DIRE DAWA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND ARCHTECTURE

CIVIL ENGINEERING CHAIR
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
AND MANAGEMENT
HOSTING COMPANY: Birhanu Ambaye
General Contractor
Internship Final Project
Title: Building Defects due to Poor Workman
ship in Dessie Robit Marketing and Upgrading
Prepared by: Yordanos Bisrat
Id No: 1201629
Submit to: INS. Mohammednur. H

1 Submission Date:
DECLARATION
The project is the original document prepared considered the real practice experience, and that
use all source of material used for the project has duly acknowledged.
This practical work is submitted in practical fulfillment of the requirements for project at the
Dessie Robit Marketing and Upgrading .
Name Signature ……………
This internship report has been submitted for the course internship the approval of project
advisor.
Name: INS. Signature:
……………

i
Acknowledgement
First of all, I would like to thank for my GOD and Dire Dawa University Institute Of
Technology, construction technology and management department and instructors
Mohammednur H. to my mentors, the office engineer help me how to prepare my project and
shows me how to behave myself on the site to communicate with work related peoples.
I also offer my regard and blessing to Birhanu Ambaye General Contractor positively accepts my
request to practice in his company building contractors. Moreover, i appreciate who took their
precious time in encouraging, supervising, commenting and through guidance towards the
completion of this project engineers and also i would like to thanks my colleagues’ friends and
all the daily professionals together with their assistance.

ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The rate of construction project accomplishment is weak because of the rapid increasing rate of
major defects in building as a result of poor workmanship and poor quality materials which have
been identified as the major cause of defects in the construction industry. This paper aims to
investigate building defect due to of poor workmanship in Dessie robit marketing progress and
upgrading projects. The objectives of this study are to investigate common building defects that
mostly occur at building projects due to poor workmanship, the factors that contribute to poor
workmanship, its impact on the project performance and to established possible measures to
minimize these problems.
Literatures were reviewed both primary and secondary data collected through questionnaire,
observation and case study. The sample was selected from Dessie by sampling targeting under
construction Dessie robit marketing progress and upgrading project by Birhanu Ambaye General
Contractor. The most commonly occurring defects in Dessie robit maketing progress and
upgrading Building were defects on structural member segregation and bleeding during
construction and after the causes for building defects that mostly occur at the houses are due to
poor workmanship.

iii
Table of Contents
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ i
Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................................... ii
EX ECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... iii
CHAPTER ONE.................................................................................................. 1
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................ 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ......................................................................................................... 2
1.3Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................................. 2
1.3.1 General Objective ............................................................................................................... 2
1.3.2 Specific Objectives ............................................................................................................. 2
1.4 Project Questions ..................................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................................... 3
1.6 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER TWO.................................................................................................... 4
2. Literature Review...................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Definition of Defect ................................................................................................................. 4
2.1.1 Construction Defect............................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Methods of Building Construction Defect ............................................................................... 6
2.2.1 Pre-construction Stage........................................................................................................ 7
2.2.2 During Construction Stage ................................................................................................. 7
2.3.3 Post-construction stage ....................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Classification of Building Defects ........................................................................................... 7
2.4 Types of Building Defects ....................................................................................................... 8
2.5 Causes of Building Defects .................................................................................................... 13
2.5.1 Design Defects ................................................................................................................. 13
2.5.2 Material Defects ............................................................................................................... 14
2.5.3 Poor Workmanship ........................................................................................................... 14
2.5.4 User Activities .................................................................................................................. 14
2.5.5 Maintenance ..................................................................................................................... 14
2.5.6 Climatic Conditions ........................................................................................................... 14

iv
2.6 Building Defect Due to Poor Workmanship ...........................................................................15
2.6.1 Factors Contribute to Poor Workmanship in Building Construction ............................... 15

