Carpentry leads come from the same places as other building work: referrals, a Google profile, a simple site, ads and the builders and designers who sub work to you. What is different is that “carpenter” covers very different jobs, and an enquiry that says “I need a carpenter” tells you almost nothing. The skill is in finding out which job it is before you drive out.
The kinds of carpentry work and who asks for each
Pin down which of these you want, because each has a different buyer.
- Structural and framing work. New builds, additions and second storeys. The buyer is usually a builder or project manager, not a homeowner. These come through relationships, not ads.
- Renovation carpentry. Removing walls, fitting beams, rebuilding stairs, replacing rotten framing, doors and windows. The buyer is a homeowner, often mid-renovation, often unsure of the scope.
- Decks, pergolas and outdoor structures. A homeowner buyer, with seasonal peaks and approval questions. See deck builder leads.
- Fit-out and finishing. Built-in wardrobes, shelving, skirtings, architraves, door hanging. Smaller jobs, often wanted fast, often priced against a ready-made alternative.
- Repairs. Rotted fascia, sticking doors, damaged decking. Small, urgent, and the easiest to price badly.
Decide your mix. A carpenter who wants framing contracts and a carpenter who wants steady renovation work should not run the same ad.
Where carpentry leads come from
- Builders, project managers and designers. Ring them with your availability and what you do best. One reliable builder can fill a diary for months. Be the person who turns up and finishes.
- Past clients. Carpentry is often the second job after a renovation. Ask what else they want done.
- Google. Searches like “carpenter near me” and “deck builder” show intent. A complete Google Business Profile with your service area and photos of finished work is the minimum. Google’s guidelines say service-area businesses should hide their address and keep to one profile.
- Your own ads. Worth it when you can name one job type in one area.
- Shared lead marketplaces and job boards. They produce volume and often the same enquiry sent to several carpenters. Judge them by signed jobs, not by the number of leads.
Renovation carpentry often sits inside a bigger renovation, where the enquiry is slower and the builder, not the homeowner, may be the one who hires you.
Telling a real job from a price check
Carpentry gets a lot of price checks because the scope is hard to see from a message. A real job usually has most of these:
- The homeowner owns the property, or has the owner’s say.
- They can describe the job in a sentence a stranger would understand, such as “replace a 4 m section of rotted deck bearer and boards”.
- They have photos, or are happy to send some.
- They have a time in mind, even if loose.
- They are not asking for a total price before anyone has seen the work.
Warning signs: “how much for a carpenter per hour”, no address, a demand for a firm price by message, or a job that has been described three different ways. None of these makes the person dishonest. They make the enquiry early. The longer list of questions is in how to qualify an enquiry before you quote.
Photos save more drive time than any other single request. Ask for three: a wide shot, a close shot of the problem, and one showing how you get to it.
The first reply
Reply the same day. Keep it short and specific. Say you do this kind of work, ask two or three questions, and offer a time to talk.
Thanks for your enquiry about the deck bearers. Can you send two photos, and tell me roughly how long the affected section is? I can call tomorrow between 7 and 8 am or after 4.
That reply shows you read the message, and it starts the scope.
Following up the quote
Carpentry quotes go quiet like any other. The homeowner has two or three prices, one of them far lower because it leaves things out. A follow-up call a few days after sending is normal, and so is one more after a week. Ask what is holding them up, rather than whether they have decided. Often it is an item that was not clear in the quote.
Put the scope, the inclusions and the exclusions in writing. Say what happens if you find rot or other damage once the work starts, and how that is priced. Quote clearly and follow-up becomes a conversation, not a chase. More on timing and wording in follow-up email after a quote, and on getting a system around it in quote follow-up.
Licensing and what you can say in an ad
Rules differ by state, so check with your own regulator. Two examples. On advertising, the NSW Government says licensee name and licence number must be shown in all advertising, and that residential building work valued over $5,000 cannot be advertised without the relevant licence. In Queensland, the QBCC says licensed contractors must show the licensed name and number, and ads must not be false or misleading.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current rule for your state and the type of work you advertise.
What to ask any lead supplier
- Is each lead sent to me only, or to others as well?
- What did the homeowner actually ask for, in their own words?
- Did someone speak to them, or is it a form fill?
- What happens if the number is wrong or the person is not who you said?
- Do I pay before or after I have seen the lead, and is there a lock-in?
Carpentry is a trade where one bad drive wastes half a day, so verification matters more than volume. PreBuild Systems rings each homeowner and checks the basics for the trades it works in; whichever supplier you use, ask the questions above.
Common questions
How do carpenters get customers?
Mostly referrals, repeat clients and work from builders and designers, then a Google profile, their own site and ads. Marketplaces fill gaps but bring shared enquiries.
How do I tell a real carpentry job from a price check?
Ask for photos, the address and a timeframe. A real job can be described plainly and the homeowner is happy to be rung.
Can I price carpentry work from a message?
Only for simple, well-photographed jobs, and with exclusions written down. Otherwise book a short call or a visit.
Do I need a licence to advertise carpentry work?
It depends on the state and the value of the work. Check your state regulator, such as NSW Fair Trading or the QBCC, before you advertise.