Assessing The Implication Of Negligience Of Construction Methodology As A Pre-Requisite Production Document For Building Projects

ABSTRACT

Building production in recent times is becoming more complex and needs both dexterity and professionalism to achieve its product ‘the building’. It is against this background that the builder’s documents popularly known as the production documents become necessary, of which the construction methodology is one. This study, assessing the implication of negligence of construction methodology in building production is aimed at enhancing the use of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document for obtaining approval for building production in Owerri due to its relevance in reducing the problem of building collapse, poor workmanship whichare consequences of the negligence of construction methodology. This study examined the factors affecting the use of construction methodology and the provision of the law as regards its use in Owerri. The study is quantitative in nature and made use of well-structured questionnaires which was administered to professionals of the construction industry and students of building in two tertiary institutions in Owerri through simple random sampling. The data generated was ranked using linkert scale and the chi square for testing the hypotheses. The study revealed the low use of construction methodology, absence and negligence of laws on the use of the document. It also revealed the relevance of the document. The study therefore recommended that the government enacts laws, making the use of construction methodology a pre-requisite for building plan approval and also that Owerri capital development authority (OCDA) should strictly enforce these laws.

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

 1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The building construction industry in Nigeria is quite evolving and has witnessed great innovations as well as failures. Building is a product and planning for its production is impossible without the application of scientific methods. The training for building production therefore requires in addition to technical competence in construction, a mastery of the principles and the detailed knowledge involved by each aspect of the science of production as applied to building projects, (Bamisile, 2004).

Generally, all that is required to secure approval for the production of buildings are the architectural drawings, structural drawings (for high rise buildings), electrical drawings and mechanical drawings which if provided, earn a building project, approval for construction from local authorities in Nigeria.  While these documents remain pivotal to the successful procurement and delivery of building projects, they have failed in most cases to provide the much – needed guidance in the production of buildings. This has led to building collapse, worker safety concerns, time overrun, excessive consumption of resources and unethical or unprofessional practices.

These negative outcomes have necessitated the campaign for the development and enforcement of more essential documents known as Production Documents as necessary requirements for obtaining approval for a building. Production Documents also known as (Builder’s Documents) which include; Construction Methodology, Construction Programme, Project Quality Management Plan and Project Health and Safety Plan (Bamisile, 2004).

The adoption of these documents (Production documents) as pre-requisite production document for obtaining approval is gradually gaining attention but not without much fight from the Nigerian institute of building (NIOB). A lot of states in Nigeria are yet to implement it as law with the exception of Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.

However, of all these production documents the construction methodology could be the least recognized and this is the essence of this study to bring to the fore, the relevance of the construction methodology, using Owerri metropolis as the preferred location for the study.

Construction methodology is a thought out synthesis of the construction of a building project on site with the minimum cost and with the objective thought to minimize cost and the optimum use of resources to give a suitable level of production flow. (Bamisile,2004). Construction methodology shown or captures the builders idea of how best a particular building project can be actualized.

The relevance of this study becomes obvious as the skills and competence of builders and all who claim building professionals would be brought to bear, quacks would easily be eradicated, professionalism and quality enshrined, cost and time losses brought to the barest minimum and a law promulgating its necessity enacted. Building is a science and involves technology; hence the negligence of construction methodology produces negative effects.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Owerri metropolis has always been a hub of construction activities with the construction of buildings taking over 80% of such activities. In recent times, building designs are becoming increasingly complex and sophisticated giving rise to complex and highly technical construction methods and professionalism hence the need to review or examine the methods for the production of any building as no two buildings are the same, is of utmost importance.

Regrettably, the need for proper examination of a construction method for any building which can be done using the construction methodology, a document produced by the professional builder which shows a builder’s idea on how best a building can be produced taking into account all contractual and legal requirements, construction constraints, risks and opportunities is grossly neglected. The use of construction methodology as a necessary document for building construction work is very much on the low side. Many builders or practitioners in the industry seem to know little or nothing about its preparation and use. This is the problem this study seeks to address since it affects building production delivery in the following ways;

1. countless building collapses
2. unethical professional standards

• time overrun

1. cost overrun

 1.3     AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1Aim of the Study

The aim of this study is to enhance the relevance and the use, of construction methodology as a relevant pre-requisite document for improved building production delivery.

1.3.2  Objectives of the Study

The specific objectives are to;

1. examine the principles and characteristics of effective building production methodology for building production.
2. identify and examine factors affecting the adopting/acceptance of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document for approval and production of a building project.

• investigate the position of the law and government approval authorities, Owerri Capital development Authority (OCDA) on the relevance of construction methodology as a relevant pre-requisite production document.

1. Evaluate the potential strategies for improving the acceptance of Construction Methodology as pre-requisite production document for approval of building projects in Owerri.

1.4          RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESES

1.4.1       Research Questions

1. i) What are the principles and characteristics of effective building production methodology that enhance building production delivery?
2. ii) What factors affect the adoption/acceptance of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document for the approval of building projects?

iii)     Which documents does the law require for the approval and production of buildings in owerri?

1. iv) How can the acceptance and adoption of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document for building project approval be improved?

