Are carpenters a dying breed?

[Travis Conner]

They don't teach it in school anymore hardly, which makes me wonder if this industry is in high demand. I've always kept this as a hobby, but I've been using power tools since I was 12. I'm 26 now. Is there good money in this industry?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Travis,

I just saw a study in the last 2 days or so where in the list of 10 profession that enough workers can't be found, the "trades" including carpenters was one of the 10.

Do a quick search on college carpentry courses. Currently we are having an addition built onto our kitchen and a complete gut and remodel of the kitchen. My contractor built the empty shell of my standalone woodworking shop some years ago. Just prior to that, he had been the guy teaching the carpentry course at a local college. When budget cuts came around, his classes was the first cut. When students sued the college because they were in the middle of a multi-year degree program which was halted by their course cuts, the college elected to restart the program. My contractor turned down their request to rehire him.

The demand is there and I think it will always be there. Not many people have the knowledge or the talent to build their own buildings, homes etc.

Like many other businesses, the construction industry is heavily influenced by the current economy so there are up and down swings.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

[Max Neu]

The last recession wiped alot of them away, I think it will be a while before people are brave enough to get back into it professionally. The ones that stuck it out are pretty buisy though, at least in my area.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

This is Ken in Idaho.....looking down.....shaking his head!

[Dick Brown]

In our area, it seems like most are leaning toward a one building skill occupation, meaning just a cement man or roofer, framer, painter, etc, etc. Not too many of the foundation to finish guys around anymore.

[Andrew Gold]

At least in Portland skilled carpenters are in very high demand. Lots of old houses being worked on, lots of small to medium sized firms essentially are always hiring.

Pretty good wages for skilled folks, and in my experience one of the few industries where someone can start with very little experience and work their way up within a few years.

[Jamie Buxton]

No, carpenters are not going away. Most houses in the US are made largely from wood. New construction, repair, and remodeling all require carpenters.

I think that few carpenters learn the trade in schools. It is generally learned on job sites as an apprentice.

[Rod Sheridan]

They don't teach it in school anymore hardly, which makes me wonder if this industry is in high demand. I've always kept this as a hobby, but I've been using power tools since I was 12. I'm 26 now. Is there good money in this industry?

Hi Travis, of course they still teach carpentry through the same method it's been done for ages, by apprenticeships.

A combination of on the job training and classroom work is required.

I don't find talking to carpenters that the pay is that great, other skilled trades seem to pay more where I live............regards, Rod.

[Chris Cohick]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

:rolleyes: I had to look at that one twice. Made me grin and groan.

[Rod Sheridan]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

Ok, you've had you 15 minutes of infamy.......................Rod.

[Victor Robinson]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

Some kind of suspension is in order. Seriously.

[Myk Rian]

Our high school has a carpentry program. They build homes around the county.

[Pat Barry]

Do a quick search on college carpentry courses. .............Just prior to that, he had been the guy teaching the carpentry course at a local college. When budget cuts came around, his classes was the first cut. When students sued the college because they were in the middle of a multi-year degree program which was halted by their course cuts, the college elected to restart the program. etc.

I am truely amazed that you could find a carpentry course at any accredited college or university. If you mean vo-tech school, OK, but that's not college. Carpentry is a skill learned through tradesmanship programs

[Peter Quinn]

They still teach carpentry in the local technical high schools here. I worked with a graduate from the local schools wood working program, not sure if they distinguish that from carpentry in my counties program? This kid didn't know basic math, had a high school degree, trying to explain how to convert square feet on a job card into lineal feet as they come out of a molder was like talking to a log. Seriously...3" face, how many times 3" across does it take to get to 12".....crickets.....Bueller.....anybody....." . Don't want that one framing my roof. I remember tutoring a friend who was in the carpentry program at the tech school where I grew up in trig, I had been taking it for years in college prep programs, he was stumped and didn't know why he even needed it. I guess what you can do will determine where you end up in the field. There are still some fantastic carpenters in my area, most tend to specialize or become general contractors managing different subs who are more specialized. Some gravitate towards framing, some towards trim, window and door installs, some roofing and siding. It's more cost effective to have a crew that is really good and very fast at one thing. The most versatile guys I've met who could do it all at a high level tended to be working high end residential and commercial, where the jobs were really complicated and the skill set required was compensated. There remains an incredible concentration of wealth in this Boston to Washington coridor of the Northeast, and I live close to NYC which is a major hub of wealth. Wealthy people can afford to pay good tradesmen, so they persist here. But here is also a lot of prefab factory built stuff locally for regular folks, several large manufacturers exist nearby. I've seen examples of these homes, not sure what to call the people who build them? They are well made, cost effective housing, but in the factory setting each employee is very specialized and its dumbed down to minimize thinking....and wages.

