Vetted UK professionals

Boatbuilders & fabrication

Shipwrights, welders and joiners for structural and refit work

Fabrication work is the heavy end of the boatyard: refit projects, structural repairs, steel and aluminium welding, stainless rails and davits, deck recores, teak laying and interior joinery. These jobs run for weeks rather than hours, so the quote matters less than the schedule, the stage payments and how change is handled.

Marine Match handles that with staged payments held by Stripe on larger jobs and a written change-order process, so extra work discovered once panels come off is agreed and priced before it is done rather than appearing on a final invoice.

Why these professionals are different

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verified boatbuilding & fabrication professionals listed and cleared to quote

average rating across 0 reviews, each tied to a completed booking

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document-checked before approval — no self-certified listings

What our team checks in this category

  • Trade qualificationNVQ / City & Guilds / equivalent certificate for the trade you list.
  • Public liability insuranceCertificate in the trading name, minimum £1m cover, in date.

Documents are re-checked at expiry. How we verify professionals.

How to pick the right quote

  • A staged schedule with defined milestones rather than one lump sum
  • Photographs of comparable completed projects, not just workshop shots
  • Written change-order process for work found after opening up
  • Clear ownership of yard space, craneage and storage costs

Payment is held securely and only released once you confirm the work is complete.

What owners book most

  • Refit project management across joinery, paint and systems
  • Structural GRP, timber and steel repair after grounding or impact
  • Stainless and aluminium fabrication: rails, arches, davits, tanks
  • Teak deck replacement, caulking and repair
  • Deck core repair and hatch or window re-bedding
  • Bespoke interior joinery and cabinetry

Trades in this category

Boatbuilders & fabrication — FAQ

How are big refit jobs paid for on Marine Match?
Jobs of £1,500 and above run on staged payments: funds are held securely by Stripe and released against agreed milestones as work is completed, rather than paid up front. Additional work is agreed through a change order before it starts.
How long does a refit take?
It depends entirely on scope, but honest boatbuilders build in contingency — opening up a deck or an engine bay routinely reveals more work. Ask for a milestone schedule at quote stage and treat a very short timeline on a large scope as a warning sign.
Can I use different pros for different parts of a refit?
Yes. Many owners post separate jobs for joinery, paint, electrics and engineering, and Marine Match lets you tag up to four trades on a single job when the work genuinely spans them.
What do you check before approving a boatbuilder?
Photo ID, business registration, in-date public liability insurance and trade qualification or evidenced boatbuilding experience, plus references we can call.

Costs & guides

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Describe the work, your berth and your timeframe. We put it in front of vetted professionals nearby and you compare up to three private quotes — free, with no obligation to book.