Building construction detailed estimating practices in saudi arabia

Construction project opportunities in Saudi Arabia, during the last two decades, have attracted contractors with various construction practices, experiences, and backgrounds, worldwide. This paper presents the results of an interview questionnaire sampling survey based on the response of 24 large building contractors working in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The results report local practices followed by national and international contractors to develop building construction cost estimates, information items needed for estimating, and problems frequently facing estimators. The paper identifies the need for a standard work item breakdown coding system and a professional construction management information system to provide consistent project costing.