Many homeowners find themselves looking around their property and finding things they want fixed here and there—whether it’s siding that needs to be repaired or a whole new deck that they want in their backyard. The issue is, who’s the right person for the job? Maybe a carpenter? But what does a carpenter do exactly?
The lines often blur between what a carpenter, woodworker and handyman can do because quite frankly they can perform many of the same tasks.
Generally, carpenters construct, erect, install and repair structures and fixtures made from wood and other materials. Carpenters can do anything from small repairs, such as fixing your crown molding, to bigger home projects, such as adding on new areas of your home. Basically, a carpenter can make improvements on nearly any part of your property.
While some of these smaller repairs around your home may seem like easy do-it-yourself projects, many homeowners end up having to rent tools for months on end just to get their project done, which starts to add up quickly. Also, homeowners will often buy too little or too much of their needed products, which results either in wasted money or many unwanted trips to the home improvement store.
If you’re looking for a carpenter who can help with the small jobs around your home, you should look for a home improvement carpenter. Let’s go into more detail about these professionals, how they can make your life easier and how to find the right person for your job.
What Does A Home Improvement Carpenter Do?
Home improvement carpenters are those that tend to do those smaller jobs, as opposed to adding on to your home. Many times, home improvement carpenters will work for a period of time, such as for a half-day or full day, and they will spend their time checking off all of the things on your to-do list. This makes the whole process more convenient—you only need to hire one person to make your laundry list of tasks disappear.
While the thought of having a carpenter come to your home for an extended period of time may sound like a more expensive solution to your problem, it can actually end up being more cost-efficient. This is because carpenters can buy material in bulk, making them cheaper, and they already own all of the tools needed for your projects. Hiring a professional is also more time-efficient. This isn’t their first rodeo—they know exactly what they’re doing and can do it in a timely manner.
Prior to scheduling a service call with a home improvement carpenter, you should compile a list of all the things you want to be repaired or installed and prioritize it, in case you need to split up all the work over time. Having a plan at the outset will give your home improvement carpenter ample time to get all the materials ready, such as wood and tools, and will also allow them to estimate how long the projects will take.
While there are some easy home improvement projects you can take on, what services can you (or should you) rely on a home improvement carpenter to provide?
Carpenter Services List
As previously mentioned, carpenters can help with just about any small repairs around your home. However, there are some types of projects carpenters perform on a regular basis.
Adding Crown Molding To Walls And Cabinets
Adding high quality, elegant crown molding to your walls and cabinets can beautify your home and raise the value of your property. However, if installed incorrectly or with a poor quality product your vision may not turn into reality. While it may seem like an easy task, to get the best looking crown molding you’ll probably want to bring in a professional.
Building Decks And Patios
A carpenter will be able to get the exact measurements of wood for your dream deck or patio. After having a consultation, your carpenter will be able to buy wood in bulk, making it a less expensive home project. Also, with their years of experience, a professional will be able to build quickly. In many cases, a carpenter can even give you deck maintenance ideas. Instead of worrying about building your dream deck correctly, hand that task off to a carpenter.
Fixing Squeaky Or Loose Stairs
If you have a stair you avoid walking on due to its unbearable high-pitched squeak, it’s time to call in a carpenter. Carpenters can also usually help with cracked treads, detached handrails, loose-fitting posts and can often even repair any pet-related damage.
Repairing Cabinets
We use our cabinets every day, and with the day to day wear and tear, they will need repairing at some point. A skilled carpenter will be able to resurface your cabinets as well as repair hinges. Repairing your cabinets can make your kitchen look substantially newer and can be a wonderful way to spruce up your kitchen without remodeling it.
Framing Doors
Whether you just purchased a new door or you’re noticing issues with your current door, a carpenter can frame your doors so that they fit perfectly. Many times, homeowners will believe this is an easy task. However, without taking the proper measurements, it is extremely easy to make mistakes. Leave this to an experienced carpenter.
Even if you do have some experience with general home maintenance, there are certain skills that carpenters possess that not many homeowners have.
Carpenter Skills For Repair And Renovation
Before many carpenters work in the field, they go through safety training and other education courses. Not all of these skills will be necessary for each repair project, but they can help to aid homeowners as they seek to fix problems in their home.
If you are planning on repairing or renovating your home, consider how a professional with these skills can help the project finish on time and without any safety accidents.
Power Tool Usage
Chop saws, metal cutters, sanders—every project requires a different set of power tools. Unfortunately, power tools can be extremely dangerous to work with. If you have not used a power tool before (and often even if you have), you should probably leave it up to the professionals.
Building Wooden Structures
Giving your kitchen an upgraded look doesn’t always require a full demo. Carpenters can make your ideas come to life by building or refinishing your cabinets. Once these elements are built and installed, your carpenter may also be able to offer painting services to bring everything together.
The same goes with your backyard. Your carpenter will be able to build the deck you’ve always wanted so you’ll have a lovely area to spend time in your backyard.
Administrative And Legal Help
Professional carpenters will be knowledgeable in the following areas:
- Zoning laws
- Trade licensing
- Safety procedures and laws
Carpenters can help you adhere to all local laws from the moment you begin your repairs. Without their expertise, your project may stall before you can finish.
Recommendations And Referrals
Carpenters can do a lot—but they might not be able to handle the parts of a project that require electricity, plumbing or other specialized skills. They can, however, recommend high-quality professionals in your local area when it comes time to hire someone. In some cases, you can find a carpenter that works in a home services company that can provide you with these other services. You will probably know ahead of time whether you need to bring on another contractor, so you can budget appropriately.
Carpenter Vs. Woodworker: Who Should You Call?
While there are some overlapping tasks that carpenters and woodworkers can provide, there are some differences between the two. Both carpenters and woodworks will work on cabinets, but generally, woodworkers will work on the more intricate details of a project involving wood. This means if you want delicate designs engraved into furniture or your cabinets, you would call a woodworker. However, a woodworker would less likely be willing to take on the project of building you a new deck, like a carpenter would.
When deciding on which professional to hire, think about what you’re asking for. If you want a custom item for your home, consider a woodworker. This includes custom furniture, toys, desks and cabinets.
As previously mentioned, the lines are often blurred not only between what a carpenter and woodworker can do, but also what a handyman can do. When you bring in a handyman, that person can usually help with many of the same projects a home improvement carpenter can help with, in addition to helping with other tasks around the home.
ABC’s Carpenters Can Make Your Home Improvements
The handymen at ABC Home & Commercial Services can help with many home improvement needs around your home. In addition to carpentry, our experienced professionals can update your home with new paint, power wash your driveway, remodel your bathroom, repair tile, assemble furniture, mount televisions and hang your picture frames. ABC even has a plumbing team to help with any plumbing equipment you would like in your remodeled bathroom and a landscaping team to bring the rest of your backyard vision to life. Instead of slowly knocking each thing off your to-do list, hire an experienced handyman from ABC to take care of your carpentry projects and a host of other home improvements.
