I’ve been amazed by the lack of knowledge on the part of some construction superintendents. I had an interesting time as an inspector on a new school. The super clinched his jaw every time he saw me coming. We constantly had it out over concrete and several other issues. The architect was useless. It wasn’t exactly mano-a-mano for two years. But it was definitely nose to nose mucho times. There was one time I really wanted to say I told you so after the mechanical guy started up a chilled water pump and the coupling teeth were stripped. I walked into the mechanical room just in time to see the super standing there dumbfounded looking at the black pieces laying on the pad under the guard.
I finished that job knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the school will still be standing 100 years from now if they need it.
I've been wondering why school hallways don't have reinforced structures to resist collapse in a tornado... It seems like some well placed I-beams and rebar would add very little cost to the project and save lives in case of an emergency.
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.