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 Abia State.

Within the context of Abia State, this relationship carries particular significance. Organizations in this setting operate under a distinct combination of economic, regulatory, and market conditions that may amplify or dampen the effect of value engineering practices on construction cost overrun, making a context-specific inquiry both timely and necessary.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While value engineering practices is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on construction cost overrun within Abia State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to value engineering practices are helping or hindering construction cost overrun — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Value Engineering Practices on construction cost overrun in Abia 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 Abia 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 Abia 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 Abia 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.