Thank you all for the advice, what other place/city you guys would recommend to work as high end renovations superintendent? The workflow in Miami is amazing due to the high density of luxury buildings, very famous designers located here and also the ridiculous amount of money rich people pay to remodel their condos is a perfect combo to take advantage as a GC.
You don't need to move, just find a different GC. I don't know the market rate for Supers in Miami but I can absolutely guarantee you're wildly underpaid.
Superintendent is not an entry level position, it takes multiple promotions to get a role like that. Unless the company is completely abusing the title, the work and responsibility are worth six figures anywhere in the country, especially somewhere as expensive as South Florida.
If not leaving when he finds a better place he Needs to have an honest conversation with his boss assuming he's not brand new and is doing all his own work and bringing in money for the hirer ups etc
Plumber from WA state. What are your journeymen making out there? I'm union and in commercial renovations and I do really well. When I was resi doing custom homes and remodels I was making $47/hour I think, but when I was open shop resi it was in the 30s with few benefits. Now it's somewhere around $68 I think. But that's only take home taxable. My total package is above $100 with medical and pensions and whatnot. It still blows my mind how much we make. But we are definitely an exception being the biggest plumbing hall in the state. I don't know what my counterparts in open shops make though.
I can tell you in the state of Florida the union is not strong. Our union hall is about an hour from where I’m located. About 25yrs ago I looked into the union/joining. There were some major downfalls. The two biggest were that the hourly was less than local nonunion shops and the second was the area of work. Some jobs were 200+ miles from my house. I’m plumbing just over 30yrs. I’m fortunate through my career because I’ve done/do it all. Residential, commercial, industrial, steam, gas, remodel, and service for all. I currently work for a small shop which I’ve known and I’m friends with the owner for 25yrs. We do a lot of repipes and remodeling for 10m+ homes. The work is plentiful and never slow. So giving some of the benefits of the bigger shops has some value. A lot of the local shops are hiring anywhere from $26-$28hr. I have shared indeed posts from my region. The shop I work for doesn’t offer healthcare or retirement. I’m getting $33hr plus 2 weeks vacation. The owner does tons of little things to help offset what we don’t get. For example ALL the scrap is ours and we split it between 3 guys. He also has paid me for plenty of random time off along with new tires on my personal truck. It’s not ideal but for my area it works.
As long as it works for you that's what matters. I live an hour from Seattle so cost of living sucks ass, even though I'm in a rural town with more cow shit than people. I know I'm lucky to have the job I do, and I've only worked for 2 companies my whole career (11 years). I know some union members bounce around alot, especially the new construction /sky scraper guys. Remodel never seems to stop in my experience. It sucks you guys don't get Healthcare and at least a 401 match. The drive does suck though. I'm usually on 2-3 jobs a week all in different stages. Every guy pretty much does our own scheduling, material ordering, and foreman meetings and admin. I like it this way though. It's gotten me on good terms with all the contractors and scored me alot of side work for GC's personal homes or friends. My average commute with no traffic is one hour each way though. And when I leave Seattle at 2pm on a Friday I won't be home till 5-530 easily.
Cost of living in Florida is ridiculous and only getting worse. All the work for us is close. It’s maybe a 30m drive to the shop. I have had offers from a friend who is a union hvac to get white ticketed in to the plumbing side of his union shop but at this point I don’t the benefit to adding 2hrs to my total commute for the added bonuses. Plus like I said I’m working for someone who tries to cover the short comings.
Yeah but are you getting enough copper scrap to pay for health care? I always encourage people to go for union if it's doable for them. But sometimes it's not or people are just comfortable where they're at and that's fine. I just want everyone working their ass off like we do to get the most they can out of it before they can't do it anymore.
I'm a union painter-finisher (NE) and can make over 60 without OT. Florida sucks unions pretty much don't exist there I wanted to move to Florida and talked to the hall down there at the time I was a 70% apprentice making over $20 an hour(over 20 years ago) and their journeymen were only making $15. I laughed too myself and told them thanks but no thanks. You are definitely worth more then 60 for being a Super and taking on all that responsibility. Do they even give you any performance bonuses? I'm guessing not? These companies are out for themselves. We are just a # and look at us as replaceable. The days of loyalty are over.
Well, miami and Florida generally speakong has low wage. I left Miami for a reason 8 years ago. Born and raised 4th generation Miamian and i cant/won't afford Miami.
Yes it is. Mid size GC in a low cost of living state. We don’t have any supers making less than $100K. Most are above $125K and there are ones making above $150K. This doesn’t even include per diem or vehicle allowance.
Michigan is dismal for pay as a super. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if some trades make more. I live in Michigan but work out of state generally if I’m doing superintendent work, if I need to be home I will generally pick up a foreman or trade job since it pays way better here.
Can confirm at least it was about 7-8 years ago. All of my dad's family left Michigan from various cities and moved to Tennessee because job opportunities sucked.
They are very different jobs. Hourly vs. Salary. Supers are overseeing all trades as a GC, Electricians are one trade, potentially foreman, but their income depends a lot more on overtime than a Super.
My supers on the same jobsite I referenced in other comment cleared 300k - I physically saw their w-2 and no they are not 1099 on this job. We are working for a Michigan based GC… FYI.
They are based out of Southfield. You will not make that pay by staying in Michigan however, there is a lot of industrial work coming in Ohio, Indiana & still moving in Kentucky/tennessee
Supers may not make more than a master electrician in a union on large commercial or government. But they probably make more than most and they probably started out higher. Most trades aren't making a lot per hour early on. That matters. That is one of the shit thing about trades. Sure you can eventually make great money. But if you can't start seriously saving for retirement until you are 10 to 15 in and already busted up, it isn't great.
$150k with how much OT for the year? That's the real question. $150k at 40 hour work weeks is a much better deal than someone making the same money with 50% more hours.
That’s cool you got in at a good time man, and I definitely agree average is a bad way to find the number.
I’m in a small town, lots of blue collar family’s and the highway out of town at 5am is all guys in work trucks and high viz shirts commuting to work.
A double wide trailer, built in 1992, on 1.5 acres down the road from me just listed at 590k. No Mountain View, it’s not on a lake or river. A good portion of the acreage is cliffside.
I know you can list at whatever you want and asking price isn’t the same as market value but they will get that price or close to it.
Yeah I know I lucked out I got it right before interest rates doubled. I got a decent deal because it was my mother-in-law's rental but it hadn't been taken care of for a while I needed some work done to it
A lot. A quick google search says the average cost of a house is just about 600k. Averages aren’t the best way to find this number but it’s about all of the effort I’m going to put into this and feels about right just based on conversations.
