HOW TO HIRE · TRADES & CONSTRUCTION

How to hire a carpenter in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to carpenters; structural timber and replacement windows are regulated. The checks, the questions and what to check before paying.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a carpenter in five steps

  1. Describe the jobSecond fix, bespoke joinery, structural timber or repairs — with photos.
  2. Day rate or job price?A fixed price for a defined job; a day rate for open-ended work.
  3. Structural? Ask about approvalNew joists, roof timbers or load-bearing changes need building regulations approval.
  4. Agree materialsTimber species, grade and finish, supplied by whom.
  5. Check the finish before payingJoints tight, doors and drawers running, surfaces clean.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to carpenters or joiners anywhere in the UK; structural carpentry work — joists, roof timbers, load-bearing alterations — needs building regulations approval, and replacement windows and doors are notifiable in England.

Ask whether the carpentry work needs building regulations approval, and who is applying for it. gov.uk →

Building regulations approval

Structural carpentry work, such as new floor joists or altering roof timbers, is building work that needs approval; non-structural joinery does not. If the carpentry work is approved on full plans in England, expect building control's completion certificate within about 8 weeks of the finish, as long as it complies.

Before the carpentry work begins, ask to see the building control approval or reference. gov.uk →

TrustMark

TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme; it is voluntary, registration is trade by trade, and for the carpentry work it is one of the few independent checks available.

Search the business on TrustMark under the trade that covers the carpentry work. trustmark.org.uk →

Insurance and trader status

Public liability cover protects you if the carpentry work damages your home or someone is hurt; ask for the insurer and limit. Dealing with a trader gives you the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and booking the carpentry work at home or online normally gives 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — minus the value of anything you asked to be done in that time, and excluding goods made to order for you.

For the carpentry work, see the insurance document and confirm the profile carries the trader and ID-checked badges.

VAT

VAT on carpentry and joinery in a home is charged at the standard 20%, and any business turning over more than £90,000 a year in taxable sales has to register, add it to the price and set it out on its own line.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the day-rate or fixed-price joinery quote. gov.uk →

“Is any of the carpentry work structural?”

A good answer: A clear answer; joists, roof timbers and load-bearing changes need approval and sometimes an engineer.

“Day rate or a price for the carpentry work?”

A good answer: A fixed price for a defined job, a day rate with an estimate of days for open-ended work.

“What timber will you use?”

A good answer: Species, grade and moisture content suited to where it goes.

“Will joinery be made in a workshop or on site?”

A good answer: Where and how, with drawings for bespoke pieces.

“Who supplies materials?”

A good answer: The carpenter at a stated price, or you, agreed in advance.

“Can I see similar carpentry work?”

A good answer: Photos of finished jobs of the same kind.

Getting the quote right

  • The work described, room by room
  • Day rate and estimated days, or a fixed price
  • Materials named and who supplies them
  • Finishing — sanding, priming, painting — in or out
  • Who actually attends — the carpenter and any joiner or labourer, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line

Walk away if

  • Alters joists or roof timbers without mentioning building control
  • Open-ended day rate with no estimate
  • No written price
  • Cash only
  • Will not show previous work
LOW
£180
TYPICAL
£280
HIGH
£400

What a carpenter costs: £180–£400 per day

Carpenters charge a day rate or a fixed price per job; bespoke workshop joinery and heritage work cost more than everyday second-fix carpentry. Carpenter & Joiner price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Carpenters near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. SurveyMeasurements and the condition of what is there.
  2. PrepareMaterials ordered; site protected.
  3. Make or cutJoinery made in the workshop or timber cut on site.
  4. FitInstalled, fixed and adjusted.
  5. Finish and clearFilled, sanded and cleaned up.

First fix
Structural and hidden carpentry before plastering.
Second fix
Doors, skirting, architraves after plastering.
Joist
A timber beam supporting a floor or ceiling.
Stud wall
A timber-framed partition wall.
Joinery
Made pieces such as windows, stairs and cabinets.
Moisture content
How much water the timber holds, which affects movement.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and drawingsEspecially for bespoke joinery and anything structural.
Check the workJoints, fixings, doors and drawers, finish.
Keep any approvalBuilding control paperwork for structural work.
Leave the reviewOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the carpentry work falls short, use the make-it-right step first and the provider is asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Contact the carpenter in writingExplain clearly what has gone wrong with the carpentry work, what the quote or contract said, and when you need it put right. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats reasonable care and skill as part of the deal, and lets you claim a redo or a reduction when it is not met.
STEP 2Use Locufy's make-it-right stepRate the carpentry work under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then the review goes up.
STEP 3Unapproved or dangerous workAn approval that was needed for the carpentry work and never obtained is taken up by the council: building control in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or in Scotland the building standards service, which holds the owner responsible for the warrant. For a dispute about the carpentry work with the trader, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeIf the carpentry work is still not settled, you can claim without a solicitor: the small claims track takes claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a carpenter: questions people ask

No licence or register applies anywhere in the UK; structural work needs building regulations approval.

Structural changes are building work that needs approval; ask building control about your job.

£180–£400 a day, typically around £280. Bespoke workshop joinery and heritage work sit higher than everyday second fix. How the figure is built up is in the Carpenter & Joiner price guide; search by postcode above to see what carpenters near you quote.

A fixed price for a defined job; a day rate for open-ended work, with an estimate.

In England, replacement windows need approval or a scheme installer's self-certification; ask how they will certify.

Timber moves; tell the carpenter in writing and ask them back.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in trades & construction

How to hire: Door InstallerHow to hire: Fitted Wardrobe InstallerHow to hire: Kitchen FitterHow to hire: BuilderHow to hire: Loft ConversionHow to hire: Hardwood Floor FittingHow to hire: Window & Double Glazing InstallerHow to hire: StonemasonAll 701 hiring guides →

Carpenters near you

Carpenters in LondonCarpenters in ManchesterCarpenters in BirminghamCarpenters in GlasgowCarpenters in BelfastAll carpenters on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — building regulations approval (England)
  2. gov.uk — building regulations: how to apply
  3. gov.uk — building work, replacements and repairs to your home (England)
  4. TrustMark — the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  7. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 — the 14-day cancellation period
  8. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  9. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 — services started within the cancellation period
  10. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track limit (England and Wales)
  11. Scottish Courts and Tribunals — making a claim under simple procedure
  12. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  13. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  14. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  15. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register