IMPACT OF CONSULTANT RELATED VARIATION ON TIME PERFORMANCE OF BUILDING PROJECT IN NIGERIA

The occurrence of variations is a common phenomenon and significantly affecting the adherence to stipulated contract periods and the predetermined contract sum. The study evaluated impact of consultant related variation on time performance of building project in Nigeria. Quantitative approach using survey reseach method was adopted. Simple random sampling was used to select construction professionals located in Kwara State, North - central Nigeria. 85 structured questionnaires were self-administered to the respondents. 75 questionnaires were properly filled and returned. With a response rate of 82.2%, the results were analyzed using using descriptive analysis, relative importance Index (RII) and severity index (SI). It was found that factors responsible for consultant-related variations in building projects are primarily driven by design changes, inadequate understanding of project requirements, and inaccuracies in budgeting and estimating. The study underscored that consultant-related variations significantly affected the time performance of building projects in Nigeria, with time overruns emerging as the most prevalent effect, followed by cost overruns, poor quality of work, litigation, and, in severe cases, project abandonment. The study also revealed that effective strategies to mitigate consultant-related variations are, enhancing effective communication, implementing robust project management practices, and continuous training. It was recommended that project stakeholders should embrace effective communication and collaboration in building project delivery. More so, construction players should invest in continuous training and capacity building that will reduce occurrence of variations in building projects.