2.6.2 Impacts of Poor Workmanship in Building Construction ................................................ 16

2.6.3 Possible Measures to Minimize Workmanship Problem ................................................. 16
CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................... 17
3. PROJECT METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................
17
3.1 Study Area ............................................................................................................................. 17
3.2 project Design ........................................................................................................................ 17
3.3 Project Population .................................................................................................................. 17
3.4 Source of Data......................................................................................................................... 17
3.4. 1 Primary Data ................................................................................................................... 17
3.4.2. Secondary Data ............................................................................................................... 17
3.5 Sampling Technique ............................................................................................................ 17
3.6 Data Collection .................................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER FOUR .............................................................................................. 19
4. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION............................................................................................ 19
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 19
CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................... 23
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................. 23
5.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 23
5.2 Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 24
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 25

v
List of figure
Figure 1: building defect ................................................................................................................ 4
Figure 2: Defects in construction ................................................................................................... 6
Figure 3: Cracking ......................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 4: Unstable Foundation........................................................................................................ 9
Figure 5: Deterioration of Roof ..................................................................................................... 9
Figure 6: Dampness ..................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 7: Leakage ........................................................................................................................ 11
Figure 8: Defects in doors, windows and external appendages ................................................... 11
Figure 9: Segregation ................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 10: Bleeding....................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 11: Summary of methodology used in this research ........................................................ 18

vi
ABBREVIATIONS
 BC= Building Contractor
 CBE = Consulting Architects and Engineers
 GC = General Contractor
 HCB = Hollow Concrete block
 ISO = International Standardization Organization
 MoWUD = Ministry of Work and Urban development
 MSE = Micro and Small Enterprises
 PSAM = University’s Public Service Accountability Monito

vii
CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The construction industry all around the world is getting modern, advance and growing day by
day. Inspire of the development, construction industry is dealing with one major problem i.e.
building defects. Structural Engineers are always striving to overcome challenge of defects in
buildings but it is difficult to deal with it completely.
A defect is a building flaw or design mistake that reduces the value of the building, and causes a
dangerous condition. A construction defect can arise due to many factors, such as poor
workmanship or the use of inferior materials. Building defects do not appear to have been
minimized despite recent advancements in building technology. Some common defects caused
by agents such as atmospheric pollution, poor workmanship or the use of inferior materials and
climatic conditions are more frequent. Defective building construction not only contributes to the
final cost of the product but also to the cost of maintenance, which can be substantial. Defective
construction includes activities such as compaction not done to specifications leading to ground
subsidence and eventual early deterioration of foundations. This may lead to the complete failure
of a structure. Conditions under which building construction takes place are often far from ideal
with the focus mainly being on speedy delivery.
Defects resulting of inaccurate construction can be avoided by ensuring that proper inspection
mechanisms are in place. The understanding of building defects and their causes is essential for
better performance of any building. Broadly speaking, building defects fall into two categories.
 Defects that affect the performance of structure and
 Defects that affect the appearance of structure.
Therefore, this project focus on investigating building defects due to poor workmanship and
assessing factors that contributes to poor workmanship with a goal of establishing possible
measures to overcome such problems in Dessie robit marketing progress and upgrading building.

1
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In most Ethiopian buildings which are many complaints about defects in the building elements of
the house. One of the causes of this condition is due to poor workmanship during construction.
This will affect the life of the occupants and also giving a bad image of the parties involved in
the construction of building.
Generally, building defects refer to a deficiency in the construction process – be that in design,
materials, or workmanship – which leads to a failure in some aspect of the structure being built,
and that causes damage to a person or property (financial or otherwise). To put it another way, a
construction defect must include all 3 of the following:
 a deficiency in the construction process itself (resulting from poor design, materials, or
workmanship);
 the deficiency must lead to a failure in the structure (that’s being built during the project);
 That failure must cause damage to a person or property (financial damages or otherwise).
Therefore, the performance of good workmanship in the construction of building is a very
critical issue this project was carried out to examine the problem of poor workmanship as a cause
of building defect, with the intent to recommend suitable solutions to the problem which occur
on Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.3.1 General Objective
The main objective of the study is to investigate the common building defects due to poor
workmanship in Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
The specific objectives of this study are:
 Assessing the type of building defects in Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.
 To examine the main cause leading to poor workmanship, in Dessie robit marketing and
upgrading Building.

