Carpenter pricing in Montreal
What carpenters charge in Montreal (typically C$55-C$110/hr), the local factors that move the rate, and a sample quote you can use as a starting point.
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Montreal carpenter pricing
What carpenters should charge in Montreal
Montreal carpenters serve heritage millwork restoration (Plateau, Mile End, Outremont, Westmount, Vieux-Montréal), kitchen and bath renos across all tiers, exterior wood staircase rebuild (Plateau triplexes), and high-end Westmount and Mount Royal Town custom millwork. CCQ certification mandatory for any commercial site work. RBQ licence required for contracts above CAD $25,000. Quebec winter and humidity swings affect wood movement; specifying acclimatised lumber is standard. GST 5% + QST 9.975% separate invoice lines; bilingual quotes mandatory for commercial.
Hourly rate
C$55-C$110
per hour, weekday daytime
Call-out fee
C$39-C$83
within standard radius
After-hours
1.5-2x
evening, weekend, holiday
Job pricing
What to charge for common carpenter jobs in Montreal
Real-world price ranges for the jobs local tradies quote every week. Use the table as a starting point for your own quotes and adjust for parts, access, and your overheads. All figures in CAD.
Door rehang or adjustment
What's included
Includes plane, hinge adjustment, latch alignment, and 1-2 hours labour.
Door replacement (hollow core)
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)
What's included
Includes timber, mitre cuts, fixing, and prep for paint. Wide profile and hardwood cost more.
Built-in wardrobe (per linear m)
What's included
Includes carcass, shelves, hanging rail, doors, soft-close hardware, and 2-3 days labour.
Decking (per square metre)
What's included
Includes joists, decking boards (pine or hardwood), screws, and labour. Hardwood and balustrade add cost.
Pergola (3x3m)
What's included
Includes posts, beams, rafters, fixings, and 3-5 days labour. Roof coverings priced separately.
Floor sanding and finish (per sqm)
What's included
Includes sand, stain (optional), and 2-3 coats poly. Engineered floors cost more.
Custom kitchen carcass (per linear m)
What's included
Includes melamine or veneer carcass, shelves, hinges, soft-close. Doors and bench-tops priced separately.
Daily labour (qualified carpenter)
What's included
Standard 8-hour day. Apprentice + qualified pair runs higher.
Montreal quote factors
What to factor into your Montreal carpenter quote
Local context that should shape what you quote as a carpenter in Montreal. Harsh humid continental, brutal winters. Cold snowy winters (December-March, often -15°C to -30°C with windchill, occasional -35°C, heavy snow ~210cm/year, Canada's snowiest large city), warm humid summers (July-August, 28°C+ with high humidity, occasional 35°C heatwaves), heavy rainfall (~1,000mm/year). Freeze-thaw cycles 80-100/year (more than Toronto). Ice storm risk (1998 ice storm crippled Montreal for weeks).
Premium enclaves vs standard Montreal
Westmount (H3Y/H3Z), Outremont (H2V), Mount Royal Town (H3P/H3R), Hampstead (H3X) custom kitchens command CAD $1,800-$4,500+ per linear metre with imported European or top Quebec/Canadian brands (Cuisines Steam, AyA, Cuisines Laurier, Henrybuilt). Plateau, Mile End, Saint-Henri $1,200-$2,500/lm with mid-market Cuisines Action, Eurostyle, or IKEA SEKTION with custom doors (Cuisines Beauregard, Reform). Standard Montreal $700-$1,500/lm.
Heritage millwork specialty
Plateau, Mile End, Outremont, Westmount, Vieux-Montréal pre-1940 buildings need specialist heritage millwork: original sash window restoration, panel-door reconditioning, ornate baseboards, picture rails, original wainscoting. Quote specialist hourly rate at CAD $85-$180/hour for heritage work; the Outremont and Westmount client base pays premium for craftsmanship matching original detail. Build portfolio of past restorations.
