What trade does what?

“Hi Sam, would you be able to give me a quote on redoing my kitchen?”

A fab woman messaged me after finding me on Facebook asking for help with her reno. A few key questions (services relocation? custom cabinetry?), and I was able to provide a little education about where to start and who she actually needed. Hint: it’s not She Bangs!

I can understand the confusion. I actively promote my previous kitchen reno achievements with beautiful photos of the finished product. But unless you also see a ‘Before’ image, you may not be able to tell that I didn’t relocate the sink or oven. It’s not immediately obvious the cabinetry is flatpack. There’s no marble anywhere!

I’m a handywoman and I like to show people what you can DIY, especially with a little help. But I am not a builder. Geez, I am not even a qualified tradesperson. That’s not a bad thing, but it does signal limitations.           

Knowing who does what will help you know when you need to look further, where to start, and ultimately what you need and why. I admit that in the beginning, I wasn’t clear either! And so, this article was born.

People unfamiliar with construction, may assume what they need is ‘a small job’. But the fact is, if your job requires multiple trades, any demolition/removal work, changes to the home’s footprint or layout, or otherwise alters what’s behind the walls – it’s a big job.  

(For more reading on the types of renovations, check out #5 in the article ‘TheMost Bang! For your $Buck’)

If it’s more than cosmetic stuff, you’re going to need a company that either has a range of in-house tradespeople, or which subcontracts the various tasks the project requires. The other thing is that if your renovation is going to cost you more than $16,000, in Victoria only a licensed, registered and fully insured builder can be contracted for the works. And you need a contract!

So let’s start there….What is a ‘builder’?  

It seems obvious, right? A builder builds things. And they might literally be on the tools or supervising onsite. But a builder is just as likely to be office-based. Think of a builder as the head organiser of people who do work related to the building industry. It might be one guy who used to be a tradie and his wife does the books, or it could be one of Australia’s largest brand name volume developers. But in either case, a builder oversees the construction. It takes many workers to bring it to life, and that’s where the trades come in. Oftentimes, they are unlikely to hire tradespeople as employees – rather they contract them on a per-job/as needed basis for specific jobs – and then the builder project manages the renovation/new build/extension/rectification works etc to make sure it’s done to code, to the plans, and according to the contract.

What are some of the ‘Trades’?

Two of the most important – especially because you cannot (legally) and would be foolish to D-I-Y are:

1. Electrical
2. Plumbing

Electrical seems obvious - all wiring, connections, electrical safety etc. That includes new light fittings, ensuring you have enough power supply for your fancy new induction stovetop, adding power points, even hardwired smoke alarms.

What you may not immediately realise is that if you upgrade your hot water system (ie: not a simple like for like switch over), you will need a plumber and a sparky. But for example, an electrician probably isn’t installing your roof TV antenna or bringing in the NBN.

OK, so a plumber? Anything related to water, both in and out of the property. That means sewer and stormwater too. Not every plumber will do every type of work. Some specialise in roof plumbing (gutters, downpipes etc), while others only install new toilets and showers. To add a layer, ‘plumbers’ also do gasfitting for hot water and ovens (but, again, maybe not the same plumber.)

Each of these trades have licensing bodies which regulates them and restricts the types of work they’re allowed to do. Always check the public register before you hire them. (Plumber | Electrician)

With both these trades (and many others below), some people are the type you can call and ask them to come out to fix your thing, meanwhile others will only do work as part of a bigger project, and others still work exclusively as subcontractors for residential (or commercial) builders, and like wholesalers they are not available to the general public. So before you call your mate’s uncle, know what kinds of trade work they actually do!

Niche and Specialist Trades

I have already mentioned a few – TV antenna guy, solar installer, NBN, but there are seriously loads. Re-pointing (fixing brickwork), restumping, renderer, carpet layers, locksmith, pool guy, security and garage doors, excavators, demolitions, welder….You get the idea.

Some sole operators or smaller companies might do a few different but related tasks, such as tiling and waterproofing, but they likely don’t. And of course many skilled tradespeople can do enough of another job to get by (eg: a painter can repair plastering damage because they are often called to do so in order to do their own job), but it’s not their main game.

Then there’s the Professionals

Think architects, draftspeople, interior designers, energy efficiency assessors, building surveyors. These are the folks who can wear a suit to work and don the hi-vis and hard hat when visiting the work site. But they play an important role before or during a project and will need to be hired separately (or contracted by a builder).
 

Woodworkers

Nope! They all work with timber, but each do different things with it.    

Carpenter:   

Basically, a qualified carpenter builds houses – they construct the subfloor, wall frame, and roof system according to the plans. Chippies make up a large number of tradespeople who go on to be builders. They probably have the broadest skill set.

Someone with carpentry experience might also hang doors, repair window frames, install skirting boards etc (interior fixings). They would build a deck, and likely can build you a walk-in wardrobe or the surround for the bath, but if your walls are made of bricks, it’s not (necessarily) a carpenter you would hire to install shelving, for example.

