These costs vary depending on where you live, how much work is involved in the job involves wood and the material used.

On average, a carpenter charges is around $40/hour for their services but the cost an differ. So it's important to shop around before committing yourself to a contract. To provide an estimate for your specific job, your contractor should consider the below factors.

Labour costs

Labour cost is is the price charged by carpenters based on an hourly rate or a flat fee that covers labour and materials. The average rate for a carpenter throughout the country is about $25 to $40/hour so expect to pay this amount with additional charges for overtime.

Type of work

The price will also depend on the type of work involved. For example, if your carpentry job involves cutting into an existing part of the house, then more advanced skills are required than for other types of jobs. If your carpenter needs to remove old fixtures and re-plaster or repair walls after drilling holes in them, you would need to consider additional costs for these tasks or pay multiple carpenters according to their hourly rate.

Area and scope of work

Additional charges could be incurred if your contractor needs to travel further to complete a job, if he has to split materials from larger pieces (i.e.:removing a door from a frame), or if the job requires more carpentry materials than expected. Research them before you hire a carpenter.

Experience and skill

Don't forget to take into consideration your contractor's experience and skill level with regard to the work you need to be done before you hire a carpenter. A carpenter who is highly experienced with fine woodworking may charge more for the production of custom furniture than one who has little knowledge in this area. Make sure your contractor understands exactly what you want them to do so that they give you an accurate quote on their capabilities and the price range of their work.

Carpentry involves a lot of variables, which means the overall cost for construction varies as well. For example, these costs can vary depending on whether you hire specialised carpenters to build a home, or just have some simple carpentry work done on a room or simple repairs. Additionally, if you're doing any custom carpentry work, it's important to factor in the cost of materials as well as labour because this will determine the overall price of your project. There are some ways you can keep these costs low.

What does a carpenter do?

A carpenter is an expert craftsman who plans, designs and builds things like wooden doors, windows, cabinets, desks and tabletops. The carpentry profession requires a wide range of skills which include the following, check them before you hire a carpenter.
  • A keen sense of design and attention to detail.

  • Other carpentry-related tasks such as hanging doors, drawers, shelves, wooden ceilings, wooden seating for new furniture, installing timber staircases, timber decks and custom cabinetry.

  • Maintaining existing structures by repairing sagging ceilings or replacing rotting woodwork with few or no defects.

  • Installing custom kitchen cabinets that fit your unique needs or installing built-in wardrobes.

  • Custom work on homes or commercial properties that enhances its aesthetic appeal using budget materials.

The carpentry process usually begins with measuring the area where you plan to do the work. This ensures accuracy when planning your project. Afterwards, your carpenter carefully makes notations of your requirements, while also taking into consideration your budget, time frame and even the environment where you will be doing the project. Things like high or low ceilings or how far below ground level the area is must also be considered at this stage. It's possible for carpentry to take longer if you have specific needs that are outside of the ordinary, so it's important to discuss any bespoke conditions you have in advance with your contractor and expect to pay a bit more. The same is true for custom-built furniture. After this stage, construction can begin if additional work is needed before carpentry takes place. For example, excavation may need to happen first if heavy objects are going to be installed.

  • Detailed sketches before beginning work.

  • Measuring out dimensions for accurate planning of carpentry tasks.

  • Following blueprints or instructions.

  • Providing recommendations for different materials that may suit your needs better, if needed.

  • Assembling and installing all fixtures like doors, windows, cabinets and partitions.

  • Repair broken pieces of furniture.

  • Install new flooring.

What is the cost of common carpentry jobs in Australia?

Carpentry is a term used to describe the process of creating and installing woodworking. Most jobs require having tools like circular or band saws, ladders, drills, and hammers which you probably already have at home. Even though carpentry requires a lot of experience in order to be done properly, it doesn't mean you need to pay a huge amount for every small job that you want to be done around your house or office. For a carpenter, some common tasks are easy to do. Just check beforehand if the carpenter is insured before you get your work done. The average costs of common carpentry tasks are listed below.

Carpentry work

Estimated charge

Installing a door, erect wooden frames

$500

Repairing and replacing ceiling boards, aged wood fittings

$120 to $500

Creating custom bookshelves (depending on square metre)

$200 to $400

Installing baseboards to cover ugly corners

$150 to $500

Installing new windows (per square metre)

$500 to $1,000

Installing pre-hung interior doors

$150 to $300

Built in wardrobe installation

$700 to $900

Building a new deck and timber retaining wall

$2,000 and above

Installing kitchen cabinets

$ 900 to $1,500

Laying hardwood floors, redoing an old floor

$4,000 and above

Does my carpenter need to be qualified?

Yes, but there are conditions for which state and what levels of work you must hire an accredited carpenter for. For example, some states may not require accreditation for jobs like assembling furniture and small carpentry jobs while others still do. A good rule of thumb to follow is the more complicated the project, the more likely it is you'll be required to hire someone with a valid licence. The main goal is to ensure that they have undergone training and be able to provide quality workmanship on your project, even if it is just a replacement of your cherished wooden cabinet or replacing a timber door. Some common examples of projects include the below.

  • Installing an internal staircase or timber decking, installing timber retaining walls.

  • Any kind of renovation projects done either interior or exterior by a rough carpenter.

  • Building a small deck off the side of your house.

  • Installing an outdoor BBQ area, backyard pergola building.

  • Assemble pre-fabricated cupboards and other furniture.

  • Repair issues that include damaged, warped or missing panels on flooring.

How much does a carpenter earn a year in Australia?

The average salary for a carpenter in Australia is around $73,476 per year or $37.68 depending on their hourly rates. A professional or experienced carpenter may be able to charge more per hour and/or have the potential to earn a higher yearly income depending on their experience level and field of work - i.e.: construction or renovation projects done outside of your home can pay more than a simple carpentry job inside your house etc.