Quantity Surveying

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Quantity Surveying

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    A Comparative Analysis of Methods of Procuring Plant and Equipment in execution of Construction Projects
    (Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 2015) Alumbugu, Polycarp Olaku , Saidu, Ibrahim, Wasiu Adeniran Ola-awo, Abdulmumin Abdulazeez Adedeji Nike Shakira
    Contractors encounter a lot of problems in decision making on how to acquire plant and equipment to execute project to attain cost effectiveness to either purchase or to hire. The paper examined the relationship between procurement method preference and some selected variables (value of contract, contract size, contract type and contract period) A total of 75 questionnaires were administered to different indigenous construction companies in Abuja using the random sampling method. The data were analysed using simple spearman correlation, simple percentage and Relative importance index. It was concluded that it is more economical to hire plants that are not frequently put to use (specialized plants). High cost of equipment was the major reason contractors preferred to hire than purchase plant. It was recommended that government should make efforts to reduce hire rate and a national Centre for manufacturing of construction equipment be established partnering with stakeholders in the construction industry.
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    Assessment of the Factors Affecting Accuracy of Pre-tender Cost Estimate in Kaduna State, Nigeria
    (Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT), 2014-05) Alumbugu, Polycarp Olaku , Wasiu Adeniran Ola-awo Saidu, Ibrahim Abdullahi, Mustapha Muhammed & Abdulmumin Abdulazeez
    Accurate cost estimates are crucial to the effective realisation of construction projects. Researchers have noticed the presence of inherent inaccuracies in the bill of quantities prepared by estimators (Quantity surveyors). This paper aimed at examining the factors affecting accuracy of pre-tender cost estimate in Kaduna state, with a view to improving the predictive ability of clients, consultants, and contractors for better estimating. A total of 66 questionnaires were administered with 35 to consultants (53.03%), 15 to contractors (22.73%) and 16 (24.24%) to clients within Kaduna using the simple random sampling technique. The collected data were analysed using the Relative Importance Index and correlation analysis. The study found out that a statistically significant relationship existed between the clients, consultants, and contractor on the essential factors affecting accuracy of pre-tender cost estimate. It was concluded that: Experience and skill level of the consultants, Project teams experience on the construction type, clear and detail drawings and specification, completeness of cost information, accuracy and reliability of cost information are the most significant factors affecting accuracy of pre-tender cost estimate. It was recommended that Clients should always engage the services of skilled professionals to undertake the consultancy services in cost estimating process.
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    Assessment of Motivational Factors for Workers Productivity Improvement in Construction Projects in Abuja
    (Environmental Technology & Science Journal, 2020-12-02) Ola-Awo, W.A., Olonilebi, P., Ganiyu, B.O. & Alumbugu, P.O
    The target of any construction firm is to improve its productivity and organisational efficiency. Unfortunately, the productivity of construction operatives in Nigeria has been established to be very low and various studies also established that motivation influences productivity. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the motivational factors for improving construction workers productivity from the perspective of difference stakeholders within Abuja. Questionnaire survey design approach was adopted the self-administration of questionnaires on project managers, supervisors and craftsmen on selected active construction project sites in Abuja was used for the study. Both stratified and purposive sampling techniques were employed in the study. Collected data were analysed using descriptive (such as frequency, percentile and Relative Importance Index (RII)) and inferential statistics (Spearman rank correlation). The findings revealed that timely payment of salary, promotion opportunity, proper recognition and rewards by the authority on the job, provision of good working environment (condition), and opportunity for career advancement/career improvement were the key motivational factors that improve productivity. There was a general agreement among project managers, supervisors, and site workers on the ranking of the motivational factors. The study concluded that when adequate attention is paid to these identified motivational factors should be reviewed regularly based on the productivity of the workers. The management needs to review salaries, working conditions and other benefits to workers from time to time and organise training and re-training to maintain constant productivity improvement.
