What Does a Lead Carpenter Do?

A lead carpenter is responsible for monitoring field carpenters on performing construction duties, analyzing schematics and blueprints, following clients' specifications, completing the project within the agreed timeframe, and maintaining materials with the budget goals, ensuring the highest quality and client's satisfaction. Lead carpenters regularly inspect the project, perform adjustments as needed, repair defects and inconsistencies, and adhere to the safety standards and protocols during operations. A lead carpenter must have excellent knowledge of the carpentry industry to handle clients' demands and efficiently create the finished product.

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Lead Carpenter Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real lead carpenter resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Manage complete renovations and new construction of banks for commercial construction company.
Erect scaffolding, pump jacks, ladder jacks and ladders for assembling structures over head height.
Erect scaffolding for buildings and ship structures and installs ladders, handrails, walkways, platforms and gangways.
Remodel, framing, fire/flood restoration, demo and build back and new construction builds, install Sheetrock, special projects.
Bore boltholes in timber, masonry or concrete walls, using power drill.
Lead the coordination of projects with subcontractors such as plumbers, electricians, and HVAC.
Oversee the duties of the painters, groundskeepers, electricians, HVAC, and carpenters.
Fire proofing systems (fire rate walls, wall coverings and fire proof caulking).
Steel stud commercial building framing, install hollow metal doors, door hardware, etc.
Complete demo and up fit of station from bathrooms, ceilings, inside, and out.
Experience in all phases of carpentry including demo, framing, and building of masonry forms.
Metal stud framing light and heavy gauge using line and plumb lasers, drywall, grid ceilings ,
Implement all federal (OSHA), state, and local job site safety requirements and employee training.
Assist owner with residential remodeling projects, including carpentry, roofing, plumbing, masonry and tile work.
Perform all phases of high end music studio construction from small remodel jobs to major grind breaking jobs lasting several years.

Lead Carpenter Job Description

When it comes to understanding what a lead carpenter does, you may be wondering, "should I become a lead carpenter?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, lead carpenters have a growth rate described as "faster than average" at 8% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of lead carpenter opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 80,100.

A lead carpenter annual salary averages $49,228, which breaks down to $23.67 an hour. However, lead carpenters can earn anywhere from upwards of $36,000 to $65,000 a year. This means that the top-earning lead carpenters make $27,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a lead carpenter. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include a construction assistant, construction foreman, construction supervisor, and journeyman.

Learn More About Lead Carpenter Job Descriptions

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12 Lead Carpenter Resume Examples

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Cheryl Stevens Lead Carpenter Contact Information Westfield, IN (870) 555-2213 cstevens@example.com Skills Heavy Labor Production Personnel Sigma Communication Sidewalks Construction Sites Heavy Equipment Bull Float Jackhammer Sub Contractors Employment History Lead Carpenter 2019 - Present Shiel Sexton Company Westfield, IN Trained new employees how to frame walls at new construction sites and supervised their work. Used hand tools and power tools to cut tile, linoleum, wood and other similar materials. Smooth surfaces, using sandpaper, scrapers, brushes, steel wool, and/or sanding machines. Use levels, rules, plumb bobs, framing squares, and surveying equipment to ensure everything is level and secure. Lead Person 2009 - 2019 General Motors Westfield, IN Ensured that ISO regulations are properly followed. Assisted in the implementation of JIT and SPC processes into the Assembly line manufacturing process. Managed multiple assembly lines ranging from 30 to 50 employees. Supervised over 15 production workers in the assembly, machining, grinding, and heat treat department. Provided training, desk procedures and supervision for three direct reports. Ensured production quotas were met to keep the assembly line on time for product delivery to vehicle assembly plants. Concrete Finisher 2006 - 2009 Dunkin' Donuts Northeast Distribution Center Westfield, IN Verified proper portion sizes and consistently attained high food quality standards. Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws. set and pour sidewalks and curbs. Loaded and unloaded construction materials and fill, transporting to and from construction sites. Cement Finisher 2005 - 2006 Custom Concrete Co Westfield, IN Poured housefloors,driveways,sidewalks. form to finish sidewalks, driveways, curves, Education High School Diploma 2005 - 2005


