Residential building inspector vs construction supervisor

The differences between residential building inspectors and construction supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a residential building inspector, becoming a construction supervisor takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a construction supervisor has an average salary of $62,881, which is higher than the $48,597 average annual salary of a residential building inspector.

The top three skills for a residential building inspector include sketch, windows and plumbing. The most important skills for a construction supervisor are customer service, OSHA, and project management.

Residential building inspector vs construction supervisor overview

	Residential Building Inspector	Construction Supervisor
Yearly salary	$48,597	$62,881
Hourly rate	$23.36	$30.23
Growth rate	-4%	8%
Number of jobs	28,745	32,487
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	50	46
Years of experience	6	-

What does a residential building inspector do?

A residential building inspector is in charge of ensuring that residential properties comply with the national building codes and construction requirements. They visit residential establishments and conduct thorough inspections to determine if the structure complies with safety and quality standards. They are also responsible for producing reports, recommending action plans, and discussing procedures with clients. Moreover, a residential building inspector maintains an active communication line with staff, all while adhering to the agency's policies and regulations.

What does a construction supervisor do?

Construction supervisors ensure construction team members work jointly to deliver excellent work on time. They provide team-building sessions and training and monitor the construction processes. These professionals ensure the construction processes take place every time as per the safety regulations and health regulations. Besides creating budgets, project plans, reports and delivering them to the appropriate stakeholders, construction supervisors also perform routine site, material, and equipment inspections. They always remain updated about the construction advancements and construction safety codes.

Residential building inspector vs construction supervisor salary

Residential building inspectors and construction supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Residential Building Inspector	Construction Supervisor
Average salary	$48,597	$62,881
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $82,000	Between $42,000 And $92,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	SBA Communications
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between residential building inspector and construction supervisor education

There are a few differences between a residential building inspector and a construction supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Residential Building Inspector	Construction Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	-

Residential building inspector vs construction supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between residential building inspectors' and construction supervisors' demographics:

	Residential Building Inspector	Construction Supervisor
Average age	50	46
Gender ratio	Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4%	Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.4% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 22.9% Asian, 1.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	5%	2%

Differences between residential building inspector and construction supervisor duties and responsibilities

Residential building inspector example responsibilities.

Lead site excavations, form structuring, and supervise concrete pours.
Perform residential building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical inspections.
Pass all require residential building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspector exams.
Conduct inspections of newly build or previously own homes, condominiums, town homes, manufacture homes.

Construction supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage third party contractors, including safety oversight, control inspection and environmental design specification compliance, and also direct consultants.
Conduct site visits to ensure OSHA and local safety regulations are adhered to in accordance with company policy.
Perform caulking tasks which include: priming, air barrier on walls and utilizing mechanical tools.
Perform daily project walk-through to assess safety and cleanliness, thus ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations and insurance requirement.
Maintain the church building and school including general repairs, preventative maintenance, HVAC and scheduling contractors for repairs as needed.
Purchase framing, siding, cornice, roofing, finish carpentry and all other materials necessary, maintaining effective inventory control.

Residential building inspector vs construction supervisor skills

Common residential building inspector skills

Sketch, 39%
Windows, 10%
Plumbing, 10%
Residential Buildings, 9%
Inspection Process, 8%
HVAC, 6%

Common construction supervisor skills

Customer Service, 10%
OSHA, 8%
Project Management, 8%
Work Ethic, 6%
Construction Management, 5%
Construction Sites, 5%

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Residential Building Inspector
Residential Building Inspector vs Construction Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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