Why is my drywall suspended 3/4 in above the floor?

[juliedealer]

This home was constructed about 10 years ago. It is what I would call “modest”, only 1200 sq feet, (fine for me) and lacks any sort of adornment or upgrades, certainly what you would call a “starter” home.

I recently tore out the wall to wall carpet and baseboards (in order to install laminate flooring) in a bedroom and have discovered that the drywall does not sit on the floor, it is sitting on nails about 1/2 inch above the floor. In other words the drywall is suspended above the floor by about 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Why would anyone do this? What purpose does it serve? Is this evidence of substandard construction?

I am beginning to suspect it has something to do with the HVAC system and cold air return.

[thiggy]

If the house is on a slab, sometimes the drywall has a gap to avoid the possibility of moisture wicking into it. Another possible reason is that drywall is sometimes installed using a foot jack which lifts it firmly up to the ceiling and leaves a small gap which is covered by the baseboard. This is not an indication of shoddy workmanship.

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