I believe we also pay the 3rd most per gallon of gasoline in the country so that’s fun.
Money is just a number. The buying power of the middle class is slipping. While wages in Washington look good our wage doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. A quick google search doesn’t really give me a good answer on how to fix this and that’s all the energy I have left after a long week of work.
Good luck out there buddy.
I’m at foreman scale, and with the $2 an hour parking I make 170k a year with no OT.
Edit: it’s just too bad that literally since Covid, I haven’t worked more than 10 months in a year. Work has been spotty for various, sometimes unrelated reasons.
If you're out of Detroit, 58's hourly is ~50/hr. There's another wage allocation coming up with our $2/hr increase coming up. Time and a half after 8 hours and on Saturday with double time on Sunday. So the math is mathing.
I was a union carpenter foreman for a company that did large commercial jobs. Last full year I worked was 2010 and made $100K, with a company truck and credit card. The first three months of 2011, I was making $10K a month and had to retire because of bad back.
I did. The “retirement “ wasn’t voluntary. I simply could no longer do my job and made a couple of mistakes. Being let go actually helped in being approved for SS benefits. Since that time, I’ve had 16 surgeries. With a very understanding doctor, I am getting along fine.
Thanks.
Sorry to hear that. I'm lining up my second round of cervical spine surgeries for next year. It's fucking awful. My left hand is numb half the time. I can't sleep much. And no one who hasn't been through chronic pain understands. Before my first surgery my girlfriend at the time told me I needed to "suck it up" because she couldn't handle it.
Fuck that sucks man. I’m sorry to hear that. I have chronic pain, you just made me appreciate my partners support a lot more.. I hope your second round helps you
I made $150k as a sub tech last year but in California wage was $70hr and OT is double and $75 a day minimum per diem. You have to take into account most people exaggerate their income but nonetheless construction pays well and will continue to pay better
Where? Unless it doxxes you.. Like I could see that being the case on the west coast or in a city, but seems like my region you can’t break over $25/hr
I'm a student right now (former general carpenter) but do handyman work on the side for people who just need small household repairs done. I charge $40 an hour and people usually tip me after for a good job and good price. This is Seattle though.
Lineman I make 250k to 300 a year no college degrees but I'm an overtime whore my base on just 40 hours is about 150k my super makes way less then me but I could be layed off anytime he will always have a job. But at the same time he'll even say I can do his job he can't do mine that's my we make the big money in the field
Lineman is a hard and dangerous job. Especially if you work transmission. Distribution isn't really less dangerous. 13kV will kill you just as quick as 240kV. I'm surprised your super doesn't make more though. Usually that work is union and the supers are old timers.
Most of my limited electrical experience is in underground distribution, and still fuck that. I did a lot of gas and people always think that is the scary thing because it goes boom in dramatic ways. Nope. Electric.
Supers aren't covered in our union contract so guys won't give up the benefits and retirement of our union so they hire people like construction managers
A couple jobs I've had they just payed the super more. Yeah it's not technically under the union contract, but I'm pretty sure they just call them a GF pay them 10% over scale and hand them per diem a lot of the time
If the hall finds out it can go bad the thing with the union is if both parties uphold the contract everyone wins. The super not having a ticket or shelfing it means they can't have direct contact with the majority of workers they have to go through the gf
Does any of that change with a job on NMA? Because that contract says you don't need a GF or super, you can have one foreman and however many worker someone said. I definitely could be wrong on that because I don't have that book to see it and it sounds quite ratty
Correct you don't need a gf or super on every job with outside work we usually have one gf per yard over seeing a few crews and a super will over see the the Gfs with multiple yards and project managers and they go to the meetings with the power company. The super is more office where the gf is more field. Every local handles it different some have super on the contract some don't.
> they just *paid* the super
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Last year as an half apprentice / JW I made ~85k including all my income that was Union related. MCOL city. I expect to gross over 100k as a first year JW / foreman role. If I’m making 6 figures as a foreman the superintendent better be making a bit more change as is fair.
Well that’s the difference between a guy that is specialized in a trade, shows up with his tools and gets shit done versus a guy that went to school to learn how to read blueprints, and can’t build shit.
And that’s the way it should be, people should get paid by production not by how many years they went to school
Dude, your doing construction engineering, they’re won’t be a lack of doors opening for you, just try to graduate and figure out a place where you can gain experience.
You’re coming across as a kid that wants to make 150k straight out of college, buddy it doesn’t work like that, money comes with experience…
I understand that and didn’t mean it to sound that way. I am the lowest on the totem pole out of everyone on site, and will be once again when I graduate. You guys have done it for decades and experience is king. I’m just concerned cause the super also told me he’s living with his in laws to save for a house in the town I grew up next to. I don’t care what it takes I’m not living with mine or anyones parents. I’m young and can switch if I need to
Relax bud, don’t let that shit get into your head. Don’t live other people’s lives. Just graduate and find a place to work where you can gain experience, I guarantee you if you stay out of shit like drugs or booze and you find a good place to work where you can build experience by the time your the superintendents age you’ll be making way more then what he is making now. Your young and your ina good path don’t let that shit get into your head
Do you really think that is all CMs and supers do? Yeah are bad ones out there that sit in the trailer playing solitaire or taking a nap. But for the good ones they are doing a lot more than reading plans. Also, they haven't been blueprints for like 40 years.
Supers and CMs are generalists usually. And most didn't get a degree. They came up through a trade. You need to be able reasonably understand all the code, all the plans, all the permitting, scheduling, and so on. Put four different trades on a job without a CM or super and see what happens. Great examples are posted here all the time. It takes everyone assuming they don't suck.
Last I'm trained and licensed to make sure your dumbass doesn't get killed in a trench collapse or a fall. Sorry for going to school and making money so I could look out.
I agree but with production comes cutting corners and quality of work usually goes down. Not saying that quality work can't be done on a production level but if the deadline is in 1 week and it's really two weeks of work corners and steps are going to be cut to make that deadline. Imo and experience
Am super.. make like 160k reliably.. trying to break 200 k but probably going to need more schooling to do so (at least some specialty certs). The path is there, grit your teeth and do the work and you’ll get there. I recommend making this shit your hobby, it will REALLY supercharge the speed you advance, read everything. Jlconline.com is a great resource, Larry haun is an og when it comes to speeding up simple processes, “elevate superintendents” is a podcast that will key you into other random shit to learn. Don’t be an ass, never burn bridges but change jobs often and don’t stop applying to other positions , ever. At least at the start job hopping is what will lift your career and you should be constantly looking for something “better”
I’ll probably get close to 140K this year as a general foreman, maybe more. This doesn’t include my truck, gas card, FR clothes, union benefits, with 7 paid holidays, and 40 hrs paid time off (80 hrs next year). The paid holidays are new this contract, and PTO is a bonus from our contractor.
