Analysis the costs and causes of change order in Iraqi projects: A comprehensive survey and BIM approach

• Main Authors: Ali, Dhyaalden H., Ibrahim, Abdulrahman Adnan, Abdulwahab, Bevian Ismail
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Costs; Design factors; Project evaluation; Project management
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0236156

This study focuses on a prominent challenge in Iraqi construction projects, specifically in the government sector, focusing on change orders. These orders lead to increased costs and project delays. The study revolves around a recently completed government project that involved the construction of multiple schools. The research endeavors to pinpoint the key factors contributing to the escalation of change orders, considering the various stages of the project, to ensure effective control and minimize their impact. The research methodology comprised collecting project information, documents, and records, followed by on-site surveys of numerous public and private projects to identify influential factors. Following this, an extensive questionnaire was disseminated to collect responses, and the gathered data were analyzed utilizing both Excel and SPSS. A detection technique was employed to transform architectural and structural drawings from two to three dimensions. Subsequently, these were exported to Navisworks for analysis. The study revealed cost overruns exceeding 20% due to change orders in both schools. Finishing and frontage designs exhibit the highest percentage increases. The results indicate that added items constitute 77% of change order costs. Furthermore, design phases contribute to 52% and 70% of the total change order costs for both schools. The responses from 165 participants emphasized five crucial factors: insufficient project evaluation before the design phase, subpar project management during implementation, price variations during execution compared with estimated costs, inadequate selection of subcontractors, and errors in estimation or insufficient cost estimation. The findings suggest that incorporating BIM technology in the design phases can cut change orders by half, resulting in a roughly 50% reduction in overall change order costs. Additionally, it improves project efficiency and accelerates the project timeline. The study pinpointed the factors driving increased change orders in Iraqi projects, stressing the need for early BIM adoption for comprehensive solutions. The emphasis on accurate estimation, site assessments, effective management, and meticulous verification is crucial.