Extension roof and floor structure
Joinery for a local builder on a house extension. That meant the structural timber roof and the floor, working alongside the other trades on site.
First fix joinery in Newcastle upon Tyne
Building an extension or a warm roof conversion? Alex frames the floors, walls and roof that everything else gets fixed to, and leaves them straight and square for the plasterer. You deal with him from the first visit to the last day, and local builders bring him in for the same work.
Get my free quoteCall 0191 743 3002Rated 5.0 from 6 Google reviews. No obligation. We reply within one working day.
CSCS carded, DBS checkedOver 10 years of experience£5m public liability with MarkelOur own prices, published12 month workmanship guarantee
What first fix covers
If it goes in before the plasterer arrives and gets boarded over afterwards, it is on this list.
Structure
- Timber frames
- Floor and ceiling joists
- Internal studwork (the timber framework that makes your internal walls)
- Structure for warm roof conversions
Roofs
- Roof trusses
- Cut roofs, made on site rather than delivered as trusses
- Warm roof structures
- Garden room and lodge shells
Openings and stairs
- Door linings (the timber frame a door is hung into later)
- Window frames
- The structure of a staircase, before the handrails and spindles go on
Before the plasterer
- Pipe boxing
- Working alongside the electrician and the plumber as they run cables and pipes through the frame
- Leaving the frame straight, square and ready for boarding
The part you never see decides how everything else fits
First fix is the only joinery nobody sees once the job is done. It is behind the plasterboard, under the floor and above the ceiling, which is exactly why it is the part worth being fussy about.
A joist a few millimetres out is a floor that creaks. A stud wall that is not plumb is a door that never closes cleanly and a skirting board that has to be scribed to hide it. A roof that is not square is a problem for the roofer, the plasterer and everyone who comes after them. None of that is fixable later without taking the wall back off.
So the frame gets checked rather than assumed, and the site gets left set up for the trades behind us instead of leaving them something to work around.
Tell us what stage the build is at, and email the drawings if you have them.
Rated 5.0 from 6 Google reviews. No obligation. We reply within one working day.
Working to drawings, or a second pair of hands
Some of our first fix work is for other builders. Two of the jobs below were: the roof and floor structure on an extension in Newcastle, and a hand cut roof stitched into an existing hipped roof.
That work arrives with drawings, a programme and other trades already on site, and it needs somebody who can read all three. Alex is a time-served joiner who has also worked in supervisory roles in the rail and construction industries, and holds SSSTS, the construction industry’s safety training for site supervisors. He carries £5m public liability cover with Markel, plus employers’ liability, and is CSCS carded.
For anything bigger he brings in a qualified electrician, plasterer and tiler, and does the groundworks and the plumbing himself. On a development or a portfolio of rentals that sequencing matters more than any single task does.
How we work with landlords and developersFirst fix we have built
Roofs, joists and a staircase, from Alex’s own photographs.
First fix jobs from the job book
Three of Alex’s own, with where and when. Two were for local builders. If your build is at the same stage, tell us about it.
Warm roof structure
About 20m² of pitched warm roof (insulated above the rafters, so the space underneath stays warm). Alex built the main timber structure and got it ready for the roofing, electrics and internal finishing that followed.
Hand-cut roof over an extension
Part of a larger job for a local builder. The roof over the new extension was cut by hand from loose timber on site, rather than delivered as ready-made trusses, and stitched into the existing hipped roof (one that slopes down on every side).
First fix across Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumberland
Alex is based in Morpeth, and most of his work is around Morpeth, Cramlington, Ponteland, Ashington, Bedlington, Gosforth, Jesmond and Heaton. His first fix jobs include extension roofs and floors, a warm roof and a hand cut roof, for homeowners and for local builders. Older houses rarely hand you a square opening or a level floor to start from. That is normal, and it is why every frame gets checked before it is boarded. The full list of towns is on the areas we cover.
First fix is half a job. Once the plasterer is out, the doors, skirting, stairs and floors are second fix, and if the whole house is coming apart we would sequence it as a property renovation instead so nobody is waiting on anybody. Not sure which yours is? Start at what we take on and we will work it out with you.
