This is on of the most common phrases use by all trades in the construction industry today
This is one of the most common phrases used in the building game and by especially by carpenters that they tell the client so that they can get out of doing the job they were paid to do properly. Instead of providing their client/customer which in most cases is almost always a well-paying client with a finished product they promised them, they give them a finish as quick as possible product and tell the customer that it’s OK the painter will gap it and it will look good.
Yes he is absolutely right "the painter will fix it" but it will come at an additional cost to you, the paying customer. You can have the best carpenter in the work do the finishing work on your home the only problem is that until the painter comes in and puts he final touches on the job and adds colour to it, it will look unfinished and dull. A quality paint finish will compliment and most importantly add value to the home. A quality finished paint job will last you longer and you won’t need to have it repainted within 3 years.
When you have a mitre joint that is not square and the not aligned properly then the painter will have to come in and either put no more gaps or another type of filler in it to make the mitre joint look presentable. Unfortunately this comes at an additional cost as it will take additional time during the preparation stage.
It’s not only the additional cost of the work that is involved in making it look presentable it’s also not going to last as long as if was done correctly the first time. For example the painter gaps and or fills the mitre joints that the carpenter told the well-paying client “the painter will fix it” and in a couple of years the you open and close the doors and on the odd occasion without it being your fault you slams the door and the mitre joint that was filled by the painter opens up. What do you think the customer says then. “That painter did a shit job and should of being more careful, I over paid this guy”.
The fact that the painter had to fill a mitre that was supposed to be flush and uses the latest and greatest tools is not even a consideration or doesn’t go through the mind of the customer. In my opinion in the modern era with all the drop saws and the tools they have there should be no excuse for a carpenter to cut a 45 degree mitre on a architrave and be out of alignment. It’s just a matter of I want to get out of there as fast as possible and not worry about it.
This could of being easily avoided if the carpenter has spent two minutes longer properly adjusting his drop saw or measuring twice and cutting one so as to make sure its correct and aligned property. I have done extensive work on period homes and home have marvelled at the old school craftsmanship of these tradesman.
Makes you wonder how did the old school carpenters do it back in the day when they didn't have drop saws and all the fancy equipment that a carpenter has today.