This page has everything you’ll need to know about finding and hiring a local craftsman. Learn about this trade and how they can help you around the home.
Take a look at our Traditional Craftsmen profiles, read reviews and request quotes directly.
Excellent job. Thank you again Festim.
Alex did a great job he worked around me and my young kids as well as made use of the space. He was polite and offered to clean up afterwards. In addition he gave suggestions on other jobs I needed done.
Belco Home Improvements is a family run business that prides itself on high quality workmanship undertaken by time served tradesmen. We specialise in house Refurbishments. Joinery, PVCu windows, doors.
Excellent service. Communication was outstanding and Andy really took the time to explain all aspects of the work bring carried out and followed up with a call at the end of the job to check our satisfaction.
The window in the bathroom was matched correctly, the job was completely properly and he was very prompt.
Traditional craftsmen, or artisans as they’re often called, have a variety of skills, many of which are now performed by machines. Creative at their heart, the work they do is broad, ranging from handcrafting ornaments for the house, to designing and building bespoke furniture. If you want something that’s truly unique, they can help bring that vision to life.
Designing and building bespoke furniture.
Decorative ironmongery and metalwork, e.g. creating ornamental gates.
Restoring period properties, e.g. by cleaning stone.
Creating and restoring stonework/ stone cladding.
Repairing and fitting thatched roofs.
Installing wooden doors inside a home.
Building a wooden shutter for a window.
Different craftsmen will have skills in different areas so a tradesperson who specialises in creating murals may not also have the skills to carry out stone cladding work.
It’s therefore important that when advertising the job, you’re as clear as possible with the details of the work you’d like done. Also, to reiterate this when you speak to the tradesperson, in order to get the right craftsmen quoting for the work.
Many craftsmen deal with a lot of period property work. Often that can be to clean stone on an old building and carry out essential repairs but it can also be to reproduce period features in a modern home. Sometimes, older houses are stripped of their authentic period features and it’s not uncommon for new owners to want to recreate some of their original charm. They can do this by working on decorative gates and fireplace features to make sure they’re appropriate in style.
A traditional craftsman is particularly skilled at working with metals and wood, so they can take on a lot of carpentry jobs, such as building you custom cabinets to give you more storage and introducing wooden doors into your home. Some craftsmen will also work with thatched roofs. Although the roofs tend to last 50 years, they can get damaged over time by wildlife or high winds. If this happens, they’ll need expert care by a tradesperson (either as a specialist craftsman or roofer), who has the skills to restore them.
There are no specific qualifications needed. Most traditional craftsmen learn on the job by becoming apprentices.
It would be over 1 metre high and next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of the highway); or over 2 metres high somewhere else.
There’s an article 4 direction or planning condition that takes away your right to put up or alter a fence, wall or gate.
Your house is a listed building or in the land immediately surrounding a listed building.
The fence, wall or gate, or any other relevant boundary, forms a boundary with a neighbouring listed building or the land surrounding it.
You don’t need building regulations approval for fences, walls and gates. If you’re working on a garden wall which is classed as a 'party fence wall' and it’s not a wooden fence, you may need to notify your neighbour of the work under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
You may also need building regulations approval for work on listed buildings, including thatched roofs. For building regulations relating to other jobs that a craftsman may carry out, visit the Planning Portal https://www.planningportal.co.uk/.
There’s no legal requirement for craftsmen to have insurance but it’s a good idea for them to buy public liability insurance to cover themselves against any property damage and personal injury claims.
Will it be themselves that carries out the work? If not, what experience does the person have and are they covered by insurance?
Can they show you examples of their work and have they worked on projects similar to yours?
Will they give a guarantee for the work and how long does that last?
See the latest questions that homeowners have been asking traditional craftsmen.
Learn more about the different trades that fall under traditional craftsmanship and get some tips on creating a period perfect home. You can also find some ideas for custom builds, such as a built-in wardrobe or a breakfast bench to maximise space in a kitchen diner.
I need a hearth and fireplace removed as i want to get a new wooden floor installed.
Repairs to leaded light windows in metal casement windows. Cracked glass. Window furniture/fitting repairs/replacement also possibly required.