Working with trades: Carpenters

Your carpentry team may be involved in everything from erecting your home’s structural shell through to fitting flooring and skirtings. Tim Doherty reveals how to ensure you get the right trades for the job

Many structural suppliers, such as green oak specialist Oakwrights, offer wall, roof and encapsulation solutions – which will usually be installed by their own team or one they have recommended

Carpenters are among the few tradespeople who are likely to get involved at the start of a project and still be there right at the end when the client handover takes place. This makes them generalists in overall building, which is why so many move on to run their own companies or pursue careers in site/project management. And yet, there is no particular mandatory training for a carpenter beyond the time they serve in apprenticeships to learn core skills for using wood-based products. So how can you ensure you employ someone who possesses all the right attributes to help make your project a success?

The regs

Carpentry works will involve structural components like floors and roofs, along with both load bearing walls (with timber frame construction) and the non-load bearing partitioning (internal stud walls) often used across all building system types. Whilst a knowledge of the relevant Building Regulations is important, most carpenters will not be involved in design but will instead be presented with a set of drawings and clear instructions on what components should be used and where.

There could, however, be many instances where incorrect materials might be suggested which may contravene standards for structural integrity or resistance to fire, or deliver inadequate acoustic performance. Consequently, a carpenter with experience should have a thorough understanding of the relevant Building Regulations Approved Documents, which include: