The industry is still not doing enough to improve its record on cost and time overruns, according to this year’s annual key performance indicators, released by Constructing Excellence.

The figures show that on cost predictability, construction cost and construction time standards have remained stagnant or declined.

The news overshadowed advances made on client satisfaction, time predictability, profitability, productivity and safety.

In the housing sector, cost predictability has worsened over the past year with construction cost predictability falling from 56% to 49%, and project cost predictability falling from 60% to 45%, although design cost predictability rose 1% to 67%.

Time predictability has also worsened, with construction time predictability falling from 62% to 56%, project time predictability from 49% to 44% and design time predictability from 55% to 51%.

Constructing Excellence statistics showed that companies that are part of its demonstration programme have outperformed the industry in measures ranging from productivity and employment issues to cost control and safety. Average productivity per employee, was found to be 63% better for the demonstration projects, compared with the general industry.

Peter Cunningham, director of productivity at Constructing Excellence, said: “The easier things are being done well but the industry has got to look at cost and time.

“Half the projects being delivered are likely to be over cost.”