Material Cost Comparison for Masonry and Framed Partition Walls for Buildings in Uganda

Abstract

In the building construction industry, decisions concerning specifications for the different building components may be made by the client, consultants, contractor, or a combination of these. Choices are usually governed by functionality (strength and safety integrity, durability), aesthetics, cost, material availability, technical know-how, etc. Most of these criteria are easy to quantify except for strength, safety, durability, and cost given that they require rigorous analysis or research. This study set out to determine the cost margin difference that exists between wall types (framed and masonry wall) from a material requirements perspective. This was meant to avail information that can provide decision support to practitioners or clients that need to make a choice between these wall types. Margins for cost differences were computed using a Monte-Carlo simulation-based approach that involved sampling deviates from probability distributions for costs for 1m² of framed and masonry walls. These costs were built-up through another Monte-Carlo simulation process that utilized material quantities and unit prices as its inputs. There was transformation work done in this simulation experiment to reconcile material quantity conventions used by vendors and manufacturers with those quantities required to erect 1m² of a physical wall.

Keywords: Framed wall, Masonry wall, Cost margin, Probability distribution, Monte-Carlo simulation

DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-5-05

Publication date:May 31^st 2020