2
  To identify possible measures should be taken to prevent/minimize poor workmanship
problems and; in Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.
 To recommend possible solutions to alleviate workmanship problems which lead to
building defects Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.

1.4 Project Questions

i. What are the common types of building defects on Dessie robit marketing and upgrading
Building?
ii. What are main cause leading to poor workmanship, in Dessie robit marketing and
upgrading Building.
iii. What are possible measures should be taken to prevent/minimize poor workmanship
problems and; in Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.
iv. What are the solutions to these problems of poor workmanship?

1.5 Scope of the Study

The scope of is to investigate the common building defects due to poor workmanship in Dessie
robit marketing and upgradin project.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The output of this project will have significances. To give information about the building defect
in Dessie robit marketing and upgrading project. During construction as well as post occupancy,
the type and main causes of building defect during construction, the factors leading to poor
workmanship and the possible measures to prevent/minimize poor workmanship problems.

3
CHAPTER TWO
2. Literature Review
This chapter consists of basic definition and concepts of building defects, the methods to use for
detection of building defect, reviewing studies which were conducted by different researchers on
the major types of building defects and their causes, techniques used to repair some building
defects.
2.1 Definition of Defect
According to Watt (1999), post-handover defects on a building defect can be considered a failing
or shortcoming in the function, performance, statutory or user requirements of a building and it
might manifest itself within the structure, fabric, services or other facilities of the affected
building. An immediate way to reduce and/or eliminate post-handover defects is to ensure that
quality controls and inspections are implemented during design and construction.

Figure 1: building defect

2.1.1 Construction Defect
A construction defect is generally defined as a defect or deficiency in the design, the
construction, or in the materials or systems used on a project that may not be readily observable
and results in a building, structure or component that is not suitable for the purpose intended.

4
“Construction defect” is broader than just defective construction. The term "construction defect"
includes both defects during design (i.e. faults during design) and defects under construction (i.e.
failures during construction) that result in financial harm to the owner.
Types of defect
 Design defects
 Defects in construction

. Design defects
A design defect is typically the result of the design professional’s failure to produce a complete,
accurate and well-coordinated set of design and construction documents. These design defects
are categorized as a design error or omission and a combination of both. A design error is
defined as a mistake in the design where the design element was either constructed or under
construction and required retrofitting or replacement of any component to correct the error.
Under these circumstances, the entire cost of the change is attributable to the design profession
as a result of its design error.
Defects in construction
Defective construction works can be defined as works that fall short of complying with the
express descriptions or requirements of the contract. The majority of modern buildings and civil
structures are complex and involve the use of a great variety of engineering methods and
processes. Defective construction contributes to both the final cost of a project and the cost of
maintenance, which can be substantial. Therefore; most projects face the possibility of defects
and defective work, which generally result in structures that cannot perform their originally
intended roles
Defective construction includes activities such as compaction not done to specifications, which
leads to ground movement and eventual failure of foundations. This may lead to the complete
failure of a structure. Classified defects into 2 main categories, namely
1. Patent defects and
2. Latent defects.

5
Figure 2: Defects in construction

1. Latent defects: those defects that are concealed and are often not obvious or readily
observable upon reasonable inspection. Even with the most comprehensive on-site inspections,
sometimes defective construction may go unnoticed. After construction is complete, latent
defects are unknown and generally undiscoverable and will only appear after the passage of time.
Examples of latent defects are: soils that were not properly compacted, improperly installed
flashing and/or the total lack of flushing within the building envelope assembly, lack of
reinforcing in structural concrete footings, walls and/or slabs, lack of brick ties and/or masonry
reinforcement in a brick/masonry veneer wall, an improperly installed weatherproofing system,
improperly installed stucco exterior Building Defects due to Poor Workmanship in Dessie robit
marketing and upgrading.
2. Patent defects: are the defects that are known or would be readily obvious upon reasonable
inspection. Examples of patent defects are: weep holes not installed in brick veneer walls. ,
handrails omitted in stairways, missing control and/or expansion joints, cracking and/or signs of
distress in the building envelope, lack of roof drainage and/or roof slope, lack of proper roof/attic
ventilation.
2.2 Methods of Building Construction Defect
Detection Construction defects usually include any deficiency in the performing of the design,
planning, supervision, inspection, construction, or observation of construction of any new home
or building. The building is deficient if there is a failure during construction – in other words, if

