Field Scenario

During a pre-installation site walk, you discover the planned venting path would run directly through a structural floor joist that wasn’t visible or mentioned in the original plans.

What You Actually Do

You stop, document the conflict with photos, and raise it with the GC and, if necessary, a structural engineer before any cutting begins — a structural member cannot simply be cut through to make a venting path work, and this needs a real engineering solution (rerouting, or a properly engineered modification), not a field improvisation.

Why This Matters

This is exactly the kind of conflict a proper site assessment is designed to catch before work begins, rather than discovering it mid-installation with tools already in hand and schedule pressure building.

What a Strong Response Includes

• Catching the structural conflict during assessment, before any cutting.
• Documenting the issue clearly rather than proceeding on assumption.
• Involving qualified expertise (structural engineer) rather than making a field judgment call on a structural question.