Short answer, carpentry is not dead but seems to be adjusting to a new normal where 10% of the population has 90% of the wealth and everybody else scrapes by.

[Martin Wasner]

They don't teach it in school anymore hardly, which makes me wonder if this industry is in high demand. I've always kept this as a hobby, but I've been using power tools since I was 12. I'm 26 now. Is there good money in this industry?


Good money? Depends on your definition, but hanging onto a hammer isn't going to set any income records. Plus you are beating the snot out of your body constantly. If I could transport my 34 year old brain into my 17 year old body when I got into the trades, I would do something else with my life than be an idiot construction worker.

If you want to get into it, I wouldn't bother with school. Other than classes unrelated to the actual trade itself, you won't learn anything that can't be learned while getting paid on the job.

Bigger companies will have dedicated trimmers, roofers, framers, tile guys, guys who do wood floors, etcetera. BUT, there's plenty of small contractors who do a little of everything. My company does nothing but cabinets, but I do find myself helping out contractor buddies once in a while framing when they're short on help, (and I don't have much going on). Not my favorite job, too much like real work. ;)

[ron david]

"A good miter set up is like yoga pants: it makes everyone's butts look good." Prashun Patel
yoga pants only make good butts look better. as for the rest; that may be where your fantasies lay.
ron

[Jim Andrew]

I had a career in construction, and can say if you watch for opportunities, you can do well for yourself. But if you just want a job, you will make twice as much being a plumber, as being a carpenter. That was my experience, but now that they are are licensing carpenters, it may be another story. Licensing seems key.

[Mac McQuinn]

I am truely amazed that you could find a carpentry course at any accredited college or university. If you mean vo-tech school, OK, but that's not college. Carpentry is a skill learned through tradesmanship programs

Pat,
I attended a local community college and received a 2 year degree in Applied Science with major in Residential Construction. I took my state builder's license test less than a month after graduating. Program is still intact at the college. During the time I was there, we built (2) complete houses from dirt to shingles.
Mac

[Andrew Hughes]

I didn't think anyone chooses to be a carpenter or get into construction.Seems t be more of a summer job and if it sticks, stay with it. I have a pension with 2361 carpenters Union I just have to stay alive till I'm 65. I walked on my first job site in 1984.

[Bill Orbine]

This is Ken in Idaho.....looking down.....shaking his head!

What are you looking at??? Your potatoes??

[Phil Thien]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

And from a moderator, no less.

[John T Barker]

If you want to investigate a career you can look up forecasts, wages, growth, etc. on the federal government's website...I'm guessing Dept. of Labor.

[John K Jordan]

Carpenters and carpenter-contractors around here (East TN) are well-fed and live in nice houses and their kids go to college. They are all very busy all of the time. My good friend who builds houses foundation to finish can't keep good help long since they learn the trade and are off contracting for themselves in a year or two. In fact two roofing specialists I know have branched out and are now remodeling and building from the ground up.

Fortunately I am able to be my own carpenter/contractor for 98% of my farm needs or my poor horses would be homeless and my workshop would still be in the garage.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I am truely amazed that you could find a carpentry course at any accredited college or university. If you mean vo-tech school, OK, but that's not college. Carpentry is a skill learned through tradesmanship programs

While the definition of college might not meet your definition, Pat, community colleges and yes some vocational/technical schools do offer courses and apprenticeship programs for carpentry.

[Max Neu]

When I was in high school,I went to a local vocational school for carpentry back in 90'-91'.I don't think it made much difference as far as being prepared to work as a carpenter after graduating,other than maybe finding a job quicker.Either way,you will start out as a grunt,and will have to be ambitious and eager to learn if you want to go anywhere with it.I started out framing,and worked my way to doing finish work,that eventually led to being a self employed cabinetmaker.I think if you are determined and have a certain goal about where you want to go with it,it can be done.Carpentry is like any woodworking job,your not doing it for the money,your doing it because you love to do it.If money is your top priority,and you like to build things,then getting into "Project Management" would be a better route to take in my opinion.

[Peter Quinn]

yoga pants only make good butts look better. as for the rest; that may be where your fantasies lay.
ron

I agree with you, remember it's a quote, not my statement. When I first read it I nearly fell off my seat laughing. Ever seen those " people of Walmart" photos? For me it was the connection between yoga pants and wood working the statement imparted, possibly the funniest thing I've ever read here. Perhaps not the most accurate, but funny. It's possible yoga pants do make everyone's miters look better? I'm going to try my doing my next trim job in yoga pants and see it that helps.

[mike mcilroy]

I'm not sure about Carpenters, but I do believe that Wood Finishers are a Dyeing breed.

Didn't think off colour humour was allowed.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Interesting.... Health care has 4 of the top 11 fastest growing industries. (Aging people?) Construction is #11. They don't separate it into hammer swinging and laying pipe. I think skilled trades will be in high demand once all the "college bound" kids get out of college and can't swing a hammer. But, they can be the boss of no one. The top declining industries is more shocking (almost all are manufacturing). Overseas labor?
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_203.htm

[Brian W Smith]

They were a dying breed in the late 1940's....your juxtaposition,as I see it;Has zero merit.

[Kevin Jenness]

Carpentry as a trade has been hollowed out for many decades. Finish carpentry in particular is a highly technical specialty to do from scratch, but most "finish carpenters" these days are assemblers of work done in millwork shops. How many "finish carpenters" today could take a door blank and a stack of s4s lumber and hang a door, or build a stair with winders to code? There is still a place for those who can perform those tasks, and it can pay fairly well, but it means working for the 1%'ers and is vulnerable to the swings of the economic cycle.

[Pat Barry]

Pat,
I attended a local community college and received a 2 year degree in Applied Science with major in Residential Construction. I took my state builder's license test less than a month after graduating. Program is still intact at the college. During the time I was there, we built (2) complete houses from dirt to shingles.
Mac
Cool, but that doesn't sound like a carpentry program. How many carpentry classes did you have? Was it an accredited program?

[Pat Barry]

While the definition of college might not meet your definition, Pat, community colleges and yes some vocational/technical schools do offer courses and apprenticeship programs for carpentry.
Yes - I did say vo-tech schools. That's where it belongs. CC should be teaching stuff that is more academic and less labor intensive, stuff like materials science as it relates to building dwellings. They should be much more broadly based. Sure they might offer some elective class in toe nailing fundamentals but not a curriculum. A vo-tech on the other hand wold be perfect for introduction and getting hopeful carpenters into an apprenticeship opportunity.

[scott vroom]

Carpentry as a trade has been hollowed out for many decades. Finish carpentry in particular is a highly technical specialty to do from scratch, but most "finish carpenters" these days are assemblers of work done in millwork shops. How many "finish carpenters" today could take a door blank and a stack of s4s lumber and hang a door, or build a stair with winders to code?

Same thing could be said of the decades ago carpenter: How many "finish carpenters" back in the day could mill the s4s lumber themselves, and build from scratch that door blank that was made in a mill shop?

[Mel Fulks]

It's important to remember ,or learn , that before World War Two the country was much more rural and several generations often lived on one piece of land. Outdoor privys were real common into the 1960s. The post war bungalows that were dream houses are being torn down because most won't rent them. I think top flite carpentry is as available as it ever was in a quantity sufficient to use all the money budgeted for it. Some lower standards are just the price we pay for the privacy of more households.

[Neil Gaskin]

In any event skilled labor is in demand and short supply at the same time. I own/run a remodeling firm and our most difficult obsticle we will face in the next 10 years, as I see it, will be finding skilled labor. There simply are not enough new people entering the trades and being trained to keep up with those that are retiring or leaving the field. Fortnately my area has just opened a vocational tech school which should help. We currently employ 15 field carpenters and painters and I would hire at least two more if I could find skilled candidates. Unfortunately the supply is limited and what we see in applicants is not often what we need or are looking for. Those with skill are in short supply at least around me. Those without skill, the large majoritity of the current stock of 20 somethings, seem not have the desire, drive, or work ethic that the work requires. But that is likely a whole different conversation.

[John A langley]

I started in the carpenter trade in 1960 there are many aspects of the trade first job was Cabinet shop in New York State my second job was framing homes in Newport Rhode Island but one thing I can tell you is that more is getting done with less labor today and a lot of it is a lot better than it was. Think about the new materials we got cement board siding,PVC boards for the exterior, engineered trusses engineered beams. I do not think the trade is Dying.I do believe it is changing one distressing fact in 1960 Carpender actually got a better wage than the other trades and more respect .

[Bruce Wrenn]

Been in the building trades all my life. Grunt, carpenter, engineer, plumber, surveyor, you name it, I've done it. Held Real Estate Broker, plumber,and general contractor licensees. Taught school for a few years (carpentry.) In our area, now most of the trades people don't speak English as a primary language. Locals want to go to college and get a six figure job, without breaking a sweat. Been working for myself full time since 1998. Enjoy what I do too much to consider retiring, plus my creditors want me to keep working.

[Tom M King]

Not dying yet, but I do start Medicare this month.

[scott vroom]

Not dying yet, but I do start Medicare this month.

Priceless.

[scott vroom]

I think this housing starts graph is telling. I believe the industry lost many skilled carpenters after the collapse in 2006. And I imagine quite a few of those have found other jobs/careers and have not returned to the housing trades. As the housing market recovers there's bound to be a skilled labor shortage for some time to come. My son is a residential subcontractor in Oregon and he's been busy full time + the past 2 years.

[Brad Barnhart]

I don't think the carpenter breed is dying, I believe the era of work is dying! Take for instance trucking. I was raised in the trucking business. My Father taught me to drive, & everything that goes with it. From changing oil & tires, to scooping manure out of our bull racks. I started driving for Dad when I was 14, & spent 35 years driving OTR. Everybody thinks sitting in the pilot seat of one those trucks is an easy job. I've had one major back surgery in the last year, & am starring a second one square in the face! Carpenters, in the real world, are needed. I'm sure most of them are grossly under paid, others severely over paid! Out here where I live, we have a couple small "construction" outfits, 5 or 6 non English speaking employees that do as little as possible! When there is a serious build going on, the construction company is hired from out of town, & has their own hands. I guess that's why I've kept it a hobby. Not because I'm afraid of the work, but because I haven't had enough experience in the field to qualify. IMHO I don't think the breed should be judged by a society of "that's to damn much work, my hands might get dirty" type folks. Carpenters are out there, the good ones are just harder to find. Just my .02/worth.

[Mike Schuch]

I guess skilled tradsmen must be a rich persons luxery. I won't let anyone I, as a middle class person, can afford touch my house. I have seen seemingly endless exmples of darn near criminally shoddy work I can't imagine letting anyone do anything to my house other than me! I have heard rumors of skilled trades people that take pride in their work and will do things properly instead of just what they can get away with but I have also heard many rumors of Big Foot. These tradesmen just don't seem to exist in my middle class world. To be honest I really can't imagine ever being able to afford paying a true craftsman what would be necessary to do a quality job. The people that I can afford to hire to do a job have left such a bad taste that the thought of having to deal with them gives me pretty incrdible motivation to do the job myself.

[Art Mann]

Around here, unemployed framers are all over the place. On the other hand, really good "finish" carpenters are hard to find. I have been doing appearance upgrades by myself, like crown molding and wainscoting, because I can't find anyone who does as good a job as I do. For example, I always cope inside corner moldings because the result is seamless even if the wall isn't square.

I am preparing to trade houses. Even when looking at more expensive new ones, I see a lot of mediocre work (or worse) and large quantities of painter's caulk.

