Blackwood, D J (1998) Rationalisation of design cost estimation in the construction industry. PhD thesis, Abertay University, UK.
Abstract
This thesis describes a programme of research work which investigated the potential for the application of rational approaches, using historic cost data, to the determination of realistic fee estimates for design work in the construction industry. The development of the following research methodology for the programme of work, which was initiated at the request of industrial collaborators, is described and justified. A survey of design practices is described that enabled a model of the cost estimation process to be developed. This was tested using a large sample of design organisations and proved to be valid. There was clear evidence in the survey of a polarisation in the use of two forms of cost estimation, with intuitive approaches being used frequently and rational data driven approach being seldom, if ever, used. It was also shown that there was a widely held view amongst designers that design work was not suited to accurate cost estimation and rigorous cost control and, consequently, design organisations had not developed links between their cost control and estimating systems. Case studies are described which investigated the practicality of implementing an integrated cost monitoring system for single projects that would produce historic cost data. It was concluded that this was possible for individual projects, but the cost monitoring aspects of the spread sheet system proved to be too cumbersome to be applied to all projects within an organisation. The development of a general simulation model of design cost estimation is described which used data from the case studies. A procedure for the application of the model to other projects was devised and the performance of the model was verified by its application to a further project. It was concluded that the model provided a realistic prediction of the required resource input for the project. Finally, the principal conclusion from the research work is described, namely that the potential for rationalisation of design cost estimation is severely limited in design organisations because current design management practice has restricted the availability of relevant historic data. However the success of the data collection and cost modelling stages of the work indicated that further research in these areas would be valuable.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cost control; cost estimation; design cost; design practices; fee estimates; survey |
| Index terms: | construction industry, cost data, modelling, research methodology, monitoring, fee estimate, estimation, designer, design cost, case study, design practice, estimating, evidence, cost control, design management, programme, survey, cost estimating |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, project controls, design process, economics, accounting and finance, analytical methods, financial and cost management, control systems, data collection methods, evaluation and assessment methods, profession, research design and methodology |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Cost Management, Roles and Professions, Design Practice, Site Management, Time Control |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here