SHARMIN KHAN
ANWAR HUSSAIN
MOHAMMAD SAQUIB
Abstract
Defects have always been a matter of concern for stakeholders in construction industry, as they lead to additional running cost of project during the post occupancy stage. It is essential to identify the causes of these defects so that rectification measures can be expedited. For the purpose of research, the building life cycle is classified into three stages; design, construction and post occupancy. An investigation into the causes of defects is carried out through structured questionnaire survey based on Guttman’s scale, from architects working in Indian construction industry. Twelve causes of defects related to different stages of building were examined. The descriptive data analysis and cross-tabulation of data resulted in some interesting facts. The research concluded that major causes of defects in buildings are associated with construction and post occupancy stage of building, and can be listed as; dampness/seepage in buildings, poor workmanship, lack of quality control, improper installation of services and lack of maintenance.
Keywords
Life cycle of building, maintenance cost, poor workmanship, faulty design, quality control
