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Cost Control Techniques on Civil Engineering Projects in Oyo State,

Nigeria

Leo-Olagbaye Feyisetan

, Ogunjimi Olufisayo Samuel

, Abass Adelayo Fasilat

1,3

Department of Quantity Surveying, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51584/IJRIAS.2025.10100000122

Received: 20 October 2025; Accepted: 26 October 2025; Published: 13 November 2025

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the effects of cost control techniques on civil engineering projects delivery in Oyo State;

determined the level of awareness and implementation of cost control techniques; and examined the problems

encountered by stakeholders during the implementation. These were with a view to enhancing project success.

Primary data were used for the study. These were obtained using a structured questionnaire survey to elicit

information on effect of cost control techniques on civil engineering projects for successful delivery of road.

The respondents comprised 11 Civil Engineers, 28 Quantity Surveyors, 3 Builders, 3 Architects project financier

and 5 Project Managers, making a total of 50 respondents. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and

inferential statistics.

The study established that the top four techniques with the highest extent of awareness in the delivery of civil

engineering projects measured on a six Likert-scale were: Budget Monitoring, Cost Estimating and Budgeting,

Controlling of cost of materials, equipment and labour and Controlling of Overheads and indirect cost with

mean score of 3.88, 3.79, 3.77,

3.64 and 3.67 respectively. On the other hand, the top four techniques with highest extent of usage were: Budget

Monitoring, Cost Estimating and Budgeting, Value Engineering and Controlling of cost of Materials,

Equipment and Labour. The respective mean scores of these techniques were 3.67, 3.54, 3.54, 3.55 and 3.48

respectively. Using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, it was observed that projects that cost control

techniques were implemented kept the cost of construction down and in some cases were completed within

the estimated contract sum while those that did not apply cost control techniques recorded cost overrun. Similar,

project that cost control techniques were implemented were completed earlier than the projected duration

and some within the duration. In contrast, it was established that the four major factor challenges influencing

the implementation of these techniques are unstable instability in the price of materials, Delay/Non payment

of work done, Government policy, Variation, at 54%, 40%, 40% and 40% respectively.

The study concluded that the implementation of cost control techniques on civil engineering project delivers

projects within budget and at the specified time.

INTRODUCTION

Civil Engineering encompasses a diverse range of projects focused on designing, constructing, and maintaining

physical infrastructure. These projects include transportation engineering (roads, bridges, railways, stadiums,

airports), structural engineering (buildings, dams, retaining walls), water resources and environmental

engineering (water supply, wastewater treatment, environmental remediation), geotechnical engineering

(foundations, slope stability), construction engineering (project management, cost control, quality control),

coastal engineering (protection structures, ports), materials engineering, urban planning and development, and

energy infrastructure (power plants, transmission lines).

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Globally, construction industries are characterised to be dynamic and faced with lots of uncertainties, this has

made cost control and management difficult to achieve, inevitably causing poor cost performance (Sinesilassie

et al., 2018) and project cost overrun. Several Civil Engineering construction project developments fail because

of excessive pressure on designers to optimize value in terms of time, cost limit, and quality (Anyanwu, 2013).

Civil engineering projects, according to Lock (2020), incur special risks and problems of organisation, which

often require massive capital investment, are deserving of rigorous management of progress, finance (cost) and

quality.

Cost control describes a situation where the project costs associated with construction are managed through the

use of scientifically proven tools and techniques. Effective cost control is a fundamental aspect of Civil

Engineering that ensures financial stability, budget adherence, quality adherence, overall project success helps

control cost which can lead to project delays, quality issues, disputes, and financial losses if not put under

control. It also plays a crucial role in managing risks and maintaining the trust and confidence of stakeholders.

Effective cost control therefore becomes an important course of study so as to achieve project goals and ensuring

economic viability especially in this present Nigeria economy where cost of construction materials is most

unstable.

Despite the enormous benefits attached to the cost control and management practices, the implementation of it

is lacking in many countries, specifically on the African Continent (Matins, 2018). The effect of poor cost

control appears more felt in developing countries, because overruns might be double or more of the estimated

costs (Ullah et al., 2016). This situation has generated a lot of attention from stakeholders in the Nigeria

construction industry, rooted as it is in poor management of information for estimating and cost control. There

has being a lingering lack of cost control which have led to a decrease in project production, increase in

project abandonment and rate of national growth. Buildings are increasingly becoming complex and building

clients more exacting in their demand for better value for their money (Cunningham, 2015).

The existing cost control practices in the Nigerian construction industry are not known for yielding efficient

result, leading to almost all projects ending above the initial contract sum (Kokate & Darade, 2018). Thus

control practices should take adequate account of the type of environment, the peculiar nature of projects and

the set objectives among other things. Therefore, the significance of this proposal is to appraise the

Implementation of Cost Control Techniques Used on Civil Engineering Projects in Oyo State, Nigeria. The

research groups were Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Builders and Civil Engineers as these sets of professionals

are involved in the use of cost control techniques.

