Had a guy argue with me for 20 minutes about a 1/8 inch gap around a window last week

I was finishing a basement in a house near Cleveland and the homeowner kept following me around with a level. He swore the gap around the window was too big. I told him it's for expansion and he said I was being lazy. Finally his buddy who actually works construction showed up and told him to back off. Has anyone else had to deal with a customer who thinks they know drywall better than the guy holding the mud?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_shane11d ago

The gap actually needs to be there for caulking and proper drainage, so 1/8 inch is pretty standard for vinyl windows. If the homeowner had ever watched a window actually expand on a hot summer day he'd understand why you don't cram them in tight. Did you end up walking off the job or just let his buddy explain it?

kellymurphy11d ago

Did you read that article on window installation that went around last month? It said the same thing about expansion gaps being non-negotiable.