Why choose a carpenter over a handyman?

Whether you are looking into extensions, renovations or simply repairing something that is broken. A carpenter and handyman are usually the go-to people in order to get things built, fixed or installed around the home. As of late, there seems to be a big misconception that a handyman and carpenters are one and the same, and whilst a carpenter can be a handyman, a handyman, however, cannot be a carpenter.

Carpenters a.k.a “chippies” are skilled tradespersons, they have undergone years of training in order to become fully qualified in their trade. Some carpenters can specialise in particular fields of carpentry whilst others do everything. Carpenters are experienced in structural work and their broad skill set makes them exceptional handymen.

Carpenter skills

Using a carpenter for your next project ensures that the job will be done to a very high standard. If you are building anything structural it is best to have a carpenter assist you over a handyman.

Handyman skills

A handyman is quite synonymous with being a “jack of all trades and a master of none”. It is assumed that a handyman is able to undertake a wide variety of repairs around the home. This may be so although, there is not a guarantee of their skill level. Below we have broken down the different variants of handymen that range from skilled to novice.

• Former Tradesperson: Every now and again you will come across a handyman that is actually a fully qualified carpenter or cabinet maker looking for a change.
• The DIYer: These handymen are usually quite good at DIY projects and have decided to make a career change and start their own handyman business.
• No Experience: These types of handymen have very little to no experience and have started a handyman business to make a few extra dollars.

Now whilst the above is generalising handymen into those three categories it is highly advised to do your research about the handyman you are looking to employ before contacting them.

Who to choose – carpenter or handyman

When choosing between a carpenter and a handyman will depend on what you are needing them for. For anything structural whether it is decking repairs, retaining walls, building a garden shed, fence repairs, internal walls etc you will want to use a qualified carpenter. For simple flat-pack furniture, installing new door hardware or floating shelves etc you could use a handyman.