AN INVESTIGATION INTO DESIGN ERRORS AND ITS IMPACT ON INITIAL COST OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

AN INVESTIGATION INTO DESIGN ERRORS AND ITS IMPACT ON INITIAL COST OF A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Abstract

Constructionandengineeringpractitionershavefounditincreasinglydifficulttolearnfromtheirmistakes,particularlywithregardtotheprevention,identificationand/orcontainmentofdesignerrors.Yet,designerrorshavebeentherootcauseofnumerouscatastrophicaccidentsthathaveresultedinthedeathandinjuryofworkersandmembersofthepublic.Thispaperexaminesandclassifiesthenatureoferroranddesignerrorcausationinconstructionandengineeringprojects.Areviewofthenormativeliteraturerevealedthatdesignerrorsarecausedbyanarrayoffactorsthatcanworkinterdependently.Agenericframeworkisdevelopedthatclassifiesdesignerroraccordingtopeople,theorganization,andprojectispresented.Thepapersuggeststhatpeople,overandaboveorganizationalandprojectmanagementstrategies,havethegreatestpropensitytoreduceerrorsthroughtheprocessofsituatedlearningandknowing.Thisisbecausetheworkingenvironmentprovidedbyanorganizationandtheprocessesusedtodeliverconstructionandengineeringprojectsinfluence thenatureand abilityofpeople toundertaketasks. Consequently,thereis nosinglebut ratheramultitude ofstrategiesthat needtobeadoptedincongruencetoreducedesignerrorssothatsafetyandprojectperformanceareameliorated.

CHAPTERONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Backgroundofthestudy

Practitionerswithintheconstructionindustryhavefounditincreasinglydifficulttolearnfromtheirmistakes,particularly withregard tothe identification andpreventionofdesignerrors(Loveetal.2008). This is because its impact on initial cost of a construction project can be drastic.Evidenceinsupportofthisobservationispresentwithinreportsof“highprofile”repeatederrorincidentsthathavecontributedtothefailureofbuildingsandengineeringinfrastructure in Nigeria(Ransom2008).Itisclearfromthesereportedincidentsthatde-signerrorscontinuetobeamajorcontributortobuildingandengineeringinfrastructurefailuresaswellasprojecttimeandcostoverruns(SunandMeng2009).Itisalsoapparentthataforensicexaminationoftheircausesisthefirststeptodevelopingeffectivepreventionstrategies(Loveetal.2008).

Designerrorsindicate thetotaldesigneffectivenessofaproject Majordesignquality problemsoccurduringconstructionwhenerrors,omissionsandambiguitiesin plansandspecificationsbecomeevident(DavisandLedbetter,2007). Oneortwomajorerrorsthatcan becorrectedwithonlycostconsiderationsandlittleeffectontheschedulecanimpact projects.TheprojectsthatreallysufferarethoseWithmanysmallerrors(design,reworkorchangeofscope)which whenfinallyaddedupcausemajorimpactsonthecostandschedule growth. (Tirrough, 2010)researchitwas determinedthat”accuracyofthedesigndocuments”wasthemostcriticalofthecriteriaused intheinitialevaluation ofdesigneffectiveness.Thisaccuracywasfurtherdescribedasthe concernforthefrequencyandimpactoferrorsinthespecificationsanddrawings. This isduetothefactthatthedrawingsandspecificationsarethemost”readilyidentifiable outputsofthedesignprocess.” Itisevermoreimportantthatthequalitycontrolofdesignsbeaddressedduringtheplanningphaseandcloselymonitoredduringtheconstruction phase. Sincedesignerrorshaveanimpactontheoutcomeoftheeffectivenessofthecontractor’seffort ontheproject,itisessentialthatallpartiesdeterminewhatthedefinitionshouldbe. Itisessentialthatalltheprinciplepartiesinvolvedintheprojectgetanupfrontagreement.

Againstthisbackdropa need arose in the researcher to carryout an investigation into design errors and its impact on initial cost of a construction project.

1.2 StatementoftheProblem
Misinterpretations,miscalculations,andomissionsareoftenconsideredtobeerroneousacts.Whilesuchactionsarerecognizableasbeingerroneous,definingtheterm“error”isanarduoustask(Kalra2004a).
Designerrorsareaproblematic and have negative impacts on constructionandengineeringprojects.Inparticular,theyhavebeenfoundtocreate unsafeenvironmentswhichcanresultinfatalities,themagnitudeofwhichcansometimesbecatastrophic.Manyoftheerrorsthatoccurcanbepreventedthroughadherencetoproperorganiza-tionalandprojectmanagementpracticesandprovidinganenvironmentforindividualstolearnfromtheirmistakes.Assistingtowardthisend,theliteraturereviewpresentedhasenableddesignerrorstobeclassifiedonthebasisoftheircauses.Thisclassification would enable the finding of lasting solution to the problems.

1.3 AimandObjectives ofthestudy

Theaimofthestudyisto investigate into the design errors and its impact on initial cost of construction projectandproffersolutions tohowconstructioncostcan beminimized.

Theobjectives ofthestudyareasfollows:

1. Toidentify design errors and themainfactors affectingconstructioncostinNigeria.

2. Todeterminetheseverityrankofthefactorsamongstclients,consultantsandcontractors.

3. Todeterminetheagreementrankingfactorsbetweenclients,consultantsandcontractors.
4. Toproffersolutions onhowtominimizeconstructioncostin Nigeria.

1.4 ResearchHypotheses
Totestthehypothesis:

1(a).Ho:ContractorsandClientsdonotgenerallyagreeontheseverityrankofthefactors affectingconstructioncostin Nigeria

1 (b).H1:ContractorsandClientsgenerallyagreeontheseverityrankofthefactorsaffectingconstruction costin Nigeria
2 (a).Ho:ClientsandConsultantsdonotgenerallyagreeontheseverityrankofthefactors affectingconstructioncostin Nigeria
2. (b)H1:ClientsandConsultantsdonotgenerallyagreeontheseverityrankofthefactors affectingconstructioncostin Nigeria
3. (a)Ho:ConsultantsandContractorsdonotgenerallyagreeon theseverityrankofthefactors affectingconstructioncostin Nigeria
3.(b)H1:ConsultantsandContractorsgenerallyagreeon theseverityrankofthefactorsaffectingconstructioncostin Nigeria
1.5 Significance ofthestudy
AnassessmentofthestudywouldenableClients,ContractorsandConsultantsgiveaneconomicapproachtoconstructionworksuchthattheywouldbeabletoidentifythedominatingfactors leadingtohighconstructioncostin Nigeria.

Theapplicationofthesolutionsprofferedtominimizingconstructioncostwouldrestoreclient’sconfidenceinconsultants,reduceinvestmentrisks,andgenerallyboosttheviabilityandsustainabilityoftheindustry

1.6 ScopeandDelimitations
The scope of this research is limited to identification of essential factors affectingconstructioncostandprofferingsolutions onhowtoreduceconstructioncostin Nigeria.ThestudyislimitedtoprojectsintheLagosmetropolisofNigeriabecausethereiseasyaccess of informationin theLagos metropolisbytheresearcher.

Targetrespondentsforthisstudyaretheprincipalactorsintheconstructionindustrynamely:theClient, theConsultantandtheContractor.

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