The Construction Superintendent

While job titles can vary a bit from one building firm to another, the firm you select to build your home will designate a key member of their staff as the overall project manager for your new home. Some firms call this person a construction manager or a field manager. Other companies use the job title of “builder” for this key role. That means Bill Smith can be your builder (namely, your construction superintendent) and also an employee of Adams Homes.

Regardless of the exact job title, your construction manager or builder is a highly qualified project manager with expertise in each phase of building your home. He or she typically has a strong background in construction science and techniques. Your construction superintendent will personally execute a series of key tasks and also coordinate with other members of the overall building team described in this article. Typically, he or she will:

  • Work closely with each trade contractor, building products suppliers and key employees of the home building firm.
  • Help coordinate tasks such as purchasing building materials and scheduling their delivery.
  • Schedule trade contractors in sequential order as construction progresses.
  • Ensure each trade contractor crew finishes their task on time and turns over a quality, completed phase of construction to the next trade contractor crew in the process. Managing these hand-offs is a key part of the building process.
  • Schedule inspections, ensure quality control, and make sure everyone adheres to the architect’s building plans.

Since this person is responsible for managing the overall process to deliver a high-quality home on a schedule or timeline, it’s fair to think of your construction super/builder as the conductor who brings the right people, the right building materials, and the right processes and inspections all together in a carefully planned sequence to build your new home.

Your construction superintendent will likely be your point of contact for visiting your house while it’s being built. Many builders offer pre-determined times to tour a home during key points of construction, such as a walk-through at the framing or pre-drywall stage. This is a good time to ask your superintendent questions about what’s behind the walls (such as insulation, wiring or plumbing) and other measures that add comfort and energy-efficiency to your home.