Sophia Watson Lead Carpenter Contact Info Waynesboro, GA (490) 555-1990 swatson@example.com Skills OilfieldCDLPVSafety ProceduresFood ServiceOshaSafe Job SiteCommunicationQuality StandardsCensus Data Employment History Lead Carpenter 2017 - Present Fluor Waynesboro, GA Recommend improvements, changes or new techniques and procedures. Verify trueness of structure, using plumb bob and level. Finish carpentry which included doors & hardware, cabinets &countertops, drop ceiling, drywall finishing &installing accesseries. Completed repairing of doors, windows and other things in given time and budget. Complete work in construction of rehabilitation center within required timeframe Follow all instructions accurately to ensure safety and soundness of construction Crew Leader 2014 - 2017 Sonic Tulsa, OK Take orders, collect money, train co-workers, prepare all drink and ice cream orders Train other workers in food preparation,and in service,sanitation,and safety procedures. Head Cashier; provided quick, reliable and respectful customer service while handling money. Heavy Equipment Operator 2008 - 2014 Dollar Tree Oakbrook Terrace, IL Used RF scanner, put pallets on inventory racks. Put product away and pull product when needed..Drove stand up forklifts...electric pallet jacks, tandems and orderpickers. Operate hand-held scanner, use on board computer system. Site Foreman 2003 - 2008 Archer Western Contractors Oakbrook Terrace, IL Certificate of completion in scaffold training, CPR and basic first aid and construction safety and health by OSHA. Market general contractors and developers. Maintained several jobsites and performed all jobs ahead of schedule and under budget OSHA certified in work place safety and construction safety Plan Quantities Operate Heavy Equipment Review Timecards Daily reports Schedule City/County inspections Track equipment fuel and maintenance Verified Grades to plans Education Some College Courses Electrical Engineering 1998 - 1998 DeVry University Oakbrook Terrace, IL


Ruth Rogers Lead Carpenter Lakeland, FL (480) 555-3525 rrogers@example.com Experience Lead Carpenter2020 - Present Carpenter•Lakeland, FL Maintained all power and hand tools for woodworking shop. Followed all safety rules imposed by OSHA Use power saws, power nailers, forklifts and hand tools. Operated heavy equipment for landscaping projects. Crew Leader2010 - 2020 Pizza Hut•Charleston, SC Manage cash Manage Labor costs Close Payroll Ensured all food safety procedures are executed according to required standards and health/sanitation regulations. Cooked food Handled cash Cleaned and stocked store Supervised crew members Implemented and performed periodic scheduling, hiring and training of new crew members. Enforce safety procedures in accordance with warehouse policies. Mechanic2009 - 2010 Boeing•Charleston, SC Develop templates, tooling, fixtures and shop aids using a flat pattern layout method. Used hoists, hand tools, test instruments, computerized test equipment, calibration tools. Conducted operational checks on Aircraft Systems. Mechanical Installer2004 - 2009 ADT•Henrietta, NY Install residential and commercial security systems for ADT corporate. Wire and install commercial and residential security systems (Temporary/full-time). Skills MIGGeneral ConstructionHvacHand ToolsDiagnostic EquipmentCrew MembersCustom CabinetsSales GoalsHeavy EquipmentCustomer Vehicles Education High School Diploma 2004 - 2004

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Lead Carpenter Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 12% of Lead Carpenters are proficient in Safety Rules, Roofing, and Plumbing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Business skills, Detail oriented, and Dexterity.

We break down the percentage of Lead Carpenters that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Safety Rules, 12%
Follow established safety rules and regulations and maintain a safe and clean environment per historic building inspection code.
Roofing, 11%
Supervised construction of residential home additions, roofing, decking and siding projects for a residential remodeling organization.
Plumbing, 10%
Installed plumbing and electrical wiring for commercial and residential applications.
Door Installation, 6%
Completed footing, form work, grade work, framing, window and door installation and setting trusses.
Drywall Installation, 5%
General Construction: include framing, acoustic ceiling installation, trim carpentry, roof repair, drywall installation and painting.
Power Saws, 4%
Operated power saws, drills, planers, and pneumatic equipment.

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Some of the skills we found on lead carpenter resumes included "safety rules," "roofing," and "plumbing." We have detailed the most important lead carpenter responsibilities below.

