▪ Your carpenter may send you to the local Home Depot or Lowe's to pick up a few extra wood studs. Not every stud is created equal, so you should scrutinize the pieces before you buy them. Move to the end of the stud and look along the length of it like you're looking through the sites of a gun. You want a piece that is straight with minimal bowing. Also, find one that has minimal imperfections like knots.

▪ Carpenters for small jobs can be the hardest contractors to find. I am not sure why this is so, however, I suspect it is because most of the people with these skills find they can make more money by being more productive with a large crew. So, how do you find a carpenter for a small job? Aside from the usual methods (word of mouth, etc.), try calling pest control companies like Orkin or Terminex. Ask them who they use to repair termite damaged wood. They often have a list of carpenters who would be suitable.

▪ Most carpenters these days do not use hammers. Instead, they use powerful nailguns. While nailguns mostly operate with air compressors, you should ask your carpenter if he or she will need a power source to plug in any power tools. Also ask if he expects you to provide the nails.

▪ Please note that sawdust was recently found to be carcinogenic. Wear a safety mask when spending a lot of time around sawdust. Also note that pressure treated wood is treated with arsenic. Wash your hands after handling it and keep children away from it.

Carpentry in Home Remodeling - Part 1

Former builder and instructor of "Save Time and Money in Home Remodeling" cont. ed. course at Emory University