Carpenter Pricing Guide

How much does a carpenter charge in 2026?

Hourly rates by region, common job prices, what drives the cost, and how to write a carpentry quote that wins.

The short answer

Carpenters typically charge $55 to $100 per hour

$200 to $15,000+ per job depending on scope. Here is what tradies actually charge in 2026 and how the price gets built.

Carpenters typically charge between $55 and $100 per hour in the US for general work. Small jobs like a door rehang or skirting run $200 to $800. Mid-size jobs like a deck or a built-in wardrobe run $2,000 to $8,000. Larger work like a custom kitchen or a full timber-frame extension can run $15,000+. Pricing depends on material grade (hardwood vs MDF), complexity of detail, finish level, and whether the work is site-built or shop-fabricated.

Hourly rates

Carpenters hourly rates by region (2026)

Standard daytime rates across the major markets. Metro areas typically command a 20-30% premium. After-hours work is 1.5x to 2x.

Region	Hourly rate	Notes
United States	$55 - $120/hr	Finish carpenters and cabinet-makers at the top
United Kingdom	£30 - £75/hr	Cabinet-makers and bespoke specialists at the top
Australia	$65 - $130/hr	Licensed cabinet-makers above this range
South Africa	R250 - R650/hr	Custom kitchen and built-in specialists above this
Canada	C$55 - C$110/hr	Finish carpenters in major metros at the top
New Zealand	$60 - $125/hr	Auckland and Wellington at the top
Ireland	€35 - €95/hr	Dublin commands a premium
India	₹1500 - ₹4500/hr	Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore at the top

United States

Hourly rate$55 - $120/hr

Notes

Finish carpenters and cabinet-makers at the top

United Kingdom

Hourly rate£30 - £75/hr

Notes

Cabinet-makers and bespoke specialists at the top

Australia

Hourly rate$65 - $130/hr

Notes

Licensed cabinet-makers above this range

South Africa

Hourly rateR250 - R650/hr

Notes

Custom kitchen and built-in specialists above this

Canada

Hourly rateC$55 - C$110/hr

Notes

Finish carpenters in major metros at the top

New Zealand

Hourly rate$60 - $125/hr

Notes

Auckland and Wellington at the top

Ireland

Hourly rate€35 - €95/hr

Notes

Dublin commands a premium

India

Hourly rate₹1500 - ₹4500/hr

Notes

Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore at the top

Job pricing

Common carpenter jobs and what they cost

Real-world price ranges for the jobs tradies quote every week. Includes labour, parts, and standard call-out.

Job	Typical price	What's included
Door rehang or adjustment	$120 to $280	Includes plane, hinge adjustment, latch alignment, and 1-2 hours labour.
Door replacement (hollow core)	$220 to $480	Includes door, frame adjustment, hinges, latch, and 2-3 hours labour. Solid timber doors add cost.
Skirting board install (per linear m)	$15 to $35	Includes timber, mitre cuts, fixing, and prep for paint. Wide profile and hardwood cost more.
Built-in wardrobe (per linear m)	$650 to $1,500	Includes carcass, shelves, hanging rail, doors, soft-close hardware, and 2-3 days labour.
Decking (per square metre)	$180 to $420	Includes joists, decking boards (pine or hardwood), screws, and labour. Hardwood and balustrade add cost.
Pergola (3x3m)	$2,200 to $5,500	Includes posts, beams, rafters, fixings, and 3-5 days labour. Roof coverings priced separately.
Floor sanding and finish (per sqm)	$35 to $75	Includes sand, stain (optional), and 2-3 coats poly. Engineered floors cost more.
Custom kitchen carcass (per linear m)	$1,200 to $2,800	Includes melamine or veneer carcass, shelves, hinges, soft-close. Doors and bench-tops priced separately.
Daily labour (qualified carpenter)	$450 to $850	Standard 8-hour day. Apprentice + qualified pair runs higher.

Door rehang or adjustment

Typical price$120 to $280

What's included

Includes plane, hinge adjustment, latch alignment, and 1-2 hours labour.

Door replacement (hollow core)

Typical price$220 to $480

What's included

Includes door, frame adjustment, hinges, latch, and 2-3 hours labour. Solid timber doors add cost.

Skirting board install (per linear m)

Typical price$15 to $35

What's included

Includes timber, mitre cuts, fixing, and prep for paint. Wide profile and hardwood cost more.

Built-in wardrobe (per linear m)

Typical price$650 to $1,500

What's included

Includes carcass, shelves, hanging rail, doors, soft-close hardware, and 2-3 days labour.

