Questions we get asked on the job

Call 0410 442 503, email multihouseservices@gmail.com or use the quote form on this site. Tell us what needs doing and your suburb. Quotes are free and we usually reply the same day.

Yes, and it's often the quickest way. A few clear photos of the job, plus rough measurements if you have them, let us quote many jobs without coming out first. For bigger or trickier work, we'll arrange a time to see it in person.

Yes. We hold QBCC Carpenter Contractor Licence 338940C and we're fully insured. You can look up our licence on the QBCC's online register before you book.

Yes. New installations come with a 3-month workmanship warranty. If something we've done isn't right in that time, let us know and we'll come back and fix it.

We're based in Hope Island and work across the Gold Coast and Brisbane. On the Gold Coast that's mainly the northern suburbs down to Robina and Burleigh Heads, and in Brisbane it's the south and east, including Logan and Beenleigh. If you're not sure we cover you, just ask.

It depends on the job and how busy we are at the time. We'll give you a likely start date with the quote, and keep you posted if anything changes. Small repairs can often be fitted in sooner.

Yes. We put down drop sheets, keep the work area tidy as we go, and take away offcuts and rubbish from our work when we finish. You should be left with the finished job and nothing else.

We don't do electrical work, plumbing, gas or pest and termite treatment. Where a job needs one of those trades, we'll tell you, and for things like LED lighting in a feature ceiling we can coordinate a licensed electrician. If damage needs a structural engineer to look at it first, we'll say so.

The payment terms for each job are set out clearly on your quote, so you know what to expect before any work starts. If you have a question about them, ask us before you accept the quote.

A carpenter is trained and licensed in timber construction, from framing to finish work. A handyman covers a wide range of small jobs around the house. We're both: a licensed carpenter who also takes on handyman jobs, so the timber work is done to a trade standard.

There's no single right answer. It depends on the batten size, the look you want and how much light or privacy you need. We can mark out a couple of options on the wall so you can see the spacing before anything is fixed.

For non-load-bearing walls, often yes. If the wall carries load from the roof or the floor above, it needs an engineer's design first, so we'll check the framing and tell you if you need one. We don't do structural engineering ourselves.

Often, yes. Some older profiles are still available, and others can be matched closely by combining standard mouldings. Send us a photo of a cut end or the profile and we'll tell you what's possible.

Yes, as part of the carpentry job. We can fill, sand and paint new trims, battens and patched areas so the job is finished properly. For a full repaint of the house, you're better off with a dedicated painter.

Not always. If the board is still hard and flat once it's dry, the stain can often be sealed with a stain-blocking primer and the ceiling repainted. If it's soft, crumbly or sagging, that section needs replacing.

A plumber if the water is coming from a bathroom, pipe or appliance above, and a roofer if it only shows up when it rains. Once the source is fixed, we repair the ceiling. If you're not sure which you need, send us a photo and we'll tell you what we think.

It can be. Wet plasterboard is heavy, and a sagging ceiling can drop without much warning. Keep people out of the room below, and call us to make it safe and repair it.

We'll look for the same or a very close profile. Where a true match isn't possible, replacing the cornice along the whole wall usually looks better than a patch that's almost right.

That depends on your policy and what caused the damage, so check with your insurer. We can give you a written quote to pass on to them. Some insurers use their own builders, so it's worth asking before you book.

Often, yes. We check the framing above the damaged area and make sure everything is dry before new board goes up. Let us know where the manhole is and clear a path to it.

Pivot doors look striking on wide openings and carry a heavy door easily, but they don't seal as tightly as a hinged door. They work best under a verandah or deep eave. If your entry cops driving rain, a well-sealed hinged door is usually the better choice, and we'll tell you honestly which suits your house.

Dense hardwoods like spotted gum, merbau and blackbutt handle the humidity well and look great oiled. If you plan to paint the door, a stable paint-grade timber is often the smarter pick. We'll talk through how each one looks and ages before you decide.

Measuring and design usually take one visit. Making the door takes the longest, and the time depends on the design and the door maker, so we give you a realistic date when the order goes in. The install itself is usually a day, a little more for a pivot door or a new frame.

Usually, yes. We measure and photograph your existing doors, note the panel layout, mouldings and hardware, and have a new door made to match. Old houses are rarely square, so we size it to suit the frame you actually have.

Keep it clean, check the finish once a year, and recoat an oiled door as soon as it starts to look dry or grey. Doors facing north or west in full sun need attention more often. If it starts to stick in summer, call us before forcing it, as it usually just needs an edge sealed or a small adjustment.

