WHAT DOES A CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT DO?

Published: August 8, 2024 - The Construction Superintendent ensures effective communication of project progress with clients and managers, and expertly manages subcontractors for optimal site organization. Oversees the layout and elevation tasks for utilities, site work, and buildings, maintaining rigorous scheduling and coordination with subcontractors. Prepares comprehensive safety reports and daily logs, schedules inspections, and guarantees timely project delivery within budget constraints.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Construction Superintendent

1. Construction Superintendent Duties

  • Construction Supervision: Help oversee the supervision of ongoing construction projects in the local area as well as having direct oversight of both project crews and on-site subcontractors.
  • Team Collaboration: Work alongside senior field members and report to the Project Director and Project Manager.
  • Problem Identification and Mitigation: Identify potential project problems and mitigate, putting together new policies and procedures to help support the project through its lifecycle.
  • Quality Control: Establish quality control guidelines and measures.
  • Project Schedule Maintenance: Help maintain the project schedule and the project site management plans.
  • Schedule Updates: Provide ongoing schedule updates to help identify progress against the project schedule to both the Project Manager and Project Director.
  • Specification and Drawing Review: Assist in the review of project specifications and drawings, highlighting any potential mistakes to the Senior Management team.
  • Safety Promotion: Help promote a safe and efficient working environment and attend safety meetings.
  • Safety Reporting: Provide ongoing reports to the onsite Safety Director.
  • Legal Compliance and Training: Help maintain all legal requirements and ensure training is provided for all new hires including subcontractors, trade employees, and on-site project staff.
  • Project Analysis: Conduct in-project analysis (percent completion, estimate to actual, gross profit, and material/equipment costs).

2. Construction Superintendent Details

  • Job Start-Up and Closeout: Implement job start-up and job closeout.
  • Field Supervision: Day-to-day supervision for all field personnel working on the project.
  • Safety and Compliance: Ensure safety, compliance, and quality regulations are followed.
  • Progress Communication: Communicate project progress with clients and project managers.
  • Subcontractor and Site Management: Manage subcontractors and construction site organization.
  • Utility Layout: Ability to layout and give elevation for utilities, site work, and building.
  • Project Scheduling: Maintain project schedule and coordinate schedule with subcontracts.
  • Report Preparation: Prepare safety reports, daily logs, job-site photos, etc.
  • Inspection Scheduling: Schedule and participate in inspections.
  • Employee and Subcontractor Scheduling: Schedule employees and subcontractors.
  • Material Purchasing: Purchase materials and manage site delivery.
  • Client and Team Communication: Communicate with clients, subcontractors, and co-workers about the job status.
  • Project Delivery: Deliver projects on time and within budget.

3. Construction Superintendent Responsibilities

  • Safety Promotion: Promotes safety awareness and reinforces that safety is part of the job by setting an example of good safety behavior.
  • Safety Culture Pursuit: Pursues a culture of safety that is best in class with an objective of “zero” safety incidents and actively engages with other staff to reinforce safe behaviors.
  • Policy Compliance: Ensures Pioneer Construction’s Health & Safety Policy and Procedures are adhered to.
  • Project Scheduling: Schedules construction projects and coordinates equipment, labor, trucking, and subcontractors.
  • Site Supervision: Provides overall supervision of construction and management of the daily onsite activity.
  • Contract Review: Reviews contract drawings and plans to ensure specifications are followed, and work is being performed correctly.
  • Documentation Maintenance: Maintains contract documentation, records, and logs.
  • Meeting Attendance: Attends project site meetings.
  • Safety Management: Manages general safety compliance on-site and has a good understanding of OSHA standards.
  • Quality Control Liaison: Meets with Quality Control Inspectors on a regular basis to review project status.
  • Employee Safety Oversight: Ensures employee’s safety and that company policies and procedures are adhered to.

4. Construction Superintendent Accountabilities

  • Site Operations Management: Oversee day-to-day site operations while performing tasks on-site.
  • Subcontractor Coordination: Correspond directly with subcontractors to schedule work.
  • Supplier Coordination: Correspond directly with suppliers to schedule deliveries.
  • Quality Control: Maintain quality control for the scope of work per documents.
  • Labor Management: Manage a limited number of Copeland laborers on-site with occasional training.
  • Construction Oversight: Oversee construction and obtain bids from subcontractors, monitor quality control.
  • Project Management: Prepare change orders, manage subs, order materials, and coordinate with clients, general contractors, and designers.
  • Subcontractor Assignment: Select subcontractor assignment and project strategy.
  • Pre-construction Meetings: Hold pre-construction meetings with subcontractors.
  • Crew Supervision: Supervise 4 construction crews and 1 construction production assistant/QC inspector, ensuring safety and quality control guidelines are maintained.
  • Budget Management: Develop and maintain department budget.

5. Construction Superintendent Functions

  • Project Oversight: Oversees designated projects from beginning to end ensuring that all-necessary labor and material costs are maintained within project budgets and completed on time according to AAA specifications and customer satisfaction.
  • Contract Review: Reviews all Production contracts to determine labor, material, and safety equipment needed to complete the job within contract specifications.
  • Purchase Order Drafting: Drafts purchase orders on the amount allocated by the Product Specialist, schedules lifts, or other equipment as specified.
  • Site Visits: Conducts job sites visits with Foreman and reviews contract to ensure full understanding of the scope of the job.
  • Problem Resolution: Communicates on a regular basis with Foreman to resolve any problems relating to project concerns or customer complaints in a timely and efficient manner.
  • Customer Meetings: Meets with customers to ensure the job will be completed professionally within the contract specifications to maintain a professional relationship.
  • Estimate Support: Provides support to Product Specialists on estimating jobs in excess of 10,000 before estimates are submitted to customers.
  • Schedule Maintenance: Updates and maintains production schedule.
  • Schedule Oversight: Production manager on ongoing construction jobs to ensure Construction schedule is maintained.
  • Staffing Coordination: Notifies Recruiter to ensure jobs are staffed according to work scheduled.
  • Equipment Management: Ensures company equipment (ladders, sprayers, etc.) are properly maintained and inventoried.
  • Billing Communication: Communicates on a consistent basis with accounting on job status to ensure proper billing.