Decking (per square metre)

Typical price$180 to $420

What's included

Includes joists, decking boards (pine or hardwood), screws, and labour. Hardwood and balustrade add cost.

Pergola (3x3m)

Typical price$2,200 to $5,500

What's included

Includes posts, beams, rafters, fixings, and 3-5 days labour. Roof coverings priced separately.

Floor sanding and finish (per sqm)

Typical price$35 to $75

What's included

Includes sand, stain (optional), and 2-3 coats poly. Engineered floors cost more.

Custom kitchen carcass (per linear m)

Typical price$1,200 to $2,800

What's included

Includes melamine or veneer carcass, shelves, hinges, soft-close. Doors and bench-tops priced separately.

Daily labour (qualified carpenter)

Typical price$450 to $850

What's included

Standard 8-hour day. Apprentice + qualified pair runs higher.

What drives the price

Six things that change the price of a job

The same job can cost 2x more or less depending on these factors. Knowing them helps customers spot fair quotes and helps tradies justify their own.

Material grade

MDF is $12/sqm; veneer ply is $45/sqm; solid hardwood is $120/sqm+. The same wardrobe can be quoted at 3x the price depending on the carcass material. Always state the material on the quote.

Hardware quality

Standard hinges are $3 each; soft-close branded (Blum, Hettich) are $18+. Drawer runners go $15 to $90 each. Cheap hardware fails in 5 years. State the brand on the quote.

Detail and complexity

A box on the wall is fast. Curves, mitres, inlay, integrated lighting all multiply the labour. Quote complex detail as its own line so the customer understands the cost.

Site vs workshop build

Workshop builds are faster, more precise, and cheaper per linear metre. Site builds (built-in to existing walls) need to handle 5mm of wall taper. Quote both options where possible.

Finish level

Paint-grade finishes hide small flaws. Stain-grade requires furniture-quality joinery. The same job is 30-50% more in stain-grade. State the finish level on the quote.

Access and installation

First-floor or apartment installs need careful lift planning. Pre-finished pieces that do not fit through the door become flat-pack jobs. Survey access before quoting.

How to quote it

How carpenters should price their work

Tips for tradies on writing quotes that win the job and protect the margin.

Quote material and labour separately

Customers can shop the material spec around but the labour stays with you. Reduces 'why is this so expensive' arguments.

Name the hardware brand

List 'Blum soft-close hinges, Hettich drawer runners, satin chrome handles model XYZ'. Avoids substitution arguments. Customers comparing quotes see exactly what they are getting.

State the finish level explicitly

'Paint-grade MDF, ready for customer-supplied paint' vs 'Stain-grade veneer with 2K finish'. The price difference is huge. Misalignment here is the #1 dispute trigger.

Take a 30% deposit on materials

Custom carpentry has material outlay that cannot be returned. 30% covers the timber and hardware. Stage payments cover labour.

Quote the day rate transparently

$600/day for a qualified carpenter, $400/day for an apprentice. State the team mix on the quote. Customers can see how a 5-day job justifies $3,500 of labour.

Send progress photos in WhatsApp

Carcasses in the workshop, install day 1, day 3, complete. Customers paying in stages need to see what they are paying for. Doubles as marketing for the next quote.

Watch out for

Pricing red flags to watch for

The patterns that usually signal a problem on the quote, with what to do about each one.

No materials list on the quote

What to do: Insist on a written materials list. Without one, the carpenter substitutes the cheapest available product without telling you.

No deposit, just trust me

What to do: For custom work over $1,000, a deposit is standard. A carpenter who skips the deposit is either undercapitalised (will disappear) or planning to use cheap materials.

Verbal estimate on a $5,000+ job

What to do: Always written. Custom carpentry has too many variables (timber grade, hardware, finish, edge detail) for a verbal to capture. Insist on line items.

'I can do it cheaper than the quote'

What to do: If a carpenter offers to come in under another quote without seeing the scope, they are bidding on price not on work. Ask what they will skip to hit the number.

Cash-only with no invoice

What to do: Walk away. Without an invoice you have no warranty, no insurance claim path, and no proof of work. Custom carpentry needs a guarantee period.

Pressure to skip the contract

What to do: For custom work over $3,000, get a written contract with scope, materials, milestones, and a punch-list clause. Verbal agreements on bespoke work are the leading cause of disputes.

