Got into it with a builder over tack strip placement on a job in Phoenix last Tuesday

He wanted us to run the strips right up to the drywall, no gap, saying it 'looks cleaner' and the baseboard would cover it anyway. I argued for the standard 3/8 inch gap to let the carpet tuck properly and avoid a visible ridge. This was on a 1,200 sq ft install with a dense loop commercial grade. We ended up doing it his way on one room as a test, and sure enough, you can see a faint line along the wall. Has anyone else had to fight this battle with a GC who thinks they know carpet better than the installer?

2 comments

2 Comments

murray.troy10d ago

Tell a guy his job and watch him create a new problem to solve. That faint line is the carpet's way of saying I told you so. Guess the clean look needed a gap after all.

aaron_bell5310d ago

That "looks cleaner" line... it's the same in every field where someone thinks the finish hides the craft.