The effects of consultants' site instructions on the construction cost of the project

Abstract

Insufficiency in project details such as construction drawings and changes in client requirements often enable consultants to make modifications during the construction process of the project in form of site instructions. However there is inefficiency in the methods used by consultants to deliver the instructions for proper execution of works by contractors while on site. This research was a study into the effects of such instructions on the construction cost of the project based on the following objectives namely; to identify the current methods of issuing instructions to contractors, to determine the process of addressing instructions on site, to examine the relationship between issued instructions and the project cost and to propose an appropriate methodology of issuing instructions on site. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used in data collection since they were considered to be fair in selecting a sample from a larger population size and cost effective. To open up work for inspection was the most common in the issues addressed in instructions, methods used to issue instructions were written, oral, written and oral combined but written was the most commonly used method. Cost overrun was found to be the major effect of instructions on construction projects. Instructions are prevalent and very important on construction projects as they are steps to guidance on performance and therefore adequate preparations should be made by the parties concerned in anticipation to allow for effective implementation. Daily site visits and regular supervision of works, inclusion of provisions in the contract stipulating who to issue instructions and mutual consent between the parties on the consistent and a uniform method of issuing instructions were some of the recommendations made by the respondents.