What first fix costs
First fix is quoted by the day. The day rate is below, and the number of days goes in the quotation.
How much does first fix joinery cost?
£250 to £300 a day.
Box & Beam’s own day rate for structural carpentry, not a market average.
How is first fix priced?
By the day.
Structural carpentry is quoted by the days it takes at the day rate above, not by the metre. You get the number of days in writing before anything starts.
Do you provide a written quotation?
Free, always.
A visit to the property, a proper look at the job, then a written quotation setting out the scope and the cost. Quotes and site visits cost nothing.
Is there a minimum job?
No minimum.
Big and small and everything in between. One set of joists is a job, and so is the whole extension.
These are our own prices, correct as of September 2026. What your job costs still depends on access, the state of the existing work and the spec, which is what the free quote is for. Box & Beam is not VAT registered, so there is no VAT to add to any price here.
Get my free quoteRated 5.0 from 6 Google reviews. No obligation. We reply within one working day.
What people say
Had Alex in to fit all the doors in my house. He did a fantastic job fitting them promptly for a fair price. He even shaved them to fit the door frames properly after we bought slightly bigger doors from an external supplier. He is friendly and a good laugh, who likes to turn up and do a good job for his customers. Would highly recommend. Attached photos of 2 of the doors he fitted on the day.
Really happy with the work from Box and Beam Joinery. Good quality work, turned up when they said they would and got the job done properly. Easy to deal with and no messing about. Would definitely recommend them.
Alex is just such a good guy. Honest hardworking and as straight as they come. Couldn’t recommend him enough top job every time 🙏
I got in touch with Alex as I needed some integrated appliances fitted in our kitchen and a new cupboard installed. He was very professional from start to finish. He did a brilliant job, was reliable and tidy, and really took pride in his work. Everything was finished to a high standard and we’re really pleased with the result. Would definitely recommend Alex and will happily use him again in the future.
Very professional amd quality job done ✔️ thanks
First fix questions
What is first fix joinery?
First fix is the structural carpentry that goes in before the plasterers arrive: timber frames, floor and ceiling joists, internal studwork, the roof structure and the door linings. It is everything that has to be right before the walls are closed up, and once the plasterboard is on you never see it again.
What is the difference between first fix and second fix?
First fix is everything before the plasterers: studwork, joists, roof trusses, door linings. Second fix is everything after: the doors, skirting, architrave, stairs and floors. A new build or an extension needs both, in that order. A renovation often only needs second fix.
When does first fix happen in a build?
Once the walls are up, and before the plasterers. On an extension the floor joists and the roof structure go in as the brickwork reaches them, and the roof is covered so the building is watertight. Then come the studwork and the door linings, then the electrician and the plumber run their cables and pipes through the frame, and the boarding goes on last. Get the order wrong and somebody ends up chasing out work that was finished the week before.
Can you organise the electrician, plasterer and other trades?
Yes. Alex does the joinery himself, does the plumbing and groundworks himself, and brings in a qualified electrician, plasterer and tiler when the job needs them. You have one person to deal with instead of ringing round four trades and hoping the dates line up.
What happens if you uncover additional work once the job has started?
You hear about it before any extra work is done. On first fix that is usually a rotten joist or an opening that is not where the drawings say it is. Alex talks it through with you and it is agreed first, so nothing lands on the bill that you did not know about.
Is there a deposit and when is the remaining balance due?
A deposit secures the booking and the start date. The balance is paid once the work is finished, checked over and walked through with you.
Do you clean up once the job is finished?
Yes. The working area is left clean and tidy, and Alex walks you round the finished work to make sure you are happy before the final balance is paid.
Ask for a first fix price
- Send it overA rough idea is enough to start with.
- Alex comes to lookA free visit at a time that suits you. He measures up and talks through the options.
- A written quote, freeThe scope and the cost in writing. If you are happy, a deposit books your start date.
Would you rather talk it through? Ring 0191 743 3002 or email enquiries@boxandbeam.co.uk.
Every job carries a 12 month workmanship guarantee, and the balance is only paid once we have walked round the finished work with you. £5m public liability cover with Markel, employers’ liability on top, CSCS carded and DBS checked.