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Extension jambs

| Posted in Construction Techniques on December 31, 2003 03:19am

I’ll never buy ’em again on windows.  For me, given the quality of the drywall work I get, about one frame side in three comes out on wall plane or slightly proud.  The rest of the time we seem to be going through a lot of blades ripping out gypboard in order to get a reasonable landing place for the casings and sills.

Most all the window folks have standardized on 4-9/16″ as the jamb depth required for 2×4 wall construction, and 2″ extenders are provided if opted for.  But the local Pella guy says their factory will go to the 5/8″ fraction if requested.  For me, even that might not be enough sometimes.

Do you find making them and installing them on site to be cost effective?  And for fastening, what do you use?  2-1/2″ trim screws, sunk deep?

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  1. gdavis62 | Dec 31, 2003 04:02am | #1

    And here is a question for all you trim carpenters.  Do you charge more for making, fitting, and installing extension jambs on site, or do you find that it makes your casing work go faster and therefore nets out to zero in add-on time and cost?

    I have had a few guys here say that they are not worth it, the factory-applied extenders, because of the time spent dealing with the out-of-plane conditons with adjacent wall materials.

  2. Piffin | Dec 31, 2003 04:32am | #2

    I don't have3 a good frame of reference since I have only used factory extensions once or twice in my life. I doo most of my own casing millwork too so it is almsot nothing to make my own extensions too. If I were just a cut and stickit guy, I would probably expect the builder to buy the premade and go ahead and bitch about the fit.

    .

    Excellence is its own reward!

  3. wrick2003 | Dec 31, 2003 04:40am | #3

         I prefer to make my own.

         Preparing the opening is the trick. If you can skim and make the plane of the wall fairly flat, it's pretty easy to make them all within a sixteenth of each other. Otherwise it's "Ricky's Custom Trim Shoppe".      

         rg 

  4. User avater
    Sphere | Dec 31, 2003 06:43am | #4

    my last major problem was with the premades all not wide enough..a log home kit that really needed 6 15/16 +, not 6 9/16..had to pull em off and make new anyway, at that still all tapered..or not wide enough for a scribe to follow the wall, then the groove in the jamb (centerd) keeps ya from using a shorter nail. I wound up whittlin every one..glue and brads, then the ol block plane for final flush with logs..I learned.

  5. sportinwood | Dec 31, 2003 08:33am | #5

    Generally I prefer to build my own.  Lots of different window styles out there.  Price is affected by variables.  It depends on what kind of materials and styles are specd.  Will windows have stools. How large are the windows.  Can the jambs be preassembled or is it a taper to fit type of job.

    I usually try to figure about how much time it will take and add it to the bid.  Usually around 20 minutes per window w/stools.  Less without

    Dont know how this compares with other people out there but has been working for me.  (admittedly only 2yrs on my own).

    Best of Luck!

  6. andybuildz | Dec 31, 2003 04:16pm | #6

    I've never bought pre made jambs or sills.I always fabricated my own.

    Yesterday after doing a knotty pine 5" floor for someone......they gave me that oak sill that goes in front of an Anderson French door. They told me it cost about $35.....geezzz. I told them to return it and I ripped and beveled them one out of the knotty pine floor....took all of about two minutes and the floor will look so much more custom now when finished...no extra charge.

    I always added into the price the cost to do extention jambs myself. After all these years I've learned not to count on pre made ones...the extra charge is minimal and I know I'll be safer that way as well. Lets also add the fact that the extra cost is probably none at all to the customer being how expense pre made ones are.

    Be a piece of trim ; )~

                               andy

    My life is my practice!

    http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

  7. User avater
    Mongo | Dec 31, 2003 06:13pm | #7

    In general, it comes down to one of two choices...

    Buying factory made (or factory installed) and then tweaking them for a proper fit...

    Or making your own that you know will fit.

    I prefer the latter. Make your own from the start and you can modify the design for desired for a custom look.

    Usually biscuits for registration and gravy (Titebond) to hold. But you have to realize I use biscuits and gravy on darn near everything. Fast and easy.

    If things aren't holding in place, a slightly warped piece of trim doesn't want to snug tight, for example...then a well-placed screw will encourage proper board alignment.

    1. andybuildz | Dec 31, 2003 08:50pm | #8

      gravey? Thats a new one to me.My life is my practice!

      http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

      1. gdavis62 | Dec 31, 2003 09:56pm | #9

        So here is the question another way.  If you had bid a trimout job with 55 windows in it, and figured into your price that you would be making and fitting extenders on site, but arrived to find out the windows have factory extenders, would you want to charge your customer extra money for ripping drywall and tweaking, would you consider it a wash, or would you credit something back?  Let's say that about one third of the perimeter footage required ripping and tweaking.

  8. fdampier5 | Jan 01, 2004 01:10am | #10

    I make my own,  very few people offer 10 inch jam extensions( and that's what I need to keep everything flush)..  piece of cake to make and cheap besides.. In Oak I average about 16 cents per extension.

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