I get what you’re saying about checklists not catching everything, but honestly, I think it comes down to how seriously the crew takes their work. I’ve seen guys who treat the checklist like a joke, but I’ve also worked with folks who actually use it as a double-check, not just a box-ticking thing. Maybe it’s more about training and accountability than the checklist itself? I mean, you can have all the tech and photos in the world, but if no one cares, stuff still slips through.
Maybe it’s more about training and accountability than the checklist itself?
Yeah, totally agree there. I’ve seen checklists get filled out just because someone wants to finish up and go home—doesn’t matter how detailed they are if no one’s really paying attention. On new builds, ventilation gets missed a lot for exactly that reason. Sometimes it’s not even about the checklist or the tech, it’s about whether the crew actually knows what proper venting looks like or just wants to tick boxes and move on. Even with all the right materials, if someone cuts corners or skips steps, you end up with condensation issues and callbacks down the road. Seen it happen more than once.
I’ve walked into plenty of homes where the bathroom fans are vented straight into the attic—brand new builds, too. It’s wild how often that gets missed. You’re right, it’s not just about having a checklist; if folks don’t actually understand why proper venting matters, stuff slips through. I’ve seen mold start up in less than a year because of shortcuts like that. Sometimes I think there’s too much focus on speed and not enough on doing things right the first time.
I’ve walked into plenty of homes where the bathroom fans are vented straight into the attic—brand new builds, too. It’s wild how often that gets missed.
Right? I always wonder if people think their attic is just an extra lung for the house or something. I mean, who needs insulation when you can have a steam room up there? Seriously though, I’ve seen soggy insulation and those weird black streaks on rafters way too many times. Do builders just assume nobody’s gonna poke their head up there? I get that everyone’s in a rush, but it’s like, do you want to sell a house or a future science experiment?
I’ve actually run into this exact thing on a job last month. We were up there checking the decking and found the bathroom vent just dumping warm, damp air right onto the insulation. The homeowner had no idea—said he thought “builders always did it that way.” I get that everyone’s trying to save time, but it’s wild how something so basic gets skipped. It’s not just about mold either... that moisture can wreck the roof deck over time. Sometimes I wonder if people just assume out of sight means out of mind.
