I thought a 1/32 inch gap was just nitpicking until a client pointed it out

I was installing some inset cabinet doors in a kitchen remodel in Boise, and I set them with what I thought was a fine gap. The homeowner, a retired machinist, came over with a feeler gauge and showed me it was actually 1/16th. He said, 'That's the difference between a cabinet and a piece of furniture.' I tightened it up, and he was totally right. Has anyone else had a client teach them a precision detail they'd been overlooking?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinnr4025d ago

Ever get schooled by a client on something you thought was minor? That machinist had a point. A tiny gap change can turn good work into great work. I've learned more from picky customers than any manual.

averywilliams25d ago

Used to see picky clients as a pain. Now I realize their eye for detail is what pushes the work from okay to perfect. That shift in view changed how I handle every project.

fiona_young14d ago

Totally get that. I used to fight clients on font choices, like it was a personal thing. Then one pointed out how a slightly heavier weight just looked better on their specific paper stock. Now I ask about the final use case first thing. That small change in my process saves so much back and forth.