out have an existing or previous client they can refer you to? Alternatively, have you spotted work in a neighbouring home or property that is completed to an excellent finish? Do you know of a carpenter that has worked on structure in a new home or added stunning decking work to a neighbour’s garden?

Home owners are more than happy to recommend carpenters and tradesmen if they feel that the work was done to suit their needs, they communicated well with the carpenter, and that the project was completed to a high standard.

What Will it Cost?

Obtaining quotes from at least three carpenters and ensuring they are given the same specification and requirements will make sure you get accurate quotes and can compare each one equally.

Choosing a carpenter, much like any other tradesman and getting it right first time will help you to avoid costs associated with poor workmanship. It will also mean you get to speak to those about your exact needs and you will get a good feel for the company or individual who will potentially work with you.

Gaining a quote upfront

Make sure you get a breakdown of labour costs, materials (try to make sure you know the quality of those materials), and any other costs involved.

Choosing a carpenter just because the quote is cheap isn’t always best. Yes, it’s a competitive industry but you will want the job completed to a high specification. It will need to be sturdy and long lasting too. It can be cheaper in the long term to choose a higher quote where work doesn’t have to be re-done later on down the line.

What Timeframe Suits?

Availability is key. If you would like the work completing in a reasonable timeframe, check that your quotations include the availability. If you need the project doing within just a few weeks and your carpenter is booked up for the next 2 months it may not work for you.

Also, it’s essential to make sure that your carpenter can work within a good timescale especially if you are expecting other tradesmen before or after your carpenter. Any work completed in your home, whether its kitchen carpentry, stair work, structural or woodwork repairs will cause interruption and a little dust. So organising the tradesmen to attend with as little delay as possible is important.

Summary

We are Essex Property Maintenance and we work very hard to go that little bit above and beyond what other maintenance firms may promise. We will quote for any type of carpentry work and will ensure that a tradesman with the right skill set attends your property promptly and on time.

We’ll try to work within your budget as much as possible and will provide a no obligation quotation with a complete breakdown of the costs involved. Our expert team will talk you through all of the options available and will work to your schedule (where we have not previously been booked up) and will work accurately with your requirements.

Call our Essex based carpentry team today or contact us using the form for a rapid response