Joiner & Carpenter | Snowdonia (Eryri) & Gwynedd

Custom kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms, crafted in the heart of the Welsh mountains.

Forty years' experience as a joiner and carpenter, across every level of the trade, from museum quality custom and handmade joinery to getting the very best result from a ready made or flat pack kitchen. Particular experience with period properties, holiday lets and second homes. A limited number of projects taken on each year, so every one gets the time it deserves.

Book a free design visit
Hand painted kitchen with solid stained wood worktops and open shelving
Recent project: full kitchen fit, Blaenau Ffestiniog
Recent work

A portfolio built on real projects

A selection of completed kitchens, bathrooms and bespoke joinery, every piece designed, sourced and fitted start to finish. Tap any photo to see it full size.

Sage green shaker kitchen with butler sink

Sage Green Kitchen

Shaker style kitchen in sage green with a traditional butler sink.

Bird's eye maple veneer kitchen with red granite worktops

Bird's Eye Maple & Red Granite Kitchen

Bird's eye maple veneer doors paired with red engineered granite worktops and an illuminated glass shelving column.

Multicoloured laminate kitchen with wraparound extractor canopy

Multicoloured Laminate Kitchen

Multicoloured laminate units with granite worktops, a mobile butcher's block island and a wraparound extractor canopy with concealed ceiling lighting.

Custom bathroom suite with veneer and laminate panels

Custom Bathroom Suite

Bespoke shower cubicle, pull out towel storage and bath panel, all built from matching veneer and laminate panels.

Walk in wardrobe with custom spiral staircase to loft bedroom

Walk In Wardrobe & Spiral Staircase

Fitted walk in wardrobe with access to a loft converted bedroom, including a custom built spiral staircase.

Detail of shaded laminate drawer front

Shaded Laminate Drawer Front

Detail shot of custom shaded laminate used for a drawer front.

Hand painted white kitchen with solid stained wood worktops
Custom island with one off granite worktop on salvaged wood legs Hand painted kitchen island detail with under plinth radiator

Hand Painted White Kitchen

Hand painted kitchen with solid stained wood worktops and shelving, part of a full room refurbishment including new flooring.

Island detail: one off granite worktop on salvaged wood legs, with an under plinth radiator and integrated power.

Bedroom with bed built from salvaged pews and gilded ceiling
Close up of the salvaged pew bed frame Detail of the gilded ceiling and hanging shelving

Salvaged Pew Bed & Gilded Ceiling

A design and decorate project featuring a bed built from salvaged pews, an upcycled chest of drawers, and vintage trunks and suitcases used for storage, finished with a gilded gold ceiling.

Under stairs kitchenette custom built for a holiday let

Under Stairs Kitchenette

Custom built kitchenette fitted under the stairs for a holiday let.

Holiday let bathroom refurbishment, custom shelving and alcoves Holiday let bathroom refurbishment, walk in shower Holiday let bathroom refurbishment, fitted sink and mirror

Holiday Let Bathroom Refurbishment

Full bathroom refurbishment for a holiday let, including custom shelving, alcoves, tiling, flooring and plumbing, all completed personally.

What I do

One tradesperson, every stage

Trained in joinery, plumbing and building, working as a carpenter, joiner and kitchen and bathroom fitter across Snowdonia and Gwynedd. Decades of experience on custom, handmade and bespoke furniture for period, listed and high spec homes, and just as capable making the most of a ready made or flat pack kitchen, fitted properly from design through to finish.

BespokeBespoke Kitchens & Furniture

Carcases and doors built from raw materials, with fitted furniture and individually made pieces in wood, stone, veneers and metalwork, for period and character properties.

FittedReady Made Kitchen & Furniture Fitting

Expert fitting of Howdens, flat pack or any ready made kitchen and furniture. As your local kitchen fitter, I bring decades of experience getting the best possible result from these products too.

HeritagePeriod & Listed Building Carpentry

Experience working on centuries old listed buildings, with sympathetic repair and alteration alongside new work.

DesignKitchen & Bathroom Design

Free design consultations at your home, including lighting and power point layout. I measure, discuss how you use the space, and put together options, with no showroom trip required.

BuildFull Project Build

Joinery, flooring, tiling, plumbing not involving gas, and remodelling all carried out personally as part of the build, with only gas and electrical work brought in from trusted specialists. Every project is managed by me, end to end.

LetsHoliday Lets & Second Homes

Designed and built for the specific demands of rental and part time use, with real character that stands up to guest turnover, built into your budget. Ongoing seasonal care and maintenance plans are also available once the work is done.

