How to Start a Carpentry Business in Australia

Carpentry is a great career path because there will always be a demand for new buildings. But rather than “working for the man,” running your own carpentry business can be even better, as you get to be your own boss and earn a higher salary.

In this blog, we’ll discuss starting carpentry businesses in Australia. We will show you how to do this by taking building and construction courses to learn the skills and prepare your carpentry business structure.

Become a successful carpentry business owner in Australia

Like the business owner and former BAA student Tyrone, a lot of people who have their own carpentry business say the best part of it is being their own boss.

Without having to report to anyone but yourself, you can enjoy flexible hours, and take time off when you want or need to. You can also do construction projects exactly the way you want to do them and choose your own workmates!

Another reason to start your own carpentry business is that you have the potential to earn a much higher salary. Without a boss taking the profits and giving you a small piece of the pie, you can have the whole cake!

If you are successful in business operations, your business earnings have the potential to keep going up.

How do I start a carpentry business in Australia?

Now that you see the advantages of planning for your own carpentry business, let’s look at the steps you can take to make it happen.

Step 1: Prepare for your apprenticeship

• Before you can start your new carpentry business, you must have an apprenticeship.

• A good way to prepare for your apprenticeship is by taking a 22216VIC Certificate II in Building and Construction (Carpentry) Pre-Apprenticeship.

• To complete the pre-apprenticeship, you only have to be 16 years or over. You’ll also take a Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) test to help bring you up to speed.

Step 2: Do a Certificate III in Carpentry

• Getting an apprenticeship or doing your Certificate III in Carpentry (CPC30220), is the perfect way to get started on your building career. This course teaches you all the skills you need to master carpentry work and qualify as a carpenter.

• At the same time, the apprenticeship gives you real hands-on work experience. This helps you apply the theory you learn in your Certificate III to real situations.

• Another great thing about the apprenticeship is that you are usually guaranteed a job after you finish. You can stay on with the builder you worked for, or branch out and try your hand with new construction companies.

  

Step 3: Get work experience

• During your apprenticeship, you’ll gain some experience on the job.

• But some trades prefer to get a little more industry experience before taking the next step towards starting their new businesses.

• While getting this valuable work experience as a tradie, you can figure out exactly what type of work you like the best and want to do in the future. You might enjoy being “on the tools” from day to day.

• On the other hand, you might prefer to be your own boss, which comes with more freedom but also more responsibility. Your years working in the industry help you determine how much responsibility you think you can handle.

• While working as an employee, you can also work out what type of building projects interest you the most.

  

Step 4: Do the Certificate IV in Building and Construction

• While the apprenticeship and Certificate III prepare you for being a carpenter, the Certificate IV prepares you for being a business owner.

• When you study a Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) (CPC40120), you can do modules on how to run your own business, how to set up a carpentry business plan and how to manage your books.

Step 5: Get a builders licence

• As a licenced builder, you can work on projects greater than $10,000 in value. As you can see, getting licenced is an important step to starting a carpentry business in Australia because otherwise, you’ll only be able to take on small jobs less than $10,000.

• To get your licence, you need to register with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). The registration process is complex, and the VBA will assess your carpentry skills, knowledge and experience. Because of the complexity of the application, so many people do BAA’s Certificate IV and free Builders Registration Mentoring Program to help them get licenced.

Step 6: Develop your business plan

Once you’ve established your passion for the carpentry industry and obtained your licensing requirements, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of starting your own carpentry business in Australia.

As you build your business, developing a business plan is essential. It should include information on your goals, target market analysis, startup costs, marketing strategy, and financial plans and projections.

Wrapping up: How do I become a carpentry business owner in Australia?

While there are many pathways to starting a carpentry business in Australia, a popular choice is to do your Certificate III and then your Certificate IV. Your best bet is to get a builders licence so that you can work on larger projects and earn more money.

While everyone wants to find success in business, not everyone is so lucky. 

That’s why taking a Certificate IV to develop your carpentry business plan is so important to help you succeed in your goals.

Looking to find detailed information on our courses and start your own carpentry business? Contact our team at 1300 LEGEND (1300 534 363) or request a callback to discuss the right training option for you.

This article has been updated and republished on 20th April 2023.