Kitsilano, 2025
Front and back stairs rebuilt
Both staircases were worn through: soft treads, loose railings and a front stair skirt that had pulled away.
Custom Carpentry
Outfit your home with custom woodwork and repair any damages you may have
Carpentry & Repairs, By The Numbers
You're busy. Here is what actually matters, from our own job records - not marketing copy.
On site2 carpenters · ~2
daysfor the typical project below
Typical investment$4,200most land $2,600-$13,700
MaterialsPre-primed shingles,
cedar, epoxynew building paper, woven corners, sealed cuts
Warranty2 yearsworkmanship on all carpentry
How a repair actually runs
- Assessment on site; where demolition is needed to see the damage, we say so before quoting the rebuild.
- Scaffolding set up where needed - site-built where front stairs prevent standard staging; plywood decking catches debris.
- Remove failed shingles, siding, or flashing; all debris hauled, dump fees included.
- Replace with pre-primed material over new building paper - starter course, woven corners, preservative on every cut end.
- Rot-fix epoxy on window sills and structural knees where replacement isn't warranted.
- Repairs prepped and painted to match your existing scheme - one crew, no second contractor.
What rot does while you decide
Wood rot is compound interest in reverse. A wet sill this winter is wet framing next winter. Of our 794 recorded projects, the expensive ones ($60,000-$119,000) are almost all deferred maintenance - hidden rot found behind siding that had been "fine" for years. A quick inspection visit is the cheapest thing on this page.
What we'll tell you up front
- Estimates are provisional where demolition is required first - we confirm after opening up.
- Hidden conditions (rot in structural members, improper framing, insect damage, old construction defects) are priced when found, with your approval before work continues.
- Special-order material adds 3-4 weeks of lead time after ordering - we quote lead time separately from build time.
- You provide access; we protect plants within reason - heavy cutting back is yours before we start.
These lines come straight from our written estimates. Contractors who don't say them up front bill you for them later.
327
interior painting projects completed
271
exterior painting projects completed
196
carpentry & repair projects completed
What Our Carpenters Actually Build And Fix
Carpentry is a hundred proposals in our files since 2024 alone - Kitsilano and West Point Grey first, then Mount Pleasant, Kerrisdale and Riley Park - and most of it is repair on houses built before 1950. Stairs lead, then rot around windows and posts, decks, siding, fascia and railings.
Stairs and porches. Front stairs rebuilt with the correct rise and run, new stringers, treads and risers, grip strips, posts roughed in and finished after the siding. Porches left for a decade get new stringers and a deck the railings can be reused on.
Rot. Window casings, sills, knee braces, post bases and fascia. Small areas get Rot-Fix epoxy and a sealer; anything structural gets new wood, sealed on the cut ends, flashed where water gets in.
Siding and trim. Cedar shingle and bevel sections replaced over new paper - see cedar siding repair. Interior: doors, closet doors, casings, baseboards and trim details replaced to match a 1920s house, then painted by the same crew.
Built new. Custom wood fences with gates, an arched trim over a front entrance, decks in cedar or composite on new footings, pergolas and privacy screens.
Recent Work
Carpentry Before & After
Real job photos from CompanyCam, before and after. Neighbourhood only - addresses stay private.
Vancouver, 2025
Porch stairs with rotted posts
The treads were the visible problem, but the posts were rotted at the base.
Grandview-Woodland, 2025
Front staircase rebuilt under a weather tent
The old painted stairs were demolished and new stringers framed.
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 2025
Back stairs replaced - and the rot behind them
The quote covered rebuilding the stairs in a similar layout and warned there may be hidden damage.
From Our Job Files
Recent carpentry projects, described the way they were scoped. Names and addresses stay private.
Front stairs, 2025Rebuilt to codeExisting stairs demolished, new layout with correct rise and run (the old ones were too steep), storage framed underneath, new pathway section poured, posts roughed in and railings finished after the siding.
West Point Grey house, 1920s, 2024Rot at windows and stairsExploratory openings to find the extent of rot in the original casings, wood sealed and replaced where needed, composite considered where it would not show.
Kitsilano house, 2024Three decks and a stairDemolished and rebuilt with the water-ponding problem designed out; footings, framing, boards and railings.
Kitsilano house, 96 years old, 2026Interior doors and trimSelected doors, closet doors, baseboards and casings replaced in the hallway, bedrooms and ensuite to match the house, then painted.
What can change the price after the quote
- The quote is a fixed written price for the scope we walked through. It moves only if the scope moves, and you hear about it first.
- What is behind the wood: soft framing or sheathing found once a casing or stringer is off is shown to you and priced before we go further.
- Footings and concrete: a stair that needs a new pad or a deck that needs new piers, if the old ones fail inspection.
- Material changes - cedar to composite, pressure-treated to cedar - priced at the time you choose.
- Adding paint or stain to the new work, at the rates in the quote; most owners do.
What We Repair First
When we work on your home, we don’t just cover up rotting or damaged areas. First, we repair any damaged surface with the help of our skilled carpenters to ensure a long-term solution. We use premium Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams paint, and we prime wherever the surface calls for it - bare or newly exposed wood, cedar where tannins would bleed, stains, and chalky or previously failed exteriors - along with high-end materials to offer you the top quality service you deserve.
What It Really Costs
Honest numbers from our own records - not industry averages.
| Scope | Typical price | Most projects land between |
|---|---|---|
| Carpentry & repairs - typical project | $4,200 | $2,600 - $13,700 |
| Larger structural / multi-elevation work | $14,000+ | up to $119,000 |
Based on 317 written Renaissance estimates and 794 completed projects as of 20 August 2026. Prices exclude GST. Fixed quote or T&M. 2-year workmanship warranty; hidden-condition work billed against approval. We'll advise you on permit requirements.
Instant Estimate Calculator
Get a realistic planning range in seconds - calibrated against 317 written estimates and 794 completed Renaissance projects.
Carpentry Questions We Get Every Week
Short answers from the crew.
Do you paint what you build?
Yes. The same company primes, seals and paints the new work, so there is one quote and one warranty for the carpentry and the finish.
Can you match the original details on an old house?
Casings, baseboards, trim profiles and stair details are matched or milled to match; we have worked on Kitsilano and Point Grey houses from the 1910s to the 1940s for over thirty years.
Epoxy or replace?
Epoxy for small areas of rot in a sound piece - a sill corner, a post base. New wood when the piece has lost its strength or the rot runs into framing.
Do you need permits?
Repairs and like-for-like replacement, no. New decks, stairs over a certain height and structural changes can; we tell you and the permit is yours to apply for.
How long does it take?
The typical repair is two carpenters for about two days. A stair rebuild is a week; a deck one to two weeks with footings.
How are payments handled?
One third on acceptance, one third at the halfway point, balance on completion. Estimates are valid for 30 days.
Who wrote this. The Renaissance crew, from our own job files. Owner Eric Goodwill is a Red Seal Painter and Decorator and has run the company since 1992. More about Eric
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