Yes. We can hang a door you've already had made, fit the hardware and finish it. Send us the maker's sizes and drawings before it's built, so we can check the frame and floor will be ready for it.

Some do. The height of the deck, whether it has a roof and how it's attached to the house can all mean it needs building approval or a certifier. We'll tell you if your deck needs approval before you commit, so there are no surprises halfway through.

Merbau is hard, stable and a rich red-brown, which is why it's so common around pools on the Gold Coast. New merbau bleeds tannin when it first gets wet, and that can stain light pavers and pool coping. It eases off as the timber weathers, and we'll talk you through how to manage it.

It depends on how much sun and rain the deck gets. A deck in full Queensland sun needs oiling more often than one under a roof. A simple test: when water stops beading on the boards and soaks straight in, it's time for another coat.

Usually, yes, as long as the joists underneath are sound. New boards look brighter than the old ones at first, but a full sand and oil brings them much closer together. If the frame is rotten, we'll show you before suggesting anything bigger.

We stop and show you. Rotten timber we can replace, but termite activity needs a pest controller to treat it before we rebuild. We don't do pest treatment ourselves, and we'll tell you if you need one.

Yes. Multi House Services is run by Isaac, a licensed carpenter, and holds QBCC Carpenter Contractor Licence 338940C. We're fully insured, and every new deck comes with a 3-month workmanship warranty.

Either works. We can supply the door and all the hardware, or install one you've already bought. If you're buying it yourself, send us the size and type first so we can check it suits the opening.

Most internal doors in an existing frame are done in a few hours. A front door with a new frame, or a cavity slider, can take most of a day. We'll give you a time on the quote.

Older Queenslanders often have non-standard openings, so a stock door may need trimming or a made-to-measure door. We measure on site and tell you which one you need before anything is ordered.

Yes. All six edges of a timber door need sealing so it doesn't swell in Queensland's humidity. We can prime and paint or oil the door as part of the job, or leave it ready for your painter.

Yes. Multi House Services holds QBCC Carpenter Contractor Licence 338940C and is fully insured. New door installations come with a 3-month workmanship warranty.

Timber takes on moisture in humid weather and swells, then shrinks back when the air dries out. Doors with unsealed top and bottom edges move the most. Sealing those edges, after any planing, usually stops the seasonal sticking.

Small and medium holes can usually be filled, sanded and painted so they're hard to spot. A big hole, or damage that's crushed the inside of the door, can cost nearly as much to fix as a new door. We'll tell you which makes more sense.

Usually not. Most of the time the door has dropped or the frame has shifted, so the latch no longer lines up with the strike plate. Tightening the hinges or moving the strike plate sorts it out in most cases.

You can, but check the hinges first. If the door has dropped because of loose screws, planing leaves a gap on the other side, and a bare planed edge will swell again. If you do plane it, seal the raw timber straight away.

Fine cracks at the corners of door frames are common and usually come from normal house movement. Large or widening cracks, or doors all over the house sticking at once, are worth having a structural engineer look at. We'll tell you if we think you need one.

Yes. Front, back and laundry doors take the weather, so we often see swollen bottoms, worn seals and soft timber at the base. We trim, repair, reseal and fit new seals so they close well and stay dry.

No. Connecting LED strips, drivers and dimmers is electrical work, and it must be done by a licensed electrician. We build the plasterboard and the channels, and we can coordinate a sparky so the wiring and our work happen in the right order.

Not if the cove is built right. We set the depth and lip of the cove to suit where you'll be sitting and standing, so you see the glow on the ceiling rather than the strip itself.

Usually, yes. Most designs are built down from the existing ceiling, so the lowered parts lose a little height. We check your ceiling height and what's in the roof space before suggesting a design.

The wall is built out from the existing one, which leaves a cavity behind for cables. Your electrician runs the power before we sheet it, and any antenna or data cables go in at the same stage. We fit timber blocking so the TV bracket fixes into solid timber, not just plasterboard.

Square set means there's no cornice where the wall meets the ceiling. The corner is finished as a sharp, straight line with a bead set into the plaster. It looks clean and modern, but it shows any unevenness, so the framing has to be straight first.

It's usually spread over several visits. Framing and sheeting go quickly, but each coat of setting compound needs to dry before the next, and the electrician has to fit in between. We'll give you a timeline on the quote.