It has become imperative that the success of any project depends on how that project can achieve its primary

objectives which invariably depends on the use of cost control techniques. Kumar et al (2015) established that

built professionals; Builders, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Project Managers uses cost control

techniques at ensuring successful building project delivery depending on the nature, size and complexity of the

project. This study covers Nigeria as a whole while this study will be carried out in the city of Ibadan and

focused on Civil engineering project. Yismalet & Alemu (2018) established that for cost not to be overrun and

abandoned, proper cost control techniques must be used. He went further to mentioned that, Nigeria in relation

to other part of the world, delivery on successful construction project is still low as the focus as being on the

available techniques without further analysis on usage with respect to project peculiarities, this study was based

on Building projects in Nigeria while mine will be restricted Civil Engineering Projects in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Therefore, this study will identify effective cost control techniques on Civil Engineering Projects for successful

delivery and stakeholder’s satisfaction in Ibadan, Oyo State.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Cost control can work through effective planning of the project schedule; this can be done with qualitative

techniques as well, and gives the client/consultants/contractor effective control over the available resources.

Clients are mostly preoccupied with getting their projects completed as planned, in terms of cost, time and

quality. The most well recognized means of achieving this is through effective control of cost of project,

using a variety of proven tools and techniques. This benefits both the client (who gets the project he wanted at

the planned cost) and the contractor (who is able to make a profit on the effective delivery of the project to the

client) (Kumar et al., 2015).

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Controlling project’s costs occurs when the sequence of all work items in the project are established and

standardized, as it’s the nature of projects to be dynamic, due to the following factors: (i) Resource availability,

(ii) The Economy, (iii) Unexpected weather conditions, and (iv) Technical difficulties or construction methods.

Others include (v) Revision of activity duration estimates, (vi) Relative priorities of projects, (vii) Budget

considerations, (viii) The project completion time, and (ix) Technical specification of the project (Anyanwu,

2013).

Cost Control Techniques

All stakeholders in the construction industry are affected in one way or the other, almost always adversely, when

the costs of projects go over budget: clients, professionals and investors. Akinradewo & Aigbavboa (2019)

identified that those cost overruns that arise at the design stage stem mainly from inadequate management of

available information amongst the design team. At the construction stage, from factors like economy policies

resulting to inflation, variations, additional works and a general poor management of the project. Maintaining

the cost of a construction project within the confines of a budget relies on the use of responsive cost management

system; the choice of such a system is determined by a host of factors; how big the company is, work details

(building or civil engineering, forms of contract) (Eldash, 2013).

The control of a project’s costs is a daunting task, requiring as it does knowledge, expertise and skills on

techniques for the control of cost. Therefore construction professionals must have some theoretical

understanding of techniques for the control of cost and their application to the elements of a project.

Applying a cost control system to a project needs that the cost manager is able to choose the best applicable

techniques, apply it at the proper time, and know what to do with the information generated by the application

of the cost control techniques thus applied. Malkanthi et al. (2017) have argued that the problem is not a lack of

knowledge of cost control techniques, but rather the discipline to strictly implement such techniques. Their

argument appears borne out by the observation by Olawale & Sun (2010) that notwithstanding the large number

of software packages available for automating cost control activities, such as Microsoft Project, Asta Power

Project, Primavera, orion , cost and time targets are still being missed on many construction projects.

The application of the tools may be use singularly or in combination of more, while there is argument on the

importance of devising formal procedures for administering cost control on projects, the regular, unstructured

day-to-day informal activities that concern cost control are even more important. Chigara et al. (2013) drew

up three rules for determining the cost effectiveness of a cost control system: running the system should cost

less than the benefits realised from the use of the system, results should be delivered in as short a time as

possible, and the setup of the system should embrace simplicity rather than complexity.

Aziz et al. (2013) however suggested that professionals take a proactive procedure to control costs by

creating and implementing an effective strategic plan, which should be part of the organization’s policy, have

a proper project planning and scheduling, effectively and efficiently manage the project site, have frequent

meetings- as most of the cost overruns were recorded to arise from the contractor’s site management related

factors.

Olawale & Sun (2010) observed that the level of implementation of cost control techniques was overwhelming

in UK (84% of the respondents); the predominant techniques employed were also found to vary widely but

included; cost-value appraisal, project profit and loss calculation, profit and loss at valuation dates, unit costing

and earned value analysis. --However, in Lesotho, Africa, awareness of cost control appears to be a challenge;

majority of the respondents in a study done by Molatseli et al. (2015) claimed not to understand what cost

control means.

In another study of Otim et al. (2018), the problem of cost control was found to be an absence of technical

knowledge and generally poor management of the construction process. In addition, the site workers are not

made aware of the performance targets, thereby leading to a frustration of efforts on implementing the cost

control practices.