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    Implementation of E-Procurement in Public Building Projects of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Abuja
    (Environmental Technology & Science Journal, 2020-12) Saidu I., Abubakar M.I., Ola-Awo W.A., Oke A.A. & Alumbugu P.O
    The traditional procurement system adopted in the delivery of building construction projects by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is frequently challenged with problems of transparency, accountability, fraud, corruption, among others. These have negatively affected the outcome of many construction projects, and thereby calling for eprocurement technology. Thus, this study examined the approaches for implementation of eprocurement in building construction projects in FCTA, with a view to mitigating procurement fraud in the sector. The study adopted a survey design approach using quantitative research method. One hundred and twenty-seven (127) questionnaires were administered to procurement staff of the FCTA secretariat, out of which 125 questionnaires were returned and found valid for analysis. The collected data using a stratified sampling method were analysed using the Mean Item Score (MIS), Relative Importance Index (RII) and Kruskal-Wallis Test. The study found that Good governance in reduction of collusion among bidders (4.65); transparency and openness of information on public procurement (4.54); and Cost and time savings in sending tender evaluation reports to approving authority (4.51), were the main prospects of implementing e-procurement in the FCTA. Among the important action plans for effective implementation of e-procurement system included: Development of a plan and commitment of resources towards the e-procurement project, with RII value of 0.96; Development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure success against identified procurement goals (RII: 0.87); and Securing executive sponsorship for the e-procurement initiative (0.87). There was consistency in the views of the majority of procurement staff with regards to the responses provided. The research concluded that implementation of eprocurement technology for building projects in the FCTA would translate into a major reduction in procurement fraud in the sector. The study recommended that both the Federal and State Governments should come up with policies and frameworks that will mandate FCTA construction projects to be procured through e-procurement platform.
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    Demystifying the Effects of Final Accounts Settlement on Building Contractors in Abuja, Nigeria
    (Environmental Technology & Science Journal, 2018-06) Johson Abidoye, Saidu Ibrahim, Adamu A.D. and Alumbugu Polycarp Olaku
    The final account stage of a building project is sometimes rarely settled or even being delayed by some of the project parties, thereby posing serious challenges on contractors. This research examines the effects of non-settled final accounts on contractors with a view to suggesting the best strategies for settlement of final accounts in building projects. A quantitative technique was adopted in this study. The research population constituted the major construction participants consisting of public clients, registered consultants and contractors within Abuja. The stratified random sampling method was adopted. A total of 162 structured questionnaires were administered to the participants from whom a total 119 was retrieved representing 86% response rate. The collected data were analysed using the descriptive methods and Analysis of variance. The research found that the major barriers of procurement methods that must be considered if final accounts are to be settled are: inadequate documentation of records, ambiguity of final account settlement procedure, and silence of contract conditions on final account settlement. Also, unsettled final account will have significant effects on contractors especially in the aspect of cash flow, threat to life of the contractor’s business, financial hardship for the contractor, and contractor’s insolvency. It was also found that the problems could be mitigated through maintaining separate escrow bank account by the client, legal and contractual provision. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that proper management of the identified factors would translate into effective settlement of final accounts in building projects. The research recommends that construction clients and consultants should employ care when selecting a procurement option to be used.
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    Assessment of the Cost Impacts of Health and Safety Practices on Construction Projects in Abuja, Nigeria
    (Environmental Technology & Science Journal, 2018-06) Sanni Otaru, Saidu Ibrahim, Yakubu D. Mohammed & Alumbugu, Polycarp Olaku
    Forecasting the costs of a construction project usually fails to include the cost of health and safety of the construction workers, and the construction process itself contains a series of crafty activities which require time and costs for smooth execution. Thus, the research aimed at assessing the cost impact of health and safety practices on construction projects. The study adopted quantitative technique. The research population constituted the professionals in the construction industry who are directly involved on construction sites.A total of 181 structured questionnaires were administered to the sampled participants (23 project managers, 43 consultants, 48 contractors and 67 safety officer) within Abuja, using the stratified random sampling method, from which a total 170 was retrieved, representing 93.9% response rate. The collected data were analysed by using the descriptive methods (Relative Importance Index, frequencies, percentages and ranking method). The research found that struck by falling objects; slip, trip and falling from heights; collapse of cranes; death; and respiratory deformation, are the major health and safety risks that have major effects on project cost. The research also found that the provision of health and safety programs on construction sites contributes between 3–5% of the project costs. It was also revealed that the percentage cost of accidents to the overall cost of construction projects is less than 1%, with an average percentage contribution of 0.218%.Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the costs of health and safety programs and practices are significant in increasing the costs of building projects.It was recommended that health and safety practices and programs should always be given priority at the initial project estimating stage of a project, as they constitute a reasonable percentage of project cost.
