Critical Risks In Large Construction Projects And Their Consideration In Cost Estimation

Seminar paper from the year 2022 in the subject Business economics - Investment and Finance, grade: 1,5, University of Western Sydney, course: Financial Management of Projects, language: English, abstract: Early cost estimating has often become a major challenge in large projects. Budget overruns occur time and again, which leads regularly to conflicts between investors, project teams, contractors, and other stakeholders. The cause for these are several factors such as inadequate consideration of project risks, insufficient project information and an unclear project scope, or unforeseen project complexities. The following literature review, therefore, observes the risk identification of major construction and infrastructure projects as one of the major reasons for cost overruns. This review aims to deliver an overview of the different approaches to the identification of risks during the early stage of large projects. In this context, however, no rigid definition of the term "major project" has yet emerged. There is no fixed rule when a project is a major project and should be organized likewise. A major project is characterized by the fact that it differs from the client's usual projects in terms of its planning and implementation duration, its complexity, the large number of participants, or its high social significance. In contrast to small and medium-sized construction projects, where routine can be applied, extensive infrastructure and construction projects are often a multitude of different tasks with several interconnections and interfaces. They often require more complicated organizational structures, and accordingly many risk management requirements. Whether a project is considered a major project depends on the specific individual case. In these projects, decision-makers often rely on intuition, judgment, and their personal experiences to conduct risk assessments and cost estimates. Although various risk assessment models have been developed in recent years, the lack of precise and general data to examine risk effects usually leads to inconsistencies and inaccuracies in risk assessment. This often results in significant budget overruns for large construction and infrastructure projects.

The book outlines the processes of calculating and critically reviewing construction costs and times for clients and contractors in different project phases. Any project or structural analysis should yield accurate information on times, costs, and prices. The related database is more or less uncertain depending on project complexity and the circumstances of work performance. It is thus recommended to use ranges of key input parameters. This approach consistently considers uncertainties within a holistic project view, thus enhancing the plausibility and validity of specific values. Only the integration of probabilistic methods will allow for calculating and graphically representing the chance/risk ratio as a crucial project variable ultimately influencing the entire business. This book examines the systemic modeling and consideration of uncertainties when determining construction costs and times, and life-cycle costs. It contains detailed descriptions of other decision-making processes, including project preparation and planning (developer calculation, soil survey, cost estimate), work preparation (costing, pricing, construction time evaluation, resource identification, comparison of construction methods, bid analysis, contract award), and project execution (site logistics, construction method selection, construction process planning, work coordination, sourcing, determination of additional costs, trend analyses), as well as for project portfolio management as a tool relevant to all phases.

The essential risk assessment guide for civil engineering, design, and construction Risk management allows construction professionals to identify the risks inherent in all projects, and to provide the tools for evaluating the probabilities and impacts to minimize the risk potential. This book introduces risk as a central pillar of project management and shows how a project manager can be prepared for dealing with uncertainty. Written by experts in the field, Risk Management for Design and Construction uses clear, straightforward terminology to demystify the concepts of project uncertainty and risk. Highlights include: Integrated cost and schedule risk analysis An introduction to a ready-to-use system of analyzing a project's risks and tools to proactively manage risks A methodology that was developed and used by the Washington State Department of Transportation Case studies and examples on the proper application of principles Information about combining value analysis with risk analysis "This book is a must for professionals who are seeking to move towards a proactive risk-centric management style. It is a valuable resource for students who are discovering the intricacies of uncertainties and risks within value estimation. For professionals, the book advocates for identifying and analyzing 'only' risks whose impact are of consequence to a project's performance." —JOHN MILTON, PHD, PE Director of Enterprise Risk Management, Washington State Department of Transportation

Today’s businesses are driven by customer ‘pull’ and technological ‘push’. To remain competitive in this dynamic business world, engineering and construction organizations are constantly innovating with new technology tools and techniques to improve process performance in their projects. Their management challenge is to save time, reduce cost and increase quality and operational efficiency. Risk management has recently evolved as an effective method of managing both projects and operations. Risk is inherent in any project, as managers need to plan projects with minimal knowledge and information, but its management helps managers to become proactive rather than reactive. Hence, it not only increases the chance of project achievement, but also helps ensure better performance throughout its operations phase. Various qualitative and quantitative tools are researched extensively by academics and routinely deployed by practitioners for managing risk. These have tremendous potential for wider applications. Yet the current literature on both the theory and practice of risk management is widely scattered. Most of the books emphasize risk management theory but lack practical demonstrations and give little guidance on the application of those theories. This book showcases a number of effective applications of risk management tools and techniques across product and service life in a way useful for practitioners, graduate students and researchers. It also provides an in-depth understanding of the principles of risk management in engineering and construction.

The financing of modern construction projects reflects the need to address the costs and benefits of the whole life of the project. This means that end of life economics can now have a far greater impact on the planning and feasibility phases. During the project itself, decisions on construction materials and processes all influence the schedule as well as both immediate and down-the-line costs. Massimo Pica and his co-authors explain in detail the fundamentals of project life cycle economics and how they apply in the context of complex modern construction. This is an essential guide for those involved in construction project design, tendering and contracting; to help ensure the sustainability of the project or their contribution to it, from the start. It is also important for those involved in the delivery of the project to help them make the choices to keep the project on a financial even keel. Government, corporations and other organizations are looking for new models of collaborative working to fund their large construction and infrastructure projects in the face of changing attitudes to risk; a better educated and more demanding base of end-user clients and the increasing requirements for projects that are environmentally responsible and sustainable. Project Life Cycle Economics is a fundamental primer for those commissioning and those delivering construction.

Risk analysis and management - an overview. When to apply risk management. Quantitative techniques for project risk analysis. Risk in estimating. Contract stategy...

Investment in any new project invariably carries risk but the construction industry is subject to more risk and uncertainty than perhaps any other industry. This guide for construction managers, project managers and quantity surveyors as well as for students shows how the risk management process improves decision-making. Managing Risk in Construction Projects offers practical guidance on identifying, assessing and managing risk and provides a sound basis for effective decision-making in conditions of uncertainty. The book focuses on theoretical aspects of risk management but also clarifies procedures for undertaking and utilising decisions. This blend of theory and practice is the real message of the book and, with a strong authorship team of practitioners and leading academics, the book provides an authoritative guide for practitioners having to manage real projects. It discusses a number of general concepts, including projects, project phases, and risk attitude before introducing various risk management techniques. This third edition has been extended to recognize the reality of multi-project or programme management and the risks in this context; to highlight the particular problems of risk in international joint ventures; and to provide more coverage of PFI and PPP. With case studies and examples of good practice, the book offers the distilled knowledge of over 100 man-years of experience in working on all aspects of project risk, giving sound practical guidance on identifying, assessing and managing risk.