Arguably the most important personality trait for a lead carpenter to have happens to be business skills. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "self-employed carpenters must bid on new jobs, track inventory, and plan work assignments." Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that lead carpenters can use business skills to "owned and operated business as framing and trim subcontractor, select remodeling and general construction. "

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many lead carpenter duties rely on detail oriented. This example from a lead carpenter explains why: "carpenters make precise cuts, measurements, and modifications." This resume example is just one of many ways lead carpenters are able to utilize detail oriented: "coordinated with contractor with details of custom interior trim on custom homes in the debedui and pawley island area. "

Another skill that is quite popular among lead carpenters is dexterity. This skill is very critical to fulfilling every day responsibilities as is shown in this example from a lead carpenter resume: "carpenters use many tools and need hand-eye coordination to avoid injury or damaging materials" This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "provided hands-on involvement with all aspects of roofing. "

A thorough review of lots of resumes revealed to us that "math skills" is important to completing lead carpenter responsibilities. This resume example shows just one way lead carpenters use this skill: "carpenters frequently use basic math skills to calculate area, precisely cut material, and determine the amount of material needed to complete the job." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical lead carpenter tasks: "trained two, twenty week classes of pre-apprentices in general carpentry and safety and tutored them in job related math. "

Another common skill for a lead carpenter to be able to utilize is "physical strength." Carpenters use heavy tools and materials that can weigh up to 100 pounds a lead carpenter demonstrated the need for this skill by putting this on their resume: "job required working knowledge of general construction techniques and practices, and physical ability to perform said techniques and practices. "

While "problem-solving skills" is listed last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to lead carpenter responsibilities. The skill is described by this resume snippet, "carpenters may need to modify building material and make adjustments onsite to complete projects" Here is an example of how this skill is used, "performed carpentry and operated gradeall directed and supervised laborers identified and resolved punch items and safety issues monitored punch list"

See the full list of lead carpenter skills.

After discovering the most helpful skills, we moved onto what kind of education might be helpful in becoming a lead carpenter. We found that 23.1% of lead carpenters have graduated with a bachelor's degree and 2.1% of people in this position have earned their master's degrees. While some lead carpenters have a college degree, you may find it's also true that generally it's possible to be successful in this career with only a high school degree. In fact, our research shows that one out of every three lead carpenters were not college graduates.

The lead carpenters who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and construction management, while a small population of lead carpenters studied general studies and drafting and design.

When you're ready to become a lead carpenter, you might wonder which companies hire lead carpenters. According to our research through lead carpenter resumes, lead carpenters are mostly hired by Safway Group Holding LLC, Sunbelt Rentals, and ServiceMaster Restore. Now is a good time to apply as Safway Group Holding LLC has 21 lead carpenters job openings, and there are 4 at Sunbelt Rentals and 3 at ServiceMaster Restore.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, lead carpenters tend to earn the biggest salaries at Brasfield & Gorrie, Mt. San Antonio College, and General Contracting Services. Take Brasfield & Gorrie for example. The median lead carpenter salary is $59,503. At Mt. San Antonio College, lead carpenters earn an average of $58,369, while the average at General Contracting Services is $53,733. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on lead carpenter salaries across the United States.

We also looked into companies who hire lead carpenters from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include Tradesmen International, Carpenters Union, and Carpenter.

In general, lead carpenters fulfill roles in the construction and professional industries. While employment numbers are high in those industries, the lead carpenter annual salary is the highest in the construction industry with $53,642 as the average salary. Meanwhile, the professional and retail industries pay $46,605 and $46,525 respectively. This means that lead carpenters who are employed in the construction industry make 11.9% more than lead carpenters who work in the manufacturing Industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious lead carpenters are:

Safway Group Holding LLC21 Lead Carpenters Jobs
Sunbelt Rentals4 Lead Carpenters Jobs
ServiceMaster Restore3 Lead Carpenters Jobs

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What Construction Assistants Do

A construction assistant performs various clerical and operational support tasks to assist construction managers and maintain smooth workflow operations. Their responsibilities usually include monitoring budgets and costs, handling calls and correspondence, purchasing construction materials according to project requirements, liaising with suppliers and construction contractors, and participating in managing the schedules and activities of the workers. A construction assistant may also perform inspections to identify problem areas and ensure that all procedures adhere to the safety codes and standards.