Alabi Sunday (2021) identified that on Civil Engineering projects, implementing cost control techniques in

Nigeria, is associated with several challenges ranging from lack of familiarity with available tools and

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technology, insufficient financial commitment to projects, and significant fluctuations in raw material prices

ranking as the top challenges.

Problems Encountered during Implementation of Cost Control Practices

Controlling the cost of a project is one of the most difficult of project management tasks usually carried out by

contractors and professionals and the benefits not fully enjoyed (Adejei et al., 2017). The following are

problems encountered during the implementation of cost control on civil engineering projects;

 Using out-dated techniques

This is described as the process where construction professionals in charge of managing project costs rely

on analogue technology such as calculators, notebooks, and writing pads to record and analyse costs. This

is as opposed to the use of modern ICT technologies that can be applied to the same purpose (Adejei et

al, 2017). Construction firms are encouraged to invest in updated cost control techniques that align with

industry best practices. This includes but not limited to adopting integrated project management

software, leveraging real-time data analytics, and staying informed about the latest industry trends and

standards.

 Limitation of past experiences on new projects

In a world of every changing trend, continuous organization learning and new methods of construction,

reliance on past work experience, methods and estimation fail to solve the present situation of cost

variance (Adejei et a.l, 2017). Overreliance on past experience in the implementation of cost control

techniques in construction projects presents several challenges. These include the unique nature of each

project, the impact of technological advancements, fluctuations in the market, incomplete lessons learned,

limited innovation, potential complacency, insufficient data analysis, complexities in modern project

environments, personnel changes, and the risk of repeating mistakes without learning from failures.

 Lack of technical know-how

Effective use of cost control requires both technical and managerial knowledge; where one of these is

absent the effectiveness of the system is reduced. To remain competitive and innovative, every

construction firm must acquire, manage and apply knowledge of how to control the costs of construction

projects (Adejei et a.l, 2017). The lack of technical know-how during the implementation of cost control

techniques in construction presents various challenges. These include inaccurate cost estimates,

inefficient resource allocation, difficulties in data analysis, failure to identify cost drivers, resistance to

technological advances, risks of inadequate planning, challenges in quality management, limited

understanding of regulations, communication issues, and reduced effectiveness of cost control tools.

 lack of suitable cost control process for the firm

Each organization is distinct in mode of operations, goals, objectives, culture, resources and work needs.

Failing to develop a cost control template that will best suits the organization, has been described as

a square peg in a round hole (Adejei et a.l, 2017). Construction firms needs to develop and implement

standardized procedures that align with the industry best practices. This involves clearly defining roles

and responsibilities, establishing accountability mechanisms, integrating cost control with overall project

management, improving data management systems, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

This approach ensures a more effective and streamlined implementation of cost control techniques across

construction projects.

 Difficulty in monitoring the varied sources of day to day cost data

A construction project relies on a daily/ intervals heavy inflow of data, materials inventories, labour

reports, invoices, procurement orders and so on, keeping record and update with all of these

information can be difficult, especially for small and medium firms, and this data becomes the facts

needed to make up the cost data, future estimates and variances (Adejei et a.l, 2017). Monitoring the

varied sources of day-to-day cost data poses challenges in construction cost control. Issues include

data fragmentation, lack of a centralized system, inconsistent data formats, data entry errors, limited

automation, challenges in real-time updates, integration issues, difficulty in tracking changes, limited

visibility for stakeholders, and security concerns.

 Variations in contract

A change in design, contract scope, specification, work methods, conditions of site implies additional or

a change in costs estimated and budgeted for. This makes controlling the budgeted cost difficult, as a new

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estimate and cost plan may have to be formulated (Adejei et a.l, 2017). Variations in construction

contracts pose challenges to cost control techniques. Issues include changes in project scope, unclear

contractual terms, unforeseen conditions, inadequate risk assessment, change orders, discrepancies in

specifications, market fluctuations, disputes and negotiations, inefficient change management processes,

and communication challenges.

 Delayed/ No payments for works don

Every contractor seeks to remain in business, a delay or lack of payment reduces the cash flow, and

capacity of the contractor to do more work, there by delaying the contract, increasing overhead costs,

wastage of materials and ultimately project abandonment (Adejei et a.l, 2017). Delay and late payment

for work done are significant challenges in the implementation of cost control techniques in construction.

These issues lead to disruptions in cash flow, increased project costs, strain on relationships between

stakeholders, difficulties in planning and budgeting, higher borrowing costs, contractual disputes, reduced

motivation and productivity, adverse impacts on small businesses, and challenges in meeting financial

obligations.

 Unavailability of cost data

Cost data like prices of materials, labour cost, inflation index, present value of money, forex index, are

very vital to estimating cost forecasting, and valuations of works. A lack of these data means, arriving at

a realistic estimate and forecast will be hard or impossible. The unavailability ofcost data is a significant

challenge in implementing cost control techniques in construction. This problem includes issues such

as incomplete financial records, limited historical data for benchmarking, inaccurate cost estimates,

challenges in forecasting future costs, impaired decision-making, difficulty in identifying variances,

obstacles to performance evaluation, delayed decision-making, inefficiencies in cost tracking, and the

risk of misallocating resources.

