Recurring Construction Risk Categories in Makkah’s Complex Urban Environment: A Colaizzi-Informed Thematic Analysis of Project Managers’ Accounts

While identifying risks is the first step toward developing response plans, project managers often respond to risks spontaneously. This study aimed to identify recurring construction risk categories reported by project managers in Makkah, examine the consequences they associated with these risks, and determine the project dimensions represented by those consequences. Twenty project managers working on construction projects in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, participated in semi-structured interviews. Within a qualitative descriptive approach, the study used an inductive thematic analysis informed by selected Colaizzi procedures, including repeated familiarization, extraction of significant statements, formulation of meanings, and clustering of related meanings, and member checking to enhance credibility. The findings revealed 38 recurring risk-related factors, which were classified into 12 risk categories, four of which were most frequently reported by participants, namely the absence of an institutional framework and risk-management governance (95%); poor documentation and the absence of unified, systematic risk-management and monitoring practices (75%); weak coordination mechanisms among relevant government agencies and slow responsiveness (70%); and modifying work and increasing the project scope (70%). These percentages represent participant mentions rather than estimates of risk probability, severity, or influence. The 12 categories were further organized into eight domains: organizational, operational, stakeholder, preconstruction, contractor, financial, governance, and seasonal issues. Reported consequences were identified separately and mapped to five project dimensions: planning, schedule, cost, quality, and construction operations. The findings provide a context-specific account of the risks experienced by project managers and the reported consequence patterns linked to these risks within Makkah’s complex urban, institutional, and seasonal environment.