6
The building does not perform in a manner that was intended by the buyer. According to Frank
(2011), construction defect detection can be classified into three based on the time to be
happening during the construction process.
2.2.1 Pre-construction Stage
One of the major causes of construction defects is designed inadequacy. This could happen due
to inadequate data about the project site as a result of site investigation problems or due to
professional’s inadequacy. Site exploration (investigation) problems could arise due to
uncomfortable site conditions for exploration or lack of well skilled man power and equipment.
The exaggerated cost of exploration is also another problem.
2.2.2 During Construction Stage
Construction techniques that may not be defect free, inconsistent or substandard workmanship,
and use of unsuitable construction details can lead to shortly occur or long list defects. The large
varieties of building materials may not be well similar to one another or under quality materials
below the specified standards. Extreme site conditions may undermine performance standards
during construction.
2.3.3 Post-construction stage
Abuse or misuse of the building is another problem which causes serious defects on the structure
or service installation system. Damage on the building while giving service can be rectified by
proper maintenance. Neglect and poor quality maintenance are major influences on the incidence
of important defects. So to reduce occurrence of defects that lead to failure, it should be a correct
use of building and properly managed maintenance activities.
2.3 Classification of Building Defects
Building defects are always under the spotlight and the grave concern of the construction
industry. Different buildings or structures produce different types of defects and require
numerous levels and types of quality, which rely on the building functions, the construction or
maintenance systems and also materials adopted. Generally, defects can be classified as Major
defect or Minor defect.
A. Major defect: It is considered as those which cause the building to become unsafe,
unsuitable for living in and not suitable to be used for the purposes for which the building was
designed.

7
B. Minor defect: It is considered as those originate from poor workmanship or deficient
materials used in the construction of the building, but do not cause the building to become
unsafe, unsuitable for living in and not suitable to be used for the purposes for which the building
was designed.
2.4 Types of Building Defects
the first five most frequent types of defect in federal building construction were broken or loose
tiles on floors or wall; water seepage from external wall, roof, or from ceiling; broken or leaking
sanitary fixtures; defective damp proofing at the roof; poor window framing and nonstructural
crack respectively.
 Cracking
Cracks can be structural or nonstructural. A structural crack means any defect in a structural
element of a building that commonly occur in areas such as interior walls, exterior walls, beams
and columns.
The other one is non - structural cracks. Such type of cracks usually occur in plaster or other
finishes with cement, sand rendering as base due to shrinkage cracks in plaster or other forms of
finishes .It will affect the appearance only and do not pose any safety concern.

Figure 3: Cracking

8
  Unstable Foundation

The foundation is necessary to support a building and all of its loads that are within or on it.
Foundation should be made from material that will not fail and lost its stability in the presence of
ground or surface water. When the building or property is designed, there should be little or no
cracking in the foundation and of course zero water leaks.

Figure 4: Unstable Foundation

 Deterioration of Roof

Covering Roof as usually exposed to different conditions, particularly to the extremes of

temperature degree and change, solar radiation, and wind action. Roofing system contains many
components, such as framing, plywood decking, felt underlayment, sheet metal flashing and
other exterior roofing material.

