Got chewed out by a homeowner for using the wrong nail gun on baseboards last Saturday

I was trimming out a living room in a old house near downtown and grabbed my 18 gauge to shoot the base shoe. Homeowner came in and said I was gonna split the quarter round with that size. Honestly, I've never had issues with it, but she was right - three nails in and I saw a crack. Switched to a 23 gauge pinner and it was smooth after that. She's a retired finish carpenter, so I couldn't even be mad. Has anyone else had a customer call you out mid-job with a fix that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.luna4d ago

Yeah that tracks. Old school carpenters have a way of just knowing what works before you even pull the trigger. I've had customers catch stuff like that and honestly it saves time in the long run even if it stings a little.

faith274d ago

Why should we act like getting schooled by a homeowner is always a good thing? I get that she knew her stuff, but you're the hired pro and should have caught that before she did. Her fix worked, but it still makes you look bad when the client calls out your nail size choice.

david_palmer4d ago

Nah, I'm with @faith27 on this one. You're the one getting paid to know this stuff, and getting corrected by a homeowner just means you dropped the ball on the basics.