You may decide you want a large renovation to your house, such as adding a pergola or a veranda. Or you may simply want some smaller job done, such as a new sideboard or coffee table. Whether your project is large or small, you will need to find a reliable, skilled carpenter. How do you do this? There are several areas you need to address in order to find the best person for the job.
First, if you see something in your friend's house which you admire and which you believe is well made, ask him for the details of the person who did the job. You friend will be flattered that you so admire the beautiful furniture in his home, and will be happy to supply you with the details.
If you are not so fortunate to find a carpenter through your friends, you will probably go to the internet or to the Yellow Pages. When you find someone who you might want to employ, contact them and ask them about their portfolio. All competent, experienced carpenters will l have a selection of photographs of their previous work and should be happy to show them to you. If the work meets with your expectations, then you may want to proceed with that person.
At this stage, you should also ask how long the tradesman has been in business. It is always wise to go with an experienced man, as he is more likely to give you a satisfactory and cost effective outcome. A minimum of five years in the trade should be expected.
After you have described in as much detail as you can what it is exactly that you want, a skilled carpenter will go away and make some sketches of the item for you. It is through this process that you can gauge his communication skills and his reliability. You will have the opportunity to see these sketches and judge how closely he has listened to you and how well he has been able to put your ideas down onto paper. If he has included every detail you have given in a satisfactory, even beautiful way, you will most likely want to proceed with the process. If there are any modifications necessary, the tradesman should be happy to listen to you and make any changes needed. If he simply pushes ahead with his own ideas and interpretation, it may be wise to look for someone else.
You need to ask the person you have chosen for a cost estimate. This amount you can then check with a friend who has had a similar project completed, or failing that, you can go to a home improvement store, show them your plans, and ask them for a rough estimate of the cost to be expected. If the quote seems reasonable, and you are happy so far with your interaction with the carpenter, it should be a safe bet that you will be satisfied with the outcome.
As they are working on your item, the best skilled carpenters will keep in touch with you and let you know of their progress. They will ask you about any finer details so that the finished product will be as close to your expectations as possible. If you keep all of these questions in mind when selecting the man for your job, you will no doubt be pleased with the beautiful item which is ultimately produced.
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