If the rest of the posts are solid, we can usually replace just the damaged section or the rotten posts. Once most of the posts have gone soft, patching gets you very little time and a full replacement is better value. We'll check the posts and tell you which one you're looking at.

It's always best to talk to your neighbour first, agree on the style and height, and sort out how the cost will be split before we start. It saves a lot of trouble later. We're happy to explain the job to both of you when we quote.

Usually the gate frame has no diagonal brace, or the brace runs the wrong way, so the weight pulls the far corner down over time. A loose or rotting hinge post does the same thing. We can re-brace and rehang most gates, or build a new one if the frame is too far gone.

Posts sit in the ground and need to resist rot and termites, so a durable hardwood or a treated post rated for in-ground use is the go. Palings can be a lighter timber. We'll recommend what suits your fence and budget.

A typical backyard boundary is usually a couple of days. Posts go in first and the concrete needs time to set before the rails and palings go on. We'll give you a timeframe on the quote.

We'll show you what we find. We can replace damaged posts, but we don't do pest treatment, so if there's live termite activity we'll tell you to get a pest controller in first.

If the frame is straight and the corners are solid, re-meshing is usually the better value and looks as good as new. If the frame is bent, corroded or broken at the corners, a new screen makes more sense. We check each one and tell you.

Standard fibreglass mesh is light and easy to see through, but a dog or cat can push straight through it. Pet mesh is a thicker vinyl-coated polyester that stands up to claws. It's a little less see-through, so we usually keep it to doors and low windows.

Usually, yes. Most aluminium sliding doors have a track for a screen door alongside the glass door. We measure the opening, check the track, and fit a screen door with rollers and a latch to suit.

Worn rollers, a bent bottom track or a door out of adjustment are the usual reasons, and sand in the track makes it worse. We replace the rollers, clean and straighten the track, and adjust the door so it stays on.

Our work is fly screens: insect mesh and pet mesh in aluminium frames. Steel and stainless security screens are a specialist product supplied and fitted by security screen companies, so we'll tell you if that's what you need.

Lift them out if you can, brush off the dust with a soft brush, then wash gently with mild soapy water and rinse. Avoid pressure cleaners, which can stretch or tear the mesh and pop it out of the spline. Let them dry fully before putting them back.

Not really, but a single tiny job on its own can cost more than it's worth to book. If you add a few other small jobs to the list, the visit makes a lot more sense. Send us everything you've got and we'll tell you what's practical.

No. In Queensland, electrical work has to be done by a licensed electrician, and we don't do plumbing. We can do the carpentry side of a job, like building a niche or fitting a cabinet, and tell you when you need a sparky or plumber.

Yes. We find the studs and fix into the timber wherever we can. Where there's no stud in the right spot, we use wall anchors rated for the weight, or add a timber backing for really heavy items.

Yes. Holes in walls, damaged doors, loose fittings and broken fly screens are common end-of-lease jobs. Send us photos of what needs fixing and when you need it done by, and we'll let you know if we can fit it in.

We take away the offcuts, packaging and old fittings from our own work and leave the place tidy. We don't offer general rubbish removal or skip hire, so for a big clean-out you'll want a rubbish removal service.

Not always. Old knobs and locks often used bigger or differently placed holes than modern lever sets. We check the hole sizes and positions first, and fill, patch and paint wherever the new rose won't cover.

Yes, on most solid timber and solid-core doors. Hollow-core doors aren't strong enough to hold a deadbolt securely, so we'd suggest a solid door on any external entry. We cut the bolt hole and strike neatly into the frame so the bolt throws all the way.

No. Rekeying and restricted key systems are locksmith work. We can fit new locks that come keyed alike, so one key opens the front and back doors, or point you to a locksmith if you need your existing keys matched.

Yes, if it's a battery-powered model made to fit a standard door. We check your door thickness and existing holes before you buy. Anything that needs hardwiring has to be connected by a licensed electrician.

Often it doesn't. A stiff lock usually means the door has dropped and the bolt is rubbing on the strike, or the lock needs a clean and a dry lubricant. We fix the alignment first and only suggest a new lock if the old one is worn out.

Yes. A closer stops a screen door slamming in the wind or being left open for the mozzies. We fit it to suit the door's weight and adjust the speed so it closes gently and still latches.

We can, but it nearly always shows. Old paint fades and the patch takes paint differently, so you end up with a visible square. Sealing the repair and painting the whole wall from corner to corner gives an even finish.

