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Subcontractor vs in-house crew for trim work, chose wrong, learned my lesson
Got a 3,200 sq ft custom build outside Columbus and had to pick between my regular framing crew doing the trim or a specialist sub who quoted 40% more. I went with my guys because the schedule was tight and I trusted them, plus the sub's timeline had a 2 week gap I couldn't absorb. Big mistake. They took twice as long on the casing and baseboards because they kept re-cutting miter joints and filling gaps with caulk that shrunk. The homeowner walked through last Tuesday and pointed at a crown molding seam, said "that looks like a butt joint from 15 feet." Had to bring in the sub anyway to rip out half of it and redo, which ate any savings plus my buffer. Now I ask subs for a sample piece on any finish work over 500 linear feet, even if it costs me a day. Anyone else eat this same cost by trusting the wrong crew just to hold a date?
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thea1432mo ago
That's a brutal lesson to learn, and I feel for you because that schedule pressure is real. I've had similar moments where trusting the familiar crew cost me more than the specialist ever would have. Your sample piece rule sounds like a smart way to protect yourself, and it's probably worth the extra day every time.
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