Analysis Of Cost Overrun In G+3 Residential Building Using Primavera P6

Abstract

Construction cost overrun is one of the most persistent challenges in the residential building industry in India, with studies consistently showing that 60–70% of projects exceed their original budgets. The present study investigates and analyses cost overrun in a G+3 (Ground Plus Three Floors) residential building project using Oracle Primavera P6 Professional project management software. A detailed project schedule comprising 87 activities across six Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) levels — Foundation Construction, Ground Floor, First Floor, Second Floor, Third Floor, and Finishing Works — was developed in Primavera P6 for a building project with a planned duration of 550 working days, commencing 27th March 2026 and targeted for completion on 4th May 2028. A primary baseline was formally created and assigned as the approved plan of record. Construction progress was updated to the data date of 14th April 2026, at which point two foundation activities were completed on schedule and one was in progress. The study demonstrates that Primavera P6's activity-level cost tracking, baseline comparison reporting, Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling, and progress updating capabilities are effective tools for identifying and quantifying cost overrun in residential construction projects. Corrective and preventive recommendations are formulated, including baseline revision, material procurement planning, and adoption of formal progress monitoring cycles.