1.4.2  Hypotheses

H0₁: The principles and characteristics of building methodology have no significant effect on building production.

H0₂: The factors affecting the adoption and acceptance of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document do not affect significantly the delivery condition of building project in Owerri.

          H0₃: The provision of the law on the relevance of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document has no noticeable relationship with the adoption of construction methodology in the area.

          H0₄: The factors and strategies adoptable for enhanced acceptance of construction methodology have no significance effect on building production delivery in Owerri.

1.5    SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

1.5.1 Scope of the Study

1.5.1.1         Delimitation of the Study

This study is focused on the use of construction methodology as a pre-requisite production document for the approval and production of high rise buildings in Owerri. Those interviewed for this study using questionaires, were sampled from a population of professionals in the construction  industry (builders, architects,quantity surveyors, estate surveyors, service engineers), building students in Imo State University and Federal Polytechnic Nekede, owerri, Imo state. The study is limited to the use of construction methodology as a production document for obtaining approval for building production of high rise buildings from two storey and above.

1.5.1.2         The Study Area

Owerri is the capital of Imo State in Nigeria, set in the heart of Igboland. It is also the state’s largest city, followed by Orlu and Okigwe as second and third respectively. Owerri consists of three Local Government Areas including Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and OwerriWest, it has an estimated population of about 1,401,873 and approximately 100 square kilometers (40sqml) in area. It is located between co-ordinates 5.485⁰N and 7.035⁰E; and has an average temperature of 26.4⁰C. Owerri is bordered by the Otamiririver to the east and the Nworie river to the south. Owerri has a tropical wet climate and sits in the rain forest.

The city has earned the iconic name of the entertainment capital of Nigeria because of its high density of specious hotels, high street casinos, production studios and high quality centres of relaxation. Owerri has an airport, 23 kilometers (14ml) southeast of the city, called the Sam Mbakwe international Cargo Airport located in Obiangwu, NgorOkpala LGA.

Owerri occupies a central location in the south eastern region of Nigeria. It shares boundaries with Abia State, Anambra, Enugu and Rivers states respectively. The people are mainly civil servants, but of recent it is an evolving commercial city with more markets and shopping malls being constructed. There are farmers as well but mainly from adjoining communities. Owerri is home to many tertiary institutions including, Imo State University, Federal University of Technology (FUTO), AlvanIkoku Federal college of Education (AIFCE), Federal polytechnic Nekede and a host of private institutions.

Christianity is the major religion in Owerri, with churches too numerous to mention and a central mosque which serves the Muslim northerners who have come to settle in the city and it is a relatively peaceful city. It is adjudged the most well planned urban city in Nigeria with her well laid out roads and streets bearing witness to this fact. The major road layouts are Wetheral road, Douglas road, Tetlow, Okigwe Roads, Onitsha road, Egbu road, MCC road, and Port Harcourt road all aiding intra and intercity movements.

Fig 1. Map of Owerri.The Study Area.

 1.5.2. Limitation of the Study

The major limitation faced in this study was dearth of secondary data on previous works in this area. Not much study had been done with regards to construction methodology. Financial and time constraints were also factors to contend with. Cost of carrying out the research in this post covid era is on the high side and time didn’t seem enough to meet up with the entire demand of the research work.

 1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Building production is a process that integrates the four Ms of production which are; manpower, material, machines and money. The builder is the professional trained to undertake the building production process and he has been trained to prepare the production documents of which construction methodology is one. Construction methodology is the production document where the builder integrates these four factors for effective building production. Hence assessing the implication of negligence of construction methodology as a production document for building production comes handy. The result of this study will impact the construction industry in Owerri and Nigeria as a whole in the following ways;

1. Expound the principles and characteristics of building production, thereby empowering the builder and professional alike with in-depth knowledge of the various methods to be used for effective building production.
2. Delineate the factors hindering the use of construction methodology for effective building production and their consequences.

• Enhance the training of professional builders and students alike on the preparation of construction methodology.

1. Encourage the need for extant laws and enforcement of such laws to ensure strict compliance on the use of construction methodology as a pre-requisite document for the approval and production of buildings and also encourage the use of other production documents.
2. Highlight strategies for improvement of the use of construction methodology.
3. Enhance academic research and developments.

• Boost the efforts of NIOB and CORBON in sensitizing the public and government on the need for adoption of production documents.

 1.7     EXPLANATION OF KEY WORDS

CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY: Is a professionally thought out synthesis of the construction of a building project on site, with the minimum cost and with the objective thought to minimize cost and the optimum use of resources, to give a suitable level of production flow (Bamisele, 2004).

IMPLICATION: Possible effect or result of an action or a decision.

NEGLIGENCE: The failure to give something enough attention.

PRODUCTION DOCUMENTS: Also known as builder’s documents are prepared by the professional builder which spells out the construction planning of a proposed project. They include Construction Programme, Project Quality Management Plan, Project Health and Safety Plan and Construction Methodology.

PRE-REQUISITE: something that must exist or happen before something else can happen or be done.

Pages:  105

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF         

Chapters: 1-5                                 

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.