How to hire a Finish Carpenter

How to hire a finish carpenter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step finish carpenter hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a finish carpenter job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new finish carpenter
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Finish Carpenter do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the finish carpenter you need to hire. Certain finish carpenter roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A finish carpenter's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, finish carpenters from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of finish carpenters.

   Type Of Finish Carpenter	Description	Hourly Rate
   Finish Carpenter	Carpenters construct and repair building frameworks and structures—such as stairways, doorframes, partitions, rafters, and bridge supports—made from wood and other materials. They also may install kitchen cabinets, siding, and drywall.	$16-30
   Mason	A mason is responsible for shaping artificial mineral products, concrete blocks, stone pieces, and bricks to create structures essential for construction or other building purposes using various machinery and equipment, following the highest safety standards and production procedures. Masons analyze schematics and blueprints, applying the clients' specifications and customization to their product expertise... Show More	$13-32
   Construction Foreman	A construction foreman is responsible for overseeing construction operations and determining the construction progress by monitoring plans and schedules. A construction foreman allocates tasks to the workers and ensures that everyone adheres to the safety guidelines and regulations, preventing potential hazards in the work area and avoiding construction delays... Show More	$20-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Custom Cabinets
   • Safety Rules
   • Drywall Installation
   • Door Hardware
   • Window Installation
   • Door Frames
   • Rough Carpentry
   • Tape Measure
   • Sheetrock
   • Construction Projects
   • General Carpentry
   • Base Boards
   • Hardwood Floors

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Install cabinets, vinyl, FRP, carpet, windows, Sheetrock, painting, HVAC
   • Assist with electrical wiring and HVAC installation.
   • Operate tools like lather, drills, sanders and planers.
   • Demo rooms and add on with new framing Sheetrock and flooring.
   • Assist HVAC technicians with changing filters and belts on the air handler units.
   • Complete demo of existing cabinets, tile, drywall, electrical wirings, appliances etc.

   More Finish Carpenter duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your finish carpenter job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A finish carpenter salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a finish carpenter in North Carolina may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level finish carpenter usually earns less than a senior-level finish carpenter. Additionally, a finish carpenter with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average finish carpenter salary

   $46,987yearly

   $22.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level finish carpenter salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 15, 2025

   Average finish carpenter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	Massachusetts	$63,838	$31
   2	New Jersey	$60,966	$29
   3	New York	$59,280	$29
   4	Washington	$58,761	$28
   5	California	$58,698	$28
   6	Rhode Island	$52,826	$25
   7	Arizona	$47,675	$23
   8	Indiana	$46,692	$22
   9	Pennsylvania	$45,760	$22
   10	North Dakota	$45,734	$22
   11	Colorado	$44,513	$21
   12	Minnesota	$43,183	$21
   13	Louisiana	$42,575	$20
   14	Michigan	$41,504	$20
   15	New Mexico	$40,409	$19
   16	Florida	$40,207	$19
   17	Wisconsin	$39,849	$19
   18	Tennessee	$37,630	$18
   19	Alabama	$35,787	$17
   20	Nebraska	$28,671	$14

   Average finish carpenter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Turner Construction	$57,604	$27.69	18
   2	Midwest Construction Products	$54,834	$26.36	2
   3	H.J. Martin and Son	$51,896	$24.95
   4	Consolidated Construction Co.	$51,515	$24.77	2
   5	Performance Contracting	$51,390	$24.71	2
   6	Trillium Staffing	$49,972	$24.02
   7	GMR Marketing	$49,336	$23.72
   8	Glenn O. Hawbaker	$49,202	$23.65	9
   9	Henry Ford Health System	$49,037	$23.58
   10	ISEC	$48,752	$23.44	10
   11	Champion Homes	$48,545	$23.34	8
   12	City of Detroit	$47,290	$22.74
   13	Schwieters Companies	$46,286	$22.25
   14	Handyman Connection	$45,879	$22.06	62
   15	Paul Davis USA	$45,450	$21.85	103
   16	Henry Ford Village	$45,219	$21.74
   17	Eastridge Workforce Solutions	$44,987	$21.63
   18	Elwood Staffing	$44,689	$21.49
   19	Creative Solutions Group	$44,596	$21.44
   20	Jans	$44,596	$21.44	2

4. Writing a Finish Carpenter Job Description

   A good finish carpenter job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a finish carpenter job description:

   Finish Carpenter job description example

   Job DescriptionDo you love helping people? Do you enjoy making a difference?
   
   Then, don’t miss your chance to join our team as a Finish Carpenter. In this position you will be making a difference each and every day. Our customers call us when they have had a disaster in their home or business, and our goal is to make it “Like it never even happened”!
   
   We’re seeking someone who is honest, positive and hard-working. If you are self-motivated, detail-oriented and work well on a team then you’ll thrive in this work environment.
   
   Our idea of the ultimate candidate is one who is proactive, truly enjoys providing superior service, and loves taking ownership. Are you dependable and excited about routinely exceeding expectations? Then you may be our perfect hero!
   
   As a valued SERVPRO® Franchise employee, you will receive a competitive pay rate with opportunity to learn and grow. This is also a position that doesn’t get boring, as each customer situation is unique, and we work together to provide the best solution for their needs. We help our customers clean up and rebuild after disasters such as fires, floods, mold, and more.
   
   We would love to talk with people who have a background with in water restoration yet we are willing to train people who are dedicated to learning the industry, who are committed to excellence and have awesome attitudes!!
   
   If you are a hard working and self-motivated individual, come join our disaster restoration team. We take pride in being the best in the business.
   
   Job Type: Full-time
   
   Pay: Starts at $18.00 per hour, commensurate with experience
   
   

   All employees of a SERVPRO® Franchise are hired by, employed by, and under the sole supervision and control of an independently owned and operated SERVPRO® Franchise. SERVPRO® Franchise employees are not employed by, jointly employed by, agents of, or under the supervision or control of Servpro Franchisor, LLC, in any manner whatsoever.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find finish carpenters for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   To find finish carpenter candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as constructionjobs.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting finish carpenters requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new finish carpenter

   Once you've decided on a perfect finish carpenter candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new finish carpenter first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a finish carpenter?