I’m not amazed. 8 years ago I went to a construction site where an entire track of homes was being built. No one doing the work spoke English except for the bilingual supervisors.
Profits regardless of consequences.
That doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality. The issue with other types of construction is that architects reference codes and standards in the construction documents. Unless the inspector understands those the superintendent has free reign to do what they want.
I’ve had workers come up to me after I’ve found a discrepancy and tell me that’s the way they’ll always done something. I had no reason to doubt that.
Another issue is the boilerplate “Install according to manufacturer’s instructions.” Those aren’t usually included with the contractor’s submittals to the architect. An inspector may have to find copies of those to ensure work is done properly.
Just because a contractor has been in business for decades isn’t a guarantee of quality and compliance. I had a fab shop forget to insulate a ductwork piece that would have created moisture issues later. Then the foreman thought all he had to do was buy a roll of fiberglass insulation down the street and glue it to the ductwork.
You’ve never lived until you get in an argument with four guys by yourself on a rooftop. Accidents have been known to happen.