Carpentry

Functional, beautiful carpentry for your home without breaking the bank or the environment.

For your small renovation, building, or furniture project in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

On this page you'll find:

What I Do

If you don’t see your project on the list below, contact me and I’ll see what I can do. Keep in mind, I do carpentry part time to make space for music projects. If it’s urgent, I recommend calling someone else.

My favourite kinds of projects:

Simple furniture (shelves, desks, etc).
Small decks and porches.
Custom sheds
Invasive species removal (I have experience with japanese knotweed, dog strangling vine, and buckthorn)
Wooden children’s play structures
Raised garden beds/boxes
Any wooden structures smaller than a garage

I also have lots of experience with:

Indoor painting
Drywall patching
Kitchen backsplash
Doors and trim
Installing kitchen cabinets
Small framing and drywall projects. Closets, partitions, etc.
Odd jobs (wall hangings, clotheslines, cabinet alterations, repairs, etc)
Click flooring (vinyl or laminate)

What I won’t do (been there, done that)

Large jobs that are better handled by a full crew (I’m just one person)
Large scale demolition (i.e. completely gutting a bathroom).
Plumbing
Electrical
Large quantities of drywall
Tiling floors

How I Work

First, it’s an embarrassment to the contracting industry that I have to say this, but I only do one job at a time. And I do it when I say I’ll do it. You know how most contractors are spread between multiple jobs, and they sell you on the fact that they can start next week? And sure, they start next week, but who knows when they’ll finish, because they have 14 other jobs on the go. I don’t do that. One job at a time. And I show up when I say I will. Now on to more important things.

I aim for functionality and beauty, but not perfection. Here’s what I mean.

Functionality and Beauty:

The thing works, and will last a good while. You can feel its sturdiness.
It’s generally straight, plum, and level. Things line up.
It’s simple, not over-built.
It’s not pretending to be something it’s not.

Not Perfection:

I won’t spend hours sorting through lumber to find pieces with no knots. Wood has knots. Wood also has curves sometimes. I will use curved pieces, within reason.
I won’t perfect the appearance of something that will be hidden from view.
Millimetres are usually not important.

Here’s a general rule: During the construction process, we notice tiny flaws. Like miniscule dents in drywall, or a curved piece of wood that throws something just a little off. But after construction is done, those imperfections fade into the background. You no longer notice them. As long as it functions well, and isn’t ugly, your brain literally stops seeing it. If a dent the size of a strawberry seed will cause you untold misery for the rest of your life, you may want to hire someone else.

Why I Won't Break Your Bank

I hate to brag, but I’m very skilled. That’s just the way it is. That means I get things done properly, the first time, and faster than most. So I can charge less and still pay myself well.

When I was learning the trade, all my bosses said I was their best employee.

When I started my own business, my first client had many holes to patch in their drywall. Their contractor had agreed to do it, but he took one look at it and said he’d have to charge way more than expected. I came in, charged less than their contractor’s original quote, got the job done on time and on budget, and still paid myself a fair wage.

Here are some other reasons I can charge less:

I know when to sacrifice perfection, but not functionality or beauty
I don’t have any employees (nobody to slack off, or make mistakes I have to pay for)
I didn’t buy the fanciest new truck I could find just to impress you
I don’t spend any money on advertising
I don’t rent a “shop” or storage space

How Am I Environmentally Friendly?

In my more radical days, I thought the only way to build sustainably was to avoid metal and plastic, because you need fossil fuels to produce metal and plastic. And this applies to tools too. How would I build with no metal tools?

I did this once. I built a sweat lodge with the guidance of an indigenous man. We harvested small trees, bent them into shape, tied them together using sinew, and put blankets on top. Maybe one day we’ll all go back to building houses that way, but in the meantime it’s not practical.

Now, I take a more nuanced approach. Here are some ways I minimize my impact while still getting things done:

Did you know that paint is one of the leading sources of micro plastics in the environment? Whenever possible, I use Allback linseed oil paint, which is completely non-toxic. It also lasts longer, and doesn’t peel off and pollute the land. I also use Pine Tar on exterior wood projects, which is completely natural and long-lasting.

Not all materials are equal. Wood is more sustainable than concrete and steel, for example. Whenever possible, I use sustainable or recycled materials.
None of my tools are gas-powered. In fact, I love good ol’ human power. There’s something beautiful about swinging a hammer and pushing a hand saw. One day, I’d like to switch to using only human-powered tools. Until then, I use battery-powered tools when convenient.
I’ll spend a few extra seconds calculating how to minimize waste. If I need three 3-foot pieces, I’ll cut them from a ten-foot piece (one foot of waste) rather than two eight-foot pieces (two plus five feet of waste)
I don’t drive a huge gas-gusseling truck. My minivan is more than adequate.
I keep an eye on modern sustainable building science, and can apply those concepts when needed. Although most of this science is about insulation, air-tightness, and energy efficiency, which doesn’t apply to most of my projects (I’m not building houses from scratch).