Figure 5: Deterioration of Roof

9
  Dampness

In general, damp is defined as unwanted water or moisture and its existence in the building is one
of the most damaging failures that can occur. It can cause damage in brickwork by saturating it,
decay and break-up mortar joints, rot timber structures, make iron and steel corrosion and
damage to building equipment. It can be a serious matter, particularly in the building located
near water sources. Somehow, the water can enter the building bit by bit through different routes
resulting in dampness. Furthermore, prevailing wet wind and rain will due to water penetrations
that occur through the wall

Figure 6: Dampness
 Leakage

Leaking is water that seeps out from behind walls, under concrete slabs and asphalts, basements,
landscaping, water intrusion in roofs, irrigation systems, and radiant heat system. Leaking mostly
happened due to improper installation of piping system that can cause dampness and mold
growth, water penetration through external wall defects such as cracks, joints, honeycombs,
spelling, weak points, holes, punctures, leftovers of debris, and movement of external wall
components, water penetration through defective external wall finishes such as loosened mosaic
tiles, cracked ceramic tiles and paint surface; through poor cladding or curtain walls
constructions; or weaknesses in water-resisting components, Water leakage through party walls
between units of pre-fabricated elements, or between buildings.

10
Figure 7: Leakage
 Defects in doors, windows and external appendages

Windows and doors are perhaps the most vulnerable building element in external building
envelopes, and the need for some windows to be open able further aggravates the problem. Glass
panels should always be replaced once cracks occur. Common defects in traditional steel
windows usually arise from rusty frames, and deterioration or loss of putty or sealant to hold the
glass panels.

Figure 8: Defects in doors, windows and external appendages

11
  Defects in Building Services Installation

Services installations have a relatively shorter life span than the building structure. Defects in the
mechanical components usually lead to failure requiring repair or servicing. It is therefore
necessary to have a planned schedule for foreseeable servicing and replacement of components.
Avoid exhausting the designed lifespan of such components can prevent sudden breakdown of
services that causes undesirable or even disastrous consequences. Common defects in building
services installations are water supply (such as blockage or leakage of components of the pipes
or valves, rusty pipes, pump failure, breakage of supply pipe, defective water tanks, defective
pipe joints or valves, leakage in the system after water meters) ,
 Segregation

Segregation in concrete is commonly thought of as separation of some size groups of aggregates

from cement mortar in isolated locations with corresponding deficiencies of these materials in
other locations. Segregation results in proportions of the laid concrete being in variation with
those designed. Segregation could result from internal factors such as concrete that is not
proportioned properly and not mixed adequately, or too workable a mix. It also could result from
external factors such as too much vibration, improper transportation, placement, or adverse
weather conditions. The corresponding increase in proportion of cement paste in upper areas
would tend to make them susceptible to increased shrinkage and formation of cracks. These
cracks could be 10 μm to 500 μm wide, formed perpendicular to the surface, and be in the form
of map patterns.

12
Figure 9: Segregation
 Bleeding

Bleeding of concrete – its causes, reasons, effects & prevention Bleeding of concrete Bleeding in
concrete what is bleeding of concrete causes of bleeding in concrete Reasons for bleeding of
concrete ways to reduce bleeding of concrete.

Figure 10: Bleeding

2.5 Causes of Building Defects

2.5.1 Design Defects
Buildings and systems designed by engineers do not always work as specified; this can result in a
defect. Typical design deficiencies relate to buildings outside the specified code. A common
design error is often made, usually in an effort to save initial construction costs. Project cost
plays an important role in designing buildings. Reducing the size of columns, the size of
reinforcement bars and foundations are the most common design error in construction.

