The construction industry, like other industries, is continually evolving. Some accuse the construction industry of being stubborn, archaic and incapable of change. I disagree and feel there is proof that we are very responsive to change. We may be a bit stubborn and have some ingrained habits but we also respond to needs and prove clever innovation. Most complaints about a refusal to change are more related to a failure in sales or in comparing us to the auto industry. Constructing a building has so many more variations. Most of construction work requires trade workers that are able to think on their feet. Like all industries, we have occasional defects; ours is referred to as complex litigation. This is due to the various parts and contracts that need to work together and failures due to pressure that result from increased designs with low bid pricing.
An example of an evolution is the desire for smoother drywall. Regardless of a level five or four finish, it is safe to say that smooth wall texture has replaced splatter or orange peel texture as the dominant texture across most markets with gypsum wallboard. The problem for smooth wall texture is that it hides nothing, in fact it will highlight even minor imperfections. This trend coincides with designers and building owners demanding higher quality at rock bottom pricing.