An Investigation into the conditions of contract with regards to claims in some selected building projects

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Date
1982-10
Authors
MUSA, MOHAMMED MAGAJI MSHALGAYA
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Abstract
One of the fundamental issues associated with an increasing population is the inordinate demand for houses, schools and hospitals. While houses provide shelter and schools provide the suitable abode of teaching and learning, hospitals provide the environment for extending welfare services to the teaming population. Hence, not only does the government vote huge sums of money for the provision of these basic facilities, in recent times, but individuals and coporation also invest heavily in them for the purposes of promoting business. And this demand is expected to be on the increase as long as the population continues to increase. These facilities (houses, schools, and hospitals) may otherwise be known as building products; the production of which involve the participation of many parties, each entering it at different time and with different interest. Principal of these parties are the financer of the projects called the employer, and the executor of them called the contractor. In between exist the consultants who, by mandate and agreement, see to the effective and proper erection and completion of the projects. These projects are usually executed by means of contracts. In order to protect the diverse interests of the parties to the execution of the projects and the survival of the projects themselves, certain terms and conditions that define duties and responsibilities that are obligatory on the parties to the contract for the execution of the projects usually form part of such contracts. These terms and conditions have undergone the test of time, and are usually standardized into suitable forms. The inclusion of these terms and conditions not-withstanding, huge amount of claims are frequently instituted and collected on the building projects. Perhaps, that is why there is rampant saying that final project prices these days usually over-run their initial estimates by unpardonable margine. "An investigation into the conditions of contract with regards to claims on some selected building projects" was therefore carried out in order to see whether or not the claims that do surface on projects actually have roots in the conditions of contract; and if it is the case, to suggest possible ways of ameliorating the situation. This piece of work, however, is not a witch-hunting exercise that tries to aportion blame to some or all of the parties of building projects because there is no particular case in mind. Nor, is there any pre-formed idea about some or all of the clauses of the conditions of building contract that should be modified in accordance with personal opinions. This is because, as mentioned earlier, these terms and conditions have undergone test of time on building projects and so their modification may be very difficult. Rather, it tries to see how the ethical operation of the conditions of contract on projects could support or give rise to claims; and to use the results of the findings if any and possible, in recommending possible ways of ameliorating the situation in order to save the costs of providing these facilities, the demand of which continues to grow with the population- frown unjustified escalation beyond pardonable levels.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of M.Sc. in Construction ManagementDepartment of Building Faculty of Environmental Design AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY Z A R I A.
Keywords
Investigation, conditions, claims,, contract,, selected building projects
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