Lowering the opener is not too hard to do. And I would lower it if it were ten inches off the top of the door. The opener should be installed at a slight angle. The motor head should be lower than the front of the rail, However many people install them level which is wrong, if they took the time to look in the owners manual of the opener it shows the opener hung at a slight angle.

With that much of a gap between the door and opener, when the opener starts to move the door, the j-arm starts to pull straight down on the door. The opener j-arm (the part that attaches the door to the opener) is supposed to push up on the top section, not pull straight down. It can cause damage to the center style on the door over time and I have saw it bow top sections with struts on them. Have them lower it.

It should cost next to nothing to drop the opener about 8 inches.

Thanks for the reply. I guess we'll ask the installers if they will lower the opener while they are here.