Sample quote

A real example: line-by-line

Built-in wardrobe, 3.6 linear metres, sliding doors, premium finish

Line	Rate	Total
Melamine carcass (3.6m, 600mm deep, 2.4m high, edge-banded)	$ 1,200	$ 1,200
Shelving, hanging rails, drawer runners (Hettich soft-close x4)	$ 480	$ 480
Sliding doors (3 panel, mirror + melamine combination, aluminium track)	$ 1,650	$ 1,650
Site measure, delivery, install (2 days, 2-person team)	$ 600/day	$ 1,200
Skirting cut-in, scribe to wall, silicon seal	$ 280	$ 280
Finish (laminated, ready to use, no paint required)	Included	Included
Subtotal		$ 4,810
Tax (10%)		$ 481
Total		$ 5,291

Melamine carcass (3.6m, 600mm deep, 2.4m high, edge-banded)

Rate $ 1,200$ 1,200

Shelving, hanging rails, drawer runners (Hettich soft-close x4)

Rate $ 480$ 480

Sliding doors (3 panel, mirror + melamine combination, aluminium track)

Rate $ 1,650$ 1,650

Site measure, delivery, install (2 days, 2-person team)

Rate $ 600/day$ 1,200

Skirting cut-in, scribe to wall, silicon seal

Rate $ 280$ 280

Finish (laminated, ready to use, no paint required)

Rate IncludedIncluded

Subtotal$ 4,810

Tax (10%)$ 481

Total$ 5,291

FAQ

Carpenters pricing questions, answered

Everything customers and tradies ask about carpenter pricing.

Hourly rates are $55 to $100 in the US, £30-75 in the UK, A$65-130 in Australia, R250-650 in South Africa, and C$55-110 in Canada. Most carpenters prefer to quote fixed-price for custom work and reserve hourly for repairs and adjustments.

A general carpenter does framing, decking, and structural work. A finish carpenter does cabinets, built-ins, trim, and stair work where every joint shows. Finish carpenters typically charge 20-40% more because the detail tolerance is millimetres, not centimetres.

For custom work over $2,000, get 2-3 quotes. Compare materials, hardware brand, finish level, and warranty, not just the headline price. The cheapest quote often skips hardware or uses budget materials that fail in 5 years.

30% on signing is standard for custom work over $1,000, with the balance paid on install. The deposit covers materials the carpenter has to order and cannot return.

Usually no. Carpenters buy timber and hardware at trade pricing 15-30% below retail. Bringing your own also voids most workmanship guarantees because the carpenter cannot vouch for the substrate.

A 3-metre built-in wardrobe is 2-3 days install on site, plus 1-2 weeks lead time for the carcass and hardware. Custom kitchens are 3-6 weeks lead time and 1-2 weeks install.

Site visits and verbal quotes are usually free for jobs over $500. A detailed CAD drawing and full materials breakdown for a custom kitchen takes 2-4 hours and many carpenters charge $200-500 for that. Worth it for projects over $10,000.

A 5mm wall taper is normal; a 20mm taper means the wall needs make-good before install. The carpenter should call before fixing, get sign-off, and quote the scribe-work as a variation. Walls are not always square; expect a small adjustment line.

Get the materials list, hardware brand, finish level, and labour day count upfront in writing. Pay via banking app so there is a record. Verbal cash deals are the highest-risk path on custom work.

Yes, most modern carpenters send quotes via WhatsApp as a PDF with sketches or render images. Faster acceptance, mobile-friendly review, and the message thread doubles as a written record. Tools like QuoteGenio build the PDF on the carpenter's phone and send via WhatsApp in 2 minutes.

Use a template

Free carpenter quote and invoice templates

Itemised templates ready to send. Skip the manual quote builder and get from job to paid in 2 minutes.

Quote

Carpenter Quote Template

Carpenter quote with board spec, hinge brand, drawer count, and snag visit.

Open template

Invoice

Carpenter Invoice Template

Carpenter invoice with stage payments, hardware spec, and snag visit confirmation.

Open template

City pricing

What carpenters charge in 160 cities

Carpenters pricing benchmarks written for tradies pricing their own work in each city. Local hourly rates, common job prices, and a sample quote you can copy. Pick a country to see its cities.

New York City$55-$120/hr

Carpenters pricing

What to charge for carpenters jobs in New York City.

How much does a carpenter charge in 2026?

Carpenters typically charge $55 to $100 per hour

Carpenters hourly rates by region (2026)

Common carpenter jobs and what they cost

Six things that change the price of a job

Material grade

Hardware quality

Detail and complexity

Site vs workshop build

Finish level

Access and installation

How carpenters should price their work

Quote material and labour separately

Name the hardware brand

State the finish level explicitly

Take a 30% deposit on materials

Quote the day rate transparently

Send progress photos in WhatsApp

Pricing red flags to watch for

A real example: line-by-line

Carpenters pricing questions, answered

Free carpenter quote and invoice templates

What carpenters charge in 160 cities

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