A strong building begins long before the first brick is laid. It starts with quality materials, reliable suppliers and proper verification. Yet, challenges such as substandard materials, delayed deliveries and inadequate record-keeping continue to affect construction projects, raising concerns about quality, costs and accountability.
In an interview with The Tracker, Basil Nyaoke Odhiambo, an architect and CEO of Built Ups Studio Limited, shares practical insights into construction quality, material verification and how traceability can strengthen trust across Kenya’s construction supply chain.
What Makes a Good Building?
According to Mr.Basil Odhiambo, a good building rests on three pillars: aesthetics, functionality and quality workmanship.
While aesthetics determine a building’s appearance, functionality ensures it serves its intended purpose. Quality workmanship brings the two together, helping deliver a building that meets the required standards.
Achieving this balance requires careful planning, skilled personnel and the right construction materials. Even the best design can be compromised by poor workmanship or materials that fail to meet specifications.
Verifying Materials Before Use
Material verification is essential to ensuring quality and avoiding costly mistakes. Basil emphasises the importance of checking whether materials meet applicable standards and project specifications before accepting deliveries.
Different materials require different verification approaches. Aggregates such as ballast may naturally vary in size, while products such as plumbing pipes require careful assessment of their specifications, quality and source.
Buying from reputable brands can help, but contractors must still confirm that delivered materials meet the agreed requirements and are suitable for their intended use.
Without proper verification, unsuitable or substandard materials may enter construction sites, resulting in rework, financial losses and project delays.
The Challenges Facing Construction Sites
Basil identifies three key challenges in construction: late deliveries, difficulties implementing plans due to inexperienced personnel, and substandard materials.
Late deliveries disrupt schedules and affect coordination between different construction activities. Inexperienced personnel may struggle to implement specifications correctly, while poor material quality can compromise project outcomes.
Accurate record-keeping is equally important. Tracking materials received, their quantities, specifications and sources helps contractors manage inventory, reconcile orders and identify discrepancies.
However, incomplete records and inconsistent product information can make these tasks difficult, increasing the risk of errors and unnecessary expenditure.
Why Traceability Matters
Traceability helps stakeholders follow materials through relevant stages of the supply chain using reliable identification and information. In construction, it can improve visibility into product origins, specifications and movement, depending on the information captured.
When linked to accurate records, product identification can support inventory management, delivery verification and accountability. It can also help contractors distinguish between products that may look similar but have different grades or specifications.
Basil recalls an experience in which he sourced aluminium but struggled to identify the most suitable grade, resulting in a financial loss. His experience highlights the importance of accessible, reliable product information when making purchasing decisions.
Traceability alone does not guarantee material quality or authenticity. However, when combined with testing, certification and supplier verification, it can strengthen quality assurance and help contractors make informed decisions.
How GS1 Standards Can Support Construction
GS1 Standards provide common approaches to identifying products, capturing data and sharing information across supply chains. In construction, their application can help improve product identification, information exchange and material traceability.
Manufacturers and suppliers can use standardised identification to distinguish products and support access to relevant product information. Contractors and distributors can benefit from more consistent records, making it easier to manage deliveries and verify materials against project requirements.
For GS1 Kenya, there is an opportunity to raise awareness of how GS1 Standards can support the construction sector in addressing challenges associated with counterfeit products, inconsistent information and limited supply chain visibility.
However, successful implementation requires collaboration. Manufacturers must provide accurate product information, suppliers must maintain reliable records, and contractors must understand how to access and use that information.
Empowering the Sector Through Information
Basil calls for greater awareness and easier access to information on construction materials, quality standards and verification processes.
He suggests that GS1 Kenya could support the sector through webinars, targeted training and an online construction information portal. Such initiatives could help contractors identify suitable materials, understand product specifications and explore solutions for improving transparency.
A dedicated platform could also connect manufacturers, suppliers, contractors and other stakeholders, creating opportunities to share knowledge and address common industry challenges.
Building Trust Before the First Brick
Improving construction quality requires more than good design. It calls for responsible sourcing, reliable product information, proper verification and effective record-keeping.
By embracing traceability and standardised product identification, Kenya’s construction sector can strengthen accountability, reduce avoidable losses and improve confidence in the materials used to build homes, offices and infrastructure.
As Basil puts it:
“As a constructor, always provide quality work and deliver what you promised.”
By Smart Construction
