So you can see why the QC Contracting owner and former Bayfield High School pupil initially felt a little uneasy about demolishing parts of his old school.
But he has now come around to the idea, and for the first time in his demolition career, he has a mischievous glint in his eye.
"It’s not every day you get the chance to knock over several buildings at your old school without getting into trouble."
He was at the school in the early 1980s and did not mince his words when describing how much he disliked class work.
"I’m really looking forward to this demolition now."
The demolition is expected to start early next month, to make way for a $5.86million renewal and refurbishment project.
Principal Mark Jones said over the next 15 months, the school would remove some of its old, decrepit buildings, repair and refurbish others and build some new facilities.
The project included demolishing the old gymnasium; expanding the present gymnasium by adding new offices, classrooms and changing rooms; demolishing the old learning support unit and replacing it with a purpose-built facility; reroofing the school library and two classroom blocks; and refurbishing many of the school’s classrooms, including the food technology classroom.
Mr Lamb said he still had a close connection with the school because his step-daughter was in the school’s learning support unit.
He was pleased the unit was being demolished and replaced with a new facility.
"It’s going to be great for her."
It was hoped the tranche of projects would be finished by the end of 2021.
Mr Jones said the work was part of a larger $7.5 million project which aimed to fully upgrade the school over the next three and a-half years.
