Practical guide
How to appoint the works supervisor in a condominium
For extraordinary works of some complexity, the condominium needs a technical figure to follow the site: the works supervisor. This is the professional who verifies that the contractor carries out the works according to the design, the specification and good practice, checks the states of progress and attends acceptance testing. Their appointment is up to the owners' meeting, which approves the engagement and the fee, while the manager handles the operational aspects. When several contractors operate on site, the safety coordinator is added. This guide explains who appoints the works supervisor, what they do and how they integrate with the other roles.
Steps for the appointment
- Put the appointment on the owners' meeting agenda
- Obtain the professional's fee estimate
- Check the qualification and insurance cover
- Approve the engagement by resolution and record it
- Sign the engagement letter and define the duties
- Assess, if needed, the safety coordinator
1. Why a works supervisor is needed
The manager has management skills, not site-technical ones. For works such as roof renewal, structural consolidation or facade restoration, a professional is needed to control the execution and protect the condominium as client.
The works supervisor represents the condominium towards the contractor on the technical level. They verify the conformity of the works to the design and specification, contest defects, approve or reject the states of progress and certify correct execution before payments.
2. Who appoints and with what quorum
Appointing the works supervisor is a decision that belongs to the owners' meeting, linked to the resolution on the works. It should be put on the agenda together with the approval of the work and the award of the contract, so owners decide within a single framework.
The meeting approves the engagement and the fee with the majorities proper to extraordinary management decisions. It is advisable to obtain the professional's estimate, check their qualification and insurance cover and record the choice, which the manager then formalises with the engagement letter.
- The appointment belongs to the meeting, not to the manager alone
- It should be linked to the resolution approving the works
- Fee and engagement must be recorded in the minutes
3. Duties on site
The works supervisor oversees the execution. They check materials and tasks, give instructions to the contractor, keep the works accounting and draw up or approve the states of progress on which payments are based.
In case of defects they contest the contractor in writing and can suspend non-conforming tasks. At the end they attend the final checks and cooperate in acceptance testing, certifying that the works were carried out according to the contract. This technical control is what gives the manager the basis to authorise payments.
4. Works supervisor and safety coordinator
The works supervisor must not be confused with the safety coordinator. When the site involves the presence, even non-simultaneous, of several contractors, the consolidated safety law requires the appointment of the coordinator for design and execution and the sending of the preliminary notification.
These are distinct roles with different responsibilities: the works supervisor oversees correct technical execution, the coordinator oversees site safety. On simple sites with a single contractor the coordinator may not be required, but the assessment must be made case by case with the technician.
5. Coordinate the roles with software
With several professionals involved, the manager must keep engagements, fees, states of progress and communications in order. Traceability is essential both for payments and for any later disputes.
Software such as AmministraPro lets you record the works supervisor's engagement, link it to the condominium and the work, archive the states of progress and schedule payments at the deadlines. The features are described on the funzioni page and the plans on the prezzi page.
Frequently asked questions
Who appoints the works supervisor in a condominium?
The appointment is up to the owners' meeting, which approves the engagement and the fee in connection with the resolution on the works. The manager obtains the estimate, checks qualifications and insurance, records the choice and then formalises the engagement with a letter to the professional.
Is a works supervisor always mandatory?
Not for every work, but for complex extraordinary works it is effectively necessary. For structural works or those subject to a building permit, technical rules require works supervision. For minor works the assessment must be made with a technician case by case.
Are works supervisor and safety coordinator the same figure?
No, they are distinct roles. The works supervisor oversees the correct technical execution of the works, the safety coordinator protects health on site. When several contractors operate, the consolidated safety law requires the appointment of the coordinator.
Who pays the works supervisor's fee?
The fee is a cost of the extraordinary work and is allocated among the owners according to the criterion applicable to the works, usually by thousandths or the specific table. The meeting approves it together with the engagement and the amount of the works.
Can the manager act as works supervisor?
Only if they hold the enabling technical qualification and are engaged by the meeting for that function, keeping the two roles distinct. Without the qualification, works supervision must be entrusted to a qualified external professional, with an engagement and fee resolved by the meeting.
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