Assessment of claims on delivery of building projects

ABSTRACT     

Claim has been the major reason why contractors in Nigeria fail to meet up with successful implementation of contract as well as obligations made. In order to evaluate the claim situation on construction projects, this paper devotes the research and literature review to key problem in claim administration on construction projects in Nigeria. Qualitative research was adopted where secondary data from archives were collected from the physical planning unit while Primary data was collected through interview made to principal quantity surveyor in the physical planning unit of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). Data collected were analyzed using percentile and content analysis where the most occurred types and causes of claims on projects carried out in FUTA were examined and ranked accordingly. The result showed that variation claims as a type of claims occurred mostly due to changes in specification, architect instruction for additional works. This is followed by Delay claim as a result of delay in supply of materials, delay in payment by client. The most occurred causes of claim were change in specification, delay in supply of materials, architect instruction for additional work and the least occurred causes of claim is increase in material or labor cost. The most occurred effects of claims in FUTA projects were non-completion at the right time, cash flow reduction, low quality and cost overrun. The paper therefore recommends that there should be complete and detailed design, payment of contractor as at when due to prevent delay of supply of materials as well as a proper way to process claim and document to back up any claim arising from contractor or client.

Keyword: Administration, Claims, Delivery