Causes of Work Variation: A Case Study in Wolaita Sodo University Construction Sites

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Complexity and involvement of different stakeholder in construction industry resulted in change of idea, plan and scope of work from time to time in one project. This change of scope and plan arises variation order which is inevitable in construction project. Variation order is observed as one of the most frequently occurring issues in construction projects of Ethiopia. Like other regions of the country, construction projects in Wolaita Sodo University are suffering from the impact of variation orders. These variations are known to impact various aspects of the projects and stake holder involved in construction works. The objectives of the study were firstly to determine the common causes of variation orders secondly to identify the projects which are exposed to variation orders, thirdly to identify key players of variation orders, and finally forward possible recommendation in order to minimize variation order. The method used to collect data was questionnaire and the responses were analyzed by using the Relative Importance Index method. The results indicated that change in design by the consultant, decision making problems and inadequate working drawing details were the most causes of variation orders. The results also showed that the projects most exposed to variation orders, are student’s dormitory, class rooms and halls, and the contractors, client/employer and supervision consultant are more responsible in initiating most of the variation issues. The findings also suggested the most recommended strategies to minimize variation orders.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.