Construction project management through building contracts, a South African perspective

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Date
2018
Authors
Du Plessis, Hendri
Oosthuizen, Pierre
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This article reviews construction project management and building contracts in South Africa. It introduces general information and findings on the topic, forming part of a broader indepth study, which proves difficult to encapsulate in one single article. The novice might perceive contract management, project management, and construction management to be the same concept. To clarify these concepts, the evolution of construction contracts and project management was studied to identify possible similarities between these concepts. This article commences with a brief history prior to a schematic analysis of the general characteristics of construction contracts and project management. It investigates the application of these concepts within South Africa and compares the general structure of the main contracts used within South Africa. This general investigation clearly shows that the standard conditions of contracts used in South Africa have similar structures to the main construction project management knowledge areas recognised by the Project Management Institute (PMI). The article also reviews the four general conditions of contracts endorsed by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in South Africa and investigates the general clauses and themes of these contracts. The Construction Contract should consider all the Project LifeCycle (PLC) stages. The Construction Contract should further be regarded as the Project Implementation Plan (PIP), on which the control procedures during construction are based. With the understanding of the evolution of the two streams (contracts and management), their relevance, goal, dependencies and responsibilities may be understood better. This may enhance the professional manner in which the management of the entire Project Life-Cycle (PLC) is implemented and approached.
Afrikaans: Die artikel beskou konstruksieprojekbestuur en boukontrakte in Suid-Afrika. Dit stel algemene inligting en resultate voor oor die onderwerp, wat deel uitmaak van ’n wyer indiepte studie, wat moeilik is om in een enkele artikel te vervat. Die beginner kan soms kontrakbestuur, projekbestuur en konstruksiebestuur as dieselfde konsep beskou. Om hierdie konsepte te verduidelik, is die evolusie van konstruksiekontrakte projekbestuur bestudeer om moontlike ooreenkomste te identifiseer. Hierdie artikel begin met ’n kort geskiedenis voor ’n skematiese analise van die algemene kenmerke van konstruksiekontrakte en projekbestuur. Die artikel ondersoek die toepassing van hierdie begrippe binne Suid-Afrika en vergelyk die algemene struktuur van die hoofkontrakte wat in Suid-Afrika gebruik is met mekaar. Uit hierdie algemene ondersoek is dit duidelik dat die standaardvoorwaardes van kontrakte wat in Suid-Afrika gebruik word, baie soortgelyke strukture het in vergelyking met die belangrikste konstruksieprojekbestuursareas soos erken deur die Projekbestuursinstituut (PMI). Die artikel beskou die vier kontrakte wat deur die Konstruksiebedryfontwikkelingsraad (CIDB) in Suid-Afrika onderskryf is en ondersoek die algemene klousules en temas van hierdie kontrakte. Die konstruksie kontrak moet al die Projek Lewensiklus (PLC) stadiums in ag neem. Die Konstruksie Kontrak moet verder gesien word as die Projek Implementeringsplan (PIP), waarmee beheer tydens konstruksie toegepas moet word. Met dié begrip van die evolusie van die twee strome (kontrakte en bestuur), kan hul relevansie, doel en afhanklikhede beter verstaan word. Dit kan die professionele manier waarop die totale Projek Lewensiklus (PLC) geïmplementeer en benader word, verbeter.
Description
Keywords
Agreement, Construction, Contract(s), General conditions, Project management, Project life cycle
Citation
Du Plessis, H., & Oosthuizen, P. (2018). Construction project management through building contracts, a South African perspective. Acta Structilia, 25(1), 152-181.