Carpentry is the trade people put off longest. A door that sticks, a drawer that will not close, a wardrobe hinge hanging by one screw: none of it stops the house working, so it waits. The problem is that almost every one of these faults gets more expensive the longer it is left, because the damage moves from the fitting into the timber.
Here are the ten jobs we are called out for most across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, what is usually actually wrong, and what each one costs at our published rates.
1. A door that sticks in winter
Timber takes in moisture and swells. A door that closed fine in June catches on the frame in December. The fix is planing with the right clearance, not forcing it shut, and it falls in the Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 range. Planing too much is the common mistake, because you are left with a gap and a draught once the timber dries out again.
2. Hinges that have dropped
When a door hangs low and scrapes at the bottom corner, the hinges have usually pulled out of soft or tired wood rather than failed themselves. Driving in a longer screw is a temporary fix at best. The proper repair is plugging the old holes and re-seating the hinge in solid timber, which costs about the same as the sticking door above.
3. A lock that will not turn
A key that needs lifting, pushing or jiggling is rarely a key problem. It is a worn mortice or a keep plate that has drifted out of alignment, often after the door itself dropped. A door lock change runs Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000. If the keep is simply out of line, it can sometimes be reset for less, and we will say so.
4. Drawers that stick or fall out
Drawer channels wear, and they also fail early when they were fitted out of level in the first place. Replacing a channel is Rs 800 to Rs 1,500. If several drawers in the same unit are dragging, the carcass has usually gone out of square, and that is worth looking at before you replace channel after channel.
5. Cabinet doors that will not stay shut
The catcher is the small magnet or clip that holds a cabinet door closed. They wear out and they are cheap, at Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 to replace. If a kitchen has several failing at once, it is usually the same age rather than bad luck, and doing them together saves a second call-out.
6. New door installation
Hanging a new door properly means checking the frame is square, setting the hinges, fitting the lock and leaving the right clearance at the bottom for the floor covering. Door installation is Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,500 depending on the door and the frame. A door hung in a frame that is out of square will never close well, so the frame gets checked first.
7. Wardrobe and kitchen cabinet repairs
Shelves sagging, backs coming loose, doors out of alignment. Most of this is fixable in place and far cheaper than replacing the unit. The exception is chipboard that has got wet, which does not recover and is worth replacing rather than repairing.
8. Furniture that has come apart
Beds, dining chairs and tables loosen at the joints over a few years. A chair that wobbles can be re-glued and clamped properly. A chair that has been glued badly once already is harder work, so it is worth doing it right the first time.
9. Curtain rails, shelves and fittings that pull out
Almost always a fixing problem rather than a weight problem: the wrong plug for the wall, or a fixing into plaster rather than into something solid. Refitting into the right place holds for years. If the wall itself has crumbled, that becomes a masonry job first.
10. Doors and frames damaged by damp
Swelling at the bottom of a door, soft frames at floor level, or paint lifting in the same spot every year is damp, not carpentry. Replacing the timber without fixing the source means doing it again next winter. Depending on where the water comes from, that points at waterproofing or plumbing before any carpentry starts.
What carpentry costs in Islamabad and Rawalpindi
Our published carpentry rates start at Rs 800. Catcher replacement is Rs 800 to Rs 1,200, drawer channels Rs 800 to Rs 1,500, lock changes Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000, and door installation Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,500. The complete list is on our carpentry page, and the price is agreed in writing before anyone starts.
One practical note: small carpentry jobs are much cheaper per item when they are done together. If you have a sticking door, two drawers and three cabinet catchers, booking them in one visit costs noticeably less than three separate call-outs.
How to describe the job so the quote is accurate
- Photograph the whole door or unit, then the specific fault close up.
- Say whether it is solid wood, chipboard or MDF if you know.
- Mention when it started, and whether it changes with the weather.
- Tell us if anyone has already tried to fix it, because that changes the work.
Areas we cover
We work across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, including F-6, F-7, F-8, F-10, F-11, F-17, G-9, G-10, G-11, G-13, I-8, E-11, DHA I and II, Bahria Town, Gulberg Greens, Satellite Town, Chaklala Scheme III and Saddar.
Common questions
Do you make new furniture or only repair?
Our carpenters handle repairs, fittings, doors and installation work. For built-in units we will tell you honestly whether a repair or a rebuild is the better value.
Can you come the same day?
Usually, if you message before the afternoon. Jobs needing a specific door or lock may take an extra day to source the part.
Is there a warranty?
Workmanship carries a 30-day warranty.
Get a price before anyone comes
Send a photo of the door, drawer or fitting on WhatsApp at +92 329 6712923 and you will get a price range back in writing before anyone travels to you.