How much should a carpenter charge?

Finish and remodeling carpenters bill $55–$95 per hour; framing crews often bid $4–$9 per square foot of floor area — with custom trim, decks, and built-ins quoted from burdened labor, material markup, and 15–22% net margin targets.

Reviewed: National carpentry benchmarks, reviewed March 2026

Build your rate from burden and overhead, not from wage alone. Use the calculator and template below, and compare to what we publish to homeowners for the same work.

How to use this guide

Carpentry pricing splits rough framing (production by the square) from finish and remodel work (hourly or unit pricing). This guide helps you place your shop rate against burden and against homeowner deck and remodel expectations.

Deck and structural work needs permit and hardware detail in the estimate; interior trim needs finish level (paint-grade vs stain-grade) spelled out so change orders are not fights about “builder grade.”

Use the carpenter hourly rate calculator with your real overhead and utilization — finish work utilization is often higher than service trades but rework is costlier.

Framing vs finish

Framing bids that win on $/sf alone often omit hardware, shear, and crane days. Finish carpenters who underprice hourly forget client meetings and site protection time.

Fixed-price built-ins need shop drawings or sketches approved before cutting — otherwise “simple bookshelf” becomes custom casework at hourly loss.

Rate build-up

From wage to billable rate

Carpenter wage times burden, plus tool replacement and vehicle stock. Overhead includes insurance, software, and owner salary; margin on sell price, not on wage.

Step	Example range
Base wage (finish / remodel carpenter)	$24–$38/hr
Labor burden	× 1.35–1.48
Loaded labor	$32–$56/hr
Overhead recovery	+ 28–38%
Profit target	+ 15–22% net
Shop rate / framing bid basis	$55–$95/hr; $4–$9/sf framing

Typical service rates by region

Union metros push hourly bands; rural framing may bid lower $/sf with longer travel between jobs.

Rural / South

Labor: $50–$75/hr

Trip / diagnostic: $350–$600 min

National

Labor: $60–$85/hr

Trip / diagnostic: $450–$800 min

Union metros

Labor: $75–$110/hr

Trip / diagnostic: $650–$1,100 min

Worked example

Wood deck (12×16, standard footings, wood rail)

Deck example assumes standard wood frame, permitted, no hillside engineering. Composite, cable rail, and footing depth changes move labor and material — take off from plans.

Labor (48 hrs loaded, 2-person crew)	$2,400
Materials (lumber, hardware, concrete)	$2,100
Material markup (15%)	$315
Permit & overhead	$680
Margin (18% net target)	$1,045
Indicative customer price	Customer price ≈ $6,540 (~$34/sf deck surface — composite and cable rail higher)

Price ranges homeowners compare

Use $/sf for decks and additions; hourly or unit for trim and doors. Job-cost from the last similar job.

Finish carpentry (hourly) — $55–$95/hr
Framing (per sf floor) — $4–$9/sf
Interior door install (each) — $175–$350
Crown molding (per linear ft) — $6–$14/ft
Deck (wood, per sf) — $30–$55/sf

Where margin disappears

Carpentry margin dies on vague finish levels, missing hardware lines, and framing quotes without shear and hold-down detail.

Framing bid without plans — Shear, hold-downs, and crane days erase margin.
Finish level undefined — Paint-grade vs stain-grade trim doubles material and labor.
Hourly rate from wage only — Loaded cost and 65% utilization need $70+ hr for 15% net.

Quotes, minimums, and payment

Minimums & trip charges

Minimum service charge for half-day carpentry — $350–$650 — protects small trim and repair tickets. Decks and additions below your crew-day floor should be declined or repriced.

Markup vs margin

Lumber markup is thin when customers compare to big-box; margin often lives in labor and expertise lines. Do not compete with handyman hourly on structural work.

Exclusions & change orders

Engineering, drywall, roofing tie-in, and electrical for decks are separate trades unless you hold those licences. Site access, staging, and paint are exclusions on trim-only quotes.

Payment schedule

Deposits on material-heavy jobs; draw at framing and finish milestones on additions. Service work due on completion unless commercial terms apply.

Presenting the price

Show drawings or sketches, lumber spec, hardware schedule, and finish level. Deck quotes should list footing depth, rail type, and permit inclusion.

Use these next

Open calculator Open template Business kit

FAQ

How much do carpenters charge per hour?

Finish and remodel carpenters commonly bill $55–$95/hr nationally after burden and overhead.

How to price a deck?

Take off lumber and hardware from plans, price crew-days, add permit and margin — compare to homeowner deck cost guides.

Framing per square foot?

$4–$9/sf floor area is a common bid band; complexity and shear drive spread.

What margin for carpentry?

Target 15–22% net on fixed jobs; T&M needs published shop rate from the calculator.

Should I charge for estimates?

On decks and additions with plans, yes — or credit toward contract when signed.

Do homeowners see deck costs?

Our deck building cost guide shows published ranges — align scope and materials.

Union vs non-union rates?

Union metros bill higher hourly; framing may still be bid per sf.

Custom built-ins?

Fixed price from approved shop drawings; hourly only for discovery phases with caps.

Methodology

Benchmarks reference BLS carpenter wages and our carpenter hourly rate calculator. Lumber volatility affects material lines — update quotes when truss and sheet goods move.

BLS — carpenters
True Trade Path carpenter hourly rate calculator