Yes, your shed does need a base. This is to give it a solid, level foundation. Open soil will not help with the longevity of the shed itself or the contents within. The best materials to use to make your shed base are concrete, natural stone or wood.
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How much do Carpenter services cost?
Do you have a need for a carpenter in or around your house? If yes, then one of the first things you’d probably want to know is the exact amount it would cost to get the project over the line. Now, carpenters are skilled craftsmen that are able to make things with wood and fabricate all sorts of wood constructions. The price charged by carpenters are determined by a wide range of factors which makes it nearly impossible to provide a short and accurate estimate without having a look at your unique requirements. In this post, we’re going to give you an in-depth insight into general carpentry charges while also considering some of the influencing factors. Let’s take a look!
Some of the most common factors that determines the price charged by a carpenter includes the project type, the size as well as scope of the project, the location of project, ease of access, experience and qualification of the carpenter and lots more. For instance, if the job is a minor one such as building a shed, it’ll cost a lot less than something more complex which requires a bit more experience like constructing a staircase. In general, building a shed will have a labour cost within the range of £150 to about £250, while a staircase construction will require a labour cost in between £1,000 to £1,500. For general carpentry, you can expect to pay within the range of £20 to £30 hourly rate depending on a number of factors which are stated above. It’s also important to state that while some carpenters charge per hour, others by the day and several of their projects will be charged at fixed prices.
The table reveals the kinds of work that Carpenters normally do and also the regular cost range of these jobs. Some tasks take longer to finish than others so costs do differ by task.
View our Carpenter cost guide View our Carpenter adviceThe average price
of a Carpenter is:
£1,423
Carpenter job | Carpenter cost in 2025 |
---|---|
Kitchen Fitting | £1,135-£3,714 |
Carpenters and joiners | £365-£3,216 |
Plasterboard dry lining | £315-£863 |
Wood flooring | £750-£1,150 |
Wooden decking | £765-£4,718 |
Garden shed | £497-£1,632 |
Wooden window repair | £190-£577 |
Carpenter service qualifications and accreditations
Carpenters qualifications and also certification's: Having the appropriate training and learning exactly how to do your profession is essential for any trade including Carpenters. View the profile of each Carpenter you are looking at to see what accreditation they hold and also what trade associations they belong to. Some trade associations that Carpenters might possibly be a member of include: HomePro, Federation of Master Builders, Guild of Master Craftsmen. Equally Carpenters might also have the following accreditations: BM TRADA, Chartered Institute of Building, City and Guilds.
Unlike electrical or gas work, carpentry is a different profession where no particular certification is legally required for a carpenter to possess. Generally speaking, the only thing you’ll need so as to practice the trade as well as carry out on site work is to demonstrate your competence as a carpenter. To do this, there’s a number of ways you can consider but one which clearly stands out is to complete a portfolio of work and also earn the NVQ Level 2 Carpentry qualification.
In order to obtain your NVQ Level 2 certification, there’s a need for you to actually learn the trade. You can do this through apprenticeship, working alongside an established carpenter and gradually learning the trade from them. However, it should be noted that it’ll take a couple of years to climb up the ladder from an apprentice to a fully-fledged carpenter. Therefore, if you want to start your new carpentry career sooner rather than later, you might want to consider enrolling on an accredited carpentry training course.
Insurance for Carpenters: Any individual who works in your house, including Carpenters, really should have valid public liability insurance, which safeguards you the house owner and also the Carpenter should unfortunately anything go wrong while they are doing the work. Planning permission for Carpenters Most of the tasks that a Carpenter will do for you will not require planning permission unless its a listed property. Definitely discuss with the Carpenter if planning permission would be needed for the job you are doing, they can suggest the steps that require to be taken.
Services offered by Carpenter
Generally, carpenters are skilled craftsmen who are trained to work in construction as well as cabinet making industry. When it comes to making things with wood, they’re able to fabricate all sorts of wood constructions; from minor projects like custom kitchens or ornate details on wood trim to major ones like carrying out the entire framework of buildings. With that in mind, let’s take a more in depth look at what carpenters does.
In general, carpenters carry out a wide array of unique job duties which depends on whether they work in rough carpentry or finished carpentry. What’s more? There are a number of areas in which carpenters can specialize in special types of wood products or engage in specialized carpentry processes.
For rough carpentry, this typically involves carpenters who work on large scale construction projects where they make use of blueprints to determine the amount as well as type of material required for a job. When they work, they may need to build sleds to haul timber via wooded areas and rough terrain where motorized vehicles cannot access. Finished carpentry, on the other hand, involves carpenters who are skilled in making cabinetry, furniture, models as well as instruments. They’re also able to make ornate, detailed as well as fine wood products for a number of different uses. They must be able to work efficiently on a small scale while also being detailed oriented.
There are a variety of tasks you can employ a Carpenter for, as well as some of one of the most typical jobs that Carpenter are asked to do consist of:
Carpenter FAQs
Being the primary material used in wooden flooring installation, the floorboards are the main supply costs. With that in mind, you should also know that there are a large variety of wooden flooring types to select from, each with their unique pros and cons which should all be considered before making a purchase decision. If you’re looking to get the supply cost of wooden flooring in the UK, then you’ve come to the right place! Here is a basic price guide of various and some of the most popular types of floorboards.
If you wish to go for an engineered wood flooring, this looks better when compared to laminate and is more affordable than solid wood. You can expect to pay within the range of £20 to about £100 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Laminate flooring, on the other hand, is also quite cheap, easy to install and quite hardwearing, however it tends to warp over time as a result of exposure to moisture and it also happens to be the least attractive of all the other flooring types. You can expect to pay within the range of £10 to about £50 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Solid wood flooring is a great option with a better look and feel to it. However, it also tends to warp over time and more difficult to install as against laminate. You can expect to pay within the range of £20 to about £100 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Parquet flooring is long lasting and very attractive, but quite expensive to have fitted. You can expect to pay within the range of £25 to about £200 per square metre for this wood flooring type.
Try to put your shed in open space, away from trees, bushes and other buildings. This will help to protect it from falling branches and sap. It will also mean that you can access all sides of the shed for repair and maintenance purposes. Make sure you take a look at garden shed planning rules before you pick a final spot for your shed.
- Decking joists
- Coach screws
- Coach bolts
- Combi drill
- Socket set
- A saw suitable for your project and the thickness of the timber
- Pencil
- Decking preservative
- Sandpaper or sander
- Measure your deck frame and cut to size if necessary.
- Make 2 pencil marks on each end of the frame’s 2 outer joists to mark where the coach screws will go. They need to align with the centre of the adjoining outer joist. Then, use a flat wood drill bit to drill recesses into each mark. Make them the same depth of the screws that your using’s head and wide enough for a ratchet or socket to tighten them.
- Using a thinner drill bit, line up the outer joists and drill a pilot hole through the middle of the recess. These pilot holes act as a guide for the screws and stops them from splitting the wood.
- Fit the coach screws with either a drill driver or socket and ratchet.
- Repeat the process for the inner joists once you’ve assembled the outer frame.
- Tongue and groove timber boards
- Boards for the ledges and braces, at least 20mm thick
- Nails
- Hammer
- Saws, including a circular saw
- Chisel
- Mallet
- Cut your boards to size If you can’t buy boards at the right height and width for your door, cut the boards to length using a circular saw. Don’t forget to sand and treat any cut ends with timber preservative. Lay out the boards in the best arrangement for your shed door, with the inside of the door facing up.
- Arrange the ledges and braces On most shed doors, you’ll probably need 3 boards across the back of the door to form the ledges. The ledges keep the door straight and keep the boards of the door together. The braces are the parts of the door that slope down to form a ‘Z’ shape between the ledges. Ensure that the braces are sloped up from the bottom and middle hinge to stop the door from sagging as the timber expands and contracts in the weather. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, mark the spots on the boards where they will meet and cut out of the housings using a chisel and mallet.
- Put the door together Use clamps to pull the boards together and hold the ledges and braces in place. Nail from the front of the door through the boards and ledges to fix them. Secure the ledges and braces with screws; you may want to pre-drill and countersink holes to prevent the wood from splitting. Remember to treat them with preservative if you do.
- Fix the shed door hinges Make sure you measure carefully before attaching the hinges, ensuring you know where the pin sits in relation to where the door opens.
- Treat the door and add locks and handles Apply some wood oil, like linseed or teak oil, to help prevent water damage. Then add locks or handles to your shed to help keep it secure. If you’d rather leave it to the professionals, there are plenty of specialists that will be able to make a shed door for you, or even put up an entire shed.
How To Dot And Dab A Plasterboard
If you want a fast and simple way to achieve a smooth and sturdy wall which is decoration-ready, then dot and dab plasterboard is the way to go! It’s a relative simple process but can also be a bit challenging. Therefore, if you lack the necessary training or experience, hiring a professional would be a great step to protect your investment and guarantee the best results. Here, we’ll provide you with a deep insight into the plasterboard’s dot and dab procedures. Let’s have a look!
• At the thickness of the board with the adhesive, mark the ceiling and floor as well as the wall to indicate the centre of each board.
• Ensure the wall’s height is 15mm more than the plasterboard
• Make a mixture of the adhesive and achieve a thick consistency. Apply a consistent layer of the mixture around the wall’s perimeter, edge of the ceiling and any other openings with the use of a trowel.
• Select dabs that are about 250mm long and 50mm to 75mm wide and apply the adhesive in them. Make use of 3 vertical rows for individual boards. Also ensure to apply, at skirting level, a band of adhesive.