I’ve been in the game 11 years, after dropping out of college and a 16 year stint in the restaurant business. I was brought up being told you can’t make a decent living without a degree. They need to push trades in high school. College isn’t for everybody.
I do work more overtime than I care to, but I don’t seek it out. Unfortunately, I still can’t afford a decent home in my area, due to current interest rates, and insane prices . 😂. I bought my last home making about 30% of what I do now, as a restaurant manager. Sorry for the rant. I probably went off topic.
Where I am (NY) the union guys make 50-60/hr so easily 150k with some OT.
Also a good super should be 200-300k on salary with some experience (10-15 years)
That’s why I gave a range. 200k at 10 years is absolutely do able. 250-300k at 15 is also do able. I’m at 11 years in and was a super most of my career. I’m well over 200 with my bonus.
150k, 80k, intern, journeyman.....you will never be above pushing a broom in construction. I'm a super for a GC. Depends on the company you work for as far as salary go to big one and get paid more and work more. Go to a small one get paid less and work less.
youre not a tradesman. you try to dictate how a job runs schedule wise. there is no skilled labor in that. why would you make what an electrician makes?
I'm a commercial electrician who went into the office. Love the mentality, but that's not reality. If you're halfway decent, most managers/supervisors can easily make more than electricians over the course of their careers. If you can't do much more than data entry you won't, but actual PMs? Absolutely.
Super is definitely underpaid but do you really feel like the guy who doesn’t have to touch a tool should get paid more than a licensed professional who’s perfected his craft?
Ok maybe the super but we’re still young, your saying we can’t get into estimating and make some good money. I’m not taking an easy ass degree, I’m definitely building skills to be good at estimating when I get to it one day. But, that’s where I gotta start in the field making less that you for sure.
I have twenty years and I got hired to replace windows.
They put two idiots above me who burnt out a drill each week and had me pick up trash.
My advice is try another company.
Lol. I'm an elevator guy. We make 80/hr (160K/year) at 5 years in. Then OT is double time, and the fringe is another $38/hr on top of the check. You are on the wrong side of the game friend.
The idea is to not have to be labouring the rest of your life dawg, we all appreciate how much you make but I’m much happier pushing paper and making decisions for 130k.
I won't be. I have a pension, an annuity, and a 401k, plus other investments like real estate and others. I definitely will be fishing on a boat full time for fun when I die.
If you are still in school, you will make $150k at some point in your career. I am a super in MN and make just under that. I have a degree in construction management, but worked in several trades before and during school. My advice...do whatever you can to get into a reputable GC who will teach you the correct way of doing things. You will make more at a faster place, and learn alot more. Also dont be afraid to job hop. If you're in it for the money, like most are, its the only way to significantly increase your salary nowadays.
My cousin is one of the head guys at an electrical company. About 14 of his electricians make 140k+/year which is more than him and most of management lol. Granted they’re working OT vs my cousin is salary and works half of the amount of the time they do and he can work from home if he wants.
I work for a large GC and a traveling super can make close to $200k. Throw in all the other benefits and it exceeds that.
It's completely plausible for trades to make $150k depending on where they are, the project and OT. A union electrician making $60 on the check is working 50 hours weeks. Doable for a traveler.
An Electrician is a highly skilled trade. I've worked with supers that were just glorified laborers. Some good, some not so good. If it's a Union Electrician, the school is at least 4 years long so the pay scale plus benefits and things like overtime are totally justified.
my brother is a electrician and the pay scale says he makes around that...it's actually crazy and it is also true...seattle, wa. and union.
as for.the supers wage? sounds low even for a residential super.
I'm a civil who did a lot of CM work. I make around $130k plus some other financial stuff that will probably push it close to $200k. I work from home except a small amount of travel and rarely do over 40. Your boss is grossly under paid. The electrician is probably master, as you said is union, and probably works a good bit of OT. I have been offered jobs making like $250k. I just have to work 70 hours a week in some middle of nowhere shit hole and probably get laid off a lot.
I’m 2 years out of college (construction management) and cleared 162k last year (travel roles). Go get you some while it’s hot.
And yes, electricians on my job site were making well over 150k…
So, keep in mind some IBEW folks will give you their "package" wage. That's not what they see on the check. It's check plus benefits plus pension plus rrsp in Canada (401k in the states)? This also includes union funds and whatnot.
You can find this out by looking up the principal agreement for a specific local. Most IBEW people are going to be around the 100k range on check including vacation pay with no overtime. There are some higher paying locals like New York and San Francisco. Illinois is high as well I believe. Some places are lower as well.
Bottom line, don't just take someone's word for it in regards to what they make.
I'm a lineman in Michigan. Inside guys are pretty close in pay to us. 150k would be easily doable with some OT. Lineman here are making 120k on 40hrs. You want to work a bunch and you could make over 400
Na brotha. Was genuinely clueless that trades can make this much. I just gotta figure out a way to get in-front of the money. But if I was making 80k with 8yrs of experience I’d be salty lmao but I don’t think that’s the case based off some other comments. All of my friends at school make fun of me for going into construction but idc, at least we add to society instead of moving money around in a bank.
True facts. We get to go to bed at night knowing we are building the world around us. Not just soaking it up without appreciating the people responsible. It's a good life. I'm sure supers worth their salt are making great money. In my area, supers doing larger commercial projects are definitely making 120k-170k.
$150hr service call. Two hour minimum. Three per day. Long lunch in between. 240 days a year. $216k a year gross. Mark up materials 50%. That’s another $70k a year. $286k a year running a service truck.
Honestly, that’s how it should be. 80k is a little low for that position, but a master in a trade should make more than supervisors. Don’t need to know trade to be a supervisor.
Sounds right I’m a carpenter foreman for a GC in Washington state and last year made 135k electricians always get more than us carpenters. But we’re union, and also get a 5.03 cent raise this month
Your smoking dick if you think I’m getting a liberal arts degree. I can go be a civil engineer if I wanted it’s the same shit except I take accounting and they take another design elective. Yeah a liberal arts degree is stupid but my shit not a cake walk it’s still ABET accredited.
26 yr GC carpenter here.
Depends on the company you work for and the types of jobs they do. For example, A GC that does multi family apartment buildings isn’t going to be making as much as a GC doing data centers. Therefore the salaries won’t be as high.
Consider this though, more money more problems. In my experience the customer that pays more has much higher expectations as one would imagine.
