Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 2025, 15(3), 0015
Factors Affecting Soft Cost in BIM-Based Construction Projects
1Ph.D.
Student, Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia
Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, 26300 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia,
abdelrahman.mfarouk@gmail.com
2Associate Professor,
Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang
Al-Sultan Abdullah, 26300 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia, E-mail:
ahmadtarmizi@umpsa.edu.my
3Associate Professor, Faculty
of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology,
Delft, 2628 CN, Netherlands, E-mail: e.papadonikolaki@tudelft.nl
4Associate Professor, Faculty of Civil Engineering
Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, 26300
Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia; Visiting Professor, Faculty of Graduate
Studies, Daffodil International University, 1341 Dhaka, Bangladesh,
E-mail: arahimirahman@umpsa.edu.my (corresponding author).
Project Management
Received December 20, 2024; revised January 6, 2025; accepted January 6, 2025
Available online June 30, 2025
Abstract: Building Information Modelling (BIM) is transforming the construction industry by improving project efficiency, accuracy, and teamwork. However, failure to determine accurately soft costs during BIM-based construction projects can lead to financial uncertainty and management issues, making it difficult to assess the return on investment (ROI) of BIM. Identifying the factors that influence BIM-related soft costs is crucial for determining the ROI of BIM. To address this issue, this study aimed to investigate the factors affecting soft costs in BIM-based construction projects, using Malaysia as a case study. Data collection involved conducting semi-structured interviews with BIM professionals, followed by thematic analysis to analyse the collected data. The findings revealed that the factors influencing soft costs can be categorised into two main themes: organisational factors and project factors. Within the former, the subthemes included development charges, certification fees, commissioning fees, and ongoing maintenance costs. Meanwhile, project factors encompassed contingency fees, levy fees, and documentation fees. Understanding these factors is crucial for determining the ROI of BIM, which can drive more widespread BIM implementation in developing countries. The study reveals that accurately identifying the factors influencing soft costs in BIM-based construction projects is essential for effective cost management. As a result, the findings emphasise that these factors must be addressed in order to improve financial planning and project execution in the construction industry. The originality of this study lies in its focus on soft costs within BIM-based construction projects, an underexplored area of the existing literature. This nuanced understanding will help organisations and policymakers to manage costs more effectively, contributing to more efficient construction practices and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities by promoting sustainable building practices and resilient infrastructure development.
Keywords: Building Information Modelling (BIM), soft cost, return on investment (ROI), interviews, thematic analysis
Copyright © Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management (EPPM-Journal).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Requests for reprints and permissions at eppm.journal@gmail.com.
Citation: Farouk, A. M., Haron, A. T., Papadonikolaki, E., and Rahman, R. A. (2025). Factors Affecting Soft Cost in BIM-Based Construction Projects. Journal of Engineering, Project, and Production Management, 15(3), 0015.
DOI:
10.32738/JEPPM-2025-0015
Full Text