 Lack of keeping records of site performance

Record of works done, materials purchased, cash received and spent, equipment costs, overhead costs

are necessary for knowing the financial status of the project and the firm. The lack of keeping records of

site performance poses challenges in the implementation of cost control techniques in construction. Issues

include limited visibility into efficiency, inability to analyze trends and inefficiencies, challenges in

resource allocation, risk of overlooking cost drivers, ineffective benchmarking, limited basis for

decision-making, delayed issue identification, inefficient dispute resolution, and compromised

continuous improvement.

 Unstable prices of construction materials

Construction materials have been noted to consume a considerable amount of a project costs, an

unforeseen change in the price of certain materials like cements, reinforcements, timbers and so on, have

a high effect on the total cost of the project, when prices change without been forecasted for, controlling

it becomes hard. The unstable prices of construction materials present a significant challenge during the

implementation of cost control techniques in construction. This issue leads to budget uncertainty, risks

of cost overruns, difficulties in cost estimation, impacts on profit margins, delayed decision-making,

complexities in supplier and contractor negotiations, challenges in risk management, difficulties in

procurement planning, potential supply chain disruptions, and adverse effects on subcontractors.

 Lack of details in designs

Cost estimates and financial forecast are majorly made on the available designs, as the quantity

surveyor cannot measure for things not seen. A deficiency in details in design leaves the cost engineer in

the dark, thereby making cost control difficult to achieve. The lack of details in designs is a significant

problem in implementing cost control techniques in construction. This issue leads to inaccurate cost

estimation, scope ambiguity, difficulties in value

ng, unforeseen changes, challenges in

procurement, increased construction risks, delayed decision- making, disputes and change orders,

impaired cost control planning, and quality control challenges.

 Late / No involvement of QS in the construction process

A quantity surveyor is the professional responsible for making cost estimates, forecasting and other cost

related documents, involving a QS in the project helps to identify the various cost implications. In simpler

words, the bulk of cost control lies on the professional shoulders of theQ.S. involving the professional

late or not involving him/her, is highly detrimental to any process of cost control. The late or absent

involvement of Quantity Surveyors (QS) in the construction process poses significant challenges for

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implementing cost control techniques. Issues include limited cost planning, inaccurate cost estimation,

scope creep challenges, difficulties in value engineering, lack of contractual guidance, implications for

risk management, procurement challenges, delayed decision-making, limited monitoring and reporting,

and reduced overall effectiveness of cost control.

 Lack of professional training on Cost Control practices

Cost control is best achieved by selecting the right man with the right skills, for the right job, the right

equipment and tools for the right work and the right quality of materials, in the right quantity. These

criteria require professional training and learning, a lack in this expertise makes cost controlling hard.

The lack of professional training on cost control practices is a significant challenge in construction.

Issues include inadequate skill sets, limited understanding of cost control techniques, inaccurate cost

estimation, inefficiencies in resource allocation, risk of cost overruns, ineffective budget management,

limited use of technology, difficulty in change management, lack of standardized practices, and missed

opportunities for continuous improvement.

 Complexity of the project

Construction projects may become complex presenting a challenge for an effective cost control,

especially when not envisioned in the designing and planning stage. This increases the negativity effect

in controlling the costs (Olawale & Sun, 2010). The complexity of construction projects poses

significant challenges in the implementation of cost control techniques. Issues include difficulties in

scope definition, increased risk factors, inherent uncertainties, coordination challenges, technology and

innovation costs, higher change order frequency, resource allocation challenges, specialized expertise

requirements, extended project durations, and difficulty in benchmarking.

 Unstable government regulations

Unstable government regulations present a significant problem in implementing cost control techniques

in construction. Issues include uncertain compliance requirements, potential legal and financial risks,

varied permitting processes, impact on project timelines, supply chain disruptions, challenges in

budgeting and planning, contractual ambiguities, investment uncertainty, inefficiencies in adaptation,

and impacts on sustainability initiatives.

 Choice of contract procurement methods

The choice of the contract procurement determines how the nature and methodology in which the project

will be executed. For example, a design and build contractor is expected to develop the design with

the client‟s budget (design to cost), any alterations from the clients comes as variations. Management

contracting and Construction Management techniques emphasise quality and speed, which invariably

increases project costs (Sanni& Hashim, 2013). In the same vain, design, Build and Bid provides

opportunity for completion which invariable contract the project to the best qualified contractor. The

choice of contract procurement method is therefore a challenges in implementing cost control techniques

in construction in Nigeria. Issues include limited understanding of procurement methods, risk allocation

challenges, complexity in decision-making, impacts on project timelines, contractual ambiguities and

disputes, effects on cash flow, influence on contractor selection, regulatory compliance challenges, and

resistance to change.