In this section, we compare the average lead carpenter annual salary with that of a construction assistant. Typically, construction assistants earn a $10,156 lower salary than lead carpenters earn annually.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between lead carpenters and construction assistants are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like drywall installation, power saws, and construction projects.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, a lead carpenter responsibilities require skills like "safety rules," "roofing," "plumbing," and "door installation." Meanwhile a typical construction assistant has skills in areas such as "general contractors," "equipment operators," "manual labor," and "construction management." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

Construction assistants really shine in the construction industry with an average salary of $59,937. Whereas lead carpenters tend to make the most money in the construction industry with an average salary of $53,642.

The education levels that construction assistants earn is a bit different than that of lead carpenters. In particular, construction assistants are 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a lead carpenter. Additionally, they're 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a 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. They also identify cost-reduction opportunities by handling negotiation with trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. A construction foreman inspects the quality of materials, including the equipment and machinery, allocates adequate resources for production, and resolves issues immediately.

The next role we're going to look at is the construction foreman profession. Typically, this position earns a higher pay. In fact, they earn a $7,893 higher salary than lead carpenters per year.

Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Lead carpenters and construction foremen both include similar skills like "safety rules," "roofing," and "plumbing" on their resumes.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences that are worth noting. For example, lead carpenter responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "door installation," "drywall installation," "rough carpentry," and "custom cabinets." Meanwhile, a construction foreman might be skilled in areas such as "work ethic," "cdl," "osha," and "strong work ethic." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On average, construction foremen earn a higher salary than lead carpenters. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, construction foremen earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $62,811. Whereas, lead carpenters have higher paychecks in the construction industry where they earn an average of $53,642.

In general, construction foremen study at similar levels of education than lead carpenters. They're 0.1% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Construction Supervisor Compares

Construction supervisors ensure construction team members work jointly to deliver excellent work on time. They provide team-building sessions and training and monitor the construction processes. These professionals ensure the construction processes take place every time as per the safety regulations and health regulations. Besides creating budgets, project plans, reports and delivering them to the appropriate stakeholders, construction supervisors also perform routine site, material, and equipment inspections. They always remain updated about the construction advancements and construction safety codes.

The construction supervisor profession generally makes a higher amount of money when compared to the average salary of lead carpenters. The difference in salaries is construction supervisors making $13,653 higher than lead carpenters.

Using lead carpenters and construction supervisors resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "general construction," "hvac," and "building codes," but the other skills required are very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from lead carpenter resumes include skills like "safety rules," "roofing," "plumbing," and "door installation," whereas a construction supervisor might be skilled in "customer service," "osha," "project management," and "work ethic. "

Interestingly enough, construction supervisors earn the most pay in the energy industry, where they command an average salary of $77,290. As mentioned previously, lead carpenters highest annual salary comes from the construction industry with an average salary of $53,642.

Construction supervisors are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to lead carpenters. Additionally, they're 3.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Journeyman

A journeyman is an experienced worker whose role will vary on the line of industry where one is involved. They work without supervision from a master craftsman. Most of the responsibilities will revolve around performing manual work such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical and mechanical tasks, and other forms of trade. Furthermore, a journeyman can choose whether to work independently or to be part of a business entity. They can also recruit and train an apprentice, or even pursue to become a master in their preferred field.

Now, we'll look at journeymen, who generally average a higher pay when compared to lead carpenters annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $8,454 per year.

While both lead carpenters and journeymen complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like plumbing, power saws, and hvac, the two careers also vary in other skills.

Each job requires different skills like "safety rules," "roofing," "door installation," and "drywall installation," which might show up on a lead carpenter resume. Whereas journeyman might include skills like "hand tools," "work ethic," "strong work ethic," and "osha."

Now, let's take a closer look at the financials in each career. The construction industry tends to pay more for journeymen with an average of $62,379. While the highest lead carpenter annual salary comes from the construction industry.

In general, journeymen reach similar levels of education when compared to lead carpenters resumes. Journeymen are 0.5% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated October 2, 2020