A Day in the Life of an ICG Superintendent
Ever wonder what the work life of an ICG superintendent is like? Well, now you can find out!
ICG sat down with superintendents, Connor Roach and Ross Davidson, to learn what their
day-to-day entails.
ICG would also like to thank our superintendents for their dedication
to our projects and clients as well as all their hard work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our success through the pandemic would not have been possible without each of you.
The Morning:
The workday begins before the sun is up with a cup of coffee and a call from a subcontractor asking when to arrive on site and where to park. Once the logistics of getting all tradespeople to the correct floor is completed, ICG superintendents walk the site with the team to coordinate the day’s work while checking for safety issues and quality. As the morning goes on, ICG’s superintendents answer emails and questions that came in that morning, then review submittals that were recently approved and look for any changes or conflicts. ICG superintendents are continuously making rounds around the jobsite at least once an hour, checking for safety and quality. Although it seems excessive, these jobsite checks ensure the client is receiving the best quality possible, while staying on schedule and on budget.
The Afternoon:
After lunch, it is time for paperwork, scheduling and communications with the building to notify them of upcoming deliveries, dumpsters or shutdowns needed. It is also time to confirm material delivery dates and schedule them with subcontractors, as well as complete RFIs and respond to emails. The afternoon walk around the site not only checks for quality and safety, but the progress of the tradespeople. It is imperative to talk with the tradespeople about what needs to get done in the upcoming days, as well as the necessary manpower and materials needed to maintain the schedule. This scheduling usually involves more than one trade, as they are dependent on one another. To keep the entire project team updated with progress, the Superintendent will walk the site (sometimes via Facetime/Zoom) with the project architect, engineer, building management, client or construction manager and discuss project progress. Changes or questions usually come out of these team meetings and the remainder of the afternoon is spent sending emails and completing RFIs updating the project team. The day ends with a final jobsite walk, checking again for quality and safety, as well as ensuring the site is secure for the evening. This is the best time to take a deep dive into details of what is being constructed as everyone is gone for the day so you have undisturbed time.
The Evening:
The workday never ends for ICG’s superintendents. During the evening, superintendents receive calls and emails from tradespeople working at night, along with responding to project managers, architects and subcontractors.
Daily Challenges:
ICG superintendents are constantly monitoring potential noise disturbances. While the building rules have always prohibited loud noise after 8am, this rule was relaxed because of Covid. Now that people are returning to the office, ICG supers are working diligently to reinforce this rule. Another challenge is tradespeople do not always have the correct or up to date information, so it is vital for ICG supers to confirm they are working off the most recent drawings and approved submittals to ensure work meets the client’s expectations.
Covid-19:
The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly changed how ICG superintendents do their jobs, with the biggest change being communication. ICG superintendents have been very resourceful in keeping their project teams informed, by using Zoom, Facetime, Matterport and PlanGrid so nobody misses a beat. Again, ICG thanks their superintendents and tradespeople for their dedication throughout the pandemic.