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    Nexus of Economic Recession and Building Construction Cost in Nigeria
    (The Quantity Surveyor, 2019-10) Oludolapo Ibrahim Olanrewaju Luqman Oyekunle Oyewobi, John Ebhohimen Idiake Alumbugu, Polycarp Olaku, Sunday Ajiboye Babarinde & Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke'
    Economic recession became pronounced in the year 2008 to 2009 when the annual growth rate of Nigeria dropped from over 9% to 6.7% leaving macroeconomic variables such as GDP growth rate, oil price, exchange rate, unemployment and underemployment, inflation and external reserve relatively unstable. This study is aimed at examining the nexus of economic recession and building construction cost in Nigeria. Secondary data were obtained from journals, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and archival data on prices of building materials from building materials merchants. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics and it was revealed that the indicators of economic recession (inflation rate, prime exchange rate, prime lending rate, gross domestic product (GDP), price of building construction materials and crude oil have strong influence on building construction cost in Nigeria. It was thus concluded that economic recession was not anticipated by the Nigerian government and as such relevant strategies to neutralize the effect of the economic recession that can stabilize construction materials prices and macro economic variables was not in place. It was therefore, recommended that; petrol pump price and crude oil should be regulated to prevent its resultant effects on construction cost and that viable fiscal policies should be instituted by government to prevent future occurrence of recession.
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    Influence of Construction Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises’ Innovation on Clients in Northern Nigeria
    (IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2022) A J Tsado W W M Shakantu & Alumbugu, P.O
    Innovation of a firm is considered the firm’s ability to develop a new or improved product and processes or equipment for the creation and production of new invention. While customers or clients are essential to the realisation and success of innovation in construction firms. However, there is deprived understanding of the impacts of construction firms’ innovation on customers /clients. This paper, hence, exploratively determine the impacts of construction micro, small and medium enterprises’ (CMSMEs) innovation on customers/clients. To achieve this the research employed qualitative research method to exploratively determine the effects of innovation on construction micro, small and medium enterprises’ (CMSMEs) clients. While recorded semi-structured interview with opened ended questions were utilized to gather information from 43 innovative CMSMEs through judgemental and snowballing examining procedure. Information gathered were, open and axial coded, examined and interpreted. The outcome from the study reveal that innovation predominantly impacts on client/customer satisfaction, client/customer retention and client/customer relations. In addition, the findings also indicate minor occurrences of innovation impacting clients’/customers’ value for creativity, clients’/customers’ value for money and after sales services to clients’/customers. This outcome implies that innovation could be postulated as a driver of client satisfaction of a firm resulting in improved client retention and ultimately, the success of the firm. The search improves body of knowledge in respect of the basic effects of innovations on construction firm clients.
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    EFFICIENT UTILISATION OF AUTOMATION IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALSHANDLING PROCESSES
    (Acta Structilia 2022, 2022-12) Alumbugu, Polycarp Olaku Winston Shakantu Abel Tsado & Wasiu Ola-awo
    There is a limited understanding of automation in construction materials-handling processes utilised by manufacturing firms in Nigeria. This article evaluates the level of utilisation of automation in construction materials-handling operations by manufacturing firms in North-Central Nigeria, to improve operational efficiency and reduce operating costs. Using a case study research design, quantitative data (observation guide with measurements) were collected from 32 purposively selected constructionmaterial manufacturers. A total of 72 customers’ orders were observed and recorded to be representative of deliveries from the sampled (n=32) manufacturers’ warehouses to other terminals. The descriptive method of data analysis was employed using percentages and results presented in a form of bar charts. The study reveals low-level utilisation of automation in the combined processes of order picking, storage, loading, and offloading of material. These imply increasing material costs and causing a delay in delivery. The article concludes by providing construction-material manufacturers with areas that require automation to optimise material-handling operations. A recommendation is made for further study to explore why automation is not utilised despite its advantage.
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    Assessing construction material manufacturers’ warehouse processes from a customer satisfaction perspective
    (Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management, 2021-03-25) Alumbugu, Polycarp Olaku Winston W.M. Shakantu Ibrahim Saidu
    Background: The objective of warehouse processes is to satisfy customer’s desires and requirements whilst using house, equipment and labour effectively. However, in Nigeria studies have revealed operational problems in warehousing and a lack of customer satisfaction in the delivery of construction materials. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of customer satisfaction with the delivery of construction material from the manufacturers’ warehouses to customers or other terminals, with a view to improving the operations. Method: This article adopted a case study research design method in which quantitative data were collected and analysed. The target population was the North-Central geo-political zone of Nigeria. A total of 32 construction material manufacturers were purposively selected from the zone. The observation and measurement approaches were adopted for data collection. A total of 72 customers’ orders were observed and recorded to be representative of deliveries from the sampled (n = 32) manufacturers’ warehouses to other terminals. A customer quintile benchmark metric was also adopted for analysis and for comparing field results with best practices. Results: The findings revealed that the involved construction material manufacturers’ warehouse processes, were suboptimal and ineffective in terms of perfect order completion and total order cycle time. These results indicated major opportunities for improvement. Conclusion: This article concludes with providing construction material manufacturers with information about their warehouse processes that might help to ensure that the construction material arrives at its final destination in optimal quality, time and cost.