Difference Between a Construction Superintendent And Project Manager

Whether the project is to build bridges, highways, houses, or buildings, there has to be a leader to oversee the entire construction process. Therefore, the roles of construction superintendent and project manager are crucial in facilitating proper communication, task delegations, and timely project completion.

In case you are pondering over building a career in managing construction projects, you need to know the difference between a superintendent and a project manager. If you need more insights on various project roles, visit GoBridgit now.

What Is A Construction Superintendent?

Superintendent, contractor superintendent, or foreman are the interchangeably used names for construction superintendent. Their primary role is to work near crew and other staff and oversee their day-to-day tasks.

They are the experienced leaders on a construction project guiding crew, answering their questions, directing the correct and effective usage of tools, and adhering to deadlines. In addition, they may write work schedules and hire new crew staff.

Attributes And Responsibilities Of Construction Superintendent

• The construction superintendent must have extensive experience in the construction process, including tools, tasks, and roles in construction projects.
• He must make efficient use of productivity software, including a word processor, spreadsheet, etc., to keep track record of details and progress of construction projects.
• Awareness of organizational safety like OSHA Standards is imperative for superintendent jobs.
• He must possess excellent communication skills to deal with civil engineers, architects, project managers, or other crew members.
• He should be adept in scheduling the presented timeline for the project and estimated costs, including creating and adhering to set timelines.

Who Is A Construction Project Manager?

He/she is a professional on a construction project responsible for overseeing the complete project from start to its end and is a project manager. They meet with stakeholders to understand needs, goals, timeline, budgeting, and work with other crew members to meet these expectations.

They plan the project as per the set timeline and monitor it to ensure it stays on track. If any problem arises, they determine if it affects budget and timeline and the effective ways to prevent it from negatively affecting the ongoing project.

Attributes And Responsibilities Of Project Managers

A project manager must possess the following traits:

• Familiar with legal, procurement, and contract management to deliver projects as per contract expectations.
• Capable of managing risk efficiently, including identification, analysis, prioritization, and risk control.
• Keeps track of the budget, including projects, exact funding, and used amount.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for effective communication in and outside the company.
• Negotiation abilities to persuade stakeholders or clients to give you additional time or funds.
• Possesses leadership qualities to resolve conflicts amongst crew members and ensure the smooth progression of the construction project.
• Highly organized as they are responsible for access to tools, different building materials, meeting arrangements with clients, or set-up of workers’ schedules.
• Thinks out-of-the-box to offer practical solutions to different problems.

Comparing Construction Superintendent & Project Manager

Both the construction superintendent and the project manager have a lot in common. Both of them are in charge of ensuring the project has a budget and adequate adherence to the same. Both need to have extensive education and experience in the construction field. Although their roles vary, yet they must possess excellent communication skills to deal with employers, administrators, and other workers on the construction project.

However, the superintendent works on-site. In contrast, the project manager works off-site and oversees the administrative factors of the construction projects. When the superintendent supervises the project site as a construction manager or foreman, the project manager handles problems, makes decisions, and monitors the progression of the ongoing project from a distance.

Difference Between A Construction Superintendent And Project Manager

Here are the broad differences between a construction superintendent and a project manager:

Salary

In the United States, the average national salary of a project manager is $80,200 per year, whereas a construction superintendent gets an average salary of $84,500 per year. However, it varies as per the person’s level of experience, geographical location, and education.

Work environment

Superintendent works exclusively on construction sites alongside other construction staff. They are directly responsible for monitoring and management of construction activities. In case of any difficulty, they guide the construction staff.

On the flip side, a project manager monitors the whole construction project through the office. The office may be located on-site or off-site. If the job is off-site, regular visits and communication with the superintendent are ensured to keep the project adhered to timeline and budgeting.

Management responsibilities

A superintendent’s area of responsibility is limited to a construction site. It includes ensuring crew shows up on time, task completion, availability of required tools, the safety of employees, and ensuring correct handling of equipment.

The project manager selects the site, budget, schedule, and plan for the construction project. They depend on the superintendent to seek vital progress on the project. They also ensure communication of the same with the concerned stakeholder.

Client communication

A superintendent communicates only with construction staff, the project manager, and hardly with the project client. A project manager communicates with the client from the beginning of the project to have a deep understanding of the budget and the timelines. Further, communicating the same with the superintendent to ensure the client’s goal and needs are met.

Authority level

While the superintendent manages the construction workforce to ensure the project progresses as per the plan, a project manager is responsible for reporting directly to the client and managing the superintendent.

Job distribution

Depending on the project’s needs, there could be more than one superintendent. It includes interior, program, electrical, mechanical, assistance, and trade superintendent. Each of them has different responsibilities on the work-site. But, there is only one project manager in charge of managing the entire construction project.

Education

A superintendent needs to have vast experience and skills serving the construction industry. In contrast, a project manager should have a bachelor’s degree in business or any other related subject along with direct experience of leading a construction project.

Certification

Both a project manager and a superintendent may choose to get the certifications in their respective fields. It includes a superintendent earning certifications in OSHA safety, whereas a project manager may choose Project Management Professional, i.e., PMP certifications.

Endnote

A construction project needs great leaders to ensure the project progresses as per the set timeline and budget. To achieve this, the roles of both construction superintendent and project manager are vital. However, the areas of responsibilities of both professionals sometimes coincide but are not the same. There are remarkable differences in the roles, responsibilities, and scope of work for a construction superintendent and a project manager.

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