Ryan Callender is a Construction Inspector in Pennoni’s Lehigh Valley, PA office. He has been with Pennoni since April 2018. “What makes Pennoni unique is that they will invest in you when you show initiative and care for your work, you are rewarded for your commitment,” said Ryan.
A typical day for Ryan starts at 5 a.m. He is currently working as a construction inspector at the Harrisburg Federal Courthouse project. He arrives at the job site at 7 a.m. and gets to work.
This project is new construction, a 12-story high rise, where Pennoni has been providing Special Inspections and Construction Materials Testing from the ground up. We provided inspection during the installation of the caissons and micro-piles; reinforced concrete construction; engineered masonry; earthwork; and structural steel erection. Pennoni is currently inspecting the fireproofing installation, which requires Ryan to be on site every day.
“Inspection is very important. You’re there to make sure what the contractors build is what is required by the client. For construction inspectors just starting out, you typically get to work on a lot of different projects. This is a great way to gain experience and it’s exciting to be a part of several projects at once,” said Ryan. “For those who have more experience under their belt, you may get placed on the bigger jobs that need an inspector there all day, every day.”
When Ryan isn’t on the Harrisburg Federal Courthouse project, he is traveling to other sites, prepping for the next job, or performing other tasks that are needed of a construction inspector.
“Before any job, preparation is key. It all starts with plan reading, reviewing the specifications, what equipment you need and how you’re going to do everything on site,” Ryan said. “The job also involves a lot of communication skills since you’re working with contractors and clients.”
Ryan didn’t always plan to be a Construction Inspector, he studied Geology in school and wanted to become a Geologist. “Through the years of working in inspection, I’ve grown to love what I do and enjoy watching the continued progression of construction. Doing inspection re-invigorated the love of construction I had when I was a child and being able to live it every day is enjoyable.”
Pennoni is currently hiring construction inspectors for code required special inspections at job sites in the Philadelphia area and throughout New Jersey. Check out our careers page for more information.