Find Carpenters & Joiners in the UK

There are some big similarities between carpenters and joiners – they’re both woodworking professionals, using similar techniques and materials – but there are many differences as well.

Carpenters are generally concerned with building and fitting larger-scale structural components for building projects. They’re usually based on building sites, fitting roof trusses, studwork, flooring, staircases, cupboards, bookshelves, and window frames – among other things. They can also repair wood and even laminate fittings. For example, you could sometimes hire a carpenter to repair laminate flooring.

Joiners, on the other hand, are more focused on designing and building products made from timber. Based in a workshop, they’ll make chairs, tables, cabinets, and fitted wardrobes. They’re also adept at crafting structural components, like windows, doors, and staircases.

These wooden products – windows and staircases, for example – are produced by joiners, but often fitted in properties by carpenters. Both carpenters and joiners are highly qualified and skilled tradespeople, but you need to make sure you’re going to the right professional for your job.

Unsurprisingly, installing doors, window frames, fitted wardrobes, and other structural elements and bespoke furniture can be messy. As a result, your property might need cleaning up after the work is completed. Many carpenters are happy to handle clean-up, but that isn’t always the case.

To avoid any confusion or miscommunications, ask carpenters about whether or not they handle clearing up when taking initial quotes. If you’re only interested in hiring a carpenter who offers this, this helps you avoid disappointment later on.

If you handle clean-up yourself, you need to dispose of waste materials properly. This means heading to your local recycling centre. Needless to say, carpenters should be taking these waste materials to these locations, too. If you’re environmentally conscious, you can always ask about how they handle waste materials for added peace of mind.

Yes, generally, carpenters will install kitchen cabinets for you. Whether you’ve bought prefabricated kitchen cabinets or you’re looking for a woodworking professional to design and construct bespoke cabinets, carpenters are usually happy to take on the cabinet fitting work.

As always, the easiest way to find a suitable professional is by browsing your local options. If you’d rather these tradespeople contact you, post an enquiry on Yell instead – just write a few details about the work and wait for qualified carpenters to get in touch.

You can learn more about potential expenses with our guide on the cost of kitchen fitting.

If you’re looking for someone to hang wooden doors – either external or internal doors – carpenters are a good choice. As installation experts, expect carpenters to hang doors in a precise manner, with a minimum of mess and disruption to your property.

The cost of hanging a door is likely to be based on a carpenter’s hourly rate. In the UK, carpenters generally cost between £25 and £45 per hour. As always, it’s best to take quotes from several carpenters before settling on an individual.

If you're feeling confident, you can attempt to hang doors yourself. Need some help? Both novice and experienced DIYers can follow our guide for how to hang a door.

Carpenters and joiners use various types of wood for structural components and bespoke furniture – like tables, chairs, and fitted wardrobes. You can choose the type of wood used for your project, though you might be limited by your budget or the wood’s practical qualities.

Broadly, wood is split into two categories: hardwood and softwood. As you can guess from the name, hardwood is generally sturdier and more weather resistant. Some examples of hardwood include oak, walnut, and maple.

Softwood, on the other hand, is less dense, but cheaper and easier to work with – and might be the more suitable choice for your project. Examples of softwood include pine, cedar, and spruce. Carpenters and joiners can offer advice about which wood suits your particular project.

In general, you should expect to pay at least £2,000 for fitted wardrobes, though prices could end up being more than £5,000 for the larger and more elaborate installations.

The cost of fitted wardrobes changes depending on several factors, including your location, the style of fitted wardrobes you choose, the size of the unit, and the materials you prefer – not to mention the experience level of your chosen joiner.

If you’re going to hire a carpenter joiner for fitted wardrobes, make sure to take several quotes to find the best price.

It’s up to you whether you purchase materials or ask carpenters or joiners to buy on your behalf. Generally, carpenters and joiners are usually happy to handle purchasing if you’re unsure where to get the most suitable or highest-quality materials.

You can buy from the many excellent UK timber merchants, with a bit of searching. Even so, you might prefer to pass on this job, since woodworking professionals could have pre-existing relationships with these suppliers that lead to cheaper prices.

If you decide to let your carpenter or joiner purchase the materials for you, make sure you have a clear idea about how much they’re spending before they make the purchase. You don’t want to be hit with a surprise bill that swallows up your budget.

Yes, a major part of a joiner’s role is designing custom furniture on behalf of their clients. You can get involved in the design of the furniture by sharing your material and stylistic preferences. In fact, joiners tend to welcome this, since it makes coming up with something that fits your tastes easier.

If you’re unsure about the exact specifications of what you want, joiners can provide inspiration too. Once they’ve nailed down the design, they should take some time to make sure you’re completely happy with it. Once that’s finished, it’s time to start crafting.

Before any of that, take the time to contact several joiners who specialise in bespoke furniture. Only select a joiner for the project once you have a clear image of their ideas, costs, and service conditions.

In the UK, carpenters and joiners are not legally required to hold public liability insurance. The truth of the matter is that most do, though. Public liability insurance protects professionals and customers alike, should any accidents take place.

If a carpenter or joiner doesn’t hold public liability insurance, you’re taking a risk by hiring them. It might be best to continue browsing local carpenters and joiners to find someone more reliable and trustworthy.