The four contract tiers
Amy in Falador hands out contracts, and you can take any tier you have the level for. Each tier uses one plank type. The xp per plank figure below is the average across all contracts for that tier, including the bonus you get on completion, which is why it is higher than building the same furniture at home.
| Tier | Level | Plank | Completion xp | Average xp per plank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 1 | Regular | 500 | 93.7 |
| Novice | 20 | Oak | 1,250 | 200 |
| Adept | 50 | Teak | 2,250 | 287.9 |
| Expert | 70 | Mahogany | 2,750 | 346.1 |
Visible boosts count towards the tier requirement, so a Construction boost can get you into Expert a few levels early. Invisible boosts such as the crystal saw do not.
How the plank and bar numbers are worked out
Contract size varies a lot. A Beginner or Novice job can need anything from 3 to 14 planks, and Adept and Expert jobs need roughly 8 to 17. Some jobs also need a steel bar or two, and the chance depends on which house you are sent to. The calculator uses averages for both, so treat its plank count as a shopping list for the whole goal rather than a promise for the next ten contracts. Over a few hundred contracts the averages hold up well.
Planks are the cost. Steel bars are a small part of the bill, so a move in the steel bar price barely changes the total, but mahogany planks swing enough that the Expert cost can shift noticeably from week to week. Nails are not needed at all, and you only need a hammer and saw besides the materials.
Carpenter points and what to buy
Every contract also pays carpenter points: 2 for Beginner, 3 for Novice, 4 for Adept and 5 for Expert.
- Plank sack (350 points): holds 28 planks of any type, and you can build straight from it. It lets you finish more contracts per bank trip, which adds roughly a quarter to a third to xp per hour. Buy this first.
- Carpenter's outfit (2,000 points for all four pieces): 2.5% bonus Construction xp with the full set. Since June 2024 the bonus also applies to the xp paid on contract completion.
- Amy's saw (500), Hosidius blueprints (2,000) and supply crates (25 each) round out the shop. Everything comes to 4,875 points, or 975 Expert contracts.
The plank sack alone is 70 Expert contracts or 88 Adept ones, which you will clear long before 99 if you use Mahogany Homes as your main method.
Is it worth doing over house training?
Mahogany Homes is cheaper per xp than building furniture at home (compare both in the Construction calculator), and much less click-heavy, but slower. Expert contracts with good teleports land somewhere around 185,000 to 210,000 xp an hour without the sack and noticeably more with it. Oak larders and mahogany tables in your own house are far faster and far more expensive. Teak contracts at Adept cost roughly half as much per xp as mahogany ones, so players on a budget often stay on Adept longer than they strictly need to.
Our Construction training guide lays out where each method fits from 1 to 99, and the money making list is worth a look if the plank bill is what is holding you back.
Getting around fast
Contracts send you to Falador, Varrock, East Ardougne or Hosidius. Carry teleports to all four (a charged Xeric's talisman covers Hosidius), and you will spend most of your time building rather than walking. Contracts cannot be cancelled, so do not take an Expert one if you are short on mahogany planks. When you finish, the homeowner offers tea that tops your run energy back to 100%.