13
2.5.2 Material Defects
The use of inferior building materials can cause significant problems such as windows that leak
or fail to perform even when properly installed. Materials may easily be damaged during
transportation, loading and unloading, inappropriate condition of storage on site and placing in
position even though the materials may be flawless upon leaving the factory. The defects can be
prevented with by taking greater care during all the stages during the construction project,
providing appropriate training to all the workers and staffs, and ensuring closer supervision.
2.5.3 Poor Workmanship
Error in workmanship can result in long lists of defects, e.g. plumbing leaks. According to
Gibbon (2010), poor workmanship in housing construction, poor management and control of
building contractors has contributed to the housing problem. The installation of the roof will
need number of skilled workers. If the roof is not installed properly, it is yielded to roof defect
such as roof leakage and sagging. The causes of roof defect because the worker may be not
having a license, or certificate apart from having a low level of experience.
2.5.4 User Activities
Defects may be caused by unintended misuse due to lack of knowledge of the correct method of
usage or intentional acts of vandalism. This problem can be solved by providing more
information such as the degree of severity of use and condition of use to the designer so that a
better output can be yield. Besides, some defects may be correlated to the users' financial
conditions and also social attitudes. For instance, condensation is affected by the amount of
money spent on heating and ventilating, and occupancy pattern.
2.5.5 Maintenance
Building maintenance prepared through an accurate program of repeated maintenance plays a
major role in preventing building defects. Buildings that neglect building maintenance may fall
into several defects which may lead to structural failures. Any inspections carried out by either
architects or surveyors should include checking for any signs of abnormal deterioration, cleaning
out gutters of leaves or harmful growth, checking lighting conductors, cleaning out all voids and
spaces; and changing tap washers. To secure the general structural stability and life of a building.
2.5.6 Climatic Conditions

14
It is important to consider the climatic conditions of construction area and the effect to building
materials. This implies that buildings in the country tend to weather rapidly, particularly in
respect to external building materials which are exposed to external causes such as rain, wind,
solar radiation including ultra-violet light; and atmospheric pollution. Fungal stains, harmful
growth, peeling paint, erosion of mortar joints and defective plastered rendering are a few
examples associated with this factor.
2.6 Building Defect Due to Poor Workmanship
Swain and Guttmann (1983) found four types of errors in the construction industry. They are:
time, qualitative, sequence and quantitative errors, which can take place. Time errors occur when
a task must be performed within a specific time. Qualitative errors are such errors which include
right action on the wrong object, wrong action on right objects, wrong action on the wrong
object, information not obtained/ transmitted or substitution/ intrusion error. Sequence errors,
however, occur when an activity is done or performed out of sequence. Quantitative errors are
errors which are made in rates, prices, and mathematical errors.
Poor workmanship is one of the serious issues facing local contractors in most developing
countries and a portion of the payments due to the contractors is almost always withheld as a
guarantee against poor workmanship, hidden defects, and similar faults which might be observed
only after project completion.
2.6.1 Factors Contribute to Poor Workmanship in Building Construction
Different studies conducted on factors contributing to poor workmanship in building
constructions. Ali and Wen (2011) studied the factors contributing to poor workmanship and
possible measures to minimize the problem in Malaysia. They found lack of experience and
competency of labors, language barrier to communication and lack of communication, unsuitable
of construction equipment’s, poor weather condition, limited time and limited cost as the causes
of poor workmanship.
Factors contributing to poor workmanship in building construction
 Poor project management
 Complicated role of subcontractor
 Lack experience and competency of labors
 Language barrier to communication and lack of communication

15
  Unsuitable construction equipment’s
 Poor weather conditions (hot)
 Limited times
 Limited costs

2.6.2 Impacts of Poor Workmanship in Building Construction

 Quality
 Cost
 Completion Time
2.6.3 Possible Measures to Minimize Workmanship Problem
 Strict supervision
 Training and education
 Proper communication among parties involved
 Proper construction management
 Proper manpower management
 Proper design

16
CHAPTER THREE
3. PROJECT METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study Area
This project was conducted from Birhanu Ambaye General Contractor site to introduce the study
is to investigate the common building defects due to poor workmanship in Dessie robit
marketing and upgrading Building.
3.2 project Design
In this study, mixed method project approaches were used. Because, this approach is useful the
best to capture both qualitative and quantitative data. To employ mixed method, interview I used.
3.3 Project Population
In order to evaluate range of respondents in categories of firms i.e. clients, consulting firms,
contracting firms involved Birhanu Ambaye General Contractor to investigate the common
building defects due to poor workmanship in Dessie robit marketing and upgrading Building.
3.4 Source of Data
3.4. 1 Primary Data
Primary data were through interview, were from clients, consultants and contractors. Most of the
data collected through are ordinal in nature and used to rank the problems in their order of
significance with the intention of finding additional variables beyond those found out from the
literature review.
3.4.2. Secondary Data
Secondary data which involves information from published text such as journals, government
publications, dictionaries, dissertations and reliable internet resources were used to compliment
the primary data.
3.5 Sampling Technique
Sampling helps a lot in research. It is one of the most important factors which determine the
accuracy of your research/survey result. If anything goes wrong with your sample then it will be

