Construction supervision: what it is, who provides it and how to appoint it

Construction supervision is the technical oversight of building work by a professional acting for the property owner. It is used to check whether the work matches the design, contract, applicable planning procedure and decisions made during the project. In a renovation or private build in Greater Lisbon, it provides documented evidence that concealed work was checked before being closed up, changes were formalised and measured work matches what was carried out.

TL;DR

• Construction supervision checks execution against the design, contract, applicable planning procedure and current rules. It does not carry out the work or replace the contractor or works director.
• The construction supervision director must hold qualifications appropriate to the nature of the work under Law no. 31/2009, as applicable.
• Supervision, project management and site coordination are different services. The proposal should state clearly what is included.
• There is no statutory fee or universal price. Cost depends on scope, duration, visit frequency and deliverables.
• Ordinance no. 336/2026/1, dated 13 August 2026, clarified that the supervision director takes part in the site log only where they have actually been appointed.

Contents

• What is construction supervision?
• Supervisor, works director and municipality: who does what
• Is supervision mandatory for private building work?
• Who can be a construction supervision director?
• Supervision, management and coordination are not the same
• What should be checked during the contract works
• The site log after Ordinance no. 336/2026/1
• How much does construction supervision cost?
• Remote supervision: owners outside Portugal
• How Obra Lisboa supports your project
• Next steps
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

What is construction supervision?

Short answer: it is the technical verification that building work is being carried out in line with the design, contract, applicable planning-control conditions and current rules.

Law no. 31/2009 establishes the professional-qualification regime for responsible technicians, including works direction and construction supervision. Ordinance no. 336/2026/1 confirms that, for private works, appointing a supervision director is not a general requirement under the RJUE planning regime or Law no. 31/2009. Where one is appointed, they perform the legal and contractual functions that apply to their role.

In practical terms, supervision answers three questions throughout the works:

1. Is it compliant? Do drawings, specifications, materials and installed solutions match what was approved and contracted?
2. Is it documented? Are measurements, payment certificates, changes and decisions recorded with dates and named decision-makers?
3. Is it within the agreed framework? Are time, cost and additional works assessed before they become irreversible?

An occasional visit by a technician without access to the design, contract and work programme is not the same as ongoing construction supervision. The distinction is the method: written references, phased checks, records and traceable decisions.

Supervisor, works director and municipality: who does what

Short answer: the works director leads execution for the contractor. The supervision director checks it for the owner. The municipality exercises planning control in the public interest.

Having supervision in place does not transfer responsibility for correct execution to the supervisor. The contractor and works director retain their own execution responsibilities. The supervision director is responsible for the checks and actions within their agreed remit.

The contract should distinguish works direction, supervision and project management. It should also identify who may approve additional work, validate measurements and request corrective work from the contractor.

Is supervision mandatory for private building work?

Short answer: there is no general requirement to appoint a supervision director for every private project. The applicable framework depends on the intervention and planning procedure; when the service is appointed, it carries its own legal and contractual duties.

Ordinance no. 336/2026/1 expressly states that the existence of a supervision director is not compulsory in private works under either the RJUE or Law no. 31/2009. It also amended the site-log rules so that this professional intervenes only where they have actually been appointed.

Before starting, confirm the planning status of the works with the relevant municipality. In Lisbon, the Municipal Information and Services portal brings together procedures for licences, prior communications, use and public-space occupation. National rules apply throughout Portugal, but municipal regulations, forms and processes may differ between municipalities.

Even where it is not required, supervision can be especially useful when there is:

• structural work, such as opening new openings, reinforcement or new loads;
• extensive replacement of water, drainage or electrical systems that will be concealed;
• waterproofing to roofs, terraces or bathrooms above neighbouring units;
• a contract with measured work, stages and additional works to control;
• an owner who cannot attend the site in person.

Who can be a construction supervision director?

Short answer: a professional with legal qualifications appropriate to the predominant nature of the work and the responsibilities to be undertaken.

The required professional qualifications are governed by Law no. 31/2009, as applicable, which Lisbon City Council refers to in its building-work planning procedures. The professional selected should be suited to the intervention: an internal refurbishment with no structural change does not present the same technical demands as work involving structure, foundations or complex building-services design.

Before appointing someone, ask in writing for:

• the professional’s identification and registration number with the relevant professional body, where applicable;
• confirmation that their qualifications are appropriate for the work;
• evidence of professional civil-liability insurance, where applicable;
• a statement of responsibility where the procedure requires one;
• a scope description: what will be checked, how often and what reports will be delivered.

Also confirm functional independence. The supervisor should report to the owner through the communication process set out in the contract.

Supervision, management and coordination are not the same

Short answer: supervision checks compliance. Management follows the contract, costs and decisions. Coordination aligns designs, disciplines and work fronts.

These services may be appointed together, but they are not interchangeable. A proposal described as “project support” should identify the service actually being provided and its deliverables.

In an apartment renovation, poor coordination can mean one team reopening a wall that another team has already prepared. Supervision may identify the non-compliance; coordination seeks to prevent it happening.

What should be checked during the contract works

Short answer: work that will become concealed, work affecting structure or weatherproofing, work that is measured and paid for, and changes to the design or contract.

