37.CARPENTER BUSINESS

Carpentry is one of those archaic professions that seems to be outsource-proof and recession-proof. Becoming a carpenter can require an investment not only in tools, but also in developing woodworking, mathematical, and organizational skills. In this Salary Story, we spoke to career carpenter Justin Katz who explained the factors that can affect a carpenter salary, different aspects of carpenter jobs, and helpful information on how to become a carpenter.For readers interested in how to apply for carpenter jobs, the training qualifications of a carpenter, growth potential for carpenter jobs, and how to earn a higher carpenter salary, this interview provides a sturdy foundation. Keep reading to find out how to become a carpenter and why carpentry can be rewarding work.

I work as a carpenter (sometimes a lead carpenter/foreman) for a high-end home renovation and construction company, with some additional weekend work on my own. In part because of the market that we serve, more of my experience has been with the finish phase, although I find it more enjoyable and rewarding to do all work from demolition, through framing, to finish.
We do building and remodeling work, and all that's entailed. From a carpentry standpoint, our work mostly encompasses the "wood-related" aspects of the job (including, more and more, materials that are used in place of wood for given applications): framing (from sill plates to rafters), door and window installation, floors, siding, all aspects of finish trim (from baseboard to crown), and anything else that clients wish to have done, whether it's rehabilitation of 100-year-old rotted porch columns or intricate shelving systems blended with masonry in a wine cellar.

Having been working as an editor and graphic designer for a few years after receiving my bachelor's degree in English, I observed that my brothers-in-law were doing much better, with better prospects for growth, working in construction trades.
Fortunately (as it turns out), I was unable to catch a quick ride on an apprenticeship program for electrical or plumbing work, but a local friend whom I met through my political writing set me on the path to carpentry.As a writer, I find the most humorous, and generally interesting, aspect of my carpentry work to be the characters that I meet. Two notables are the loopy ex-druggie with a habit of declaring at inappropriate times, and to inappropriate people, that nobody was going to catch his hepatitis C and the bombastic foreman who oversold himself and rapidly convinced everybody that he was speaking ironically about himself when he strolled around shouting his tagline.

Jump in. No matter what task you are given, it is possible to learn something that will help you later; make a point of always finding that something. Don't be afraid to jump into something new (but also don't be afraid to ask for help). And make as much investment in tools as you're able to afford until you personally own everything (except very expensive specialty items) that a contractor might need through the course of a project.Finally, as with any job, you should keep an eye on the market rate for the work that you do, and make a point, in a professional manner, of explaining to your employer why you are worth what you think you are worth. In the non-union world, carpentry is an extremely merit-based career.