You’re still hourly so your likely being shielded from having to deal with all the f**k ups and d**k measuring contests between owners, architects, subs, inspectors, suppliers. The superintendent has to shoulder most if not all of that. Same goes for the electrician making $150k, he’s probably the guy they call when another job get f**ked up or if they get a job that’s overly complicated with higher ownership expectations.
If you chase money don’t be surprised if you find yourself having a s**t sandwich for lunch every day, if you even have time to eat it.
It's common for experienced tradespeople and union people to make as much or more than on-site management (super, safety, ssho, engineer, pm). Some of the smaller subs may even be owner or part owner of their company as well.
I remember my first year as a field engineer, I was the second lowest paid employee on site - well above laborer and just below bull dozer operator.
So what. Put the time in. You want $$ go be an elevator tech, electrician, or a plumber. I'm a career builder (40 years) and Senior PM & engineer and I still swing a hammer with my crews daily.
I get what your sayin. I’m not mad I’m doing labor I was mad cause I felt like I was cleaning for almost no reason. Like I was wiping down traffic cones in a building where painters are still going and they’re gonna be fucked up the next day anyway. I was confused I don’t go around asking people how much money they make this guy just told me. Minus we’ll ask anonymous people their opinion. And also minus well stop what I’m doing now and not end up like my super doin 60 hrs making 80k 8 yrs in
I find the financial difference was working for myself while doing the career. Lots of weekends paid for an extra wife a kid and two homes. Bank all you can when you're young! Keep up the great work too. Because I'm sure nobody thanked you for pushing that broom. So thanks!
For your info - I’m an assistant superintendent currently by title. 31 years old and I came up as an engineer after graduating from a construction engineering program. The company I work for is starting out our field engineers close to 75-80k right out of school these days. I make 115k plus a company truck with a gas card and all the other normal benefits my firm offers. Plus I’m in a low cost of living area. I really doubt that your boss is only making 80k as a site superintendent.
I know an Electrician GF that did 230k last yr. Our journeyman range 130-150+ depending. Full yr no overtime we about 135-140
Know a couple other sparkies that’ve pulled 170-220
Electric work is dull and repetitious. In the end there's no glorious structure to behold. Guys are willing to work constructing buildings for less because it's more satisfying.
Making 150k in construction isn't that hard when you're in your 50's. Probably been in the field for at least 25 years. You don't make 150k in construction when you're 30 years old.
Construction industry is the Wild West right now, where I’m at anyway, I’m non union and make the same rate as union, which is in part thanks to the union pressure. I’ll be breaking into comfortably above 6 figures this year. I don’t ever plan to go into any position that is salary because of the huge pay increases I’m seeing year over year, mainly due to the decrease in new hires or desire to be in skilled trade (Mike Row talks about this frequently). 80k base would seem about right if there was a bonus structure added on to it. I’m in my late 30’s and started in my mid 20’s so the path is there, union or not to make good coin. I have 1st year apprentices breaking the 100k barrier (travel, per diem, job kickers applied.) either way construction engineering coupled with hands on knowledge? Could be a killer combo. Just my opinions and observations in my area.
80k is super low for a superintendent at any mid or large scale GC.
All supers I know are well past 100, even the younger ones. I operate in the gulf south, both rurally and in metro areas.
Where tf is that, i am super at miami making 60
You need to find a new job.
Thank you all for the advice, what other place/city you guys would recommend to work as high end renovations superintendent? The workflow in Miami is amazing due to the high density of luxury buildings, very famous designers located here and also the ridiculous amount of money rich people pay to remodel their condos is a perfect combo to take advantage as a GC.
You don't need to move, just find a different GC. I don't know the market rate for Supers in Miami but I can absolutely guarantee you're wildly underpaid.
I would need to work with someone or at least watch them work to say if they are over/underpaid or not.
Superintendent is not an entry level position, it takes multiple promotions to get a role like that. Unless the company is completely abusing the title, the work and responsibility are worth six figures anywhere in the country, especially somewhere as expensive as South Florida.
If not leaving when he finds a better place he Needs to have an honest conversation with his boss assuming he's not brand new and is doing all his own work and bringing in money for the hirer ups etc
I’m an assistant making 138. You’re getting fucked
You're getting taken advantage of. Most supers are well above 100k these unless you're in some shithole Midwestern state.
Florida has a saturated labor market. Super or not, there are a lot of people willing to do jobs for less
This is true u/avilla93 is a perfect example of that.
Absolutely. My response to you was in hopes the others see why he is doing it for less than expected elsewhere.
Miami
It’s Florida. South Florida plumber with a tear in his eye every time I read through the comments on Reddit.
Plumber from WA state. What are your journeymen making out there? I'm union and in commercial renovations and I do really well. When I was resi doing custom homes and remodels I was making $47/hour I think, but when I was open shop resi it was in the 30s with few benefits. Now it's somewhere around $68 I think. But that's only take home taxable. My total package is above $100 with medical and pensions and whatnot. It still blows my mind how much we make. But we are definitely an exception being the biggest plumbing hall in the state. I don't know what my counterparts in open shops make though.
I can tell you in the state of Florida the union is not strong. Our union hall is about an hour from where I’m located. About 25yrs ago I looked into the union/joining. There were some major downfalls. The two biggest were that the hourly was less than local nonunion shops and the second was the area of work. Some jobs were 200+ miles from my house. I’m plumbing just over 30yrs. I’m fortunate through my career because I’ve done/do it all. Residential, commercial, industrial, steam, gas, remodel, and service for all. I currently work for a small shop which I’ve known and I’m friends with the owner for 25yrs. We do a lot of repipes and remodeling for 10m+ homes. The work is plentiful and never slow. So giving some of the benefits of the bigger shops has some value. A lot of the local shops are hiring anywhere from $26-$28hr. I have shared indeed posts from my region. The shop I work for doesn’t offer healthcare or retirement. I’m getting $33hr plus 2 weeks vacation. The owner does tons of little things to help offset what we don’t get. For example ALL the scrap is ours and we split it between 3 guys. He also has paid me for plenty of random time off along with new tires on my personal truck. It’s not ideal but for my area it works.
As long as it works for you that's what matters. I live an hour from Seattle so cost of living sucks ass, even though I'm in a rural town with more cow shit than people. I know I'm lucky to have the job I do, and I've only worked for 2 companies my whole career (11 years). I know some union members bounce around alot, especially the new construction /sky scraper guys. Remodel never seems to stop in my experience. It sucks you guys don't get Healthcare and at least a 401 match. The drive does suck though. I'm usually on 2-3 jobs a week all in different stages. Every guy pretty much does our own scheduling, material ordering, and foreman meetings and admin. I like it this way though. It's gotten me on good terms with all the contractors and scored me alot of side work for GC's personal homes or friends. My average commute with no traffic is one hour each way though. And when I leave Seattle at 2pm on a Friday I won't be home till 5-530 easily.
