THE COST BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVE MATERIALS UTILIZATION AND CONTROL ON THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN EBONYI STATE
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of different residential roof
designs—pitched, gable, and flat—in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, addressing a gap in
localized, comparative research on construction costs. The objective was to
perform a comprehensive life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for each roof design,
moving beyond the misleading metric of initial construction costs.A mixed
methods approach was used, combining quantitative data from market surveys
and standardized Bills of Quantities (BoQs) with qualitative insights from
interviews and site observations. This aligned with existing literature suggesting
that while simpler roof designs may have lower initial costs, their long-term
cost-effectiveness can be compromised by durability issues in tropical
climates.Quantitative findings revealed that flat roofs have the lowest initial
cost (₦2,351,980.89), while gable roofs have the highest (₦2,837,161.10).
However, the qualitative analysis indicated that flat roofs face significant
maintenance challenges related to waterproofing failure in high rainfall,
pointing toward higher long-term costs. The LCCA, based on a 30-year lifespan
and a 30% discount rate, calculated total costs of ₦2,327,203.25 for the pitched
roof, ₦2,600,859.21 for the gable, and ₦2,156,088.78 for the flat roof. This
result, influenced by the elevated discount rate, highlights the sensitivity of
cost-effectiveness to external variables. A supplementary one-way ANOVA test
on hypothetical data confirmed that roof design significantly impacts total LCC
(\(F=158.42,p
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