Lead Carpenter

Job Description

Job Description

Most renovation companies take every job they can get. Rowe Carpentry has a three-month waitlist — built on reputation, no ads. We built it by taking the jobs most crews won't touch: complex additions, gut renovations in 100-year-old houses, projects where the drawings don't match the structure, and someone has to figure it out on the fly. Clients who go through it once become permanent references.

We're hiring a Lead Carpenter — someone who can run a jobsite the way David runs it when he's there.

What the Work Actually Looks Like

You'll be in old houses. Hundred-year-old framing that was never quite level to begin with, antique flooring that can't be matched, and structural discoveries mid-job that require a real decision. Nobody tells you how to handle it. You figure it out and keep the job moving.

You'll lead a crew — set the pace, assign tasks, hold people accountable, and make sure the work going up meets Rowe's standards before anyone calls it done. No one checks behind you every hour. That's the point.

The jobsite is clean at the end of every day. Tools put away, materials accounted for, rig squared away. Clients drop by unannounced — they happen to own the house. The crew they see needs to be one they're proud to introduce to their neighbors.

The best people here never waited to be told what to do next. If that's not you, this isn't the role.

$32 - $48 hourly

• Lead the on-site crew through daily execution — assign tasks, set pace, and keep work moving from setup to final sweep.
• Own quality control at the trade level — walk through every detail before the PM, or the client sees it.
• Execute high-level carpentry work on complex additions and custom renovations, including old-home challenges.
• Manage materials and flag needs before the site runs short — no crew stands around waiting.
• Maintain a clean, organized jobsite at the end of every day — tools put away, materials sorted, rig squared away.
• Communicate proactively — surface problems, unexpected discoveries, or schedule risks before they become client issues.

Required:

• 5+ years of hands-on carpentry experience.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to pass a background check.
• US work authorization.

You do NOT need:

• No college degree or formal certifications required.
• No prior experience with Rowe's specific project types — if you can build at a high level, we can align on methods.

Rowe Carpentry LLC takes the jobs most companies won't touch — complex additions and custom renovations in the Philadelphia metro area, where the drawings don't always match the house, and getting it wrong means getting it done twice. We specialize in old homes, precision work, and clients who want it done right the first time. The work requires real judgment, not just labor. Our reputation has built a three-month waitlist without a single ad. If you want to build things worth building, with a crew that actually thinks, this is where you work.