[Mac McQuinn]

Cool, but that doesn't sound like a carpentry program. How many carpentry classes did you have? Was it an accredited program?

Pat,
I attended a 2 year college and received the degree of "Associate in Applied Science in Residential Construction Technology", School is accredited. Majority of classes were directly related to Residential Construction. Amongst others were classes such as "Architectural Drafting', "Elements of Structural Design", "Construction Safety", "Cabinet Building", "Construction Framing", "Construction Estimating", "Concrete", "Contracting Rules and Regulations", etc. I believe the total was 63-64 Credit hours. The only non- R/C related classes required for my degree were (2) English classes(I took "Technical Writing" to cover one of these), (1) Psychology & (2) one credit hour P/E Courses.
I enjoyed college, much more so than High School. It was challenging to carry (14-16) credit hours and work full time, although well worth it.

Mac

[Jim Andrew]

I have a BS degree from a state university in Industrial Arts. It was geared toward teaching, and I taught 2 years. Found I was more interested in work than trying to get kids raised in front of TV interested in building things. Some kids were really fun to work with, others were just there because their moms insisted. Had a great career in the building business. Enjoyed the work very much, customers not so much. Should say SOME customers not so much. Some were great.

[Rick Lizek]

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/mobile/carpenters.htm
Ever hear of the occupational Outlook handbook fo ever hear of the Occupational Outlook Handbook?

[darren ross]

In any event skilled labor is in demand and short supply at the same time.
Completely agree.
What's worth noting, nowadays young men are much more interested in IT and virtual world than in making something real with their hands. People live half real, half virtually, and I'm not sure which part is more essential for them.

[Prashun Patel]

"nowadays young men are much more interested in IT"

I wish that were true.

[Richard McComas]

All the trade union in Anchorage have apprenticeship programs. The Anchorage School District has one entire school that teaches a number of different trades (tech school) and the High Schools have shop classes.

How many are choosing to go to these classes and apprenticeship programs I couldn't tell you. The opportunity is available those for who choose the trades as a career.

[Phillip Gregory]

There are still some out there. But as others have said, they are expensive and work on high-end stuff. The rest have been replaced by illegals for the most part, especially outside the Midwest. The younger generations don't want to go into the trades because every older person tells them they MUST go to a four-year university as there is no future in anything that isn't management or healthcare. The older ones are on disability, unemployment, or are the ones that the average Joe can't think about being able to afford.

There seems to be a fairly recent and small uptick in interest in the trades though. School now costs so much, sucks up 4+ years of essentially not being able to work, and there aren't all that many jobs out there (without a real degree like engineering, a non-certificate nursing degree, or a professional degree) that pay nearly as well as the skilled trades. The younger generations are slowly starting to figure out that the older ones' obsession with universities is based on an economy that hasn't existed for 30-40 years.

[johnny means]

My company starts carpenters at 52k , full benefit package, and good work conditions. We actually have fellas retiring after 30+ years with the company. Yet, they still can't seem to fill all their workbenches with qualified and dependable carpenters. As a society we've deemed the trades as loser jobs and not as professional careers. So we've filled the ranks with the lowest achieving and least dependable of our workforce.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

To a certain extent, I have to agree with Johnny about it as a societal thing. If you travel outside the USA to places like New Zealand you find a different attitude within a society about workers. In New Zealand, for example, when transported from the airport to the hotel in Queenstown, the driver asked us about our trip. When we told him our youngest son and wife had sent us there to celebrate our 40th anniversary, he said "Really!" "I have a 40 minutes before I have another pickup, let me show you some of our beautiful city." He drove to the highest road on the side of the mountain so we could enjoy the view, when we arrived at the hotel he insisted we stay in the car while he notified the concierges of our arrival. He refused any tips. While we were checking in at this hotel, one concierge asked if there was anything they could to for us. I showed him a pamphlet I had grabbed on the flight from Christchurch and asked about the advertised helicopter rides. He said "They have a holiday special going right now. When are you free?" My wife replied with the one afternoon we didn't have something planned for us. As another concierge delivered us to our room, the phone in the room was ringing. It was the first concierge saying our reservations were made for 2:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and they would pick us up at the hotel. Did I mention....tips aren't expected? Service jobs are a respected profession there.

