Finish Carpentry Contractors Revenue Benchmarks
The average finish carpentry contractors business in the United States generates $935K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 31,618 finish carpentry contractors businesses in the U.S., employing 161,844 workers with an average profit margin of 7.0%.
What Does a Finish Carpentry Business Actually Do?
Specialty carpenters focused on visible interior finish work — trim, baseboards, crown molding, doors, wainscoting, custom built-in shelving, coffered ceilings. Higher skill and hourly rate than framing.
Who buys: General contractors, remodelers, homeowners for custom interior work.
Average Revenue
$935K
per year
Profit Margin
7.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$183K
per year
Total Businesses
31,618
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$65K
small business avg
Labor Cost
30.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
9.5
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Finish Carpentry Contractors Charge?
Finish carpenters install trim, cabinets, doors, and custom built-ins. Priced per linear foot or per project.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Baseboard install | $5–12/linear ft |
Crown molding install | $8–20/linear ft |
Door install (per door) | $150–450 |
Custom built-in shelving | $150–500/linear ft installed |
Wainscoting/paneling | $25–75/sqft installed |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete finish carpentry business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a finish carpentry contractors business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the finish carpentry contractors industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Materials & subcontractors | $38 | $353K | Lumber, concrete, fixtures, subcontracted trades — the physical scope of the job. |
Wages & benefits | $30 | $280K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $5 | $47K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $29K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $17 | $159K | Equipment rentals, insurance (very high in construction), permits, vehicles, fuel. |
Net profit | $7 | $65K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
12.52%
openings/year
Closure Rate
12.01%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+0.76%
annual
Businesses Closed
11,043
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Finish Carpentry Business?
Startup Cost
$25K – $150K
Break-Even
16 months
5-Year Survival Rate
52.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a finish carpentry contractors business do?
- Specialty carpenters focused on visible interior finish work — trim, baseboards, crown molding, doors, wainscoting, custom built-in shelving, coffered ceilings. Higher skill and hourly rate than framing. General contractors, remodelers, homeowners for custom interior work.
- How much do finish carpentry contractors charge?
- Finish carpenters install trim, cabinets, doors, and custom built-ins. Priced per linear foot or per project. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average finish carpentry contractors make per year?
- The average finish carpentry contractors business generates $935K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $65K per year at a 7.0% profit margin.
- How many finish carpentry contractors businesses are there in the US?
- There are 31,618 finish carpentry contractors businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 161,844 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a finish carpentry contractors business?
- Startup costs for a finish carpentry contractors business typically range from $25K to $150K, with a 5-year survival rate of 52.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The finish carpentry contractors industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 0.8%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 12.5% and 12.0% respectively.
Approximately 53% of finish carpentry contractors businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 11,043 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The finish carpentry contractors industry has grown 12% since 2000 (from 97,183 to 109,078 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Finish Carpentry Contractors revenue with other industries: