The wage for Finishing carpenters in N. America?

So........... how much do you think you are worth?

I was making 45 for few years till few month ago and thought it was a fair amount.

Around here, you better be a pretty good carp to make that kind of money

Your gonna have a tough go of it if you are turning to Craigslist right off the bat. Your best bet would be to continue working as an employee.

Are Canadian wages similar to American wages?

I have 17 years experience from concrete, finish work, drywall, all the way to pumping septic tanks. I own my own rig along with any tool I use on the job. I have run my own show before and literally could do it again tomorrow (and should really). My point is I make a wage that I thought I would never make working for someone in this town, and it isn't half of what you were making. I would be sitting pretty fat making that kind of coin right now.

Anyway, not trying to be Danny Downer. Just saying. But I do wish you the best of luck. If you are as good as you say you are, the industry needs you. GOOD LUCK!!

Warren said:

Your gonna have a tough go of it if you are turning to Craigslist right off the bat. Your best bet would be to continue working as an employee.

Click to expand...

I know warren. But I've just got laid off and not many are offering that kinda wage. I'm hoping I go with lower ball to start then go back to this level in months after performing good work and trust.

Easy Gibson said:

Are Canadian wages similar to American wages?

Click to expand...

I'd like to know that too, Gibson, that's why I made this topic !

CrpntrFrk said:

I have 17 years experience from concrete, finish work, drywall, all the way to pumping septic tanks. I own my own rig along with any tool I use on the job. I have run my own show before and literally could do it again tomorrow (and should really). My point is I make a wage that I thought I would never make working for someone in this town, and it isn't half of what you were making. I would be sitting pretty fat making that kind of coin right now. Anyway, not trying to be Danny Downer. Just saying. But I do wish you the best of luck. If you are as good as you say you are, the industry needs you. GOOD LUCK!!

Click to expand...

Thanks pal ! You've given me a bit of RedBull !!

That's about $37 US/hour. You would have to be a commercial union carpenter to make that here. Even then, that is a pretty top scale.

slowsol said:

That's about $37 US/hour. You would have to be a commercial union carpenter to make that here. Even then, that is a pretty top scale.

Click to expand...

That's good to know, slowsol.
But also remember that here Vancouver is now one of the most expensive city to live in North America !!

I've never even heard of a carpenter making that much as an employee. The exception being I think local union supervisors make $50. Not saying that's the way it should be. Glad to see someone was atleast getting a fair wage for a while. I'm in Ontario, I realize Vancouver is stupid expensive...

Remember that if you are on your own, you need to raise your hourly rate to cover insurance, taxes, etc.

Hourly pay as an employee and what you charge per hour as a contractor are entirely different animals.

NCMCarpentry said:

I've never even heard of a carpenter making that much as an employee. The exception being I think local union supervisors make $50. Not saying that's the way it should be. Glad to see someone was atleast getting a fair wage for a while. I'm in Ontario, I realize Vancouver is stupid expensive...

Click to expand...

Yea, I think the ppl in all trades should make more dough and respect than ppl who play games on their table.

rselectric1 said:

Remember that if you are on your own, you need to raise your hourly rate to cover insurance, taxes, etc. Hourly pay as an employee and what you charge per hour as a contractor are entirely different animals.

Click to expand...

Yes I know because I've gone through there and did not work very well as my brain is not made for playing with numbers on the table.
But I may have to go back there !? I have to find it out soon. Thanks for the heads up !

The reason they laid you off was because they were paying you way too much. Your gonna have a shock when you get a job and your back at "going rates".

I had a sweet job once were i was being paid double what i really should have been and had 8 weeks paid holiday a year. It only took the company a couple of years to figure out there were idiots out there who would work for 1/5th what i was and only got 4 weeks holiday a year. They laid everyone off and took on new guys right after.

was 40 your gross or take home?
If it's take home or as the union boys call it your envelope money it's pretty good for employee. Union Journeyman $45 - 50 and gl / 1st year apprentices get around 16.50 and up from there and that's envelope money.
It's hard to gauge but if your a mechanic I can't see less then $300 days rate + materials for smaller jobs especially with truck / tool package. And that $300 should be the same if it's 3hrs or up to 8(full day). The reason is because if you finish early and you have nothing else booked your day is shot. As / if you get 2-3 smaller jobs per day like punch list I'd still push of the $300 / day per job or scale it accordingly if you like.
Job rates are whole other animal of you. If you take sub/jobs from other gc's they'll have some going rate for the stop / job in hand -/+… At the end you will learn to charge what the market will bare did I spell that wrong? haha

Good Luck. :thumbsup:

In my town highly competent carpenters that can run a job, build a house etc get about 20$ an hour as employees from craigslist posting type jobs. Government work or the largest construction companies might pay up to 28$ per hour.

It seems like you'll never be comfortable or secure as a carpenter. As an employee that is.

I pay my top guy $25 hr and as much time off as he wants, when he wants. Fortunately he doesn't want much time off, except to go sailing. May be gone twoish weeks.
Hard pressed to pay more than $20 for good help, unless you bring something to the table.
I had seven employees, now have one, sometimes two.
Better to have a backlog of work than having to bust my a** to drum up enough work for everyone.
I'm getting old, tired and jaded.