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Completed panelled hallway with hung internal door, 1st & 2nd fix carpentry by MG Timber
Service · Newport & South Wales

1st & 2nd Fix CarpentryNewport, Cardiff & South WalesStructural Through to Finish

Get first-fix carpentry that plasters straight and second-fix joinery that lines up, from a single City & Guilds team who won't hand you off to a sub-contractor halfway through.

Request Your Free Fixed-Price Quote Call 07907 139915

One team, first fix to finish · CSCS carded · Free fixed-price quote within one week

10+ Years Experience
City & Guilds Qualified
£15,000,000 Insured
CSCS Carded Team
Surveys Within 1 Week
Overview

1st & 2nd Fix Carpentry: designed, built and signed off by one accountable team.

What it is

First fix carpentry is everything structural and hidden, floor joists, ceiling joists, stud walls, noggins, dwangs, staircase carcasses, door linings, boarding and window firrings, completed before plastering. Second fix is everything visible and precise: skirting, architrave, internal doors, ironmongery, staircase balustrades, boxing and finishing joinery, installed after plastering.

Who it's for

Main contractors, developers, self-builders, homeowners on renovations and extensions, and anyone who wants a single carpentry team accountable for every timber element rather than three separate sub-contractors blaming each other.

When it's needed

First fix runs from the moment the shell is watertight through to plaster-ready. Second fix runs from once plaster is fully dry through to the pre-decoration walk-round. On managed projects we programme both phases with the same team.

Why professional matters

First fix determines whether every trade after you can do their job. Studs out of plumb ruin plaster. Missed noggins ruin the electrician's day. Wrong door-lining sizes ruin the second-fix carpenter. Get first fix wrong and you pay for it three times over.

The cost of getting it wrong

First-fix and second-fix carpentry is where most residential builds lose their finish.

Every risk below is something we've seen and put right. Every mistake below is something a competent, accountable team removes from your project entirely.

Risks of ignoring it

  • Studs and door linings out of plumb, making every internal door swing open or shut on its own the day the ironmongery goes on.
  • Missed noggins for grabrails, TV brackets, kitchen wall units, cistern frames and radiators, every one of them becomes a Sunday-afternoon repair once you've moved in.
  • Skirting and architrave with visible open mitres, uneven scribes and inconsistent height off the floor, the first thing every visitor notices and the last thing anyone wants to strip and redo.
  • Doors hung with the wrong gap, wrong swing or wrong ironmongery height, a job that looks small and costs a full day per door to put right.

Common mistakes we see

  • Hiring separate carpenters for first and second fix, so nobody owns the joinery from end to end.
  • Letting plumbers and electricians cut into structural noggins because the carpentry team wasn't clear about which timbers were load-bearing.
  • Skipping the pre-plaster walk-round, every first-fix carpentry mistake found before plaster costs a few minutes; every one found after costs a day.
Our Process

A clear, step-by-step system: from first call to final sign-off.

  1. 1
    Step 1

    Site survey & scope walk

    We walk the shell (or the existing property), review drawings and agree what's first fix, what's second fix, and what's provisional.

  2. 2
    Step 2

    Fixed-price written quote

    Broken down room by room and phase by phase, so you know exactly what's included at first fix and what's included at second fix.

  3. 3
    Step 3

    First-fix carpentry

    Joists, studs, noggins, boarding, door linings, staircase carcass, window firrings, set out, plumbed and signed off before plaster.

  4. 4
    Step 4

    Second-fix carpentry

    Skirting, architrave, internal doors and ironmongery, balustrades, boxing, feature joinery, installed after decoration prep.

  5. 5
    Step 5

    Snag & sign-off

    We walk every room with you before decoration, snag anything that isn't perfect, and hand over a completed finish.

Why it matters

Specific, measurable benefits; not vague promises.

One accountable team

First fix and second fix are done by the same carpenters, nobody blames the last trade for problems that come out at finish.

Plaster-ready first fix

Studs plumb, linings level, noggins where the plumber and electrician actually need them. Plaster goes on straight.

Second-fix that lines up

Skirting heights match room to room, mitres close tight, doors gap consistently, ironmongery is set to the same height throughout.

Predictable programme

One team means one date for first fix start, one date for plaster handover, one date for second fix; no gaps waiting for a sub-contractor to reappear.

One warranty

All carpentry sits on one written guarantee. If anything ever needs revisiting, it's one phone call to one company.

In depth

The detail behind 1st & 2nd fix carpentry.

Materials, methods, variations and how the service applies to your specific project.

What first fix actually includes

First fix carpentry covers every structural and pre-plaster timber element: floor joists and floor cassettes, ceiling joists, load-bearing and non-load-bearing stud walls, noggins for services and fixtures, dwangs, boarding of solid floors, window firrings and reveals, external door linings, staircase carcasses (strings, treads and risers before balustrades), first-fix roof timbers and sarking. Everything gets set out from datum, plumbed, and signed off before plaster.

What second fix actually includes

Second fix carpentry covers everything visible and finishing: skirting boards, architraves, internal door hanging, ironmongery (hinges, latches, handles, locks), staircase balustrades (spindles, newels, handrails, glass panels where specified), boxing to soil stacks and services, window boards, cornices and picture rails on period work, feature panelling and shadow-gap detailing, and any bespoke joinery that lands in the room finish (see also bespoke joinery).

