Abstract
This study describes an empirical investigation revealing the critical obstacles to the adoption of a uniform pricing mechanism for building services from the perspective of industry practitioners. A total of 157 questionnaires conducted on quantity surveyors (N=75), mechanical engineers (N=39) and electrical engineers (N=43) were collected and used for the study. T –test statistics was run to identify ten significant factors from a list of fourteen factors identified. Relative importance indices were computed for each factor from the perspectives of the practitioners so as to determine the most critical obstructive factors. The result shows that the five most important obstructive factors in order of significance are: (1) difficulty in the interpretation of the Standard Method of Measurement by design consultants (2) the late involvement of building services design consultants (3) quantity surveyors' insufficient skill in mechanical and electrical services technology (4) drawings of services are often not ready for billing at the tender stage and (5) the lack of a generally accepted Standard Method of Measurement for mechanical and electrical services.
Highlights
The value and complexity of building services in modern buildings are increasing and more service installations are being developed
The data collected was analyzed from the different perspectives of quantity surveyors, mechanical and electrical services engineers
The first issue here is the lack of a regulatory body to enforce the use of Standard Method of Measurement (SMM) for mechanical and electrical (M&E) services
Summary
The value and complexity of building services in modern buildings are increasing and more service installations are being developed. It has been observed that the methods adopted by various parties in forecasting building services contract prices would not provide the desired results with regards to the clientsvalue criteria [2, 3] This is partly because the cost of M&E services has changed from 15 – 30 percent (for the traditional type of buildings) to between 15 – 70 percent of the total building costs (in modern buildings) depending on the sophistication of the services, the type of air – conditioning system and inclusion of systems such as sprinkler systems, fire detection devices, evacuation aids, access control, security, CCTV, building management systems, lifts and escalators [3]. [1] considering that if there is no history of uniform billing for M&E services for this type of project, the cost control of that 15% to 70% of the work will be more difficult to achieve and the client will be exposed to greater financial risk
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