 Risk and uncertainties

Risks and uncertainty are related, and have been noted to have adverse effects on delivery of construction

projects. Construction works are highly dynamic, thereby making it a risky business. The occurrences of

site accidents, force majeure, inflations, change in materials prices etc makes controlling cost difficult

(Olawale & Sun, 2010). Problems such as inaccurate cost estimation, budget overruns, project delays,

supply chain disruptions, fluctuating market conditions, legal and regulatory risks, technology and

innovation risks, environmental and geotechnical risks, labor market fluctuations, and impacts on

financing makes cost control implementation difficult.

RESEARCH METHODS

The study population comprised of stakeholders engaged in Civil Engineering Projects in Ibadan, Oyo State,

Nigeria. The target population of respondents comprised of stakeholders that participated essentially on the

supply side of project delivery. This consists of Architects, Structural Engineers, Builders, Q u a nt it y

S u r ve yo rs , P r o je c t M a na g e r s a nd C li ent s . Table be lo w shows the population of the sample

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population for this research work was construction professionals working in both public and private sector in

Ibadan.

For the purpose of this research, 80 professionals ranging from Architects, Builders, Civil Engineers and

Quantity Surveyors in selected Private sector & Public sector within Ibadan were sourced while 50 responded.

The sample technique adopted for selecting respondents for this research was purposive sampling technique.

All the stakeholders that participated on the selected projects were targeted as respondents. As such, a total

enumeration of the study population was embarked upon. This is a method of sampling that ensures that

every member of the population is given an equal chance of being selected (Malkanthi et al., 2017)

Primary data was used in this study. The primary data were collected using questionnaire survey. To achieve

the stated objectives, questionnaires were administered on the identified stakeholders involved in cost in Civil

Engineering projects.

The awareness of cost control techniques and the level at which stakeholders implements it was weighed using

the mean score obtained via the ratings supplied on the copies of questionnaire while analysis of variance was

used to know the performance of these techniques with respect to cost and time in civil engineering projects.

Mean was also used to weigh the mapping between the challenges faced while implementing these techniques;

A 6-point Likert-type scale was employed for data collection and a mean analysis was done using the mean

score analysis formula given question was based. The percentile was used to analyse demographic characteristics

of the respondents.

MS 5n

5 +

4 +

3 +

2 +

1 +

where MS =Mean Score

Where no= no of respondent who answered “No Awareness/Implementation”

n1 = no of respondent who answered “very low”

n2 = no of respondent who answered “low”

n3 = no of respondent who answered “Moderate”

n4 = no of respondent who answered “high”

n5 = no of respondent who answered “very high”

Relative Importance Index (RII)

This was used to rank the various reasons given by the respondents on the likert scale in their

order of importance

in order to ascertain the respondents level of awareness and

perception on Cost Control Techniques and its

implementation in the study area. The formula is given as below.

RII =

∑

Where ∑ = Summation of given items

W = Weighted Sum

N = Total number of respondents

A = Number of decisions available (i.e. highest weight).

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RESULT AND DISCUSSION OF

INDIN

Response Rate

The questionnaire addressed the implementation of cost control techniques on Civil Engineering Projects in

Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Data were obtained on the profile of the Three (3) categories of stakeholders,

comprising of Government, Contractors and Consultants and Developers. The information obtained was used in

carrying out this study. Out of 80 questionnaires distributed to the identified stakeholders, 50 were retrieved and

used for analysis. This represents 62.5% response rate and this is considered appropriate following Danity (2008)

and Sutrisna (2009) that the response rate between 30 to 40% is adequate to avoid bias. Presented

below are the analysis of data collected, starting from the general particulars of the respondents to data related

to individual objectives of this study. The data analysed were collated in summary Tables, interpreted and

discussion of findings made in the light of existing literature

The information provided included type of the organization, profession of respondent, years of work experience,

level of professional membership as well as number of projects handled. The responses were analysed and the

result presented in Table below. It is evident from the Table that 24% (12) of the stakeholders were from

Government representatives, 34% (17) were Contractors representives and 26% (13) were Developers‟

representatives and 16%(8) from consultants.

ile

spond

nts

Background Information

Parameter

Frequency

Percent

Type of Organization

Government

Contractor

Developer

Consultant

Total

100

Quantity Surveyors

Engineers

Builders

Project Managers

Total 50 100

Experience

11-15 years

16-20 years

Above 20 years

Total

100

On cost control techniques

6-10 years

11-15 years

16-20 years

Above 20 years

Total

100

Professional Membership of

Probationers

Respondent

Corporate Members

Fellows

Total

100

Number of Projects handled

1-5 projects

6-10 projects

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11-15 projects

16-20 projects

Above 20

Total

100

Regarding respondents discipline, 56% (28) of them are Quantity Surveyors by profession, 10% (5) Project

Managers, 6% (3) Builders, 6% (3) Architects, 22% (11) Engineers. Their years of professional experience

revealed that 16% (8) of the surveyed respondents had between 6-10 years of industry experience, 14% (7) had

11-15 years of experience, 18% (9) had 16-20 years and 32% (16) had above 20 years of industry

experience with average year of industry experience of 19 years.