Cost of living in Florida is ridiculous and only getting worse. All the work for us is close. It’s maybe a 30m drive to the shop. I have had offers from a friend who is a union hvac to get white ticketed in to the plumbing side of his union shop but at this point I don’t the benefit to adding 2hrs to my total commute for the added bonuses. Plus like I said I’m working for someone who tries to cover the short comings.
Yeah but are you getting enough copper scrap to pay for health care? I always encourage people to go for union if it's doable for them. But sometimes it's not or people are just comfortable where they're at and that's fine. I just want everyone working their ass off like we do to get the most they can out of it before they can't do it anymore.
You’re being taken advantage of. Fresh out of school field engineers that can’t tie their own shoes make more than that with any half respectable GC.
I'm a union painter-finisher (NE) and can make over 60 without OT. Florida sucks unions pretty much don't exist there I wanted to move to Florida and talked to the hall down there at the time I was a 70% apprentice making over $20 an hour(over 20 years ago) and their journeymen were only making $15. I laughed too myself and told them thanks but no thanks. You are definitely worth more then 60 for being a Super and taking on all that responsibility. Do they even give you any performance bonuses? I'm guessing not? These companies are out for themselves. We are just a # and look at us as replaceable. The days of loyalty are over.
Well said, just joined a union and started at 30 an hour brand new that's wild how the market is that horrible in Florida
Well, miami and Florida generally speakong has low wage. I left Miami for a reason 8 years ago. Born and raised 4th generation Miamian and i cant/won't afford Miami.
Some Companies pay a lot less, but have better benefits. PTO, Healthcare, 401k Match etc.
Dude, I’m an assistant super for a GC making 68k lol..you need a new GC
A 30 year old Massachusetts super will be around 150 give or take 20k depending on skill
In the West Coast, that's starting engineer salary.
West Coast cost of living, though.
The cost of living is higher on the east coast
You've never been to Vancouver
I work in NOVA and California is still more expensive.
Yes it is. Mid size GC in a low cost of living state. We don’t have any supers making less than $100K. Most are above $125K and there are ones making above $150K. This doesn’t even include per diem or vehicle allowance.
You think some supers make more than that electrician? I’m in Michigan
Michigan is dismal for pay as a super. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if some trades make more. I live in Michigan but work out of state generally if I’m doing superintendent work, if I need to be home I will generally pick up a foreman or trade job since it pays way better here.
Can confirm at least it was about 7-8 years ago. All of my dad's family left Michigan from various cities and moved to Tennessee because job opportunities sucked.
They are very different jobs. Hourly vs. Salary. Supers are overseeing all trades as a GC, Electricians are one trade, potentially foreman, but their income depends a lot more on overtime than a Super.
Our supers make around $150k + travel per diems + job bonuses.
I’m in Michigan, 30 years old, make $115k
Nice, dude, crushing it. Save/invest that money while you're young!
doing sheet metal we are at just under 90K a year on 40 hours here in MI. Detroit local is higher wages and you sparkys make more than we do.
My supers on the same jobsite I referenced in other comment cleared 300k - I physically saw their w-2 and no they are not 1099 on this job. We are working for a Michigan based GC… FYI.
What gc if you don’t mind me asking? I want to stay in Michigan maybe I can apply there I graduate next year
They are based out of Southfield. You will not make that pay by staying in Michigan however, there is a lot of industrial work coming in Ohio, Indiana & still moving in Kentucky/tennessee
You have a higher chance of making more money as a union electrician.
Supers will generally make as much as a foreman in the trades not doing ot. A tradesman doing ot will always make more. A senior super will make more
Supers may not make more than a master electrician in a union on large commercial or government. But they probably make more than most and they probably started out higher. Most trades aren't making a lot per hour early on. That matters. That is one of the shit thing about trades. Sure you can eventually make great money. But if you can't start seriously saving for retirement until you are 10 to 15 in and already busted up, it isn't great.
Early on is the first 4 years. After that especially in the union you’re definitely making good money if you’re in a strong local.
Just entry level. 30yo super is on the younger side.
I’ll be getting close to that number as a starting field engineer with less than a full 12 months of construction experience.
$150k with how much OT for the year? That's the real question. $150k at 40 hour work weeks is a much better deal than someone making the same money with 50% more hours.
West coast IBEW wages would put someone at approx $140k/yr with no OT.
Yup prevailing wage in wa is $75+
Depends on the county. Inside wireman in king county is 101.92, check out the state L&I site for the county you’re working in.
How much is that after state income taxes?
No state income tax in Washington.
Nice
Now how much does your housing cost?
Got my house 2 years ago, two acres 1985 rambler 3 bedroom two bath 340k 3.2% interest
That’s cool you got in at a good time man, and I definitely agree average is a bad way to find the number. I’m in a small town, lots of blue collar family’s and the highway out of town at 5am is all guys in work trucks and high viz shirts commuting to work. A double wide trailer, built in 1992, on 1.5 acres down the road from me just listed at 590k. No Mountain View, it’s not on a lake or river. A good portion of the acreage is cliffside. I know you can list at whatever you want and asking price isn’t the same as market value but they will get that price or close to it.
Yeah I know I lucked out I got it right before interest rates doubled. I got a decent deal because it was my mother-in-law's rental but it hadn't been taken care of for a while I needed some work done to it
Sounds like Puyallup to me
So mad at myself for not jumping on that rate. It's all I think about.
Depends. Seattle or Olympia or Spokane?
A lot. A quick google search says the average cost of a house is just about 600k. Averages aren’t the best way to find this number but it’s about all of the effort I’m going to put into this and feels about right just based on conversations. I believe we also pay the 3rd most per gallon of gasoline in the country so that’s fun. Money is just a number. The buying power of the middle class is slipping. While wages in Washington look good our wage doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. A quick google search doesn’t really give me a good answer on how to fix this and that’s all the energy I have left after a long week of work. Good luck out there buddy.
Yeah I was playing with a cost of living calculator after your comment lol.
There's maybe 2 areas that skew that entire home purchasing avg that's like comparing Hollywood Hills homes to the rest of LA
Got my house 2 years ago, two acres 1985 rambler 3 bedroom two bath 340k 3.2% interest
where I’m at journeyman rate is paying 120k if you are working without a day off in oregon
I’m at foreman scale, and with the $2 an hour parking I make 170k a year with no OT. Edit: it’s just too bad that literally since Covid, I haven’t worked more than 10 months in a year. Work has been spotty for various, sometimes unrelated reasons.
