Apprentice carpenter tool list
Day one, first months, and later.
Home › Kit guides
Kit guides
What's worth buying, what to upgrade, and what to leave on the shelf. Sorted by category.
Power Tools
Choose your battery platform before anything else. Switching later is expensive.
Best 18V combi drill UK
Five drills compared.
Best 18V impact driver UK
DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch.
DeWalt vs Makita 18V
Which battery platform to commit to.
Workwear & PPE
Boots, knees, lungs, and staying warm. Buy decent kit from day one.
Best winter workwear for site
Thermals, waterproofs, gloves.
Best safety boots UK
S1P vs S3, fit, and what to spend.
Best work trousers with knee pads
Snickers, Scruffs, Dickies.
FFP2 vs FFP3 dust masks
Which you need, and why fit matters.
Tool Storage
You'll carry it every day, so smaller and tougher beats bigger.
Best tool bag UK
Open totes, zipped bags and backpacks.
Best stackable tool box system
Packout vs TSTAK vs Makpac.
Best tool belt UK
Leather vs nylon, and braces.
Business, Insurance & Vans
For when you go self-employed: tax, cover and getting a van on the road.
Going self-employed as a tradesperson
HMRC, CIS and pricing your first jobs.
Public liability insurance for tradespeople
What it covers and how much you need.
Tool insurance
Overnight van rules and new-for-old.
Van insurance for tradespeople
Business use, tools and goods cover.
Van leasing vs finance
Lease, HP or buy outright.
Trade Software
Little needed as an apprentice. Essential once you're quoting and invoicing.
Best free apps for tradespeople
Notes, NVQ photos, timesheets.
Best invoicing app for tradespeople
Tradify, Fergus, ServiceM8, Powered Now.
Best accounting software for tradespeople
MTD-ready picks.