Considering their experience on Cost Control techniques on Civil Engineering Projects, the result indicated

that that 16% (8) of the surveyed respondents had between 1-5 years of experience, 32% (16) had 6-10 years

of experience, 24% (12) had 11-15 years of experience, 12% (6) had 16-20 years of experience while 16% (8)

had over 20 years of experience with average 12 years of cost control techniques experience. This is an

indication that most of the respondents had more experience on cost control techniques on Civil Engineering

Project. Generally, the respondents consisted of 70% (35) professional Corporate Members, 4% (2) at

Probationer members and 26% (13) Fellows. A total of 6% of the respondents handled 1-5 projects; 16% handled

6-10 projects, 24% handled 11-15 projects and 1.2% handled above 15-20 while 42% handled over 20 projects.

Awareness of Cost Control Techniques applied on Construction Projects

The objective of this research was set to assess the extent of implementation of cost control techniques available

for use in civil engineering project in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study considered four categories of

stakeholders (Government, Developers , Contractors and Consultants). In order to achieve the objective,

respondents were requested to provide their experience on level of implementation of these techniques. The

scorings provided by the respondents were subjected to Mean Score Analysis (MSA), Relative

Importance Difference, (RII). The result from Table 4.1 showed that, there were twenty (20) cost control

techniques tested in all, as presented in Table 4.2 the three highest ranked techniques were Budget

Monitoring – MS = 3.88; Cost Estimating and Budgeting – Unit Costing – MS = 3.79; and Controlling

the cost of materials, Equipment and Labour – MS = 3.77. while the techniques Use of S-curve for cost/time

monitoring MS = 2.33; and Monte Carlo simulation of project costs MS = 2.35 did not appear to be widespread,

as both recorded low extent.

The opinions of the professionals working on each of the civil engineering projects were sought on a Likert-type

scale of 0-5 on the level of awareness on each of the identified 22 cost control techniques as shown in Table .

The data set in Table 4.2 shows that budget monitoring, cost estimating and budgeting, controlling cost of

materials, equipment and labour were most known with mean score of 3.88, 3.79, 3.77 respectively and ranking

1,2,3 respectively. This result is in line with (Anyanwu, 2013) statement that budgets represent the boundaries

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within which the design must be carried out. Design options which fall outside these boundaries may need to

be readjusted and projects should be monitored and ensure that the total of those various elements budgeted for

are not exceeded, otherwise the client might provide allowance for additional resources to accommodate the

design.

Table 4.2:Level of Awareness of Cost Control Techniques

S/N

COST CONTROL TECHNIQUE

MEAN SCORE

RII

RANKING

EXTENT OF IMPORTNCE

Cost Estimating and

3.79

0.631

High Extent

Budgeting

Cost of Materials,

3.77

0.628

High Extent

Equipments and

Labour

Controlling Overheads

3.67

0.611

High Extent

and Indirect Costs

Others

3.67

0.611

High Extent

Contingency

3.65

0.608

High Extent

Cash Flow Analysis

3.63

0.605

High Extent

work program3.63

Schedule Monitoring

3.58

0.597

High Extent

Controlling Sub

Contractor Cost

3.56

0.593

High Extent

Cost Reporting

3.52

0.587

High Extent

Work Breakdown

3.48

0.580

High Extent

Structure

Value Engineering

3.48

0.580

High Extent

Cost Forecasting

3.44

0.573

High Extent

Contract Variance Unit

3.42

0.570

High Extent

Costing

Cost Value

3.40

0.567

High Extent

Reconciliation

Earned Value Analysis

3.24

0.540

High Extent

Resources

3.08

0.513

High Extent

Management Strategy

Variance Analysis

2.88

0.480

Moderate

Extent

Use of Sofware

2,81

0.468

Moderate

Extent

Monte Carlos

2.35

0.392

Low Extent

Stimulation

Cost Recording

2.35

0.392

Low Extent

S- Curve

2.33

0.388

Low Extent

Source of

Variation SS df MS F P-value F critical

Between

Groups 4.131964 2 2.065982 57.58435

Within Groups 0.681672 19 0.035877

tal

4.813636

8.61932E-09 3.521893

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It can be observed that F-Calculated 57.58435 is greater than F-Critical 3.521893 and P-Value of 8.61932E-09

is very close to zero and less than P-Critical of 0.05. This implies that there is a

statistically significant difference

Level of awareness of Cost Control Techniques

. (F(2,19) =

57.58435, p < 0.05).