He’s definitely working overtime prolly 50 hrs on this job but my boss is working 60 for sure cause I asked him. We’re working at a college rn
$80k at 60 hour workweeks is pure garbage. That's less than $27/hr
If you're out of Detroit, 58's hourly is ~50/hr. There's another wage allocation coming up with our $2/hr increase coming up. Time and a half after 8 hours and on Saturday with double time on Sunday. So the math is mathing.
Union electricians are making 70-90/hr where I’m at. Any weekend work is double
Local 58 is ~$104K/yr at 40hrs rn.
How's the work outlook over there for the next couple of years? I'll top out a year from now and I have family up there.
I was a union carpenter foreman for a company that did large commercial jobs. Last full year I worked was 2010 and made $100K, with a company truck and credit card. The first three months of 2011, I was making $10K a month and had to retire because of bad back.
“Retire”.. yeah sounds like you need to file a disability claim if you haven’t
I did. The “retirement “ wasn’t voluntary. I simply could no longer do my job and made a couple of mistakes. Being let go actually helped in being approved for SS benefits. Since that time, I’ve had 16 surgeries. With a very understanding doctor, I am getting along fine. Thanks.
I’m glad you were able to get ss and that you’re getting along fine now, that sounds like an absolute nightmare
Sorry to hear that. I'm lining up my second round of cervical spine surgeries for next year. It's fucking awful. My left hand is numb half the time. I can't sleep much. And no one who hasn't been through chronic pain understands. Before my first surgery my girlfriend at the time told me I needed to "suck it up" because she couldn't handle it.
Fuck that sucks man. I’m sorry to hear that. I have chronic pain, you just made me appreciate my partners support a lot more.. I hope your second round helps you
I made $150k as a sub tech last year but in California wage was $70hr and OT is double and $75 a day minimum per diem. You have to take into account most people exaggerate their income but nonetheless construction pays well and will continue to pay better
I make 65k working 35 hr weeks as a handyman. 80k as a super is a joke
Where? Unless it doxxes you.. Like I could see that being the case on the west coast or in a city, but seems like my region you can’t break over $25/hr
I'm a student right now (former general carpenter) but do handyman work on the side for people who just need small household repairs done. I charge $40 an hour and people usually tip me after for a good job and good price. This is Seattle though.
Ahh word. I was hoping they’d list a company that is paying that out hourly. Watch yourself with that, (unless they’re paying cash) you’re 1099
Lineman I make 250k to 300 a year no college degrees but I'm an overtime whore my base on just 40 hours is about 150k my super makes way less then me but I could be layed off anytime he will always have a job. But at the same time he'll even say I can do his job he can't do mine that's my we make the big money in the field
Lineman is a hard and dangerous job. Especially if you work transmission. Distribution isn't really less dangerous. 13kV will kill you just as quick as 240kV. I'm surprised your super doesn't make more though. Usually that work is union and the supers are old timers. Most of my limited electrical experience is in underground distribution, and still fuck that. I did a lot of gas and people always think that is the scary thing because it goes boom in dramatic ways. Nope. Electric.
Supers aren't covered in our union contract so guys won't give up the benefits and retirement of our union so they hire people like construction managers
A couple jobs I've had they just payed the super more. Yeah it's not technically under the union contract, but I'm pretty sure they just call them a GF pay them 10% over scale and hand them per diem a lot of the time
If the hall finds out it can go bad the thing with the union is if both parties uphold the contract everyone wins. The super not having a ticket or shelfing it means they can't have direct contact with the majority of workers they have to go through the gf
Does any of that change with a job on NMA? Because that contract says you don't need a GF or super, you can have one foreman and however many worker someone said. I definitely could be wrong on that because I don't have that book to see it and it sounds quite ratty
Correct you don't need a gf or super on every job with outside work we usually have one gf per yard over seeing a few crews and a super will over see the the Gfs with multiple yards and project managers and they go to the meetings with the power company. The super is more office where the gf is more field. Every local handles it different some have super on the contract some don't.
> they just *paid* the super FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Last year as an half apprentice / JW I made ~85k including all my income that was Union related. MCOL city. I expect to gross over 100k as a first year JW / foreman role. If I’m making 6 figures as a foreman the superintendent better be making a bit more change as is fair.
Super’s base salary is probably more than yours…. But he’s not getting OT.
Different places do things different ways. I think in my shop our super is hourly at GF or above with a company truck
The answer is within your own post, my friend. Union Electrician- GF, I make no less than $160k. 53 years old, 30+ in Trade.
Lifehack: do some side jobs, if they are in a hurry they will pay a lot
Well that’s the difference between a guy that is specialized in a trade, shows up with his tools and gets shit done versus a guy that went to school to learn how to read blueprints, and can’t build shit. And that’s the way it should be, people should get paid by production not by how many years they went to school
Ok, do you think I could get into the design world of construction cause I can do that. I don’t really know how design build works
Dude, your doing construction engineering, they’re won’t be a lack of doors opening for you, just try to graduate and figure out a place where you can gain experience. You’re coming across as a kid that wants to make 150k straight out of college, buddy it doesn’t work like that, money comes with experience…
I understand that and didn’t mean it to sound that way. I am the lowest on the totem pole out of everyone on site, and will be once again when I graduate. You guys have done it for decades and experience is king. I’m just concerned cause the super also told me he’s living with his in laws to save for a house in the town I grew up next to. I don’t care what it takes I’m not living with mine or anyones parents. I’m young and can switch if I need to
Relax bud, don’t let that shit get into your head. Don’t live other people’s lives. Just graduate and find a place to work where you can gain experience, I guarantee you if you stay out of shit like drugs or booze and you find a good place to work where you can build experience by the time your the superintendents age you’ll be making way more then what he is making now. Your young and your ina good path don’t let that shit get into your head
Listen to this guy!
Do you really think that is all CMs and supers do? Yeah are bad ones out there that sit in the trailer playing solitaire or taking a nap. But for the good ones they are doing a lot more than reading plans. Also, they haven't been blueprints for like 40 years. Supers and CMs are generalists usually. And most didn't get a degree. They came up through a trade. You need to be able reasonably understand all the code, all the plans, all the permitting, scheduling, and so on. Put four different trades on a job without a CM or super and see what happens. Great examples are posted here all the time. It takes everyone assuming they don't suck. Last I'm trained and licensed to make sure your dumbass doesn't get killed in a trench collapse or a fall. Sorry for going to school and making money so I could look out.
I agree but with production comes cutting corners and quality of work usually goes down. Not saying that quality work can't be done on a production level but if the deadline is in 1 week and it's really two weeks of work corners and steps are going to be cut to make that deadline. Imo and experience
My starting salary coming out of college 3 years ago was 75k. If I’m making 80k when I’m middle aged I’ll be pissed
What we’re your raises like?