Exterior wood staircase rebuild
Plateau and Rosemont triplexes have wood exterior staircases (sometimes mixed with wrought-iron) needing structural rebuild every 15-25 years. Quote staircase rebuild at CAD $4,500-$12,000 per staircase including pressure-treated stringers, treads, risers, code-compliant guards (RBQ guard height 1,070mm, max baluster spacing 100mm). Ville de Montréal permits required; quote permit coordination (CAD $300-$1,200) separately.
CCQ competency card + RBQ licence
Every site carpenter on a commercial Quebec project must hold a CCQ-issued competency card (carpenter-joiner certification). RBQ licence subcategory 1.4 (carpentry) or 1.1.1 (general) is required for contracts above CAD $25,000. Print RBQ licence number and reference CCQ-compliant labour on every commercial quote. CCQ enforcement and CNESST safety audits run on most commercial sites.
Wood movement + acclimatisation
Montreal indoor humidity ranges from 15-25% (forced-air winter) to 60-75% (humid summer). Quote acclimatisation period (minimum 7-14 days for hardwood, longer for engineered) before any interior install. State acclimatisation requirement on the quote; warranty disputes follow on solid hardwood installed without acclimatisation. Specify kiln-dried, moisture-content-tested lumber on every premium job.
Bilingual quote + GST/QST separate lines
French-language quote is mandatory for commercial customers under Bill 101 + Bill 96; bilingual templates are the safe default for residential. GST 5% + QST 9.975% appear as separate lines on every invoice. Quebec consumer protection requires written contracts above CAD $1,200 with cancellation rights. Print RBQ, CCQ, GST and QST numbers on the document.
Sample quote
A real Montreal carpenter quote you can copy
Built-in wardrobe, 3.6 linear metres, sliding doors, premium finish. Replace the line items and rates with your own; the structure stays.
Melamine carcass (3.6m, 600mm deep, 2.4m high, edge-banded)
Shelving, hanging rails, drawer runners (Hettich soft-close x4)
Sliding doors (3 panel, mirror + melamine combination, aluminium track)
Site measure, delivery, install (2 days, 2-person team)
Skirting cut-in, scribe to wall, silicon seal
Finish (laminated, ready to use, no paint required)
FAQ
Montreal carpenter pricing questions, answered
Common questions about carpenter pricing in Montreal, with answers framed for tradies pricing their own work.
CAD $55-$100 per hour for licensed journeyman carpentry across standard Montreal. $85-$180 per hour for heritage millwork specialty. $100-$200 per hour for premium enclaves (Westmount, Outremont, Mount Royal Town, Hampstead) custom kitchen and built-in work. Custom kitchen pricing $700-$4,500+ per linear metre depending on tier and brand.
CAD $1,800-$4,500+ per linear metre for imported European or top Quebec/Canadian brands (Cuisines Steam, AyA, Cuisines Laurier, Henrybuilt). Quote separately: design fee ($3,500-$15,000), cabinets, hardware (Blum, Hettich, Salice), stone tops, appliances, installation. Lead time 10-18 weeks for imports; 6-12 weeks for Quebec-built premium brands.
Yes, niche premium revenue. Plateau, Mile End, Outremont, Westmount, Vieux-Montréal pre-1940 buildings need specialist heritage millwork: sash window restoration, panel doors, ornate baseboards, picture rails, original wainscoting. Quote specialist rate at CAD $85-$180/hour. Outremont and Westmount clients pay premium for craftsmanship matching original detail; build portfolio of past restorations.
CAD $4,500-$12,000 per staircase including pressure-treated stringers, treads, risers, code-compliant guards (RBQ guard height 1,070mm, max baluster spacing 100mm). Includes demolition, foundation pads, ledger fastening, paint or stain finish. Quote Ville de Montréal permit coordination ($300-$1,200) separately. Lead time 4-8 weeks; permit lead time adds 2-6 weeks.
Yes, both for commercial Quebec work. CCQ (Commission de la construction du Québec) issues the competency card for carpenter-joiner certification; every site carpenter on a commercial project must hold one. RBQ licence subcategory 1.4 (carpentry) or 1.1.1 (general) is required for contracts above CAD $25,000. Print RBQ licence number and reference CCQ-compliant labour on every commercial quote.
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.
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