Evaluation of Causes of Claims on Construction Projects of Southern Nation Nationality and People Region (SNNPR), Ethiopia

Abstract

Construction projects involve a number of parties (Owners, Contractors, Consultants, Local authorities) who arise claims that have occurred frequently and significantly. Construction Claims are a global phenomenon since one of the most important factor in the Construction industry is Claim. Claims can be in the form of demands of time extension or cost compensation or both requested mostly by contractors. The major issues in claims and disputes are identification of issues and the party responsible for the claims, and ascertaining the time and cost impact of the claim. A global claim is one where the claimant has identified the terms of the contract on which he/she relies, the facts constituting the breaches of the contract terms. For the purpose of this paper, research is defined as a methodological search or inquiry to ascertain new facts or collect old facts by scientific study for the purpose of developing existing theory or its application in a real problem. Southern Ethiopia construction projects, as of Ethiopian public construction project, have three main traditional form of participants, the employer/client/owner, the consultant and the contractor. The objective of the study is assessing Causes of construction claims. And the scope of the study focuses on assessing the causes of claim on Construction projects southern part of Ethiopia in SNNPR. A survey in the form of structured questionnairas were prepared for the Client, Contractor, Consultant and other participant professionals of construction projects. Relative importance index was used here to determine client (client`s representative) and contractor perceptions about the most important factors causing claim. Analysis and processing of research involves examining, categorizing, tabulating, evidences to address the initial problem statement. The research instruments were designed properly to ease examining, categorizing and tabulating the research responses. The study drawn conclusion about the Causes of claim depend on the result of analyzed data.