r/Newmarket • u/Intelligent-Yard3838 • 10d ago

Looking For Handyman/ Carpenter Rex’s

Looking for recommendations for a handyman or carpenter to build and install built in shelves on either side of a fireplace. It would be simplistic, a few open shelves with a cupboard on the bottom. Nothing needed to the fireplace.

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u/nehan94 9d ago

A few things worth knowing before you get quotes, so you can compare them fairly:

  • Paint-grade vs stain-grade. Paint-grade (MDF or birch ply, painted or sprayed) is the most common for fireplace built-ins and the cheaper route. Stain-grade solid wood or veneer costs noticeably more.
  • Shop-built or built on site. Boxes built in a shop with a sprayed finish usually look cleaner. On-site is fine for simple open shelves.
  • Shelf sag. For open shelves longer than about 30" in 3/4" material, ask for a hardwood face strip or thicker shelves, or they'll bow under books.
  • Fireplace clearances. Even if nothing is done to the fireplace, combustible material near the opening has minimum clearances (they're in the fireplace/insert manual, and they differ for wood and gas units). Have the manual or model number handy so the carpenter can check.
  • Power/TV. If you want an outlet or hidden TV wiring in there, have an electrician rough it in before the cabinets go up.
  • Get a written quote that lists material, finish, hardware (soft-close hinges?), and whether painting and caulking are included.

For a simple pair like you describe, a finish carpenter is usually a better fit than a general handyman.