Our 2nd trip last year we arrived in Rotorua after 2 weeks in Australia and then a week in New Zealand eating native foods. I had researched our hotel via Google Maps and knew there was a nearby "Pizza Hut". We were traveling NZ by regularly scheduled buses this trip and as we carried our baggage to the hotel from the bus stop, my wife got a little more spring in her step after I told her about our dinner plans. A worker at the Pizza Hut was by himself making pizzas for the buffet. When my wife enquired about a certain pizza being on the buffet menu, he replied it wasn't BUT...he'd make one and put it on there just for her. He did. As we ate, other workers arrived to work the evening rush and other customers began arriving. When we tried to tip the guy, he thanked us and refused the tip.

It's important to note that food prices are MUCH more expensive in foreign countries even in the grocery stores.

Workers are paid better........workers are given more respect.........and they perform better...........and things in general are more expensive.......but as a society...they accept it.

[Mac McQuinn]

To a certain extent, I have to agree with Johnny. If you travel outside the USA to places like New Zealand you find a different attitude within a society about workers. In New Zealand, for example, when transported from the airport to the hotel in Queenstown, the driver asked us about our trip. When we told him our youngest son and wife had sent us there to celebrate our 40th anniversary, he said "Really!" "I have a 40 minutes before I have another pickup, let me show you some of our beautiful city." He drove to the highest road on the side of the mountain so we could enjoy the view, when we arrived at the hotel he insisted we stay in the car while he notified the concierges of our arrival. He refused any tips. While we were checking in at this hotel, one concierge asked if there was anything they could to for us. I showed him a pamphlet I had grabbed on the flight from Christchurch and asked about the advertised helicopter rides. He said "They have a holiday special going right now. When are you free?" My wife replied with the one afternoon we didn't have something planned for us. As another concierge delivered us to our room, the phone in the room was ringing. It was the first concierge saying our reservations were made for 2:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and they would pick us up at the hotel. Did I mention....tips aren't expected? Service jobs are a respected profession there.

Our 2nd trip last year we arrived in Rotorua after 2 weeks in Australia and then a week in New Zealand eating native foods. I had researched our hotel via Google Maps and knew there was a nearby "Pizza Hut". We were traveling NZ by regularly scheduled buses this trip and as we carried our baggage to the hotel from the bus stop, my wife got a little more spring in her step after I told her about our dinner plans. A worker at the Pizza Hut was by himself making pizzas for the buffet. When my wife enquired about a certain pizza being on the buffet menu, he replied it wasn't BUT...he'd make one and put it on there just for her. He did. As we ate, other workers arrived to work the evening rush and other customers began arriving. When we tried to tip the guy, he thanked us and refused the tip.

It's important to note that food prices are MUCH more expensive in foreign countries even in the grocery stores.

Workers are paid better........workers are given more respect.........and they perform better...........and things in general are more expensive.......but as a society...they accept it.

Ken,
Thanks for posting this, certainly a refreshing change. Hopefully I'll make it to New Zealand soon myself.
Mac

[johnny means]

I would gladly pay a premium, if it guaranteed that I got my pizza delivered the way I want it.

[Curt Harms]

There's one thing about trades type jobs. Saws and pipe wrenches and conduit benders (and those who know what to do with them) don't travel well over an internet connection. Those jobs are not going to be outsourced any time soon. 'Knowledge workers' on the other hand ......

[jack duren]

I was in the last cabinet makers union here in Kansas City. Its now turned into the carpenters union. As far as I was told cabinet making and farming is no longer considered a trade...

[Moses Yoder]

Is there good money in this industry?

Please define "good money".

[Mark Wooden]

Same thing could be said of the decades ago carpenter: How many "finish carpenters" back in the day could mill the s4s lumber themselves, and build from scratch that door blank that was made in a mill shop?

