PSA: Overheard a contractor talking about 'ADA compliance' shortcuts at a job site yesterday

I was grabbing lunch at a deli near the job site on Broadway when I overheard a guy bragging about how he 'fudged the slope measurements' on a new ramp to save $500 on materials. He said the inspector never checks with a level anyway. That kind of shortcut could seriously hurt someone using a wheelchair or walker. Has anyone else caught people cutting corners like this and what do you do about it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_spencer18d ago

Throw the book at this guy. Honestly, most of these 'shortcuts' end up causing way more problems than they save. That $500 he saved is gonna turn into a lawsuit that costs him his whole business if someone gets hurt. I've seen guys get slapped with fines that wiped out their profits for years over stuff like this. The inspector might not check with a level every time, but you can bet a lawyer with a measuring tape will.

the_jessica18d ago

You know, I used to think that stuff like this was mostly about contractors being lazy and not much of a real danger. But reading stories like this really changed my mind about how serious these hidden shortcuts can be. It's not just about money, it's about making sure nobody gets hurt because someone wanted to save a few bucks.