There are two groups of people who will hire a carpenter, people who will hire a carpenter directly and the contractor or company which hires carpenters to work on clients property, construct wooden structures and create fine furniture. Although there are two groups the method of hiring remains relatively the same.
To hire a carpenter consider the job requirements, the type of carpenter and what skill level needed. Determine the legal and insurance requirements for a carpenter in your area. Determine the job’s budget. Advertise through personnel contacts, online advertisements or carpenter associations.
Carpentry is a skilled trade which has a wide range of people with different skill levels and competencies. Every carpenter has different skills, experience and specializations. The challenge is to match these with the job required with the lowest cost. Since most experienced carpenters demand a higher rate than less experienced ones you will want to find a carpenter which meets your needs without too much overage.
Encapsulate the required work
Just like any other hiring process it is important to understand what the job you are trying to fill requires. Especially when considering hiring a skilled trade. Trades have many specializations which require knowledge, experience and skill to perform. This can sometimes take years to acquire and is therefore a valuable commodity. This allows carpenters with more experience to charge more than those just starting out.
This does not mean that you should hire the more experienced carpenter all the time, in fact sometimes the less experienced and knowledgeable carpenter may be better for your project. This is where understanding what the project is and what is necessary for its completion.
Start by listing the jobs you want completed. Break down the jobs by what skills you anticipate the carpenter needs. Once you have a list of skills you can determine the type and experience level you will need.
Consider the difference between building an outdoor garden shed to installing interior stair banisters. The level of experience needed is vast and therefore the rate between the different carpenters is also great. If you are looking to build a shed you don’t need the experienced carpenter which will save you a lot whereas if you need banesters installed using an inexperienced carpenter will lead to extra expense, poor results and frustration.
Determine the required licenses and insurance needed
Every government has different requirements for what licenses professional trades need to have to legally work. These may include certificates, union cards, business licenses etc. Before you hire a carpenter, ensure you know what is required. Add these requirements to the list of skills and experience you started above.
Insurance is another important item. Most local governments have specific types of insurance a trade must have, they include health and injury insurance as well as liability insurance to protect both the carpenter and the client or business owner.
Decide on a budget for the project
The budget for the job is a very important aspect of the hiring process as it will determine the extent of the work to be done, the level of carpenter which is affordable and the duties the carpenter will be required to do.
Without a budget it is difficult to control the amount spent on a job. Carpenters often provide quotes or estimates before work commences, by having a budget prior to advertising the work you will be able to eliminate carpenters without wasting time with carpenters who are too expensive. It also gives you an opportunity to bargain with carpenters which are close to your budget requirements. Some carpenters are willing to discount quotes with concessions regarding work done.
On the other hand if a carpenter comes in below your budget by a substantial margin this is a red flag indicating that either your budget is too high (unlikely) or the carpenter is desperate for the work. This may not be a bad thing for you depending on why they need the work. There could be several good reasons why a carpenter needs the work:
- Just starting out and needs a chance to prove his/her skills
- Needs to stay close to home and is willing to discount the price for a short commute
- The job is small and well within their skills therefore will be a small time commitment
There are also some things to watch out for:
- The carpenters reputation is poor
- Carpenter does not have an up to date portfolio
- Carpentry may not be their main job (moonlighting)
When hiring a carpenter it is best to find a carpenter which is within your budget by 10% or so either way. This will give you a field of carpenters to choose from.
Advertise the job
The first stage of advertising the job is to write the job description. Use the notes you wrote in the above sections to distill the job into as few bullet points as you can. Include a short description of the work needed to be done, whether it is a permeate position you are looking to fill or if it is contract work.
List the required qualifications the carpenter must have. To not make this a wish list as it will discourage qualified carpenters from applying which may lead to higher cost.
List qualifications which you would like the carpenter to have on another list. This gives the applicant the opportunity to show they have additional skills
When advertising a carpentry job the usual advice still applies:
- Start with personnel contacts
Personnel contacts are always the best option. They provide you with recommended people which have been vetted to a certain degree. The carpenter will have a relationship with the mutual contact which puts pressure on them to do a good job.
- Ask for referrals
Referrals are a great way to find a talented carpenter. If you have used other trades then they may have insight into a carpenter which they would trust or know are good. These trades want to maintain a good reputation so if they recommend someone the chances are higher that they will meet your needs.
- Advertise for candidates
This is always the last resort as you will have no prior experience with the carpenter and be going into an agreement with them blind. When this is the case ensure you follow all the steps below to increase your chances of a positive result.
Carpentry Hiring Checklist
- Have a written description of the work required
This is vital as it provides you and the carpenter with a clear understanding of the work which is expected. Without this misunderstandings will occur which can lead to a poor outcome for one or both parties.
With a written description the carpenter can easily determine if they are capable, willing and interested in the work. This saves you and them time and money. It also eliminates the discussion regarding what they heard you wanted and what you expected.
- Meet any candidates onsite to discuss work
A carpenter is a great resource which can provide you with valuable insight into any project, whether it is a renovation or a new construction project. They have experience which can help to clarify the work.
- Ask to view their prior work
Having a visual representation of a carpenter’s work will give you a good understanding of what they are capable of. Without this proof you are making a decision based only on their personality and interview skills. Although personality is a good indicator of a person’s ability visual representations are also valuable.
Look for varying styles and techniques used in the different projects, watch for improvement as time has passed and look for obvious gaps in projects. Gaps in projects can mean they took a hiatus from the trade (not a bad thing all the time) or they had a string of unsuccessful projects.
- Ask specifically about experience regarding required work
Not all carpenters are versed in more than one type of carpentry. If you need a finisher to install trim and baseboards a certain amount of experience is needed but if you also need banisters installed this requires a completely new set of skills. By asking specifically about the experience of the carpenter you will get a better understanding of their ability to complete the work required.
- Request a quote
A quote will provide a written description of the work the carpenter is committed to, how much they are going to charge and provide a written understanding of what the carpenter believes needs to be done.
- Review and discuss the quote
A quote is not the end of discussions. It is important to review the quote and ensure that everything you want complete is in the quote. Ask questions about anything extra added into the quote.
- Check references prior to making a final decision
References will give you a different picture of the carpenter then the one they themselves present. By asking some pertinent questions you can determine if the carpenter has the ability to complete the work.
- Call to schedule the work
Once you have decided on your carpenter call and schedule the work. Sometimes this is a critical part of the job because if you are using more than one trade scheduling is really important. Without a proper schedule your project can be delayed and forced to cost more when other trades cannot perform their part of the job on time. Make sure you make it clear when you need to work to start and if there are breaks where other trades are involved that the carpenter understands.