Board feet, linear footage, and shop vs. site rates. Choose a project type below for a complete step-by-step guide with formulas, waste factors, productivity benchmarks, and pro tips.
Carpentry pricing splits cleanly into rough and finish work, each with its own rate structure. Rough carpentry — wall framing, deck framing, sheathing — is priced per square foot of framed surface or per linear foot of wall plate, with lumber as a pass-through at supplier cost plus 15–25% markup. A typical 8-foot interior wall frames at $8–$15/LF for labor depending on header complexity. Finish carpentry — trim, doors, built-ins, cabinets — is priced per linear foot for trim and per piece for doors, with shop-fabricated work billed separately from site install. Board feet matters for lumber takeoff but rarely for labor pricing; carpenters who quote in board feet are usually doing custom millwork. Shop vs. site is the biggest pricing distinction for finish work: a shop-built bookcase priced at $40/LF includes shop time, materials, and a routine site install, while the same piece built on-site costs more in labor for less precision. Productivity is heavily skill-dependent in finish work — an experienced trim carpenter hangs and cases a six-panel door in 90 minutes including hardware, while a journeyman might take three hours. The trade overlaps with framers (who do only rough), cabinet makers (custom millwork), and general contractors (small jobs done in-house). Hardware is a routine miss — door handles, drawer pulls, hinges all add up and customers expect specific brands. Always quote hardware as an allowance unless you have the spec in hand.
Stud-grade SPF vs. select structural changes material cost by 30–50%. Engineered lumber (LVL, PSL) is its own price tier. Confirm grade before quoting.
Straight cuts are fast. Compound miters, scribing to uneven walls, and matching existing trim profiles slow finish work by 2–3×.
Built-ins fabricated in the shop and trucked in are precise and fast on-site. Built in place takes longer and gets a roughness premium.
Paint-grade trim hides imperfections; stain-grade requires perfect joinery. Always confirm the finish grade before quoting trim.
Rough carpentry is fast and forgiving; finish is slow and precise. They have different productivity, different skill, and different rates. Never blend.
Knobs, hinges, pulls, slides — the customer wants specific brands and sometimes specific finishes. Quote as an allowance, not a guess.
Cutting and assembling in the shop is real labor. Quote shop hours separately from install hours so the customer sees both.