Finishing the job....
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Frustrated
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 7:56 pm
- Location: Long Island
Finishing the job....
I recently had 16 insert replacement windows installed. We are very happy with the job and the windows....but! The installer was very efficient, clean, courteous and got the job done in one day (16 windows, 14 double hung and 2 picture windows). He took out the molding to insert the window and then replaced the molding. He did NOT caulk around the molding or the window in the bedrooms but he did caulk the bottom of the windows in the rest of the rooms. My contractor told me I have to caulk all the trim. ?? Is this correct or should the installer have done this? It just seems odd to me that he would caulk the bottom of some windows and not others. I did two windows and it was slow and fustrating as I am not an expert caulker and the moldings did not fit perfectly when they were reinstalled (which is understandable) but now there are some big gaps which probably need to be filled with something other than caulk. I'm just curious if this is part of the installers job. If not I'm willing to hire someone to do this (not really, but I will if I have to!) Thanks for your help!
I don't know what contractor you went with, but the installer should have sealed around the interior trim...all the way around. And your trim not fitting back perfectly at the joints is'nt good workmanship either. With a little time and patience it should go back just as before, unless he moved it in or out from where it originally was. If I was you I'd call the contractor back and tell him you'd like your interior sealed, since you just spent a bunch of money with them they should oblige. Also, most importantly, check the outside of your windows and make sure they are sealed all the way around the blindstop and on the sill.
We try not to use caulk on the inside if we don't have to. The first reason is paint and stain won't usually stick to the silicone most installers use. If we use Quad then you better be good with a squirt gun! I can caulk around any window in under 30 seconds with nominal gaps. Practice has made it very easy for me. Caulking is one thing that can really make a unit look bad. Sometimes theres no way around having things go wrong with a caulk job. If your installer just did a couple windows and not all of them. That's wrong! The whole idea is to have them all look the same in appearance from the inside. I'd call him back to finish up. It may have just been an over sight.
Guy, good for you that you dont caulk on the inside. I myself do, if the interior is painted white, I use a latex or acrylic based caulk-which is paintable. Who would use silicone on the interior? And like I said with a little time and patience I can make any caulk job look good. Also give me nominal gaps and i'll hang with your 30 seconds. The reason I said the interior should be sealed is that their contractor caulked some sills, and yes I agree with you on the everything should be uniform deal. I'm trying not to be rude, It just seemed as though you were correcting me when their was no correction needed.
I wasn't trying to correct you in any way at all. Everyone has their reasons for why they do what they do. I don't rip on anyone's method of installation at all unless it's totally bogus and may cause damage. Yes we do at times caulk the inside of our windows. Sometimes we have no other options than to caulk them. As for who would use silicone on the inside of a window....boat loads of installers do it daily. Mainly because they can smear it in and have it look good. They don't realize the latex works much better. The caulking in 30 seconds is only because back in the old day we had to install our own glass with spring clips holding it in place. We then had to caulk both side of the glass. You learn how to do it very efficiently when your glazing fifty pieces of glass a day. Sorry if you felt I was correcting you. If I do that in any way I will always attach your name to it and more than likely email you instead of hammering you on this site!
Like I said Guy I was'nt trying to be rude, and I'm sorry for coming across as a smart@$$, I guess I jump the gun a little early sometimes. In this industry theres more than one way to do a good job, and yes everyone does things differently, that doesnt mean its wrong. But in Frustrated's case I think the contractor should be responsible for caulking their interior, and if it were me I would want my interior trim just as it was before the job.