17
directly reflected in the final result. There are lot of techniques which help us to gather sample
depending upon the need and situation. This blog post tries to explain some of those techniques.
3.6 Data Collection
In this project I manage the interview preparation and distribution to different respondents.
Respondents were allowed sufficient time to complete the interview. The interview was with a
series of questions which were related to the project work and directed to respondents with the
aim of gaining first-hand information. The interview consisted of both open ended and close-
ended questions.
Introduction

Literature Review

Interview Design

Population and Sample Size Determination

Preparation interview

Results and Discussion

Conclusion and Recommendation

Figure 11: Summary of methodology used in this research

18
CHAPTER FOUR
4. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction
This Chapter describes the analysis of the data collected through interview, case study, site
observation and literature review concerning types, causes, effects and reducing measure of
construction defects in defects due to poor workmanship in Dessie robit marketing and
upgrading Building.
 From the gathered information the most occurred defect on building
are the following.

1. Unstable Foundation

The foundation is necessary to support a building and all of its loads that are within or on it.
Foundation should be made from material that will not fail and lost its stability in the presence of
ground or surface water. When the building or property is designed, there should be little or no
cracking in the foundation and of course zero water leaks.
2. Deterioration of Roof

Covering Roof as usually exposed to different conditions, particularly to the extremes of

temperature degree and change, solar radiation, and wind action. Roofing system contains many
components, such as framing, plywood decking, felt underlayment, sheet metal flashing and
other exterior roofing material.
3. Segregation

Segregation in concrete is commonly thought of as separation of some size groups of aggregates

from cement mortar in isolated locations with corresponding deficiencies of these materials in
other locations. Segregation results in proportions of the laid concrete being in variation with
those designed. Segregation could result from internal factors such as concrete that is not
proportioned properly and not mixed adequately, or too workable a mix. It also could result from

19
external factors such as too much vibration, improper transportation, placement, or adverse
weather conditions.
4. Dampness

In general, damp is defined as unwanted water or moisture and its existence in the building is one
of the most damaging failures that can occur. It can cause damage in brickwork by saturating it,
decay and break-up mortar joints, rot timber structures, make iron and steel corrosion and
damage to building equipment. It can be a serious matter, particularly in the building located
near water sources. Somehow, the water can enter the building bit by bit through different routes
resulting in dampness. Furthermore, prevailing wet wind and rain will due to water penetrations
that occur through the wall
 From the gathered information the most Causes of Building Defects are
the following.

1. Material Defects

The use of inferior building materials can cause significant problems such as windows that leak
or fail to perform even when properly installed. Materials may easily be damaged during
transportation, loading and unloading, inappropriate condition of storage on site and placing in
position even though the materials may be flawless upon leaving the factory. The defects can be
prevented with by taking greater care during all the stages during the construction project,
providing appropriate training to all the workers and staffs, and ensuring closer supervision.
2. Poor Workmanship

Error in workmanship can result in long lists of defects, e.g. plumbing leaks. According to
Gibbon (2010), poor workmanship in housing construction, poor management and control of
building contractors has contributed to the housing problem. The installation of the roof will
need number of skilled workers. If the roof is not installed properly, it is yielded to roof defect
such as roof leakage and sagging. The causes of roof defect because the worker may be not
having a license, or certificate apart from having a low level of experience.

