Skip to main content
True Trade Path

St. Louis, MO

Carpenters in St. Louis

Framing, finish carpentry, decks, stairs and structural repair contractors. Local labor in St. Louis runs about 4 percent below the national median, which is the adjustment to apply before you use any national price.

Metro population
281,754
Labor cost index
0.96×
State
Missouri

Emergency and utility numbers in Missouri

For gas odor, downed power lines, or flooding, call 911 or your utility emergency line first — not a contractor. After the immediate hazard is controlled, hire licensed pros for permanent repair.

  • 911 — fire, medical, immediate life safety
  • Gas odor — leave the building, do not switch lights, call your gas utility emergency number from outside
  • Power outage / lines down — utility emergency line; stay away from downed conductors

Trade owners in St. Louis

Claiming your profile is free — correct licence, service area, and contact. No lead fees and no paid placement.

Claim your business

Carpenters listed in St. Louis

No listings here yet

We publish a listing only where the organization asked to be listed, or where every field came from a public licence register. Neither has happened for carpenters in St. Louis yet, so there is nothing to show — rather than a page of names scraped from somewhere and presented as vetted.

The costs, licensing and verification steps below apply regardless. If you run a business here, listing is free and always will be.

What the work costs here

National ranges adjusted by the St. Louis labor index. Materials move far less by region than labor does, so treat these as directional — the range narrows once someone has actually seen the job.

Carpenter median pay here
$54,000
National median $56,350
Labor cost vs. national
-4%
Applied to the estimates below
Metro population
281,754
Missouri
Typical job costs in St. Louis, adjusted from national ranges
JobNational typicalSt. Louis typicalRange here
Foundation Repair$9,000$8,600$1,900–$38,500
Window Replacement$900$875$425–$2,400
Siding Replacement$15,000$14,500$7,700–$33,500
Fence Installation$3,500$3,400$1,400–$7,700
Deck Building$12,000$11,500$4,800–$24,000
Tree Removal$750$725$200–$2,400
Kitchen Remodel$35,000$33,500$14,500–$77,000
Bathroom Remodel$15,000$14,500$5,800–$38,500
Flooring Installation$5,000$4,800$1,900–$11,500
Drywall Repair$500$475$200–$1,400
Interior Painting$3,500$3,400$1,400–$7,700
Insulation Installation$3,000$2,900$1,400–$6,700
Garage Door Replacement$1,500$1,400$775–$3,400
Pressure Washing$350$325$200–$1,200
Stucco Repair$1,400$1,300$475–$6,200
Masonry Repointing$2,200$2,100$775–$8,600
Deck Repair$1,600$1,500$475–$6,200
Deck Staining$950$900$375–$3,100
Fence Repair$650$625$200–$3,100
Pergola Build$5,000$4,800$2,400–$14,500
Exterior Painting$4,800$4,600$2,400–$13,500
Sod Installation$2,000$1,900$875–$6,200
Landscape Grading$2,800$2,700$1,200–$10,500
Tree Trimming$650$625$250–$3,100
Stump Grinding$325$300$150–$900
Drywall Installation$2,200$2,100$875–$8,200
Popcorn Ceiling Removal$1,400$1,300$675–$4,600
Trim Installation$1,600$1,500$575–$6,200
Interior Door Replacement$325$300$175–$825
Exterior Door Replacement$1,400$1,300$575–$4,000
Texture Repair$450$425$200–$1,500
Staircase Repair$2,200$2,100$875–$8,600
Closet Build-Out$2,800$2,700$1,200–$10,500
Cabinet Installation$5,000$4,800$2,100–$15,500
Cabinet Refacing$8,000$7,700$4,300–$18,000
Countertop Installation$3,800$3,600$2,100–$12,000
Backsplash Installation$1,700$1,600$875–$4,000
Appliance Installation$300$300$150–$825
Tile Floor Installation$3,800$3,600$1,500–$12,500
Hardwood Refinishing$3,200$3,100$1,500–$8,200
Carpet Installation$2,000$1,900$875–$6,200
LVP Installation$3,000$2,900$1,500–$8,600
Attic Insulation$2,800$2,700$1,500–$7,200
Basement Egress Window$5,500$5,300$3,400–$12,500
Mold Remediation$4,000$3,800$1,500–$15,500
Fire Damage Restoration$14,000$13,500$5,800–$50,000
Asbestos Abatement$7,000$6,700$2,400–$30,500
Lead Paint Remediation$18,000$17,500$8,600–$50,000

How these numbers are derived

National ranges are multiplied by a 0.96× labor index for St. Louis. The index is an approximation for planning, not a wage survey, and it applies to labor rather than to materials. Use it to sanity-check a quote, not to argue one down to the dollar.

Permits and code in St. Louis

Checked against the issuing authority on 2026-10-07. Fees and thresholds change — the link below is the authority, this page is not.

City of St. Louis — Building Division

Online via St. Louis Citizen Service Bureau / permit portal or in person at City Hall, 1200 Market St. Separate St. Louis County permits apply outside the independent city limits.

Permit office website(314) 622-3313

What needs a permit here

  • Electrical panel replacement, service upgrade, or knob-and-tube remediation
  • Water heater changeout and gas piping repairs in older housing stock
  • HVAC furnace or central AC replacement and duct alterations
  • Roof replacement when structural decking is replaced
  • Porch, stair, or masonry structural repairs on historic properties
  • Lead-safe work practices may apply when disturbing painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing
Published permit fees for St. Louis
PermitPublished feeNotes
Residential Building Permit Minimum$70.00 - $110.00City of St. Louis fee schedule for minor residential alterations.
Electrical Trade Permit$80.00 - $125.00Panel and service work billed by amperage and circuit count.
Plumbing Water Heater Permit$60.00 - $85.00Gas venting and relief valve discharge inspection included.
Mechanical HVAC Permit$70.00 - $105.00Equipment swap and venting compliance for fuel-burning appliances.

Local amendments worth knowing

Cities adopt the model codes then amend them. The amendments are what catch people out, because a national guide will not mention them.

  • City of St. Louis Building Code

    Adopted IBC/IRC with local provisions for historic districts and vacant-building stabilization.

    Read the amendment

  • St. Louis Lead-Safe Housing Ordinance

    Renovation in pre-1978 housing may require lead-safe certification and clearance on permitted work.

    Read the amendment

  • Mississippi River Floodplain

    Low-lying parcels require floodplain administrator approval and elevated utilities.

    Read the amendment

Verify a licence

  • Missouri Professional Registration — Electrical

    Electrical contractors and journeyman electricians

    Public licence lookup

  • Missouri Professional Registration — Plumbing

    Plumbing contractors

    Public licence lookup

  • Missouri Professional Registration — HVAC

    Mechanical and HVAC contractors

    Public licence lookup

  • Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors

    PE sign-off for structural repairs and retaining walls

    Public licence lookup

Conditions that change the job here

  • Dense stock of pre-war brick homes with balloon framing complicates rewiring and fire blocking upgrades.
  • Mississippi River humidity and summer heat drive attic mold risk if ventilation is inadequate during HVAC work.
  • Clay bluffs and fill soils affect foundation drainage and basement waterproofing scope.
  • Historic district review (Soulard, Lafayette Square, etc.) adds time before exterior permit approval.
  • Vacant-building registration rules can delay permits until property compliance is current.

Local context for St. Louis, MO

Permit rules, fees, and housing-stock conditions change by city even within the same state. These facts come from the researched metro profile — not from a template with the city name swapped in.

Permit office

City of St. Louis — Building Division · Filing information · (314) 622-3313

Common permit triggers here

  • Electrical panel replacement, service upgrade, or knob-and-tube remediation
  • Water heater changeout and gas piping repairs in older housing stock
  • HVAC furnace or central AC replacement and duct alterations
  • Roof replacement when structural decking is replaced
  • Porch, stair, or masonry structural repairs on historic properties
  • Lead-safe work practices may apply when disturbing painted surfaces in pre-1978 housing

Local conditions that change the work

  • Dense stock of pre-war brick homes with balloon framing complicates rewiring and fire blocking upgrades.
  • Mississippi River humidity and summer heat drive attic mold risk if ventilation is inadequate during HVAC work.
  • Clay bluffs and fill soils affect foundation drainage and basement waterproofing scope.
  • Historic district review (Soulard, Lafayette Square, etc.) adds time before exterior permit approval.
  • Vacant-building registration rules can delay permits until property compliance is current.
Source: Metro profile research · checked 2026-10-07

Verify before you hire in Missouri

  1. Check the licence with the Missouri board

    Generally unlicensed as a trade. A general contractor license is required in most states to contract work directly. Search the number in the state's public lookup, confirm it is active, and confirm the classification covers your job rather than something adjacent to it.

  2. Have the insurer send the certificate

    Ask for general liability and workers' compensation to be sent to you directly by the insurance agent. A PDF forwarded by the contractor proves the document existed once, not that the policy is current.

  3. Get the scope in writing, with exclusions

    What is included matters less than what is excluded. Permits, disposal, patching, and code upgrades triggered by the work are the four line items that most often turn into change orders.

  4. Confirm who pulls the permit

    Permit thresholds are municipal in Missouri. The licence holder should pull it. If you are asked to pull it as a homeowner on licensed work, you are absorbing their liability.

  5. Never pay the full amount up front

    A deposit for materials on a large job is normal. Paying in full before work begins is not, and several states cap what a contractor may take as a deposit.

Work out the problem before you call

Questions about hiring in St. Louis

How much do carpenters charge in St. Louis?
Local labor in St. Louis runs about 4 percent below the national median, so a national estimate should be adjusted accordingly. Against a national median of $56,350 a year, carpenters in this metro earn closer to $54,000, and service rates track that difference.
Do I need a licensed professional in Missouri?
Generally unlicensed as a trade. A general contractor license is required in most states to contract work directly. Confirm the licence number with the Missouri board before work begins, and confirm the classification covers your specific job.
Is a permit required in St. Louis?
Permit thresholds are set municipally and differ even between neighbouring cities in Missouri. As a rule, anything altering electrical service, gas piping, drain-waste-vent, or structure requires one. The contractor holding the licence should pull it — if they ask you to pull it as a homeowner on work like that, treat it as a warning.
How do I verify a contractor's licence?
The Missouri licensing board publishes a free public lookup. Search the licence number, confirm it is active rather than expired or suspended, and confirm the name on the licence matches the business on your quote. Then have the certificate of insurance sent to you directly by the insurer.

Other trades in St. Louis