CHOOSING THE RIGHT TEAM.
The construction industry plays a great socio-economical role in the development of any country. Similarly, in Kenya the industry is a key driver to the growth of the economy and contributes greatly to the country’s GDP and employment, it as well links to other sectors that require infrastructure services. Today, the industry contributes around 5.6% to the GDP (https://cytonn.com/downloads/kenya-2018-gdp) and employ’s majority of the unskilled people in the country.
Like any other industry, it faces several challenges, some of these challenges include; low completion rates of construction projects, lengthy procurement procedures, low access to affordable project financing, inadequate harmony in policies, laws and regulations, unethical conduct and unfair business practices, inadequate skilled and competent workforce and last but not least poor practices in safety and health management. Some of the challenges in the construction industry are unfortunately massive and require the intervention of the stakeholders and partners in the industry to solve and that will takes years but others are easily soled and can be avoided.
An easy way to avoid some challenges in the industry, the developer should ensure they chose the right construction management team for the job. A team consists of the Architect who is the project manager of the entire project, the Structural Engineer who is primarily concerned with designing buildings and structures that are safe and capable of withstanding any elements be it natural or artificial to which they will be exposed, the Mechanical Engineer who is responsible for designing, installing and maintaining all kinds of mechanical machinery, tool and components, the Electrical Engineer whose responsibilities include designing, testing, installing and maintaining large-scale electrical systems that transmit and generate power, the Quantity Surveyor who acts as the accountant to the project and keeps tabs of budget and finally the Main Contractor and Sub-contractors who implement the vision of the team. The whole team is very important to the entire project; there must be teamwork and synergy for the project to run seamlessly and effectively. Although, from a biased position, the main contractor is the most important person in the team as he is the implementer to the actualization of the project.
When choosing the right fit for a contractor one needs to pay attention to the portfolio of the contractor. Look at their past works, resources available to them, relationship with other partners in the industry and their past clients and also their vision and core values. The way the contractor interacts with others especially past clients says a lot about their work ethic. A good relationship between you as the developer and the contractor and the rest of the team will be the determining factor of your project, it will determine if your project runs seamlessly or has a lot of challenges that can easily be avoided.
So remember to do ample research before settling for a team and especially the main contractor do your background search and talks to other people who have been involved in the industry and have completed projects. Remember, a contractor might look good on paper but, if they are not the right fit for you the business relationship might turn sour affecting your project.
At Quintech Construction Ltd we will be your partners in the implementation of all your projects. Talk to us, https://quintech.co.ke/, info@quintech.co.ke or 0208004293.
By: JoyAnne Waweru.
Administrator Quintech Construction Ltd.
