Whether you have an idea for a small carpentry venture or a major refurbishment scheme, the best way to get your project started right is to do some very good planning.

FIRST STEPS

The best place to begin is with your project’s budget.  This may seem a little backwards to some people but the truth is that knowing the amount of money you have available will help you decide the extent of the work you can expect, as well as what grade of materials to consider.   When you sit down to figure out what funds you have available for your carpentry project, be aware that if you require financing, you should have it in place before your contractor begins their work. 

In many cases, people need help determining how much their carpentry project will likely cost, so they should not hesitate to get specific quotations before committing to the work.  This step is especially helpful when you are not sure whether your budget is sufficient for the work you want done.  A quotation will help you decide if you can go ahead with the rest of your planning as well as whether you need to seek financing.

Don’t be afraid to discuss budget options with your contractor at the time they are preparing your quotation.  Many carpentry projects can be completed within several budget ranges using different materials or construction methods. Your contractor will be able to assist you in determining whether your project can be done on a lower budget if necessary. 

You may well find that a quotation for your carpentry project is less than you had envisioned, so you can actually plan on having more work done or upgrade to pricier materials.

BOOKINGS AND SCHEDULES

Once you know your budget, have your financing in place, and have selected your builder you will need to work out a time frame. 

Your builder will be able to give you an estimate of the duration of your carpentry project as well as his availability and schedule.  Depending on the size and complexity of your project, builders can often fit jobs in around their other projects.  Other carpentry projects will require full days or weeks devoted specifically to them, so be sure you will able to make the premises available to your builder as necessary.

Discuss with your builder whether or not you will need to be on-site during the carpentry project so that you can make any necessary arrangements to accommodate this.

DETAILS

Keep in mind that whilst you should be very involved in the planning of your carpentry project, your builders will need to have access to your site for their own measuring and planning.  You may also need to determine where building materials can be stored during the project, so discuss such details early on.

Many carpentry projects do not require any kind of planning permissions or inspections, but most structural jobs, extensions, new builds and conversions do.  Make sure you discuss this with your builder.  Most builders will take care of these permissions for you but you should ask to be sure. 

Remember that reputable builders are not afraid of inspections or building regulations and standards!