First Fix vs Second Fix Carpentry: What Each Stage Covers
What first fix and second fix carpentry each cover, why they happen in that order on a renovation, and what to ask when you're pricing the work.
The short answer
First fix is the structural carpentry that happens before the walls are plastered: floor joists, stud partitions, roof timbers and the timber framing that gives a renovation its shape. Second fix comes after plastering and decorating, when the doors, skirting, architrave and trim go in and the job gets its finished look. The two are split because plasterers, electricians and plumbers need access to open studwork and exposed joists before the walls close up, so the carpentry happens in two separate visits with everything else running in between.
The gap between the two is usually a stretch of weeks or months, not days, and that is normal rather than wasted time on your part. It is what lets the other trades finish their own work and the walls dry out properly before anything gets covered in dust or knocked about. The full order that runs in, from the structure going up to sign-off, is set out further down this page.
Splitting the two stages across different carpenters is where jobs come unstuck. The first-fix carpenter does not know which internal doors were chosen, or the second-fix carpenter finds a stud wall built slightly out of true and has to work around it. Keeping the same carpenter across both means those small decisions carry through instead of being re-explained from scratch when the second visit starts. On a full renovation we take on the carpentry package start to finish, first fix through to second fix, working alongside your builder or the other trades on site rather than handing it off partway through.
We only use materials we trust for the job, and we would rather turn work away than fit the wrong ones at either stage. If you are pricing a renovation and the quotes you are getting only cover one half of the carpentry, ask what happens to the other half, and whether it is the same carpenter coming back for it.
First fix and second fix, on site
Photographs from renovation carpentry at both stages: the structure going in, and the finish going on top of it.
Every photograph is a job this business completed.
Worth knowing
Why second fix waits for plastering and decorating
Second fix goes in last on purpose. Doors, skirting and architrave are painted, fitted finishes, and hanging a door or scribing skirting against a wall that has not been plastered means doing some of the work twice once the wall settles. Waiting until the plaster is dry and the room is decorated means the second-fix carpentry is the last thing to touch the room, not the first thing to get damaged by everyone else's mess.
- First fix goes in while the room is still a shell, before plaster
- Second fix goes in once plastering and decorating are done
- Doing it in that order protects the finish, not just the schedule
First fix and second fix, stage by stage
The same renovation, split into what happens at each stage and why the order matters.
| First fix | Second fix | |
|---|---|---|
| When it happens | Before plastering | After plastering and decorating |
| What it covers | Floor joists, stud partitions, roof timbers, timber framing | Doors, skirting, architrave and trim |
| What the room looks like when it is done | A bare timber structure | The finished room |
| What has to happen first | Foundations and walls up | Plastering, painting and flooring largely complete |
Swipe to see every column
Six things worth knowing about first fix and second fix
What to check for before you book either stage.
The same carpenter, both stages
The same carpenter who fits the first joist can come back to fit the last piece of skirting, so nothing gets lost in the handover.
Materials checked before they are used
We only use materials we trust for the job, and we would rather turn work away than fit the wrong ones.
Site protection as standard
Floors, driveways and gardens get protected and dust extraction runs throughout, at first fix and second fix.
NVQ-qualified and insured
Time-served through a site carpentry apprenticeship and NVQ Levels 2 and 3, covered by £5 million public liability insurance.
Drawings before anything is cut
Sketches or drawings agreed before first fix starts, so what gets fitted at second fix matches what was planned.
Put right if something is off
If something is not right after we have finished, we come back and put it right.
How first fix and second fix fit into a renovation
The order a renovation runs in, and where each stage of carpentry sits.
The structure goes up
Walls and floors are in place and the room is ready for first fix.
First fix carpentry
Floor joists, stud partitions, roof timbers and timber framing go in while the room is still a shell.
First-fix electrics, plumbing and plastering
The other trades run their first fix through the open studwork, then the walls are plastered and left to dry.
Decorating
The room is painted and flooring goes down before any finished joinery is fitted.
Second fix carpentry
Doors are hung and skirting, architrave and trim are fitted against the finished walls.
Sign off
Checked over with you before we leave. If something is not right after we have finished, we come back and put it right.
First fix vs second fix: questions we get asked
Phrased exactly as customers ask them.
Can one carpenter do both first fix and second fix?
Yes, and it is usually the better way to run it. On a full renovation we take on the carpentry package start to finish, first fix through to second fix, so the same carpenter is on site at both ends of the job.
How long is the gap between first fix and second fix?
It depends on how much plastering, drying-out and decorating there is to get through in between, so it varies job to job. Your builder or project timeline will usually set the gap. The carpentry itself is not what holds it up.
Can I book second fix only, without first fix?
Yes. Skirting and architrave, or hanging a set of internal doors, is a standalone job we take on as its own piece of work, not only as part of a full renovation.
Does first fix include the electrics or plumbing?
No, first fix carpentry covers the structural timber only: joists, studwork, roof timbers and framing. Electricians and plumbers run their own first fix through the open stud walls at the same stage, before plastering.
What happens if the first-fix carpentry is not quite square?
It gets picked up and worked around at second fix, which is exactly why using the same carpenter for both stages helps: the person fitting the skirting already knows where the wall runs out of true, rather than discovering it on the day.
Related carpentry services
Get either stage priced, or the whole renovation package.
01First Fix Carpentry
Floor joists, stud partitions, roof timbers and timber framing, before the walls close up.
Learn more
02Second Fix Carpentry
Doors, skirting, architrave and trim, fitted once the room is decorated.
Learn more
03Renovation & Refurbishment Carpentry
The full carpentry package on a house refurb, from the first joist to the last piece of skirting.
Learn more
Get first fix and second fix carpentry priced as one job
Tell us what stage your renovation is at and we will quote the carpentry, from the joists to the skirting.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk? Call Bespoke Builds Carpentry on 07960 671999