Time and Cost Overruns in Jordanian Building Construction Projects

Construction industry supports investment in Jordan, and Arab countries. Professional practices of construction parties highly affect the performance of construction process. Time delay and cost overrun are the most important performance measures in construction process. Current research aims at identifying the main expected factors that affect and cause time delay and cost overrun in building projects in Jordan. A group of 12 experts from all firms were selected to identify these factors in a questionnaire designed for the purpose of research. 150 copies of the questionnaire were prepared and sent to the personnel in each party (clients, consultants, and contractors) to rank these factors. Through the analysis, individual rank was calculated for each factor given by each party separately. A group factor (financial, design, technical, management, external, competency, workmanship, communication, material, site, and regulation) issues were calculated. A comparative test between means of ranks was conducted among clients, consultants, and contractors to test the significance of difference between means if exists. Clients agree with contractors that financial and competency issues have a great effect on time delay and cost overrun. Also, clients agree with consultants that design issues have a great effect on time delay and cost overrun. In addition, consultants see that workmanship issues have a great effect on time delay and cost overrun also. Results will be of great help for contract parties and engineers to avoid time delay and/or cost overrun in planning for or administrating projects.