THESIS ABSTRACT

Abstract

The rapid urbanization of city areas has led to many people becoming involved in the construction sector in Nepal, leading to serious issues of client satisfaction as most residential construction is still informal. Poor workmanship, time overruns, and cost escalations are common, with little to no training for workers. This has caused many clients to distrust the construction capability of local contractors, fueled by poor supervision and monitoring by local government. This research identifies the major reasons of dissatisfaction among clients on contractors' performance in Bharatpur Metropolitan City (BMC) and suggests possible strategies to the stakeholders involved, including contractors, clients and government entities responsible for the approval, monitoring and evaluation of residential construction works. Data was collected from 357 residential clients through a structured questionnaire. The study identifies the underlying factors of clients' satisfaction through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which reduced the survey items into six underlying components of clients' perception. Multiple regression was then used to assess the impact of these components on overall satisfaction, explaining 62.7% of the variance (R² = 0.627). Based on these findings, performance gaps were identified: high beta and low perception score were considered critical areas for intervention, triangulated with open ended client feedback and Key Informant Interview (KII) suggestions. The findings show that contractors of BMC excelled in relational traits like Communication and Accountability, and Professionalism and Site Management, and maintained baseline in Quality and Performance Assurance and Site Efficiency and Technical Oversight. However, they were found lacking significantly on Schedule and Time Predictability and Technology Adoption and Safety Practices, covering timely completion, schedule adherence, site safety, wastage control, supervision, and adoption of modern technology. It was recommended that contractors address these gaps by using a minimum toolkit instead of costly equipment, enforcing use of PPE, maintaining a material log book, and appointing a regular supervisor. Clients were recommended to assess a contractor's equipment, experience, and past performance before hiring, and integrate 2 a milestone-based timeline into the contract. It was suggested that BMC enforce its current supervision-agreement provision strictly, license contractors according to their experience and capacity, and require a three-party scheduling and safety agreement during the drawing approval. These findings aim to bridge the gap between contractor execution and client expectations, contributing toward a more accountable residential construction practice within Bharatpur Metropolitan City.

Keywords

Client satisfaction, Contractor performance, Residential construction; Principal Component Analysis, Bharatpur Metropolitan City