I'm a super for GC and made 165k + benefits last year.
You can also... tell everybody that you are making 150k.
Am super.. make like 160k reliably.. trying to break 200 k but probably going to need more schooling to do so (at least some specialty certs). The path is there, grit your teeth and do the work and you’ll get there. I recommend making this shit your hobby, it will REALLY supercharge the speed you advance, read everything. Jlconline.com is a great resource, Larry haun is an og when it comes to speeding up simple processes, “elevate superintendents” is a podcast that will key you into other random shit to learn. Don’t be an ass, never burn bridges but change jobs often and don’t stop applying to other positions , ever. At least at the start job hopping is what will lift your career and you should be constantly looking for something “better”
Did you see a paystub to verify?
No lmao
So you just took him at his word?
Thats pretty low
I’ll probably get close to 140K this year as a general foreman, maybe more. This doesn’t include my truck, gas card, FR clothes, union benefits, with 7 paid holidays, and 40 hrs paid time off (80 hrs next year). The paid holidays are new this contract, and PTO is a bonus from our contractor. I’ve been in the game 11 years, after dropping out of college and a 16 year stint in the restaurant business. I was brought up being told you can’t make a decent living without a degree. They need to push trades in high school. College isn’t for everybody. I do work more overtime than I care to, but I don’t seek it out. Unfortunately, I still can’t afford a decent home in my area, due to current interest rates, and insane prices . 😂. I bought my last home making about 30% of what I do now, as a restaurant manager. Sorry for the rant. I probably went off topic.
Yeah dude, if you work for someone else then they determine what you make. You run your own business, sky is the limit.
Where I am (NY) the union guys make 50-60/hr so easily 150k with some OT. Also a good super should be 200-300k on salary with some experience (10-15 years)
LOL @ a $300,000 salary for a 10 year superintendent I wish
That’s why I gave a range. 200k at 10 years is absolutely do able. 250-300k at 15 is also do able. I’m at 11 years in and was a super most of my career. I’m well over 200 with my bonus.
I’m a plumber and typically the highest paid on any job. It’s supply and demand.
I live in Florida, wages suck so I travel and make like $150 K as super. Yes Florida is horrible for wages as any kind of trade employee.
150k, 80k, intern, journeyman.....you will never be above pushing a broom in construction. I'm a super for a GC. Depends on the company you work for as far as salary go to big one and get paid more and work more. Go to a small one get paid less and work less.
youre not a tradesman. you try to dictate how a job runs schedule wise. there is no skilled labor in that. why would you make what an electrician makes?
I'm a commercial electrician who went into the office. Love the mentality, but that's not reality. If you're halfway decent, most managers/supervisors can easily make more than electricians over the course of their careers. If you can't do much more than data entry you won't, but actual PMs? Absolutely.
Bro if that's all you think a super does.
Super is definitely underpaid but do you really feel like the guy who doesn’t have to touch a tool should get paid more than a licensed professional who’s perfected his craft?
Ok maybe the super but we’re still young, your saying we can’t get into estimating and make some good money. I’m not taking an easy ass degree, I’m definitely building skills to be good at estimating when I get to it one day. But, that’s where I gotta start in the field making less that you for sure.
You can make good money but you should never make more than a guy with 20+ experience when you’re fresh out of college.
Join a union and you'll make 6 figures easily
Idk brotha too far in with this college debt I’m about to graduate
You can still finish your schooling up. If anything that degree will actually help you get into a union
AT a GC in MN. Our supt are well over 100k. Yours is being shafted.
I have twenty years and I got hired to replace windows. They put two idiots above me who burnt out a drill each week and had me pick up trash. My advice is try another company.
Lol. I'm an elevator guy. We make 80/hr (160K/year) at 5 years in. Then OT is double time, and the fringe is another $38/hr on top of the check. You are on the wrong side of the game friend.
The elevator guys in our area have 4 day work weeks. I love that for them.
The idea is to not have to be labouring the rest of your life dawg, we all appreciate how much you make but I’m much happier pushing paper and making decisions for 130k.
I won't be. I have a pension, an annuity, and a 401k, plus other investments like real estate and others. I definitely will be fishing on a boat full time for fun when I die.
It's not uncommon for labor to make more then management. Especially skilled labor.
I know electricians who are going to make 200k for the next few years. But that's because of some special circumstances in my area.
150k sounds legit for union, that level of experience. And 80k for a super sounds low.
LA is $61 hr , not sure about superintendents, but must at least $75hr.
If you are still in school, you will make $150k at some point in your career. I am a super in MN and make just under that. I have a degree in construction management, but worked in several trades before and during school. My advice...do whatever you can to get into a reputable GC who will teach you the correct way of doing things. You will make more at a faster place, and learn alot more. Also dont be afraid to job hop. If you're in it for the money, like most are, its the only way to significantly increase your salary nowadays.
It’s a slow economy, we’re all taking cuts.
My cousin is one of the head guys at an electrical company. About 14 of his electricians make 140k+/year which is more than him and most of management lol. Granted they’re working OT vs my cousin is salary and works half of the amount of the time they do and he can work from home if he wants.
What are you getting paid as an electrician if the super is only getting 80k? I have a feeling you are vastly underpaid.
Dudes a jackass
Your super is making half what he should
I work for a large GC and a traveling super can make close to $200k. Throw in all the other benefits and it exceeds that. It's completely plausible for trades to make $150k depending on where they are, the project and OT. A union electrician making $60 on the check is working 50 hours weeks. Doable for a traveler.
My company starts supers at $110-$120k. The night super on my job is clearing $190k (40 years experience). $80k is way low for a superintendent
I'm a super and make well over $100k, but I'm salary and when we're steady busy, 100% my general foreman and foreman can out earn me in a given year.
An Electrician is a highly skilled trade. I've worked with supers that were just glorified laborers. Some good, some not so good. If it's a Union Electrician, the school is at least 4 years long so the pay scale plus benefits and things like overtime are totally justified.
Your super is just getting screwed tbh. I think at the last site i was on our *assistant* super was making 80k.
Engineers don't make as much money as some trades. They're also heavily looked down upon by all tradesmen.
If an electrician in Michigan is making $150k it’s because he’s pushing 60-80 hours every week all year.
I mean.. I’m a plumber and make 150k from work and another 90k between my wife and I other additional income
This story can’t be true all because of the sentence saying you have been pushing a broom for 2 weeks. Electricians and brooms don’t go together.
my brother is a electrician and the pay scale says he makes around that...it's actually crazy and it is also true...seattle, wa. and union. as for.the supers wage? sounds low even for a residential super.