Materials & specification

First fix timber is typically C16 or C24 CLS and treated CLS to engineer's schedule. Second fix uses MDF, softwood or hardwood mouldings depending on specification and paint or stain finish. Internal doors are FSC or engineered core, hung to typical 3mm consistent gaps with three hinges per door on standard cores. Ironmongery is installed to a set datum height throughout the house so latches and handles line room to room.

Residential vs. commercial fit-out carpentry

For residential new-build, extension and renovation projects our first and second fix work runs house-by-house across Newport, Cardiff, Powys and Gloucestershire. For light-commercial fit-out (small offices, holiday lets, agricultural to residential conversions, retail units) we work to specification with FD30 fire doors, intumescent seals, and any additional acoustic or fire-rated stud detail as the fire strategy requires.

Recent work

1st & 2nd Fix Carpentry projects delivered across Newport and South Wales.

A selection of completed work from recent 1st & 2nd fix carpentry jobs: installed, snagged and handed over by the MG Timber team.

First and second fix carpentry on shopfront windows in Newport
Panelled hallway with hung internal door, second fix carpentry
Internal door hung and finished as part of second fix carpentry
See the full project gallery
Our Work

More of our recent 1st & 2nd fix carpentry & wider projects

A cross-section of finished carpentry, joinery and extension work across South Wales.

View full gallery
Bespoke timber-framed garden pod built in a Newport garden by MG Timber
Open-plan rear extension interior fit-out by MG Timber
Finished lounge fit-out inside a home extension by MG Timber
Extension with fitted alcove bookshelves and French doors
Full-height bespoke fitted wardrobes made to measure
Alcove shelving and media unit joinery with integrated TV
Panelled hallway with hung internal door, second fix carpentry
First and second fix carpentry on shopfront windows in Newport
New-build extension shopfront exterior by MG Timber
New-build extension exterior with completed shopfront
Bespoke cloakroom joinery with fitted wall panelling and shelving
Bespoke fitted alcove shelving unit in a South Wales home
Bespoke display shelving joinery with concealed lighting
Bespoke retail shelving joinery installed in South Wales
Bespoke kitchen and bar joinery fit-out
Bespoke fitted wardrobe and media unit with integrated TV
Bespoke fitted window seat with concealed drawer storage
Built-in bespoke dressing table with drawers under a window
Built-in bespoke dressing table with drawers, alternate view
Internal door hung and finished as part of second fix carpentry
New-build interior carpentry by MG Timber
Extension and new-build interior by MG Timber
Interior carpentry inside a completed home extension
Extension interior carpentry, alternate angle
Extension interior carpentry, third view
Extension interior carpentry, fourth view
Lounge fit-out inside a completed home extension, alternate view
FAQs

Straight answers on cost, timeline, guarantees and process.

How much does first and second fix carpentry cost in Newport?

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First-fix labour on a 3-bed extension typically runs £3,500–£7,500; second-fix labour typically runs £2,500–£6,500 depending on quality of finish, number of doors and complexity of joinery. Every quote is a fixed price in writing after a site survey.

How long does first fix take on a typical extension?

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First fix on a single-storey rear extension is usually 1–2 weeks. Second fix, after plaster is fully dry and decoration is prepped, is usually a further 3–7 days. Larger projects and full renovations are quoted with a room-by-room programme.

Can you handle just second fix if I already have a first-fix carpenter?

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Yes. We take on labour-only second fix regularly for main contractors and developers. We'll do a pre-start walk to identify anything from first fix that needs adjusting before we begin, and we'll flag it in writing before we quote.

Do you supply skirtings, architraves and doors, or do I?

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Either. Most homeowners let us specify and supply, we quote MDF or timber to your paint finish, and doors from a trusted range. Developers running their own materials account often prefer to supply; we work labour-only in that case.

Will the same carpenter do first and second fix?

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Yes wherever possible. Continuity between first and second fix is one of the reasons finish quality lands well on our projects, the person who set out the wall is the person hanging the door.

Do you install fire doors and fire-rated ironmongery?

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Yes. FD30 and FD60 doors, intumescent seals, self-closers and fire-rated ironmongery are all installed to specification, with the door manufacturer's certificate retained and passed on for the property's fire file.

Are you fully insured?

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Yes. MG Timber Construction Ltd carries £15,000,000 of public liability insurance covering the business and every carpenter on site, plus employers' liability. Certificates are shared with your quote on request.

How quickly can you survey the job?

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We aim to be on site within one week of your first enquiry. After the survey you receive a written fixed-price quote; no hourly rates, no surprises, no pressure to sign on the spot.

What deposit do you take and how are payments structured?

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A 15% deposit is taken on booking to secure your slot in the diary. The balance is paid in staged payments tied to milestones on the works, agreed in writing before we start.

Do you cover emergency or urgent works?

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For existing clients and structural safety issues we prioritise urgent call-outs and can usually be on site the same week. Emergency propping and make-safe works are quoted directly with the client before we begin.

Related services

Often booked alongside 1st & 2nd fix carpentry

Service

Extensions

Single and double-storey extensions, planned and delivered end-to-end.

Learn more
Service

Kitchens

Supply and fit, or labour-only. Trusted partners include Howdens and Wren.

Learn more
Service

Bespoke Joinery

Staircases, fitted furniture and garden structures made to measure.

Learn more

Book your free 1st & 2nd fix carpentry survey, on site within a week.

Fixed-price written quote after the survey. 15% deposit to book. Staged payments tied to milestones. £15,000,000 public liability insurance and a written guarantee on every job.

Request Free Quote Call 07907 139915
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