Carpenter Day Rates UK 2026: What Carpenters and Joiners Charge Per Day
By Future Momentum Systems · Updated September 2026
Carpenter day rates in the UK typically range from £180 to £350 a day in 2026, with specialist joiners and London carpenters charging more. The range is wide because carpentry covers everything from stud walls and doors to bespoke fitted furniture.
Carpenter day rates by experience
| Type | Typical day rate |
|---|---|
| General carpenter | £180–£220 |
| Experienced carpenter | £220–£280 |
| Specialist joiner | £280–£350+ |
| London and South East | £250–£400+ |
Source: Book A Builder UK, 2026. Labour only, excluding materials and VAT.
Carpenter day rates by region
| Region | General | Experienced/specialist |
|---|---|---|
| London | £250–£330 | £320–£450+ |
| South East | £230–£300 | £280–£400 |
| South West | £210–£270 | £260–£350 |
| East of England | £210–£280 | £260–£360 |
| Midlands | £190–£250 | £240–£330 |
| North West & North East | £180–£240 | £230–£320 |
| Yorkshire | £185–£245 | £230–£320 |
| Wales | £180–£240 | £230–£320 |
Source: Book A Builder UK, 2026.
Specialist joinery
Bespoke fitted furniture, staircases and sash window restoration sit at the top of the range. Trade2Base puts London joinery rates at £300–£550 a day, with bespoke joinery and shopfitting pushing higher.
What affects a carpenter's day rate?
- Location
- First fix vs second fix vs bespoke joinery
- Experience and qualifications
- Working in an occupied home
- Domestic vs commercial
For carpenters: the hidden cost of a missed call
At £250 a day, one missed enquiry can be worth a full day's work — or a full kitchen or set of fitted wardrobes. But you can't answer the phone with a mitre saw running. Most callers won't leave a voicemail — they ring the next carpenter on Google.
That's why more trades businesses use a call answering service that picks up every call, takes the job details and texts them straight to you. See how FMMS answers calls for trades →
Need a website that wins more jobs? See our websites for trades →
Carpenter day rate FAQs
Sources
Figures are published averages as of September 2026 and are for guidance only.