Carpenter in North & North West London — Joinery, Doors & Fitted Furniture

What do you need?

Choose the job. Each one says what to send, and whether to call.

• Doors, skirting or a floor

  Photograph the existing timber and say what must match.

  Send this in a brief

• Fitted storage

  Send the room width and a photograph of the wall the joinery will sit on.

  Send this in a brief

Turn the carpentry request into a numbered joinery schedule

A useful carpentry brief identifies each door, alcove, cabinet, shelf, skirting run or damaged timber item separately. State the intended use, dimensions where known, finish, hardware and what must be retained. Fitted furniture, door adjustment and local timber repair have different survey and manufacture needs, even when they share a room. Photographs should show the whole opening or wall as well as joints, damage and nearby services. A numbered schedule makes the proposal measurable and prevents a general request for “some carpentry” from becoming an undefined day-rate visit.

Separate measured joinery from installation-only work

Bespoke cabinets, wardrobes and alcove units normally need a measured survey that records uneven walls, floors, ceiling lines, skirtings, sockets, radiators and access for finished components. Installation of a client-supplied item is a different scope and depends on its dimensions, condition, fixing instructions and suitability for the receiving fabric. The written brief should identify who designs, supplies, finishes and installs each element. A catalogue reference or rough width is not enough to promise a fitted result, and final manufacture should follow accepted dimensions rather than an unverified photograph.

Keep non-structural joinery outside structural alteration

Routine carpentry can include doors, linings, architraves, skirtings, shelving and non-load-bearing fitted furniture. Cutting, removing or materially altering a load-bearing wall, beam, joist, roof member or other structural timber belongs on an engineered route. Planning Portal guidance explains that alteration or removal of a load-bearing wall requires suitable support and Building Regulations consideration. The carpenter should not infer structural status from surface appearance or proceed because an opening looks small. Existing drawings, calculations and approval information should be reviewed, with an appointed structural professional defining any structural intervention before irreversible work.

Survey doors by function, clearances and hardware

For a door brief, record the leaf and frame condition, swing, floor finish, gaps, hinges, latch, lock, closer, seals and any rubbing or movement. A sticking door may reflect loose hardware, seasonal movement, floor changes, frame distortion or wider building movement; trimming is not automatically the correct repair. Fire-resisting doors and doors on protected routes require particular care because changing leaves, glazing, closers, seals or gaps can affect the accepted fire strategy. The job should identify whether it is adjustment, component replacement, a new door set or specialist fire-door work rather than treating every item as simple hanging.

Match material and finish to use and existing fabric

Timber species, sheet material, edge treatment, moisture exposure, hardware loading and finish all affect how joinery performs. Kitchens, bathrooms and entrance areas place different demands on a cabinet or door than a dry bedroom alcove. Where existing mouldings or period details are to be retained, provide clear profiles and dimensions and state whether an exact match, a sympathetic repair or a plainly new element is intended. Natural variation and an aged finish cannot be guaranteed from a sample alone. The accepted schedule should name visible materials, internal construction, colour basis and finishing responsibility.

Control wood dust, cutting and occupied-home protection

HSE states that wood dust can cause serious health problems and must be controlled under COSHH. The work plan should consider off-site cutting, suitable extraction, contained work zones, dust-free cleaning and any task-specific protective equipment rather than relying on an open window. Lead paint, suspect asbestos-containing material or an unknown coating can require a different assessment before sanding or machining begins. In an occupied home, record room isolation, furniture protection, noise constraints, waste routes and how children or pets are kept away from tools, dust and unfinished openings.

Check tenure, visible alterations and building access

Fitted joinery can affect skirtings, cornices, services and ventilation, while external doors or visible window-related timber may raise freeholder, listed-building or conservation questions. A lease or building handbook can also regulate working hours, deliveries, lift use and communal protection. These matters are property-specific: an area name does not confirm permission. Attach any licence-to-alter, management rules or consent information already held. The measured proposal should also account for stair turns, lift dimensions and the largest component that can reach the room without assuming that completed cabinetry can be carried through the building.

Compare carpentry proposals by drawings and handover

A comparable proposal lists every item, dimensions or drawing status, materials, hardware, finishes, removal work, protection, making good, waste, supply responsibilities and exclusions. It should distinguish provisional measurements from dimensions approved for manufacture and explain how a change is authorised. The programme follows survey, design sign-off, material availability, workshop work and access rather than a universal duration. Handover should test doors, drawers, catches and adjustable components, record care information and leave a written snagging position. Structural, electrical, plumbing or decorative follow-on work remains separate unless expressly included.

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