Carpentry paperwork, done properly

Carpentry estimates cover two different jobs at two different rates. Rough framing is priced by the crew day and measured in feet; finish work is priced by the piece and judged by the eighth of an inch. Say which one you are bidding, name the material grade, and carry rot and structural findings as a stated allowance — because on any repair to an existing structure, what you find behind the trim is the part that moves the number.

Pick your document

  • Carpentry estimate

    An estimate is your best professional judgment of what a job will cost, given before the work starts.

  • Carpentry quote

    A quote is a fixed price for a defined scope of work — the number does not move unless the scope does.

  • Carpentry invoice

    An invoice is the request for payment once the work is done — the document that actually gets you paid.

What belongs on carpenter paperwork

  • Whether the work is rough or finish, since the rate and tolerance differ
  • Material grade and species by name — paint-grade poplar and stain-grade oak are different bids
  • Rot and structural repair as an allowance with a unit rate, on any work to existing structure
  • Whether painting, staining and finishing are included, because usually they are not
  • Hardware: hinges, slides, fasteners — the parts that quietly add a day to a built-in
  • Disposal of removed material and site cleanup

How carpenters price work

Rough carpentry prices by crew day or per linear/square foot of framing; finish carpentry prices per piece or per linear foot with a much higher effective rate, because the labor is in the fitting rather than the fastening. Custom built-ins are best priced as a shop rate plus install day. The most common underbid in carpentry is trim on out-of-square walls — old houses cost more per foot and the estimate should say so.

The builder ships with 12 carpentry line items to start from, grouped into 3 sections. Edit the rates once and they save to your own price book.

Open the Carpentry builder

Questions

How should I price finish carpentry versus rough carpentry?
As different work at different rates. Rough framing is production work measured by the day; finish carpentry is fitting work measured by the piece, and the effective hourly rate is often half again as high because tolerances are tighter. Quoting both at a single "carpentry" rate reliably loses money on the finish half.
How do I bid trim work in an old house?
Higher per foot than new construction, and say why on the estimate. Out-of-square walls, uneven floors and plaster mean every piece is scribed rather than cut to length. A line noting that the price reflects an existing-structure fit is worth more than the extra dollars — it explains the difference before the customer asks.
Should a deck estimate include the permit?
Include it as its own line if the jurisdiction requires one, which most do above a certain height. Decks are inspected, and an unpermitted deck becomes the customer's problem at resale — pricing the permit visibly is both more honest and a reason your bid beats the one that skipped it.