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AI scheduling tools for joiners and carpenters in the UK

Joinery jobs rarely run in one visit. There's a measure-up, workshop time, delivery of materials, first fix, second fix and often a wait for the plasterer in between. A diary that only shows days on site hides most of that. Scheduling software that treats each job as a set of linked stages makes it easier to see when you're really free, and to tell customers honestly when you can start.

Prices were re-checked on each provider's own page; the date is next to each one. Rules and figures from GOV.UK are linked where they're used.

Plan the stages, including workshop time

Book the survey, workshop days, delivery and each fix as separate entries on one job, so moving one stage shows what else shifts. Tradify lists scheduling with Google Calendar sync and subcontractor management; Fergus adds timesheets and job costing, which helps you see whether a kitchen fit really took the days you priced (checked 15 October 2026).

Other trades and site duties

On domestic jobs, CDM 2015 client duties normally pass to the contractor, or the principal contractor if there's more than one (HSE). If you're the main contractor, put the plasterer, electrician and plumber visits in the same schedule so the sequence is visible. If you pay subcontractors under CIS, deductions are 20% registered, 30% unregistered and 0% with gross payment status (GOV.UK).

Teams and travel

If you employ joiners, travel between jobs counts as working time for minimum wage purposes (GOV.UK). Let customers book the first measure-up themselves with Calendly's free plan, and keep those visits grouped by area.

The options, with prices

Tool	Price and free plan	UK notes and source
Tradify Job management for tradespeople: quotes, scheduling, timesheets and invoices.	Lite: £34 per user a month. Pro: £37. Plus: £44. Optional Instant Website £10 a month; text messages £0.10 each. 14-day free trial. No free plan; 14-day free trial with all features.	UK pricing in pounds, UK phone support. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Fergus Job management for trade businesses: quoting with price books, job cards, scheduling, timesheets and invoicing.	Essentials: from £39 a month. Professional: from £45 a month. Timesheet users from £12 a month; contractor users £2 per user per day. When checked, a 90%-off offer ran until December (£3.90 and £4.50). 14-day free trial, no card required. No free plan; 14-day free trial, no card required.	UK pricing in pounds on the UK site. Source, checked 15 October 2026
YourTradebase Quotes, jobs, invoices and payment reminders for UK tradespeople, with one flat monthly price.	£29 a month, plus £15 a month for each additional user. Two months free if you pay annually. Prices subject to VAT. 30-day free trial, no card required. No free plan; 30-day free trial, no card required.	UK company, prices in pounds plus VAT. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Powered Now UK trade app for quotes, invoices, job scheduling and compliance certificates, with an optional AI receptionist.	Business: £28 a month for one user (£280 a year). Professional: £32 per user a month (£320 a year). Premium: £40 per user a month (£400 a year). All excl. VAT. AI receptionist add-on from £29 a month. 14-day free trial, no card required. No free plan; 14-day free trial, no card required.	UK company, prices in pounds excl. VAT. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Calendly Online booking links that let customers pick a time that suits your calendar.	Free plan (always free). Standard: $10 per seat a month. Teams: $16 per seat a month. Enterprise from $15k a year. An always-free plan for basic scheduling.	Prices are in US dollars. Source, checked 14 October 2026

What to check before you choose

Can one job hold several visits with gaps for other trades?
Can you track workshop hours against the job, not just site time?
Subcontractor scheduling and CIS records: Tradify lists subcontractor management.
Per-user pricing: Tradify £34 to £44 per user a month; YourTradebase £29 plus £15 per extra user (checked 15 October 2026).
Does it send the customer a reminder before each visit?

A prompt to start with

Paste this into ChatGPT or Claude, filling in the brackets:

You plan work for [business name], a joinery firm in [area] with [number] joiners. Here are the jobs, with stages (survey, workshop, delivery, first fix, second fix), estimated days and dependencies on other trades: [paste]. Build a four-week plan, show where workshop days fit, and write a short message to any customer whose start date moves.

Free tools

Price a job with the quote and VAT calculator (20%, 5%, 0% and reverse charge), or work out your day rate (see how much to charge per hour). Comparing job management apps? Read Tradify vs Jobber. Driving between jobs? The mileage allowance calculator uses HMRC's flat rates, and van costs for sole traders compares leasing, buying and the mileage rate.

Questions

What's the best scheduling app for a small joinery business?

It depends on how you price. Tradify (£34 to £44 per user a month) and Fergus (from £39 a month) both handle staged jobs; YourTradebase is £29 a month plus VAT. Checked 15 October 2026.

Should I include workshop time in the schedule?

Yes. If it's not in the diary, you'll overbook site days.

Are these prices in pounds?

Not all. Where a provider only publishes US dollar prices we show dollars, so check the price in pounds at checkout.

Do you get paid if I sign up?

Some links may become affiliate links, and we'll label them when they do. It doesn't change what we list. See how we make money.

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