It's okay....... but honestly, for the price of relocating some switches, why would you trim a house ( a permanent detail btw ) in a way that you don't like? Especially a first floor? Move the boxes: )

Thanks, Jan! That's my argument, too, but I think we're at an impasse b/c the drywall is already in... :-)

In older house the public areas (entry hall, dining, living rooms) have the nicest widest trim. Areas that aren't public (kitchen, laundry, basement) have the smallest plainest trim. The bedrooms would fall in the middle.

I have had the same issue and made custom returns around the switch plate. Being a woodworker I did the cuts and the crew did the install.

Really moving boxes is really not a huge issue even with the added expense of patching drywall, IMO the wider trim should be on the mainfloor and if anything the narrow upstairs so I would stick to my guns and have it done properly or just warn hubby this will be an ongoing argument for ever.

Drywall makes it simple.

Move the switches.

These comments are so helpful - thanks to all of you! I'll work on the moving-the-switches option. Raye Smith - do you have any photos of how you designed the custom returns?

No pics but I did a three piece molding. I cut a rectangle into the middle molding and mitered the outer molding around the inset. Sort of like this...

Oops, didn't stick, try, try again

Got it, Raye, thanks so much!

For heavens sake move the switches!!! Please! Are these pages not full enough with problems resulting from " lipstick on a pig" shortcuts??? Yes! And most cost more to fix and could have been done right the FIRST time!

Sometimes you can't move the work box due to corners, shower walls, etc. Too many contractors only know how to plan for the "contractor special" sized items instead of custom. Another question, are you using the smallest size of switch plate covers?

I guess I'll look for them. Thanks very much, Raye -