STUDY OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE TIME OVERRUNS IN BUILDING CONSRUCTION PROJECTS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Time, cost and quality are three traditional parameters extensively used to evaluate performance and judging success of the construction projects. These three measures are commonly known as “Iron Triangle” (Atkinson 1999). Especially “Time” becomes the most critical factor that has to be managed against the prescribed schedule, because in the absence of Successful Time Management, not only the use of any facility is denied to its particular users, but also it has an extra burden on “Cost” against the allocated budget as well. Construction Industry plays an important role in economic development of any country as its activities represent a long-term investment. This Industry has a much more potential to contribute in GDP growth of Pakistan, but the potential growth is hampered by a number of issues, the Cost and Time overruns being the most important issue being faced by the Construction Industry of Pakistan. Though the causes of Cost and Time overruns vary from project to project, but it results in shear wastage of time, delayed project benefits conceived at the time of project planning and financial loss to exchequer of country (Gabriel, 2010). Study of delay factors affecting Time overruns in building construction projects of Pakistan is considered as one of the important topic of Construction Engineering and Management. Hence it was decided to carry out a research in this field, to study these delay factors in Building Construction Projects and their ranking for Construction Industry of Pakistan. This study includes survey of Forty Eight (48) building projects based on traditional procurement method to acquire the Clients, Consultant & Contractor‟s feedback on factors affecting time overruns in building construction projects. Most projects related were from Twin cities (Rawalpindi/Islamabad) along with representative samples from all the four provinces. From a detailed study of past literature review of national as well as international studies, a list of Eighty Seven (87) key indicators causing delay or time overruns were outlined which were further grouped in Thirteen (13) Delay Factors that were more specific to Construction Industry of Pakistan.