Analysis provided in table 4.3 shows that budget monitoring, cost estimating and budgeting as well as value

engineering are mostly used in executing civil engineering projects in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Table 4.3: Level of Implementation of Cost Control Techniques

S/N

COST CONTROL TECHNIQUE

MEAN SCORE

RELATIVE

IMPORTANCE INDEX

RANKING

Budget Monitoring

3.67

0.612

Cost Estimating and Budgeting

3.54

0.59

Value Engineering

3.54

0.59

Controlling Materials,

Equipment and Labour Cost

3.48

0.58

Cash Flow Analysis work

Program

3.46

0.576

Cost Forecasting Technique

3.33

0.555

Work Breakdown Structure

3.33

0.555

Contingency Allowance for

3.33

0.555

Project Budget

Schedule Monitoring

3.31

0.551

Cost Reporting

3.29

0.548

Controlling Sub Contractor

Cost

3.27

0.545

Controlling Overheads and

Indirect Costs

3.17

0.528

Cost Value Reconciliation

3.13

0.521

Cost Recording

3.10

0.516

Resources Management System

3.08

0.513

Contract Variance Unit Costing

3.06

0.51

Use of Software

2.92

0.486

Variance Analysis

2.85

0.475

Earned Value Analysis

2.83

0.471

Others

2.48

0.413

Use of S – Curve for Time Monitoring

2.35

0.391

Monte Carlos Stimulation

2.29

0.381

Source of

Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit

Between

Groups 1.523718 2 0.761859 9.702817 0.001249 3.521893

Within

Groups 1.491868 19 0.078519

tal

3.015586

Challenges facing implementation of Cost Control Techniques

Table 4.4 shows the survey on the absence of professional training on cost control techniques, categorized by

roles of the respondents and it revealed that 18 respondents representing 36% selected Always, 12

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respondents representing 24% selected Often, 17 respondents representing 34% selected Seldom while 3

respondents representing 6% selected Never: These represent the frequency with which the challenges are

encountered by the respondents.

Table 4.4: Absence of professional training on cost control technique

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyor

Architect

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

36%

24%

34%

100%

Table 4.5 shows the survey on the Complexity/size of Projects, and it revealed that 16 respondents representing

32% selected Always, 12 respondents representing 24% selected Often, 11 respondents representing 22%

selected Seldom while 11 respondents representing 22% selected Never. This is in line with Cunnighan( 2015)

statement that Civil Engineering projects are becoming complex and clients are more exacting in their demand

for better value.

Table 4.5: Complexity/size of Projects

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architect

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

32%

24%

22%

100%

Table 4.6: shows the survey on the Delay/Non -payment of work done as a challenge, and it revealed

that 20 respondents representing 40% selected Always, 14 respondents representing 28% selected Often, 9

respondents representing 18% selected Seldom while 7 respondents representing 14% selected Never.

Table 4.6 : Delay/Non -payment of work done

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

40%

28%

18%

14%

100%

Table 4.7 : shows the survey on the Instability in prices of construction materials , and it revealed that 27

respondents representing 54% selected Always, 17 respondents representing 34% selected Often, 4

respondents representing 8% selected Seldom while 2 respondents representing 4% selected Never.

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Table 4.7: Instability in prices of construction materials

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

54%

34%

100%

This table 4.8 shows the survey on the Lack of technical know-how, and it revealed that 14 respondents

representing 28% selected Always, 14 respondents representing 28% selected Often, 12 respondents representing

24% selected Seldom while 10 respondents representing 20% selected Never.

Table 4.8: Lack of technical know how

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

54%

34%

100%

This table 4.9 shows the survey on the Insufficient details in design, and it revealed that 17 respondents

representing 34% selected Always, 15 respondents representing 30% selected Often, 12 respondents

representing 24% selected Seldom while 6 respondents representing 12% selected Never.

Table 4.9: Insufficient details in design

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

34%

30%

24%

20%

100%

This table 4.10 shows the survey on the Choice of procurement method, and it revealed that 11 respondents

representing 22% selected Always, 21 respondents representing 42% selected Often,12 respondents representing

24% selected Seldom while 6 respondents representing 12% selected Never.

Table 4.10: Choice of procurement method

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

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Builders

Total

Percentage

22%

42%

24%

12%

100%

This table 4.11 shows the survey on the Unstable government policy/economy, and it revealed that 20

respondents representing 40% selected Always, 18 respondents representing 36% selected Often, 11 respondents

representing 22% selected Seldom while 1 respondents representing 2% selected Never.

Table 4.11: Unstable government policy/economy

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

40%

36%

22%

100%

This table 4.12 shows the survey on the Variation in contract, and it revealed that 20 respondents representing

40% selected Always, 18 respondents representing 36% selected Often, 11 respondents representing 22%

selected Seldom while 1 respondents representing 2% selected Never.

