Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Value Engineering Practices has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with construction cost overrun. This growing interest reflects the recognition that value engineering practices does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Kano State.

Kano State presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on value engineering practices, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with construction cost overrun, particularly within Kano State. Many organizations continue to make decisions about value engineering practices without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect construction cost overrun. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Value Engineering Practices on construction cost overrun in Kano State.
2. To assess the extent to which value engineering practices influences construction cost overrun within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with value engineering practices in relation to construction cost overrun.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing value engineering practices in order to improve construction cost overrun.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of value engineering practices on construction cost overrun in Kano State?
2. To what extent does value engineering practices influence construction cost overrun within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with value engineering practices in relation to construction cost overrun?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize value engineering practices in order to improve construction cost overrun?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around construction cost overrun. For managers and practitioners within Kano State, the study provides practical insight into how value engineering practices can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on quantity surveying by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Kano State, focusing specifically on how value engineering practices relates to construction cost overrun within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.