Before starting

• Execution design in the applicable version, with coordinated technical disciplines.
• Agreed contract, bill of quantities and programme.
• Applicable planning procedure, including a licence, prior communication or exemption framework where relevant.
• Municipal authorisation or notification for public-space occupation where required for scaffolding, skips, cranes or other equipment. In Lisbon, the procedure depends on the type of works and occupation proposed.
• Organised site set-up: access, protection of shared areas, temporary water and electricity.

During execution

• Concealed work before it is covered: reinforcement before concreting, water pipework before finishes, electrical conduits before wall closure, and waterproofing before final finishes.
• Materials on site: check that delivered materials match approved specifications and the manufacturer’s technical documentation.
• Measurements: check quantities and completed work before validating payment certificates or payments.
• Safety: record and communicate observed non-compliances within the agreed remit, without replacing the legal responsibilities of the employer, contractor or applicable safety professionals.
• Temporary installations: check the organisation and condition of the temporary electrical board, temporary connections and any site consumption allocated by the contract.

Changes during the works

Projects change, but changes should not be left as site conversations alone. Lisbon’s document for changes during construction identifies Article 83 of the RJUE as the framework for licence changes and sets out the relevant submission documents. The responsible professional should assess each change against the approved design, contract and necessary procedure before the solution is built.

Handover

The final stage calls for an inspection with a snag list, a record of corrections, documentation for installed equipment and technical information relevant to use and maintenance. Where applicable, as-built drawings, manuals, warranties and installation certificates should be collected. It is also sensible to define who receives the work, how defects are reported and how subsequent corrections are documented.

The site log after Ordinance no. 336/2026/1

Short answer: where a supervision director has actually been appointed, their site-log role follows the regime amended by Ordinance no. 336/2026/1.

Ordinance no. 336/2026/1 of 13 August 2026 made the second amendment to Ordinance no. 1268/2008, which concerns the model, requirements and electronic format of the site log. The amendment aligned the regime with the RJUE and Law no. 31/2009, providing that the supervision director only intervenes in the site log where they have been appointed.

• The works director and, where appointed, the supervision director make the records required for the state of execution.
• At the end of the works, a closing record is made in accordance with the applicable rules.
• The supervision director’s presence in the site log is not automatic: it depends on the professional having actually been appointed.

When consulting older checklists or templates, always confirm the current legal wording and its application to the specific procedure.

How much does construction supervision cost?

Short answer: there is no statutory fee or universal price. The amount follows the agreed scope and the characteristics of the works.

The main factors include size and complexity, expected duration, number of visits, critical stages to be monitored, disciplines involved, travel and report format. Comparing proposals only by the number of visits may be insufficient: it matters what is checked, what is recorded and what happens when a non-compliance is found.

A comparable proposal should state:

Ask specifically how an extended programme, additional visits and changes to scope will be handled.

Remote supervision: owners outside Portugal

Short answer: it can work when decision-making, representation powers and communication channels are defined before work starts.

Lisbon City Council’s Urban Planning Digital manual provides for applications to be submitted by the applicant or a representative. To sign documents on behalf of the applicant, the legal representative needs a power of attorney granting those powers; the manual expressly includes the example of an owner who is outside the country.

Also define:

1. the format and frequency of reports, for example photographs, videos and a written summary;
2. which decisions require the owner’s written approval and which may be taken within agreed limits;
3. where versions of the design, contract, payment certificates and changes are archived;
4. who may receive the works on the owner’s behalf, if needed.

How Obra Lisboa supports your project

Obra Lisboa can support owners in preparing and following works in Greater Lisbon. The scope should be defined in writing for each property, distinguishing supervision, management, coordination, planning support and communication with the owner. See Obra Lisboa’s services for available support options.

Next steps

1. Confirm the planning framework for the work with the relevant municipality.
2. Gather the design, written and drawn documents, bill of quantities, contract and programme.
3. Decide whether you need supervision only or also management and coordination.
4. Request proposals with clear scope, deliverables, exclusions and conditions for an extended programme.
5. If you live outside Portugal, organise representation and the approval process before the works begin.

Frequently asked questions

Can the site supervisor order work to stop?

It depends on the powers granted, the applicable framework and the contract. The supervision scope should specify how non-compliances are communicated, who can request corrections and which procedure applies where there is a risk to safety, quality, cost or programme.

Does municipal inspection replace appointed supervision?

No. The municipality exercises planning control within its powers. Appointed supervision follows execution and the contract for the owner, within the agreed scope.

Can the contractor also be the supervisor?

The owner should ensure that the arrangement allows independent verification of execution. If a professional is suggested by the contractor, it is sensible to define in writing who they report to, their authority and how conflicts are handled.

When should supervision be appointed?

Ideally before the contract works begin, so that the scope of control, design, bill of quantities and programme can be reviewed from the outset. If the professional joins midway through the works, they may be unable to inspect concealed work already completed.

Sources

• Ordinance no. 336/2026/1 of 13 August — Diário da República
• Information and Services — Lisbon City Council
• Submission documents: changes during construction — Lisbon City Council
• Urban Planning Digital user manual — Lisbon City Council

Recommendations

• Obra Lisboa services
• Changes during renovation: approving extra work
• Lisbon renovation contract: essential clauses