How Much Does a Carpentry Job Cost in 2026? (UK)
A qualified UK carpenter charges £180–£280 per day in 2026, with London and the South East at the top of that band and the North and Midlands nearer £160–£220. Most jobs, though, are priced as fixed items: £60–£120 to hang an internal door, £400–£700 to build a stud partition wall, and £1,200–£3,500 for a run of bespoke fitted wardrobes. Here is the full 2026 breakdown by job type, the difference between first-fix and second-fix work, and the four things that move a carpentry quote.
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2026 carpentry cost breakdown
| Job | Typical price (2026) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hang an internal door (incl. furniture) | £60–£120 | 1–2 hrs |
| Hang a fire door (FD30) | £120–£200 | 2–3 hrs |
| Build a stud partition wall (per wall) | £400–£700 | 1 day |
| Fit skirting & architrave (per room) | £200–£400 | 0.5–1 day |
| Build & fit a stud floor / loft boarding | £450–£900 | 1–2 days |
| Bespoke fitted wardrobes (run) | £1,200–£3,500 | 2–4 days |
| Day rate (labour only) | £180–£280/day | — |
First-fix vs second-fix carpentry
First fix is the structural carpentry done before plastering: floor joists, stud walls, roof timbers, door linings and noggins. Second fix is the visible finishing work after plaster: hanging doors, skirting, architrave, staircases and fitted furniture. Second-fix work is slower and more exacting, so it often carries a slightly higher effective rate even though the day rate is the same carpenter.
Four factors that move a carpentry quote
1. Materials grade
Softwood, MDF, hardwood and bespoke veneers span a wide price range. A primed MDF door at £35 versus an oak veneer door at £160 changes the line total far more than the labour does.
2. Access and prep
Old, out-of-square walls and uneven floors slow second-fix work dramatically — scribing skirting to a wavy wall can double the time of a clean modern room.
3. Region
London and the South East sit at the top of the day-rate band; the North and parts of the Midlands are typically £20–£60/day lower.
4. Job size
A full week booked in one go usually attracts a lower effective day rate than a half-day call-out, which often carries a minimum charge.
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