Builder wants window trim, architect says go trimless — rowhome. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hope the pictures post

With trim:
https://www.houzz.com/photo/126202-greenlake-custom-home-craftsman-exterior-seattle" border="0" class="embeddedImage" />

Trimless:


Source: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2013/02/14/modern-hardie-siding-details-w-exterior-rigid-foam

Yikes!

That looks awful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hope the pictures post

With trim:


Trimless:


Source: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2013/02/14/modern-hardie-siding-details-w-exterior-rigid-foam

The trimless photo looks like the contractors walked off the job site leaving the house unfinished because the owner forgot to pay them.

Unless your house is concrete or Spanish revival stucco, you need trim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope the pictures post

With trim:


Trimless:


Source: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2013/02/14/modern-hardie-siding-details-w-exterior-rigid-foam

The trimless photo looks like the contractors walked off the job site leaving the house unfinished because the owner forgot to pay them.

Unless your house is concrete or Spanish revival stucco, you need trim.

+1, I don't get the preference for trimless on this style of house. Trim would improve its appearance! Especially since, like a lot of modern houses, the windows look too small for the scale of the home. That's one of the consequences of supercharging square feet like we do in the US -- unless you can afford the upgrade to larger-than-standard doors and windows, it winds up looking weird. But at least trim mitigates this somewhat, especially if you use paint colors to your advantage (the paint and surface selection on the house in the photo also exacerbates problems with the home's scale and proportions).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go with whatever is more waterproof.

Yes, you're looking for ease of maintenance, not a fleeting trend.

OP here.

About waterproofing — definitely agree that's priority #1. That said, my plans already call for:

* ZIP-R sheathing (integrated WRB + insulation)
* ZIP flashing system (tape and liquid flash)
* Rainscreen assembly (drainage mat)

So from what I understand, the actual waterproofing is handled at the sheathing layer, not the siding or exterior trim. The siding is essentially decorative and part of the outer cladding. The rainscreen adds a pressure-equalized drainage plane behind it.

Wouldn’t trim vs. no trim mostly impact appearance and install complexity—not true waterproofing—especially if the flashing is done right?

More than happy to hear pushback if I’m missing something.

I’m starting to think the builder prefers trim because it hides imperfect siding cuts and makes installation easier, whereas a trimless approach is more technical but aligns with the clean, modern and luxury look.

I would do a compromise.
Trim with the same color as your siding.
It will give you almost the look you want with the ease of installation for builder.