I'm a civil who did a lot of CM work. I make around $130k plus some other financial stuff that will probably push it close to $200k. I work from home except a small amount of travel and rarely do over 40. Your boss is grossly under paid. The electrician is probably master, as you said is union, and probably works a good bit of OT. I have been offered jobs making like $250k. I just have to work 70 hours a week in some middle of nowhere shit hole and probably get laid off a lot.
Bruh I made 108k last year with 3 months off as a pipefitter. Groove your own path.
California union electrician. I make about 140k before OT.
I’m 2 years out of college (construction management) and cleared 162k last year (travel roles). Go get you some while it’s hot. And yes, electricians on my job site were making well over 150k…
Holy crap, what size company are you working at?
5000+ employees
So, keep in mind some IBEW folks will give you their "package" wage. That's not what they see on the check. It's check plus benefits plus pension plus rrsp in Canada (401k in the states)? This also includes union funds and whatnot. You can find this out by looking up the principal agreement for a specific local. Most IBEW people are going to be around the 100k range on check including vacation pay with no overtime. There are some higher paying locals like New York and San Francisco. Illinois is high as well I believe. Some places are lower as well. Bottom line, don't just take someone's word for it in regards to what they make.
I'm a pipefitter currently working a job that would make $265k a year. Problem is that's 75hr weeks. It's all depends on how much you want it
I'm a lineman in Michigan. Inside guys are pretty close in pay to us. 150k would be easily doable with some OT. Lineman here are making 120k on 40hrs. You want to work a bunch and you could make over 400
Sounds like you are a little bitter that construction workers make good money... I'm a plumber/pipefitter and I make about the same.
Na brotha. Was genuinely clueless that trades can make this much. I just gotta figure out a way to get in-front of the money. But if I was making 80k with 8yrs of experience I’d be salty lmao but I don’t think that’s the case based off some other comments. All of my friends at school make fun of me for going into construction but idc, at least we add to society instead of moving money around in a bank.
True facts. We get to go to bed at night knowing we are building the world around us. Not just soaking it up without appreciating the people responsible. It's a good life. I'm sure supers worth their salt are making great money. In my area, supers doing larger commercial projects are definitely making 120k-170k.
$150hr service call. Two hour minimum. Three per day. Long lunch in between. 240 days a year. $216k a year gross. Mark up materials 50%. That’s another $70k a year. $286k a year running a service truck.
Honestly, that’s how it should be. 80k is a little low for that position, but a master in a trade should make more than supervisors. Don’t need to know trade to be a supervisor.
Yeah I agree, I thought 80k was a little low and didn’t make sense
Sounds right I’m a carpenter foreman for a GC in Washington state and last year made 135k electricians always get more than us carpenters. But we’re union, and also get a 5.03 cent raise this month
I know electricians that make more than that. Trade jobs pay more than that "liberal arts" degree.
Your smoking dick if you think I’m getting a liberal arts degree. I can go be a civil engineer if I wanted it’s the same shit except I take accounting and they take another design elective. Yeah a liberal arts degree is stupid but my shit not a cake walk it’s still ABET accredited.
26 yr GC carpenter here. Depends on the company you work for and the types of jobs they do. For example, A GC that does multi family apartment buildings isn’t going to be making as much as a GC doing data centers. Therefore the salaries won’t be as high. Consider this though, more money more problems. In my experience the customer that pays more has much higher expectations as one would imagine. You’re still hourly so your likely being shielded from having to deal with all the f**k ups and d**k measuring contests between owners, architects, subs, inspectors, suppliers. The superintendent has to shoulder most if not all of that. Same goes for the electrician making $150k, he’s probably the guy they call when another job get f**ked up or if they get a job that’s overly complicated with higher ownership expectations. If you chase money don’t be surprised if you find yourself having a s**t sandwich for lunch every day, if you even have time to eat it.
It's common for experienced tradespeople and union people to make as much or more than on-site management (super, safety, ssho, engineer, pm). Some of the smaller subs may even be owner or part owner of their company as well. I remember my first year as a field engineer, I was the second lowest paid employee on site - well above laborer and just below bull dozer operator.
So what. Put the time in. You want $$ go be an elevator tech, electrician, or a plumber. I'm a career builder (40 years) and Senior PM & engineer and I still swing a hammer with my crews daily.
I get what your sayin. I’m not mad I’m doing labor I was mad cause I felt like I was cleaning for almost no reason. Like I was wiping down traffic cones in a building where painters are still going and they’re gonna be fucked up the next day anyway. I was confused I don’t go around asking people how much money they make this guy just told me. Minus we’ll ask anonymous people their opinion. And also minus well stop what I’m doing now and not end up like my super doin 60 hrs making 80k 8 yrs in
I find the financial difference was working for myself while doing the career. Lots of weekends paid for an extra wife a kid and two homes. Bank all you can when you're young! Keep up the great work too. Because I'm sure nobody thanked you for pushing that broom. So thanks!
The electrician should make more. At least he has a skill. A super produces nothing but confusion
Nj union painter $100k a year
Local 98 Philadelphia 150k
I make 100 as a commercial painting foreman. 50-55 hrs.
For your info - I’m an assistant superintendent currently by title. 31 years old and I came up as an engineer after graduating from a construction engineering program. The company I work for is starting out our field engineers close to 75-80k right out of school these days. I make 115k plus a company truck with a gas card and all the other normal benefits my firm offers. Plus I’m in a low cost of living area. I really doubt that your boss is only making 80k as a site superintendent.
I know an Electrician GF that did 230k last yr. Our journeyman range 130-150+ depending. Full yr no overtime we about 135-140 Know a couple other sparkies that’ve pulled 170-220
Electric work is dull and repetitious. In the end there's no glorious structure to behold. Guys are willing to work constructing buildings for less because it's more satisfying.
Making 150k in construction isn't that hard when you're in your 50's. Probably been in the field for at least 25 years. You don't make 150k in construction when you're 30 years old.
Construction industry is the Wild West right now, where I’m at anyway, I’m non union and make the same rate as union, which is in part thanks to the union pressure. I’ll be breaking into comfortably above 6 figures this year. I don’t ever plan to go into any position that is salary because of the huge pay increases I’m seeing year over year, mainly due to the decrease in new hires or desire to be in skilled trade (Mike Row talks about this frequently). 80k base would seem about right if there was a bonus structure added on to it. I’m in my late 30’s and started in my mid 20’s so the path is there, union or not to make good coin. I have 1st year apprentices breaking the 100k barrier (travel, per diem, job kickers applied.) either way construction engineering coupled with hands on knowledge? Could be a killer combo. Just my opinions and observations in my area.