A carpenter's quote often has to cover more variables than most other trades in one document — timber species, sheet materials, ironmongery, finish, and labour that can shift the moment a wall turns out to be a few degrees off square. A scribbled price on the back of a business card doesn't hold up to any of that. A proper itemised carpenter quote does two jobs at once: it protects your margin when the job runs long, and it gives the customer something they can actually compare against the next tradesman's price.
This guide covers what UK carpentry jobs are charging in 2026, exactly what a professional quote should include, and a real itemised example you can copy for your next job.
Carpentry Job Prices — UK 2026
Prices vary by region and by how much of the job is bespoke versus standard fit, but here's what carpenters are typically charging for common jobs:
| Job Type | Typical Price (Labour Only) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen fitting (full) | £1,500 – £4,500 | 4–9 days |
| Staircase (new or renovated) | £1,200 – £4,000 | 2–5 days |
| Bespoke furniture (fitted wardrobe, alcove units) | £400 – £1,800 | 1–4 days |
| Door hanging (per door) | £60 – £120 | 1–2 hours |
| Flooring (per room, laminate/engineered wood) | £250 – £700 | 1 day |
These are UK-wide averages for labour only, excluding materials and VAT. For a full regional day rate breakdown, see our carpenter day rate guide — carpenters typically charge £220-£350 a day outside London and £350-£480 in London and the South East.
What to Include in a Carpenter Quote
A quote that only states a total figure invites disputes the moment anything changes. Every carpentry quote should state:
- Your business name, logo and contact details
- Quote number and date issued
- Client name and site address
- Detailed description of the job — what's being built, fitted or repaired
- Materials specification — timber species, sheet material grade, ironmongery brand
- Finish — painted, oiled, veneered, or left ready for decoration
- Labour cost — itemised by task or stated as day rate × number of days
- Materials cost — listed separately from labour, not bundled into one figure
- VAT — the rate applied, or a note that you're not VAT registered
- Waste disposal — offcuts, packaging, and any skip or tip run costs
- Access requirements — parking, working hours, lift access for flats
- What's included — fitting, sanding, sealing, hardware installation
- What's excluded — electrics, plastering, painting, structural alterations
- Site preparation — who clears the area and moves furniture beforehand
- Timeline — estimated start date and how many working days the job will take
- Payment terms — deposit percentage, staged payments, balance on completion
- Quote validity — "This quote is valid for 30 days"
- Workmanship guarantee — how long you'll stand behind the finished work
- How variations are priced — what happens if the customer changes the spec mid-job
- Insurance — a line confirming you hold public liability insurance
Want a shorter, printable version of this list to run through before you send anything? See our professional tradesman quote checklist, which covers the same ground across every trade.
Pro Tip — the mistake that quietly costs carpenters money: pricing bespoke work off the measurements alone, with no allowance for scribing and adjustment. UK houses — especially anything pre-1960s — are rarely square. A fitted wardrobe or run of alcove units that "should" take a day to fit can easily take a day and a half once you're scribing panels to an uneven wall and packing out a skirting board. Build a buffer into bespoke jobs specifically, not just a flat contingency on top of the whole quote.
Sample Itemised Quote: Fitted Wardrobe Installation
Here's a real-style breakdown for a fitted wardrobe in a master bedroom alcove, 2.4m wide by 2.3m high, with sliding doors:
| Item | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Design & measure visit | On-site template and design consultation | £60 |
| Materials — carcass & doors | MDF carcass, 2x sliding doors, track system | £480 |
| Internal fittings | Hanging rail, 3 shelves, soft-close hardware | £95 |
| Labour — installation | 1.5 days on-site fitting | £420 |
| Finishing | Scribing to wall, filling, ready for paint | £85 |
| Waste disposal | Offcuts and packaging removed | £25 |
| Subtotal | £1,165 | |
| VAT (20%) | £233 | |
| Total | £1,398 | |
Notice that the design visit, materials, labour and finishing are all separated out. If the customer later asks to upgrade to soft-close hinges on every door instead of just the internal fittings, you can re-quote that single line rather than reopening the whole price.
Don't want to build this from scratch? Use our free quote template generator — fill in your job details and get a ready-to-print quote in this exact format, no signup required. Or use TradeQuoteAI's quoting software to turn measurements like these into a branded, sendable quote in under a minute, straight from your phone on site.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a quote and an estimate for carpentry work?
A quote is a fixed price the customer can rely on once accepted — you carry the risk if the job runs over. An estimate is a rough figure that can change once you've seen the full scope, such as when a wall turns out to be badly out of square. For carpentry, always send a proper quote for anything you've measured on site rather than a verbal estimate. See our full guide on the difference between a quote and an estimate.
What is the average carpenter day rate in the UK in 2026?
UK carpenters typically charge £220-£350 per day outside London in 2026, rising to £350-£480 in London and the South East. Specialist joiners and kitchen fitters charge at the higher end — see our carpenter day rate guide for the full regional breakdown.
Should a carpenter quote fixed price or day rate?
Fixed price is best once you know the exact scope — a fitted wardrobe, a staircase, a set of doors. Day rate suits jobs where the scope only becomes clear once work starts, such as repairs to old or unpredictable timber structures.
How long should a carpenter's quote stay valid?
30 days is standard. Timber and sheet material prices can move, so a shorter validity period protects your margin if the customer takes a while to accept.
Related Guides
- Carpenter Day Rate UK 2026
- Professional Tradesman Quote Checklist UK
- Quote vs Estimate: What's the Difference?
- Kitchen Fitter Day Rate UK 2026
- Best Quoting Apps for UK Tradesmen
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