• Position the board’s reverse side against the dabs, and laying against the packers. Then make the board align with the ceiling and floor marks with the help of a straight edge.
• Raise the board till its tight against the ceiling with a board lifter. Once done, use the plasterboard to wedge the board into place before you remove the board lifter.
• Repeat the same process for the remaining parts of the room. Once completed, make sure the adhesive is set before you remove the boards.
Wooden flooring is very popular flooring option amongst home and property owners in the UK and understandably so. It adds to your space’s curb appeal, it’s quite easy to maintain, it adds to the value resale value of your property if you later wish to sell and lots more. If you’re looking to have wooden flooring installed in your home, you have two options which includes doing it yourself or calling in a professional – the latter being more advisable. However, by following some simple but essential steps, you can also install your wooden flooring successfully by yourself. These includes determining the site is in the best condition before installation, removal of all floor coverings and underlay for a more stable and durable installation and incorporation of the right expansion gap of about 10mm to 12mm which would be maintained around the floor’s perimeter.
Wooden floor fitting can be done on two types of sub-floor - Concrete and Plywood. To install onto concrete, you can follow the guide below:
- Incorporate flexible wood on concrete adhesives.
- With the help of a 3mm toothed trowel, spread above 2 board widths of adhesive along the starting wall sub-floor, beginning at a corner of your room.
- Position the first row of flooring into the area that is glued using the tongue facing opposite the wall.
- Put 10mm spacers against the wall to see to the consistency in expansion gaps.
- Make sure the joints are at a minimum of 150mm apart from the first row when fitting the second row.
- Utilize pre-cut smaller boards if you’re to start a new row with staggered joints.
- Continue with this nailing method and make sure the 10mm expansion gaps are consistent around the floor’s perimeter.
To install onto plywood, you can follow this guide:
- Make use of a porta-nailer.
- Position 10mm spacers against the wall - parallel with the installation direction.
- Fit the first row using the tongue facing opposite the wall and with the help of the porta-nailer or flooring nailer.
- Lay the second row and make sure the short end joints are at a minimum of 150mm apart from that of the first row.
- Utilize pre-cut smaller boards if you’re to start a new row with staggered joints.
- Continue with this nailing method and make sure the 10mm expansion gaps are consistent around the floor’s perimeter.
- Place a post in the corner of the frame you created with the pegs and string. Measure and mark out 100mm from each side.
- Dig out this soil to a depth of 700mm (watch out for cables or pipes). You should have a 300 x 300mm hole. Repeat for the other 3 corners.
- Using a brick bolster, split a concrete block in two. Put a section of the block in each hole.
- Get a length of post longer than you need and place one in each hole. You can cut it down later.
- Create props on each post to hold them in place until you’re ready to add a cement mix. Check that they’re level. When you’re happy that they are, secure them in place with a concrete mix, making sure you create a slope in the concrete so that rainwater runs away from each post. When the concrete is set, remove the props.
- Create a string line around each corner post and find the centre point between each. Place a timber batten at each point, ensuring that they’re not spaced any more than 1500mm apart.
- Working from the corner where the deck will be at its highest above ground level, measure and mark on the post where the highest part of the frame will be.
- Measure from the far side of one post to the opposite and cut sections of joist to size. Line up a piece of joist with the mark you made and temporarily secure it. Factor in a 2mm fall for every metre of decking so rainwater can run off.
- Secure the frame to the other corner post, ensuring it’s at the right level. Do this for every side of the outer frame.
- Using 100mm coach screws with washers hanging on the end, secure each end of the four sections of frame.
- Mark out where the centre of the support posts will be and secure all of these posts to the frame, except the centre post.
- Add your central support joists. These should run in the same direction as the deck boards will run. You’ll need to measure from the inside of the frame on one side to the inside of the frame on the opposite side. Attach the joist in the same way as you did for the other posts. Repeat so the centre post is in between two sections of frame and secure the posts with concrete.
- Trim down all the posts to the correct height using a saw.
- Add your weed-control fabric and weigh down with gravel across the entire area.
- Measure 400mm from the centre of the outer frame and mark a line. This will be where the first joist is positioned. Repeat at 400mm intervals down the length of the frame – if the last one will be more than 400mm, add another joist to create enough support.
- Attach a joist hanger to each end of the joist.
- Place the joist in position so the centre lines up with the 400mm spacer mark.
- Secure using external grade screws once you’re happy that the joist is flush with the frame.
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decking steps are becoming lose. are you the property owner: tenant (with permission) property type: terrace what level of service do you require: supply and deck please call to appoint
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cleaning/sanding and a protective coating for existing wooden decking and a balustrade, plus replacement of broken boards. advice on future treatment. on-site parking is available. are you the pro...
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