Lead Carpenter

You run the crew on the job site. You read the blueprints, make the cuts, solve the problems, and keep two or three carpenters on task while the GC breathes down your neck about the schedule. You're the one who figures out how to make a 30-year-old house meet modern code without tearing it down. The finish work is your signature — clients judge the entire project by your trim and cabinet work.

What you'll actually do

• 01Read blueprints and lay out the day's work for the crew
• 02Handle the finish work — trim, cabinets, built-ins — where precision is measured in 1/32nds
• 03Manage a crew of 2-4 carpenters and keep the project on schedule
• 04Solve problems when the architect's plan meets the building's reality and they don't agree
• 05Estimate material needs and coordinate deliveries with suppliers
• 06Mentor apprentices and try not to wince when they waste a $40 board

Career Path

Where this role sits in the bigger picture — and where it can take you.