Table 4.12: Variation in contract

Respondents

Always

Often

Seldom

Never

Total

Project Managers

Quantity Surveyors

Architects

Engineers

Builders

Total

Percentage

40%

36%

22%

100%

Other Challenges

G O V E R M E N T

B U R E A U C R A C Y

N I L

E X C E S S

A D D I T I O N A L

A L W A Y S

U N D U E

I N T E R V E N T I O N

M A N A G E M E N T C H

A L L E N G E S I N

W O R K S

P R O F E S S I O N A L

H E L P I N G T O

I M P L E M E N T

E T H I C S

C O S T C O N T R O L

D E L I V E R Y

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This Chart above shows the survey on the other challenges, and it revealed that 8 respondents representing 16%

suggested government bureaucracy, 25 respondents representing 36% suggested nil, 3 respondents

representing 6% suggested Excess Additional works , 4 respondents representing 8% suggested always, 4

respondents representing 8% suggested Undue intervention on professional ethics delivery while 6 respondents

representing 12% selected Management challenges in helping to implement cost control.

Earned value analysis originated in the US, and employed mainly for large construction projects. It has

become an established method for the evaluation and financial analysis of projects throughout their life cycle. It

deals with the control of both the cost and schedule of projects, through the use of trends analysis. The cost-

to-schedule variance thus generated by this approach is the popular „S‟ curve. Earned value analysis requires

the calculation of three important values for each activity in the work breakdown structure (Garvin, 2000). In

this research both the EVA and S‟Curve techniques shows very low awareness and implementation,

it can then be deduced that this techniques is not applicable in Nigeria and reason for it low ranking out of

the 22 techniques identified. It was instructive that „Use of S- curve for cost monitoring‟ was considered the

least known and second to the least technique applied. This might be in line with assertions of writers such as

Otim et al. (2018) that lack of technical knowledge is a major problem of project cost control. Dindi

et al. (2018) acknowledge the importance of experience when they recommended mentoring of younger

professionals by their more experienced older counterparts; this study’s finding agrees with this position. In

ranking the application of cost control techniques, it was observed that more experienced respondents differed

sharply from those that had fewer years of work experience. This mig ht me a n t ha t studies of cost control

techniques need to target construction professionals on the basis of work experience in order to develop

workable strategies.

The use of software and cost recording are not techniques used widespread in the construction industry for civil

engineering projects as it was only ranked 19

and 20

out of 22 cost control techniques. Researchers have

been examining how to carry out cost control through the use of software created for project management

(Costin et al. (2012).For example, from the study by Liberatore et al. (2001) Primavera Project Planner and

Microsoft Project are the most common software employed for project management; the use of software was

found to be universal amongst most researchers contrary to this research that ranked awareness of software as

out of 22 techniques.

Results also shows that projects where stakeholders use cost control techniques were executed within the

estimated cost while some even recorded reduced cost of construction. It was also observed that project were

carried out within t h e p r o p o s e d d u r a t io n and some earlier than proposed when cost control techniques

were applied. The above comply with the research findings that most well recognized means of achieving cost

is maintained is through effective control of cost of project, using a variety of proven tools and

t e c h n i q u e s . This benefits both the client (who gets the project he wanted at the planned cost) and

the contractor (who is able to make a profit on the effective delivery of the project to the client) (Kumar et al.,

2015).

The findings of this study are in agreement with Adejei et al. (2017) who identified a number of problems

facing the implementation of cost control techniques/practices. Some of the challenges identified were (i)

Instability in prices construction materials which records the highest percentage of 54% (ii) Delayed/ No

payments for works done records 40% (iii) Unstable Government Policies/ Economic Conditions records

40% (iv) Variation recorded 40%. The problem that was considered least important was lack of technical

know =how and choice of procurement method recording 28% and 22% respectively. Other challenges identified

by respondents are; Government bureaucracy 16%, Excess additional works 6%, Undue intervention on

professional ethics delivery 8% and Management of challenges in other to implement cost control techniques

12%.

The length of working experience, professional status and type of work and period spend on cost overrun all

influence how people perceive the importance of the problems that confront the implementation of cost control

techniques/practices. These findings add to the conclusions of writers such as Otim et al. (2018) and Adejei et

al. (2017) with respect to the influence of experience, training and work type on problems of cost control.

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CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The study concluded that projects that cost control techniques were implemented kept the cost of construction

down and in some cases were completed within the estimated contract sum while those that did not apply cost

control techniques recorded cost overrun. Similar, project that cost control techniques were implemented were

completed earlier than the projected duration and some within the duration. In contrast, it was established that

the four major factor challenges influencing the implementation of these techniques are unstable instability

in the price of materials, Delay/Non-payment of work done, Government policy, Variation, at 54%, 40%, 40%

and 40% respectively.

Conclusions

Based on the strength of the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

 Cost Control Techniques ensures that projects are completed within the estimated budget and stipulated

time.

 Top 5 Challenges facing the implementation of Cost Control techniques are; Instability of prices of

materials, Variation, Government regulations and delay/non payment of work done.

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