User:Anthonyj31/Superintendent(Construction)

Superintendent

File:Construction Superintendent.jpg A superintendent on a construction site
Occupation
Names	Superintendent Super (nickname) General superintendent Field superintendent
Occupation type	Profession
Activity sectors	Civil Engineering construction
Description
Competencies	technical knowledge, building construction, planning and management skills, problem solving, communication skills
Education required	see Prerequisites

The superintendent is the person in charge of coordinating and supervising all of the on-site construction activities throughout the construction process. It is also their duty to provide oversight for all workers and field personnel. The primary goals of a superintendent are to complete a project on time, as well as without going over a previously outlined budget. In order to properly achieve both of these goals, a superintendent must maintain open communication with subcontractors. Effective coordination with the subcontractors, or subs, allows the superintendent to be consistently up to speed with the progress of the project.

Prerequisites

Generally, the educational requirement for becoming a superintendent is not set in stone, with the successful completion of high school being the only requirement. With the competitive job market, however, the typical superintendent will possess their bachelor’s degree in a related management field such as Construction Management. The hiring process for a superintendent is usually more experience-based. A superintendent must possess a background with work experience in building construction, remodeling, and construction project coordination. The typical path of a superintendent will begin at the intern stage for a construction company, followed by a few years of practice as a project engineer, then finally the advancement to superintendent.

General superintendent

Responsibilities in management

Outside of the construction site, the general superintendent also possesses the a few management responsibilities. Some of those include: interviewing and hiring new employees, training employees (if necessary), estimating the amount of materials and manpower needed for specific jobs, determining the work priorities or critical path of a project, keep both material cost and work performed cost records, and more. Their most notable job is to assist both the Project Executive and Project Manager on a project.

Responsibilities in construction

As pertaining to the actual construction process, the superintendent is responsible for the following on site tasks: to organize, supervise and coordinate the work of the Foreman and Sub Foreman on a project, to attend scheduling meetings, to exercise control to implement changes necessary to ensure a timely completion, maintenance of satisfactory relationships with owners and subcontractors, and more. Most importantly however, the general superintendent is in charge of ensuring site safety and quality control while still enforcing that the project lie in strict accordance with the contractual documents. The general superintendent will want to maintain good relations with OSHA.

Chart depicting construction team hierarchy

Field superintendent

Responsibilities in management

The field superintendent possesses fewer responsibilities in management than does the general superintendent, but there are still things that they must take care of. Some of these tasks include: recruiting new employees and interns, processing employee time sheets, scheduling, and planning. They also must order materials and schedule all necessary inspections throughout a project.

Responsibilities in construction

Where a field superintendent is utilized most effectively is on the actual construction site. It is their job to oversee their specific field operations. For example, one field superintendent may be in charge of the utilities, while another is in charge of all of the concrete and masonry on a project. Each field superintendent will be required to direct the crews and subcontractors that work in their specific areas. Also, the field super will be in charge of quality control and safety. If any worker is ever injured on a construction site, generally the field superintendent is who is held accountable. It is their job to actively assess the safety situation and make amendments to any unsafe practices.

Salary

The salary for a superintendent can range anywhere from around $25,000 to the upwards of $116,000 based on the specific title and responsibilities of the superintendent. The average salary for a construction superintendent is $64,000. However, if a superintendent earns the title of General Superintendent or Senior Superintendent, potential annual earnings exceed $100,000.

Major challenges

A superintendent will face many challenges, most of which vary from project to project. The typical challenges that a superintendent will face with every project will include difficulties in scheduling, handling change orders, communicating with subcontractors and owners, dealing with numerous trade contractors, etc. Arguably the most difficult part of a superintendent’s job would be the need to adapt to the specificity of each project. Each build will most likely possess a unique challenge to the super. For example, for the construction of a hospital, the superintendent will have to take precaution in the quality of air ventilation system that is installed during the build. Another example would be the construction of a performance arts center. In this build, the super would have to ensure that each room will acoustically perform at the exact levels specified in the contract. The difficulty comes with addressing the unique issues and becoming well educated in these specific areas in order to meet project specifications.