How to find a carpenter or formwork carpenter: formwork, roof rafters, timber frames
Two profiles: formwork and timber structures
A formwork carpenter works with concrete: assembles panel or beam formwork for foundations, slabs, columns and walls, and strips it once the concrete has gained strength. A carpenter works with wood: builds a roof rafter system, timber-frame houses, floors, battens and other wooden structures. In the first case exact dimensions and the rigidity of the fixings matter, in the second the ability to read drawings and work with wood. Sometimes these skills go together, but more often they do not.
What to put in the vacancy
- Types of work — panel formwork for concrete, roof rafters, timber-frame house.
- Type of site — concrete frame of a multi-storey building, private house, timber-frame house, roof.
- Volume of work — sq m of formwork or slab, or the size of the house, for example 1,600 sq ft of slab.
- Pay — per sq ft, per day or per site, for example ₱760 per day, and how often it is paid.
- Site address — city and area.
- Type of work — permanent, one site, seasonal, away from home for a stretch.
- One person or a crew — how many people you need.
- Experience and lodging — for example, with panel formwork; whether you provide lodging.
Example request
“Building a private house near Manila: we need a crew of three formwork carpenters. Panel formwork for the slab, about 1,600 sq ft, two months. Pay ₱760 per day, paid weekly. Experience with panel formwork is a must, lodging provided.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You describe the site once. The request is checked for ads and contacts and you get hints to add details. Then carpenters and formwork carpenters in your area reply in the chat: who is in the crew, what experience they have and when they can start. BlaBlaPrice shows the strongest replies first, with reviews of the candidates next to them. Your phone stays hidden, and you do not pay for the search. Read more on the “How it works” page.
What to pay attention to
For timber structures ask about the moisture content of the wood and the treatment against termites and rot: green wood warps after installation, and unprotected wood spoils quickly, especially in the rainy season.
Ask which formwork the crew knows: their own set of panels changes both the pace and the price. Agree who supplies the material, panels and props, and who looks after them. For a rafter system, check whether the person can work from drawings and with which roof layouts.
It is a mistake to ignore the weather: formwork for a pour is prepared with time to spare, and roofing work depends on the season. For pouring and tying the frame you will need a construction worker or an installer.
For those looking for a job
Register as a service provider on BlaBlaPrice, choose the category and your area, and you will get vacancies for carpenters and formwork carpenters. See other trades in the “Construction / finishing works” section.
