What it is
1st fix joinery covers the structural carpentry that gets buried — floor joists, stud partitions, noggins, door linings, window boards, roof timbers, loft trimming, soundproofing battens. 2nd fix joinery is what you see — skirting, architraves, door hanging, ironmongery, decorative mouldings, MDF and timber wall details. We do both, because the second fix only looks right if the first fix was set out properly.
Who it's for
Builders subcontracting joinery, developers who want their finishes to lift the property, owner-occupiers refurbishing room-by-room, and anyone who has been let down by a 'general builder' on the finishing details. If your last project had wonky architraves or doors that didn't latch — you need a joiner, not a labourer.
When you need it
On every renovation, every extension, every conversion. Also as a standalone — replacing tired skirting, hanging a single internal door, fitting MDF panelling to a feature wall, or just resolving the snag list left behind by the last trade.
Why professional matters
Joinery is the trade where you can see every shortcut. A 2mm gap in a mitred architrave is the difference between a cheap-looking makeover and a high-end finish. Trained joiners take longer per joint and the finished result is in another league.