Open shelving with tea tins, teapots and a collection of mugs
About Philip

Four decades of joinery, now local to you

I trained in joinery, plumbing and building, and spent 13 years running my own bespoke joinery business, taking on projects from £10,000 to £300,000, including fitted furniture, staircases and interiors for homes ranging from Grade I listed buildings to dockland penthouses.

Since then I've built museum quality fitted furniture, designed and built boats, and most recently worked as a carpenter on historic buildings and heritage projects. I've also run my own holiday let, refurbishing it myself from top to bottom with my partner, so I understand this market from both sides, as a tradesman and as an owner. Now based in Blaenau Ffestiniog, bringing that standard of craft to kitchens, bathrooms and bespoke joinery across Eryri (Snowdonia). Taking on a select number of projects each year so every one gets proper time and care.

40yrsExperience in joinery & fitted furniture
£300kLargest bespoke project delivered
LocalBased in Blaenau Ffestiniog
How it works

From first visit to finished room

A straightforward process, with no obligation until you're ready to go ahead.

01

Free design visit

I come to you, talk through how you use the space and take measurements.

02

Design & quote

Layout options and a clear, itemised quote, with no pressure and no obligation.

03

Build

Bespoke pieces built from raw materials, or expert fitting of ready made units, whichever suits the project and budget.

04

Install & finish

Careful, tidy fitting from start to finish, kept to the timeline agreed.

Guide pricing

What a project typically costs

Every job is different, so this is a guide rather than a quote. A precise price always follows a free design visit, once the scope of the work is clear.

Bespoke Kitchen

Fully handmade, design to fit, carcases and doors built from raw materials.

£8,000 to £25,000 and up
Ready Made Kitchen, Fitted

Expert fitting of Howdens, flat pack or any ready made units you supply.

£1,500 to £4,000
Bathroom Refit

Design to fit, including tiling and plumbing not involving gas.

From £1,500
Suite Swap or Refresh

Swap or refresh, without a full room refit.

From £1,000 labour
Bespoke Joinery & Fitted Furniture

Fitted furniture, wardrobes and individually made pieces for period and character homes.

From £1,000
Day Rate

Kitchen and bathroom fitting £280 per day. Bespoke joinery £300 per day.

From £280 per day

Smaller jobs, by the hour or the day

Flat pack and furniture assembly£25 per hour, min 2 hrs
Plumbing not involving gas£35 per hour, min 2 hrs
Door hanging, skirting, architrave & window repairs£35 per hour, min 2 hrs
General maintenance and small works£25 per hour, min 2 hrs
Fitted shelving and wardrobesQuoted after visit
Painting and decorating, small room£220 to £320
Painting and decorating, larger room£320 to £480
Painting and decorating, day rate£170 per day

Materials and paint quoted separately, or supply your own. A minimum call out of two hours applies to small jobs.

For holiday let & second home owners

Holiday Let Aftercare & Maintenance

A handmade kitchen or bathroom is built to last, but guest turnover takes its toll. Regular small maintenance keeps a let looking its best and catches minor issues before they become guest complaints. Priority given to properties I've built or fitted, though open to any holiday let or second home in the area.

Typical jobs covered

  • · Adjusting doors, drawers & hinges that have dropped or stuck
  • · Touching up scratches, chips & marks on worktops, cabinets & paintwork
  • · Dripping taps, worn washers, running or slow filling toilets
  • · Loose or broken handles, knobs & catches
  • · Resealing around sinks, baths & worktops
  • · Loose or cracked grout & tiles
  • · Sticking drawers, wobbly furniture, loose screws & fixings
  • · Squeaky hinges and doors
  • · General check before guests arrive

How it works

Seasonal check
One scheduled visit, working through a full snagging list in one go
£150 to £250 per visit
Spring and autumn care
Two scheduled visits a year (spring and autumn)
£280 to £450 per year
Priority booking
Maintenance clients get priority scheduling for anything unplanned, at the standard day rate, with no extra charge

A seasonal check is also the easiest way to plan ahead. If a worktop's showing its age or a bathroom's ready for an upgrade, it's a natural time to talk through options for the future, from someone who already knows the property.

Start a project

Tell me about your project

A few details up front means I can give you a proper, useful answer straight away, rather than a round of messages back and forth just to find out the basics.

This opens your email app with the details filled in, ready to send.

Let's talk about your project

Get in touch for a free design visit with no obligation, whether for a kitchen, bathroom, or any general carpentry, painting or maintenance work.

Call for a free quote
Phone
07973 207145
Email
philip@vanpraagjoinery.co.uk
Area covered
Blaenau Ffestiniog, Porthmadog, Harlech, Betws-y-Coed, Criccieth, Beddgelert, Dolgellau, Barmouth & Llanberis (up to 45 mins), further afield for the right project
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