Abstract:
Because of their bespoke nature, construction projects are susceptible to variations
irrespective of type, size and complexity. The effects of these variations are significant
and may include cost and time overrun, productivity, and waste issues at the minimum.
Although variations have been widely researched, investigations into the relationship
between the significant causes of variations and their effects have not This study also
considers control measures that could minimize variations in residential building
projects, where significant variations are happening in the Sri Lankan construction
industry. A questionnaire survey was administered to study participants with the
objective of identifying significant causes and effects of variations on residential
building projects. The participants were professionals across industiy groups such as
clients, consultants, and contractors who deal with variations on Sri Lankan
construction projects. The study found that change in designs or project scope by
owners or design consultants w'ere due to owners’ financial problems, errors and
omissions in design, conflicts between contract documents, inadequate working
drawing details, lack of coordination by consultants, differing site conditions for
contractors, unforeseen problems and weather conditions. Cost and time overruns are
subsequent effects of those variations. The study suggests that variations could be
minimized by adopting control measures that are appropriate for both the design and
construction stage.
