No idea what to do

[Disappearingcarpenter]

At the beginning of February I hired a carpenter to build and paint two wardrobes.

At the end of February he still hadn't finished then told me he had to go back to his home country as a relative was ill.

No communication since. Wardrobes need to be calked, painted, a drawer rail replaced and handles put on. I owe him half of the agreed price.

Would you hire someone else to finish the job?

Yes.

Yes. In addition I suggest you prepare to defend yourself against him turning up in the future and making demands for further payment relating to the work. An important first step is to write stuff down. Write down what was agreed at the outset. Write down when he started and when he walked off the job. If he was working days here and there try to remember how many days he worked. Try to describe how much had been completed when he left - take pictures of everything, include those areas he had worked on but was not to a finished standard. Write down all the things you can see that were left unfinished, or not started, when he walked away. This will also be useful for explaining to the next chap what you need done!
Make you own assessment of how much of the job has been completed. You've paid for half so if you think it is about half done then if he shows up and demands any further payment you can reply - with reference to your thoughtful deliberations - that you don't agree. If you feel that less had been completed you can reply that actually he owes you some cash not the other way round.
I don't believe you owe him any further payment. If he is not communicating then it is reasonable to assume he is not intending to finish the job in any reasonable time, so employ someone else and get it done.
Good luck.

Thanks much appreciated. I have messaged him and said that if he doesn't contact me I'll get someone in to do the job. I'm going to phone and leave a voicemail saying that as well.

I have already approached carpenters to finish the job and am getting quotes.

The whole situation was weird. He turned up most days for three weeks to put in two small wardrobes. I assumed it would take a few days, not nearly a month.

Carpenter has just contacted me and said he's ready to resume work. I've already had it completed!