14.2.

01T CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Definition: Construction industry involves all activities in the construction of roads,
buildings, bridges, railways etc and maintenance and repair of the same. These are called
capital investments. The building industry is the greatest producer of capital investment
and is second to the agricultural industry in employment in Kenya.

14.2.01T11 NATURE AND FORM OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

History of construction industry
Initially a man wasn’t a builder and he only started building comparatively recently.
He used to hunt wild animals and gather fruits for food and living in caves. It was not
until about 1000BC that man discovered agriculture, which necessitated safe and
‘permanent’ habitat to live in and store the agricultural produce.
Peoples like the Incas of Peru, Mayas of South Mexico and Guatemala, the Greeks,
the Egyptians etc slowly and gradually started making buildings despite their shallow
knowledge. To construct ‘permanent’ buildings required tools, materials, skills,
knowledge and means of transport which were a major challenge to man. The discovery
of iron smelting much later quickened the pace at which building developed. The real
breakthrough was in the 5th century when the arch was discovered in South Turkey
because it made it possible to construct tunnels. The development of knowledge in
Mathematics and sciences has further quickened the development of building. Man
developed interest for aesthetics in buildings and even the need to be buried in a tomb, a
monument to be remembered by, a palace to be governed from, and even a building for
holy activities. Religion has particularly brought the greatest diversity of building as it
has given the main impetus to new technical discoveries.

Recent Developments
The building industry has, over the past few years, entered into a new and challenging
era. Many new materials have been developed and are appearing on the market in an
ever-increasing volume. New techniques in building in the shape of industrialization have
evolved bringing with them new problems in design, organisation and production. Plants
for use by the builder have kept abreast of the industry, enabling an increase in
production without an increase in labour. Few general building contractors now provide
for their own men to complete a project throughout, what with the growth of
specialization (or, as more generally known in the industry, sub-contracts.)

The development of the construction industry may be attributed to the following:

(a) Economic factors: The need by human beings for a building to live in, perform his
duties in and for recreation purposes have resulted to innumerable erection of
buildings, roads, airfields, dams etc. every now and then. Construction of buildings
calls for materials, labour, transport resources, hence calling for the collective
participation of manufacturers, financial institutions, insurance providers, builders,
and building teams and all parties which create jobs for all those sectors, thus
contributing to the economic development of a nation.
(b) Employment: The construction industry is one of the biggest employers of labour in
the country, hence utilizing most of the country’s manpower and helping in
improving the economy of the country.
(c) Fulfillment of human needs: Shelter is one of the basic human needs (food,
clothing, privacy, security and comfort being others) is provided by the building
industry. The development and usage of many new building materials has continued
fulfilling human needs.

14.2.01T12 SCOPE OF CONSTRUCTION WORK

Construction work can generally be classified into two:
i) Building works: Construction of houses, flats, offices, schools, factories etc.
ii) Civil engineering works: construction of roads, bridges, airports, dams, canals,
etc.

14.2.01T13 TYPES OF CONTRACTORS

There are basically five types of contractors in the construction industry.
1. Small contractors – employ less than 25 people with two or three permanent staff and
form the largest total of the industry – about 93%. They can undertake new small
building projects e.g. a group of houses or flats or do maintenance work, alterations,
extensions and repairs – functions that are vital for the upkeep of homes, places of
work and pleasure. They usually have no offices or plant and tend to specialize in
certain trades or areas e.g. formwork, steel fixing, joinery, plastering etc.
2. Medium sized contractors – employ 25-200 people and form about 6% of the
industrial total. These are mainly family businesses and have offices but not many
permanent staff. On receiving major works, they will hire extra staff on temporary
basis and have medium sized plants. They also undertake work on medium sized
estates.
3. Large contractors – normally undertake building and employ 200 – 10 000 people
and form about 1% of the industrial total.
Civil engineering contractors – undertake civil work e.g. bridges, airports, harbours,
highways etc on a national or international scale e.g. Sumitomo Corporation, HZ,
China Road and Bridge International etc. They have many employees, national
technicians etc. as fulltime staff.
4. Sub-contractors – are smallish groups of builders who specialize in one particular
field of construction, resulting in high standards of work at very competitive prices.
Can be large, medium or small e.g. lift installers, electrical installers, plumbers, air
conditioners, asphalt roofers, terrazzo pavers, pilers, underpinners, drillers etc.
They can also be main contractors in their own right.
5. Speculative builders – the builder takes a gamble (usually a very calculated one) of
building houses, office blocks etc. before having any client. He designs and builds
houses with the hope that he will get buyers or leasers.
6. Nominated sub-contractors – are sub-contractors who have been appointed by the
architect.
 14.2.01T14 ORGANIZATION TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

a Professional Bodies
i) Architectural Association of Kenya (A.A.K.) formerly East African Institute of
Architects (E.A.I.A.)
ii) Institute of Engineers of Kenya (I.E.K.)
Their responsibilities include:
1. Controlling matters, issues etc., relating to the profession like disciplining its errant
members, ensuring that its activities measure to expected standards.
2. Looking after the welfare of its members
3. Development of specific area through training, research etc
4. Designing, guiding, advising or supervising proposed works going on.

b Local Authorities
Ensure that the construction conforms to the set standards and also enforces the various
Acts of Parliament that control the erection, alteration and repair of buildings. Institutes
quality control of the building process. Most of the detailed work in relation to the
Building regulations is carried out by the Building Control Officer/Building inspector
responsible for the given area. He:
1. Approves building drawings on ensuring that they conform to the building code.
2. Sends inspectors to the site to ensure that the approved plans are the ones being
used.
3. Inspects the building during the construction to ensure that once completed, it will
not endanger lives of the inhabitants.
In order to facilitate the laws of the local authority, the contractor shall give notice
for the work commencement and progress of the work as follows:
(a) When the erection of the building begins
(b) When plumbing work and drain laying begins
(c) The following shall be ready for inspection and testing either in part or in
whole:
i) Foundation bed
ii) Foundation concrete
iii) Damp-proof courses
iv) Backfilling
v) Reinforcement placing
vi) Concrete after shuttering is removed
vii) Drainage
viii) Plumbing installation.
On the final completion of the project the local authority will carry out the final
inspection and issue certificate of completion so that the building can be ready for
occupation.

c Kenya Bureau of Standards

Its role is to ensure that the materials being used in construction work measure up to the
required standards. They do this by carrying out laboratory tests on carefully selected
samples of various materials and if satisfied, stamp on the materials.
d Ministry of Labour (Factory Inspector)
The factory inspector is an employee of the Ministry of Labour. His task is to ensure that
the health and safety at work Act is implemented. His task is to ensure that the
construction regulations as laid down in section 176 of the Factories Act (1961) are
carried out in respect of safety, health and welfare.