Cost Management and Control of Building Projects in Nigeria; The Role of The Architect

Building projects entail numerous closely connected tasks. The management of such tasks is highly difficult, which makes it challenging for clients. According to Shamsudeen, 2009, such intricate and interconnected operations lead to cost issues that call for efficient cost management and control procedures. One of the most crucial activities in a building project is cost management and control, which begins at the conceptual stage of every project by giving clients and the design team cost recommendations to help the design be completed within the allocated budget (Cunningham, 2015). This research seeks to address the role of architects in cost management and control of building projects in Nigeria by thoroughly examining the following topics—cost management, cost control, the significance of cost management in a building project, a review of the members of the building team and their roles, and enumerating the statutory role and responsibilities of Architects in building projects in Nigeria. Every client hopes for a building project to be completed on time and within budget. The biggest problem an architect faces is controlling and managing cost of building project’s during planning and execution to prevent cost overruns. This study focused on architects and their role in cost management and control of building projects in Nigeria. This study suggests that the architect, who serves as the prime consultant in building projects, takes the lead in cost management and control.