Delay in UK construction industry

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], hereby declare that this research is my own un aided work and it has not been earlier submitted for any educational purpose. The ideas of this dissertation are mine and not of the university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

Delays are one of the biggest problems construction firms face. Delays can lead to many negative effects such as lawsuits between owners and contractors, increased costs, loss of productivity and revenue, and contract termination. Even though various studies have been considered into the causes affecting delays, It feels that a study on these delays is essential. Since the problems are rather contextual, the study needs to focus on specific causes of delay such as insufficient coordination and ineffective communication and control between involved parties in construction projects in the United Kingdom. The predominant causes of delays are various these include: design changes, poor coordination, lack of communication and inadequate planning.

The traditional separation of the design and the construction functions has affected construction productivity through waiting for drawings, design changes and subsequent rework. A more rational and economic use of construction resources could be enhanced with the two processes “under one roof” as in manufacturing industry so that the build ability of the design structure can be correctly evaluated at the sketch design stage, preventing time wastage. Fortunately, this traditional separation is now being bridged to some extent with new forms of contract, for example; design and build, management contracting, fast-track construction, concurrent engineering, partnering and so forth. Unplanned changes in construction projects are common and lead to disruptive effects such as project delays, cost overruns and quality deviations. Rework due to poor supervision can cost 10-15 per cent of contract value. By managing these changes more effectively, these disruptive effects can be minimized. Delays are one of the causes of loss of productivity. They may arise from shortage of materials, equipment or information, from sequencing problems causing one trade to wait on another, from variations in the scope of the work, or from the weather. Whether or not accelerated working is required, one of management's prime functions is to minimize delays. The key lies in thorough timing and planning. Careful sequencing will minimize the number of returns visits by contractors and sub-contractors and therefore maximize continuity.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

ABSTRACTiv

Contentsvi

Introduction1

Background1

Significance1

Problem statement2

Research Aim2

Research Objectives3

Validity3

Generalizability4

Ethical Considerations5

Literature review7

What is delay?7

Excusable and Non excusable Delays8

Compensable and Non compensable Delays11

Critical and Noncritical Delays14

Schedule delay16

Delay Types and Documentations17

Delay classification17

Documentations for delay analysis19

Delay Analysis Methods20

General delay analysis processes20

Developed delay analysis methods21

Discussed delay methods21

As-planned expanded method21

Collapsed as-built analysis method23

Snapshot analysis method23

Windows analysis method24

Comparison26

What is meant by concurrent delays?28

Royal Brompton Hospital v Watkins Gray International28

Methodology31

Research Design31

Literature Search32

Discussion33

Excusable and Culpable Events33

Complexity of Delay Analysis with Concurrent Delays34

Philosophy for Concurrent Delays and Extensions of Time35

GCC Clause 50 - UK Government Form of Contract35

All the Circumstances37

Efficacy38

Excusable Delay in a Period ...