That vent placement is honestly the tip of the iceberg, if they're that careless with something you can see, imagine what's hidden behind the drywall. I've seen builders skip sealing duct joints for years and it's always the same excuse, "it passed inspection.

Read a post on the Dredge Boss forum where a guy swore by Chinese cast parts for his 8-inch pump, said they lasted a full season. But another old timer chimed in saying he watched three different aftermarket cutterheads crack under load in the same month. Honestly I'd rather pay for the OEM stuff than risk downtime and busted seals again.

Cut 3/4 inch with that same setup at my shop yesterday and it was flawless.