PREVALENT CAUSES OF VARIATIONS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Construction projects are one off unique projects executed within boundaries of the contract documents showing and expressing the works to be done and how it will be done. It is often carried out in an uncontrolled environment, the interplay of the environment, documents and various stakeholders’ results in changes to agreed works. This study analyzed the causes and impact of variations on the construction project. This study adopted a descriptive survey design and a stratified random sampling technique was used to select 125respondents. A structured questionnaire was designed and administered to construction professionals (Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Builders and Engineers) within the study area. The mean score tool was used to analyse the prevalence of the variation causes identified and the impact of variations. Findings revealed that the five most prevalent factors of variations are change in the scope of work to be carries out (0.87), change in specifications (0.84), inadequate working drawing details (0.82), change in design (0.80) and inadequate time for designs and documentation (0.72). Increase in the overall cost of the project (0.90), followed by delay in project giving rise to time overrun (0.88), demolition and rework (0.69) and logistics delays (0.45) were found to be the major impact of variations on construction projects in Ebonyi State. The study recommends that the client and his representatives (consultants) should exercise due diligence packaging of the contract at the early state of the project life cycle in a bid to reduce changes at the construction stage and the professional Quantity Surveyor should access the impact of the variations on the project before the issuance of variation orders to ensure effective control of the cost within the financial capability of the client.