Yap, J B H and Skitmore, M (2018) Investigating design changes in Malaysian building projects. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 14(3), pp. 218-238. ISSN 1745-2007
Abstract
The complexity and uncertainties associated with construction projects mean that contracts invariably provide sufficient flexibility for changes in design as the work proceeds. However, the concomitant effects of this arrangement often cause time and cost control to be adversely affected - resulting in schedule delays and cost overruns. In seeking an improved understanding, this study aimed to identify the specific causes of design changes and their implications -cost performance of Malaysia-based building projects. A total of 39 causes were first identified through a comprehensive literature review and, in conjunction with 12 semi-structured interviews with experienced construction industry practitioners, then categorised into those originating from clients, consultants, contractors, site and external sources. A questionnaire survey of 338 clients, consultants and contractors was then analysed to infer and rank the identified causes and their overall effect. The research reveals that building projects in Malaysia encounter time-cost overruns of 5-20% due to design changes. Lack of coordination among various professional consultants, change of requirements/specification, addition/omission of scope, erroneous/discrepancies in design documents and unforeseen ground conditions are the five most significant causes. The analysis also reveals considerable heterogeneity of perceptions between the respondent groups of the most significant causes of design changes, attributed to the adversarial culture within the industry.The complexity and uncertainties associated with construction projects mean that contracts invariably provide sufficient flexibility for changes in design as the work proceeds. However, the concomitant effects of this arrangement often cause time and cost control to be adversely affected - resulting in schedule delays and cost overruns. In seeking an improved understanding, this study aimed to identify the specific causes of design changes and their implications -cost performance of Malaysia-based building projects. A total of 39 causes were first identified through a comprehensive literature review and, in conjunction with 12 semi-structured interviews with experienced construction industry practitioners, then categorised into those originating from clients, consultants, contractors, site and external sources. A questionnaire survey of 338 clients, consultants and contractors was then analysed to infer and rank the identified causes and their overall effect. The research reveals that building projects in Malaysia encounter time-cost overruns of 5-20% due to design changes. Lack of coordination among various professional consultants, change of requirements/specification, addition/omission of scope, erroneous/discrepancies in design documents and unforeseen ground conditions are the five most significant causes. The analysis also reveals considerable heterogeneity of perceptions between the respondent groups of the most significant causes of design changes, attributed to the adversarial culture within the industry.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction delay; Malaysia; design changes; cost overruns; time-cost performance; literature reviews; construction; buildings; contractors; project engineering; clients; consultants; construction industry; building design |
| Index terms: | construction industry, coordination, cost performance, complexity, construction project, cost control, construction delay, project engineering, ground condition, questionnaire, documents, practitioner, cost overrun, design change, literature review, survey, time-cost performance, building design, interview, Malaysia, schedule delay, specification |
| Subjects: | quantity surveying, management, economics, Geography, contractual condition, production management, professional development, project controls, geotechnical engineering, industry analysis, systems engineering, data collection methods, practitioner, control systems, data analysis and analytics, contractual arrangements, architectural design, financial and cost management |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Contract Administration, Time Control, Organizational Design, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Cost Management, Procurement, Risk Management, Roles and Professions |
| 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