Check the garage for an old tin, or ask your landlord or builder. If there's no record, we can take a small sample of the existing paint and have it colour-matched. A matched colour still looks best when it goes over the whole wall.

No. Our painting goes with our own carpentry and plaster work, like a repaired wall or ceiling, or a new door. For a full interior or exterior repaint, a dedicated painter is the right call, and we can leave our repairs ready for them.

Most homes have a low sheen on the walls, flat paint on the ceilings and semi-gloss on doors and trims, because it's tougher and easier to wipe. Matching what's already there keeps the repair from standing out.

Once the compound is completely dry and sanded. Depending on the repair and the weather, that might be later the same day or on a return visit. Humid Gold Coast and Brisbane summers can slow drying, so we don't rush it.

Yes. Small ones can be patched over a backing piece, and larger ones get a new piece of plasterboard cut in. We can also fit a door stop while we're there so it doesn't happen again.

Usually because it was only filled, not taped. The house keeps moving with the seasons, and filler alone can't flex with it. We rake the crack out and bridge it with tape before setting it, which holds far better. If a crack is widening or steps through brickwork, get an engineer to look at it first.

Most damage can be patched so you'll never find it, which is quicker and cheaper than a new sheet. We'd only suggest replacing the sheet when the damage is spread right across it, the board has been wet, or there are so many old patches that new board gives a better finish.

Each coat of compound has to dry before the next one goes on. Depending on the size of the repair, it might be finished in a day or need a second visit once it's dry. We'll tell you which on the quote.

Just clear about a metre in front of the wall if you can. We bring drop sheets, cover the floor and anything nearby, and clean up the dust before we leave.

Nothing, really. Gyprock is a brand name that most Australians use for any plasterboard. You'll hear us use both words for the same thing.

Yes. We frame the opening, hang the door and fit the architraves, so the new room is finished as one job. That includes a cavity sliding door if space is tight.

A plain wall cuts some noise, but sound batts in the cavity make a real difference, and acoustic board helps further. Sound also travels under doors and through the ceiling, so we'll talk through what will help most in your room.

We don't do electrical work ourselves. A licensed electrician runs the cables and fits the outlets, and we can coordinate one so the wiring goes in after the frame is up and before the sheets go on.

We can remove non-load-bearing walls and patch the walls and ceiling around them. Any pipes or wiring inside need a plumber or electrician to make them safe first. If the wall might be holding up the roof or the floor above, it needs an engineer's advice, and we'll tell you if that's the case.

Sometimes, if the rollers are fine and it has simply jumped out. If it comes off again or hangs crooked, a roller or hanger is probably worn and needs replacing. Forcing it can bend the track inside the wall, which turns a small repair into a bigger one.

Most of the time, no. We can usually reach the rollers and hangers by taking off the door stops or head trim. If the track itself is damaged, we may open a small section of plasterboard, then patch and paint it.

Yes. Drifting usually means the track isn't level or a bottom guide is missing or broken. We level the doors, replace the guides and can add a soft stop so they stay where you leave them.

Grit in the track and worn bottom rollers are the usual culprits. Cleaning the track helps for a while, but once the rollers have flattened, the door drags on the metal. New rollers and an adjustment usually make it slide easily again.

Yes. If the cavity frame is sound, we can fit a new door, rollers and pulls into it. If you want a different size, or the cavity unit is badly damaged, it becomes a bigger job and we'll explain the options.

Vacuum the tracks regularly, especially on patio doors near the beach. Skip oil and grease, which hold onto dirt, and use a dry silicone spray instead. If a door starts to scrape, get it adjusted before the rollers wear any further.

Yes, and it's often the best value. If the doors and carcass are in good shape, we can strip out the original shelf and rail and fit a new layout inside. You get far more storage without the cost of a full new robe.

Sliding doors save space in smaller bedrooms because they don't swing into the room, but you can only open one side at a time. Hinged doors give you full access and suit wider rooms. We'll look at the room and help you weigh it up.

Deep enough for a coat hanger to sit across the rail without the clothes rubbing on the doors. Much deeper than that and you lose floor space for little gain. We measure what you hang and plan the depth around it.

Yes, but the wiring has to be done by a licensed electrician. We can build in the space and the channels for lighting, and coordinate with a sparky to do the connection.

It comes down to the shelf material, its thickness, how far it spans and how it's supported. Long spans get a centre support or a stiffening edge, and heavy-duty shelves are fixed into the wall framing. That's why a pantry shelf is built differently from a linen shelf.