20
3. Climatic Conditions

It is important to consider the climatic conditions of construction area and the effect to building
materials. This implies that buildings in the country tend to weather rapidly, particularly in
respect to external building materials which are exposed to external causes such as rain, wind,
solar radiation including ultra-violet light; and atmospheric pollution. Fungal stains, harmful
growth, peeling paint, erosion of mortar joints and defective plastered rendering are a few
examples associated with this factor.
4. User Activities

Defects may be caused by unintended misuse due to lack of knowledge of the correct method of
usage or intentional acts of vandalism. This problem can be solved by providing more
information such as the degree of severity of use and condition of use to the designer so that a
better output can be yield. Besides, some defects may be correlated to the users' financial
conditions and also social attitudes. For instance, condensation is affected by the amount of
money spent on heating and ventilating, and occupancy pattern.
Factors contributing to poor workmanship in building construction
 Poor project management

 Complicated role of subcontractor

 Lack experience and competency of labors

 Language barrier to communication and lack of communication

 Unsuitable construction equipment’s

 Poor weather conditions (hot)

 Limited times

 Limited costs

21
Impacts of Poor Workmanship in Building Construction
 Quality

 Cost

 Completion Time

Possible Measures to Minimize Workmanship Problem

 Strict supervision

 Training and education

 Proper communication among parties involved

 Proper construction management

 Proper manpower management 6 Proper design

22
CHAPTER FIVE
5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The objectives of the project had been achieved based on the literature review from articles,
journals and books; findings from interview respondent survey; This chapter has three sections;
the first section presents stand on the result of the analysis the conclusions have been unwearied,
the second section outlines a list of recommendations that could facilitate to improve
workmanship, quality in the building construction the last section outlines suggestion of area for
further research that could extend the current study.
5.1 Conclusions
Poor workmanship is one of the major factors that lead to building defects and failures problems.
Usually residential buildings are the one which experienced most of the defects or failures
problems due to poor workmanship. Form questioner survey senior officer of the client, project
manager and resident engineer from contractor and consultant side respectively reported poor
workmanship as a major cause over poor quality material usage. Poor workmanship on structural
member, plastering and rendering, block work and metal work was pointed out.
Poor workmanship led to project cost overrun for all entities participating in project
management. There were cases client has to handle rectifying defects after the houses transferred
usually with extra cost when the contractor not willing. Project delay was other impact again for
all parties however; it was very challenging to contractors and consultants as it affects
performance and carrier.
From the gathered information the most occurred defect on building are the following.
 Unstable Foundation

 Deterioration of Roof

 Segregation

 Dampness

Possible Measures to Minimize Workmanship Problem

 Strict supervision

23
  Training and education

 Proper communication among parties involved

 Proper construction management

 Proper manpower management 6 Proper design

5.2 Recommendations
The following intervention areas identified and recommended in order to alleviate workmanship
problems which lead to building defects
 improvements on all project management phases need to be done by the client including
amending the existing contractual document

 Right from the planning stage to the completion of a project, the client is recommended
to have continual program evaluation for timely corrective measure throughout the
project duration with respective government body.

 Construction supervisors on the site should be aware that they have shared on improving
the causes of construction defects and many complaints arise when the owners hand over
the houses. So, they should follow strict supervision during construction.

24
REFERENCES
 Andrew, R. A. (1999), The Role of Human Error in Construction Defects, Structural
Survey, 17(2), 231-236.
 Atkinson, A.R. (1999), The Role of Human Error in Construction Defects, Structural
Survey, 17(4): 231-236.
 Bedru ,M.(2015) Study of Construction Defects in Public Building Projects in Addis
Ababa , A Case study of Federal Government Office Building Projects.
 Georgiou et al (1999), Verification of a Building Defect Classification System for
Housing. Structural Survey, 28(5), pp. 370-383. Ghafar Ahmad (2004)

 Rhodes, B. & Smallwood, J.J. (2002), Defects and Rework in South African Construction
Projects. In: Morledge, R. (ed.).

 Maloney, W. F. (2002), Construction Product/service and Customer Satisfaction. Journal

of Construction Engineering and Management, 128(6), 522-529.

 Chan, A and Chan, A. (2004), Benchmarking: Key Performance Indicators for Measuring
Construction Success. http://www.emeraldinsight.com, 3:25pm, 23/05/07.

25