Ensuring that construction products are fit for purpose is a statutory requirement in Finland, not merely a recommendation. Even so, many clients and housing companies are unclear about it.
What does compliance mean?
A construction product is compliant when it is suitable for its intended use and meets the technical requirements set for the building in that specific location. Compliance therefore means more than a CE mark.
An important distinction
CE marking means the manufacturer has declared the product's properties in a declaration of performance. On its own, it does not tell you whether the product is suitable for your particular application.
What should be checked?
Before a product is used, make sure that:
- it carries a CE mark where it falls under a harmonised standard
- a declaration of performance (DoP) is available
- the declared properties match the requirements of the application
For products without CE marking, compliance is demonstrated in other ways, such as a Finnish type approval, a certified statement of use or site-specific verification.
What happens if compliance is not ensured?
- The building control authority can stop the work or require further investigation and repairs.
- The contractor may become liable for defective products.
- The client's position weakens if defects are only discovered after handover.
Example: if the declaration of performance for a bathroom waterproofing product does not include the necessary waterproofing properties, the entire wet-room structure may fail to meet the regulations.
Product substitutions on site
Contractors often propose replacing a specified product with another. A substitution is acceptable only if:
- the replacement is technically at least as good
- the client or supervisor approves the substitution in writing
- the replacement product's compliance has been verified
Who is responsible?
Responsibility is shared between the manufacturer, the designers, the contractor and the responsible site manager. Under Finnish law, however, the party undertaking the construction project always has a duty of care. Without active supervision, compliance requirements are easily overlooked.
We help clients, housing companies and contractors verify construction product compliance. Get in touch to find out more.