^{Side note: Carpenters can now get qualified doing steel framing, rather than with timber. Also, roof trusses are prefabricated and nobody is allowed to make any adjustments to them without the consent of an engineer or the manufacturer!}                   

Joiner:    

Think cabinet-maker. Joinery is like a specialisation of carpentry, but you can’t ask a joiner to build your house, and a carpenter might give you some pretty rough-looking kitchen drawers! If you want custom cabinets that fit perfectly to your space, a cabinet maker is who you need. A joiner is also likely the best person to install a timber waterfall bench top, build the spiral staircase etc. Joiners often work in a factory offsite and bring their creations to site to install.

Furniture-maker:       

A somewhat newer distinction, because a joiner could make you a side table, but if you’re looking for high quality craftsmanship for your bespoke dining room chair set, a furniture maker is the tradesperson you need.

^{Side note: There is also furniture restoration, which includes re-covering, repair and re-polishing, and may not be a specialty of all makers.}     

Woodworker:

This is mostly a term for someone who does cool things with wood as a hobby. Woodturning, spoon carving, making bird boxes, sculpture. Some master craftspeople may call themselves woodworkers though. It's a pretty generic term.

There are specialist fencing companies, but theoretically, a handyperson could do this with the timber palings, a shovel, concrete and some paint. If it’s made of galvanised steel, you’ll likely have to call a metalworker.

You may be surprised to know that most people we hire to do things in our home are not required to be qualified, licensed or registered. In some states that is changing to bring more assurance and integrity into the building industry. It’s a slow change (been delayed already due to COVID) and it’s why doing due diligence is important. People can claim they’re able to do anything!

(Try this article for more info and a link to The Reno e-Guide for insights to save you time, money and stress!)

Now, let’s go room-by-room with the trades you may need for some example projects you'd like to get done:

Bathroom Reno:

Plumber: to move where your toilet, taps, drains etc are located (if you are leaving them in the same place, but want to install a new cistern or vanity or change a showerhead, a plumber is probably not required)
Electrician: exhaust fans, lighting, heated towel rails, more powerpoints
Tiler: wall-to-ceiling tiles, floor tiles, shower recess
Waterproofer: behind/undertiles, in the shower recess, floors - especially important for above ground level (basically, if you mess with any surfaces in a wet area, you’ll need a waterproofer to re-establish the barrier)
Caulker: silicone joins for a high quality finish (a tiler might do this as part of their job, and a handywoman definitely can)

Joiner: bathroom cabinetry and shelving, build a new inset bath surround
Carpenter: add a powder room, create a shower niche, replace a rotten window frame
Glazier: large feature mirror
Handywoman: install a pre-built vanity, connect a new basin, changeover tapware or the showerhead, install new door handles, replace toilet seat or cistern, re-grout old tiles  

Kitchen Reno:

Plumber: plumbed fridge (eg: filter water dispenser), dishwasher relocation, dual sink connection
Electrician: USB ports, in-drawer lighting, 3-phase upgrade for induction cooking
Cabinet-maker/Joiner: island bench, custom cabinetry
Carpenter: walk-in pantry, add a dividing wall
Engineer: remove a (load-bearing) wall to make it open plan (they do the designing part, while the carpenter with a bulder's license will demolish and make good the wall, may need plasterer for ceiling)
HVAC specialist: ducted range, underfloor heating
Stonemason: granite/stone bench tops
Handywoman: assemble& install flatpacks, add open shelving, tile splashbacks, re-caulk around sink, change cabinet handles or door fronts

Living Room Update: 

Interior Painter: prime & paint walls and doors
Plasterer: remove ugly ceiling rose and make good

Carpenter: add skirting boards or create a new window opening
Glazier: double-glazed windows
Flooring specialist: lay hybrid/floating floorboards or vinyl
Electrician: install a ceiling fan, add a dimmer switch
Handywoman: wall-mount a new TV, install curtains or blinds, hang an internal door in existing opening
  

Outdoors:

Carpenter: new pergola (although you may need permits, excavator to cut & fill etc too, depending on the site)
Concreter: form new driveway or reseal old one
Landscaper: design and build outdoor areas, such as a sunken BBQ area and zen garden 
Bricklayer: retaining wall (landscapers may also do this, and note some retaining walls require engineering design too)
Handywoman: repaint fence, add a gate latch, lay pavers, re-stain deck, build a cob pizza oven
 

Sticking door: Handywoman

Broken sash window: Handywoman (with carpentry experience)

Draughts & insulation issues: Energy assessors or an insulation company

Damaged plaster wall: Plasterer or handywoman

Leaking anything: Plumber as the first call, but you’ll need several trades depending on diagnosis (a leaky faucet is an easy DIY/handywoman fix in most cases)

Sinking home: Underpinners (be sure to get a structural engineer to assess and provide a report and designs, and if you also have wall cracks, hire a re-pointer or renderer etc a few months after underpinning)

Security cameras: Specialist company

Solar system: Specialist company (who will also have electricians on hand)

Rainwater tank: Specialist company

Weatherboards repair: Carpenter or handywoman with carpentry experience

Ultimately many things are possible to do-it-yourself, or to hire a local handyperson. As the stakes increase (eg: fire risk), the complexity grows (eg: load-bearing walls), or the quality of the finish becomes paramount (eg: selling), you’ll need a skilled, qualified, possibly licensed tradesperson, and quite likely more than one.

Hopefully this has helped you to understand what each person does, and what to type into Google!