More than 1.4 million people are employed within the construction industry in Canada, which contributes around $141 billion to the economy each year. This accounts for 7.5% of the country’s gross domestic product, highlighting its important role.
Within the construction industry, there are many types of jobs. One of the most important of these is the construction superintendent role, which will be the focus of this blog post.
Here, we will highlight everything you need to know, including what is a construction superintendent, what their role is, their responsibilities, necessary skills, salary, and more. Let’s get started.
What Is a Construction Superintendent?
Put simply, a construction superintendent is an employee who oversees every step of a construction process. This includes the planning stage right up to completion.
As such, they are among the most important members of a construction project team. They work to drive it forward and keep everything moving correctly.
Whatever the project is, be it building a highway or a bridge, or a building, construction superintendents are vital for its proper completion. A construction superintendent collaborates with subcontractors and engineers to define the needs of a project and to oversee staff performance.
What Is the Role of a Construction Superintendent?
The specific role and responsibilities of a construction superintendent depend on the size of the construction project and the company itself. For example, at a larger company, they might have a defined set of duties. At a smaller company, they may perform the same work as a foreman, project manager, and estimator.
Generally, the construction superintendent will serve as a middleman between foremen, project owners, and others who are working on a project. They often relay information to those working on a project. It is the job of a construction superintendent to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the project timeline and the quality of the work.
While similar to a project manager, the position of construction superintendent differs in a number of ways. For example, a construction superintendent works alongside other staff on a construction site. Project managers typically work off-site and oversee the administrative aspects of a work project.
The Main Construction Superintendent Responsibilities
To summarize the main responsibilities of a construction superintendent:
- Ensure compliance with quality, health, and safety standards
- Keep track of project progress
- Purchase equipment and materials
- Set performance goals and deadlines
- Collaborate with other members to determine project needs
- Estimate costs and oversee budget
- Supervise staff
- Implement guidelines on safety and quality
- Keep track of material stock and orders
- Obtain construction permits from local authorities
- Plan inspections
- Resolve all on-site issues and emergencies
- Ensure the job site is clean, safe, and orderly
As you can see, construction superintendents play a central role in construction projects and tie everything together on-site. Their work ensures the successful completion of projects.
The Main Construction Superintendent Skills
Given that construction superintendents oversee every step of the construction process, they need to possess a host of essential skills. For one, they should have construction experience. This includes having a good command of every aspect of the construction process.
They should also be adept at using productivity software. This includes using computers, specific software, and spreadsheets to keep track of all details about a job site. Regular process reports should be lodged with the company.
It is also necessary that they have a good knowledge of OH&S standards. It is a prerequisite to have strong organizational safety knowledge in order to serve as a construction superintendent.
Another key skill is communication. Construction superintendents deal with a host of different employees on a construction site. This includes civil engineers, architects, project managers, and construction workers. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to clearly express yourself at all times.
Other important skills for a construction superintendent to possess include:
- Problem-solving skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Initiative
- Resourcefulness
- Professionalism
- Ability to work under pressure
- Ability to delegate
- Attention to detail
If you have these skills, you may be well-suited to a construction superintendent position. You can find available construction and civil engineering jobs here.
What Is the Average Construction Superintendent Salary?
According to Indeed, the average construction superintendent salary in Canada is $92,774 per year. This equates to approximately $40 per hour or $6,500 per month.
Construction Superintendent vs. Project Manager
Two of the most important roles within the construction industry are construction superintendent and project manager. As we have highlighted above, there are many similarities in these two roles, as well as a number of differences. For example, some of the main roles and responsibilities of project managers include:
- Preparing a team for work
- Determining the work that needs to be done
- Estimating project completion costs
- Procuring land for a project
Necessary skills include leadership, organization, risk management, problem-solving, and negotiation.
What Does a Construction Superintendent Do?
The bottom line is that construction superintendent is a rewarding and exciting career choice. Given the strength of the construction industry in Canada, there exist many opportunities for construction superintendents across the country.
If you have enjoyed this article on “What is a construction superintendent?” you may be interested in applying for a vacancy within the industry. Here at SSA Recruitment Group, we help candidates in the markets we trade in to find the best opportunities.
Check out our vacancies page today to see available opportunities. If you would like to learn more about jobs in construction, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team. We look forward to speaking with you.
