Inspectors work closely with builders, but there is an air of professional detachment Johnson and other inspectors must maintain on the job. Most local builders will make sure the contractors they hire have room to make a profit, said Jim Surratt, vice president of framing contractor Hensley and Surratt. It's when profit margins are thin that contractors are tempted to cut corners by using inferior materials and cheap labor. And that's when construction defects start to appear. Contractors say a major key to passing building inspections and turning over a well-built home to the buyer is keeping good staff on hand.
Inexperienced workers make more mistakes.
While regular turnover in the labor pool means inexperienced employees will work on many jobs, Surratt said, he relies on a core of veterans to make sure mistakes get fixed and the new workers learn from their mistakes. Builders train contractors the same way, said Kyle Carter, president of Kyle Carter Homes. Builders have their own standards of quality for everything from lumber to concrete and paint. Helping the contractor learn those standards and maintain them in the building process takes time. But even the best subcontractors get a close look from a builder when they finish a house.