Serving Barnard Castle and the surrounding area for over 60 years.
Your Questions About Atkinson Joiners, Answered
If you're thinking about getting in touch but want to know a bit more about how we work first, this page covers the questions we're most commonly asked. For questions about a specific service, each service page has its own FAQ section with more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Business
How long has Atkinsons Joiners been trading?
The business was established in 1966 when Stan Atkinson purchased the joinery business he'd served his apprenticeship with in Barnard Castle. It's been trading under the Atkinson Joiners name since then — over 60 years. The business is still family run, now led by Stan's sons Tony and Graeme, who both served their own apprenticeships with the company.
Are you members of any trade bodies?
Yes. Atkinsons Joiners Ltd is a member of the Federation of Master Builders.
Where are you based and what area do you cover?
We're based on Montalbo Road in Barnard Castle, where our workshop is. We work primarily across Barnard Castle and the surrounding area of Teesdale — including the dale villages, rural properties and local towns within a reasonable distance. If you're not sure whether your property falls within our area, get in touch and we'll let you know.
The Work We Do
What types of work do you specialise in?
Our main work is purpose-made timber joinery — doors, windows, sash windows, staircases and architectural joinery — along with heritage restoration and repair work on older properties. A significant part of what we do is for older homes, period properties and listed buildings where standard products don't suit the building or aren't appropriate under planning conditions.
Do you work on modern properties as well as period ones?
Yes, although much of our work is on older properties. If you need joinery made to a size or specification that isn't available off the shelf, we can help regardless of when the property was built. The type of work we're best suited to is anything where quality and accuracy matter more than speed and volume.
What work do you not cover?
We don't fit kitchens, bedrooms or standardised interior installations. Our work is purpose-made joinery — items that are designed and built for a specific property rather than selected from a range and installed. If you're looking for a kitchen fitter or bedroom installer, we're not the right business for that.
Do you work for builders and contractors as well as homeowners?
Yes. We manufacture joinery for local builders and contractors who then install it themselves, as well as working directly with homeowners where we both manufacture and fit. If you're a builder who needs specialist joinery made to order for a project, we're used to working that way.
Do you carry out commercial work as well as residential?
Yes. We've carried out joinery work on commercial properties, traditional shopfronts, churches, schools and estate buildings. The type of work tends to be similar to our residential work — period details, heritage restoration and joinery that can't be sourced ready-made.
Getting a Quote
How do I get a quote?
Get in touch by phone or through the contact form on the website. For most jobs we'll arrange a site visit to take measurements and understand what's needed before putting a quote together. This is particularly important for heritage work, repair jobs and anything involving an older property where the condition of the existing structure affects what can be done and how.
How long does it take to get a quote?
We're working in the workshop during the day, so quote preparation sometimes takes a little time. We'll always come back to you, but it may not be the same day you get in touch. If your enquiry is time-sensitive, it's worth mentioning that when you contact us.
Lead Times and Process
How far in advance do you need to book?
We typically work to a waiting list of around two to three months, though this varies depending on the time of year and what's ahead in the workshop. It's worth getting in touch sooner rather than later if you have a project in mind, particularly if there's a deadline involved.
Do you manufacture the joinery and fit it, or manufacture only?
Both. For homeowner projects we normally manufacture and install. For builders and contractors, we often manufacture only and they install themselves. We'll confirm which approach suits your project when you get in touch.
Do you manage other trades as part of a project?
Not directly — we focus on the joinery. Painting and decorating is carried out by external decorators once the joinery is in place, and we work regularly with local decorators we can recommend if needed. Glazing is sourced and fitted by us as part of most jobs. For any other trades — roofing, stonework, drainage — we can point you towards firms we've worked alongside on previous projects, but the coordination sits with the customer or their builder.