Effective Construction Estimating Will Curb Projects Failure, Abandonment, Says NIQS

The Nigerian institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has said that the key to reducing projects failure and abandonment of construction projects across the country is found in well researched and thoroughly conducted construction estimating.

President of the Institute, QS Mohammed Abba Tor, FNIQS who made this known at the opening of a 2-day workshop with the theme, “Essentials of Construction Estimating for successful Project Delivery” said delivering prompt values to Nigerians should be the mandate for the construction of any project.

Tor who lamented the presence of 56,000 abandoned projects worth N12 trillion, scattered across the six geopolitical zones of the country said the Institute was committed to curbing the incidents of projects failure and abandonment through effective construction estimating.

Making reference to why these projects exceeded their original contract frame, Tor noted that not all project failure were caused by corruption, emphasizing that most projects fail due to lack of precise construction estimating in an era of price fluctuation.

He said the objective of the workshop was to upscale the skillset of the NIQS members as well as deepen their knowledge in the tools and techniques of estimating, especially in the face of emerging technologies.

He noted that specific issues, such as risk management, principles and techniques of estimating, sustainability in construction, evolving information and communication technology, as well as real-life examples, were tackled during the workshop by a crack team of professionals and scholars.

“Estimating is key in ensuring that resources that are supposed to go into construction are well computed and captured so that projects will now be assured of being delivered in terms of expectations and values from the stakeholders.

“This workshop is an effort to refresh the memories of our members and to also drive the point home that they must be more dedicated, vigilant, diligent and exhibit competence in ensuring that clients get value for their money,” Tor explained.

According to him, Construction Estimating, must be approached with a high level of diligence, care and competence, as it requires systematic analysis of resources needed to accomplish any given project.

He added that it forms an important component of planning and serves as a baseline against which actual cost performance is tracked and measured.

While admitting that the galloping cost of construction materials was beyond the QS, he however disclosed that as professionals, their responsibility was to ensure that their members assess and determine the cost of materials, as accurate and precise as possible. That way, he said, they will be contributing to national development.

“Proper estimating is more critical now than ever, as prices of construction materials keep on increasing unabatedly.  Quantity Surveyors are experts and professionals equipped with technical know-how on construction projects and best suited to deliver this service,” Tor posited.

Ninety-four new Quantity Surveyors were inducted into the professional body at the end of the workshop.