I guess I'm a "decades ago" carpenter, been one for 40 years. When I started, a lot of skilled carpenter(10+years exp.) could could make a door from RS4S with hand and portable tools- but knew better that it was more viable to have a shop do it so they could get the house built. That was a trait of the carpenter- knowing the better way to deliver the job.
I could regale you with tales of the work that carpenters like myself used to do, but there's not enough time today. In general, the carpenter trade has been greatly reduced in skill level, the resulting quality of the work, and the general respect for the trade.

[Glenn Clabo]

I started as a helper when I was 12...worked as a carpenters apprentice until 15...then finish guy...until one day the boss made me his cabinet maker. I tell people that today and they usually say...they actually had cabinet makers way back then?
Last week I had Anderson install a 7 glass window wall in our new house. The "finish" guy was a hack...but I couldn't blame him because people are used to caulking every mistake...after all everyone paints wood these days. I showed him how to actually put trim around one window...while at first he was clearly disturbed...then he saw how easy it was to do right...without caulking. He was very grateful. Actually sent me a thank you...email of course. ;)

[Julie Moriarty]

They don't teach it in school anymore hardly, which makes me wonder if this industry is in high demand. I've always kept this as a hobby, but I've been using power tools since I was 12. I'm 26 now. Is there good money in this industry?

In the building trades, no, carpenters are not going away. Work will always fluctuate with the economy, and that scares some people, but the pay is decent enough to keep attracting new hires. My SO's son just got into the carpenter's union as an apprentice. He loves it. He started at around $16/hr. Journeymen make around $35/hr. Foreman make a few dollars over that. All of his schooling is covered through the union.

He was working with a non-union company for about 1-1/2 years and topped out at $13/hr. The foreman made around $20/hr.

[jack duren]

Please define "good money".

Unions have a scale. Not sure what it is anymore.

[jack duren]

In the building trades, no, carpenters are not going away. Work will always fluctuate with the economy, and that scares some people, but the pay is decent enough to keep attracting new hires. My SO's son just got into the carpenter's union as an apprentice. He loves it. He started at around $16/hr. Journeymen make around $35/hr. Foreman make a few dollars over that. All of his schooling is covered through the union.

He was working with a non-union company for about 1-1/2 years and topped out at $13/hr. The foreman made around $20/hr.

Pay can depend on location and company.A non union carpenter here in Kansas City with solid knowledge can make $20+

[Andy Booth]

Money pays the bills, but first you have to like what you do!

[Dennis Aspö]

What are you looking at??? Your potatoes??

I like you kid, you got spud.

[George Gibbs]

Two of my sons are self employed carpenters. We built the house I'm living in now and we did everything except the concrete work and installing the heating system. They have to turn down 1 - 3 jobs a week because they are so busy. When the economy is fairly good, they mostly build houses. When it is bad, they do a lot of remodeling. Bottom line is that they can't handle all of the jobs that are available to them. They don't hire any help except for setting trusses because they can't find the quality of workers that their reputation demands.

[jack duren]

My stepfather was a retired union carpenter . To put in his words....If a so called carpenter can't lay a roof out on the ground without custom fitting every joint in the air he is nothing more than a grunt in his book....

[guy knight]

not enough skilled workers in Portland i keep raising my prices hoping not to get some jobs hasn't been working tho lol

[Henry Kramer]

In the building trades, no, carpenters are not going away. Work will always fluctuate with the economy, and that scares some people, but the pay is decent enough to keep attracting new hires. My SO's son just got into the carpenter's union as an apprentice. He loves it. He started at around $16/hr. Journeymen make around $35/hr. Foreman make a few dollars over that. All of his schooling is covered through the union.

He was working with a non-union company for about 1-1/2 years and topped out at $13/hr. The foreman made around

$20/hr.

Julie,
As a Union Bricklayer/Stone Mason for 40 + years in the Chicago area I would tell your SO's son to stick with it. Being a Union Carpenter in the Chicago area is a good trade. Very good health and retirement benefits and actually the current Journeyman's scale is $43 an hour. They have great training facilities in the Chicagoland Carpenters Union. Hopefully he takes full advantage of it. If he learns his trade properly and takes pride in his work (and shows up every day of course) he will make a good living. I hope that it works out for him.