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RESMEAR
SPECIFICATION WRITING AND WUANTITY SURVEYING
INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
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Specification- an act of describing or identifying something precisely or of stating a

precise requirement.

• Knowledge of specification writing principles and procedures is essential to the

specifier in an architectural or engineering firm in order to prepare sound,
enforceable construction specifications.
• Unless skills are properly developed to understand and apply these principles, and
unless expert knowledge of materials, contracts, and construction procedures is also
applied, the architect or engineer cannot communicate successfully with the ultimate
users of the specifications: facility owners, general contractors, subcontractors,
materials suppliers, code authorities, and quality assurance inspectors.
• The factors that permit architects and engineers to understand clearly the relationship
between drawings and specifications—between the graphic and the verbal—and
should enable them to communicate effectively by setting forth in logical, orderly
sequence information to be incorporated into the specifications portion of the
construction documents.
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Many types of documents are used during design and construction, but for actual
construction three basic types of documents are used:
1. Bidding and Contract Requirements: Text documents
2. Drawings: Graphic documents
3. Specifications: Text documents
Combined, these three types of documents are called the Bidding Documents (before
signing of the Agreement or “contract”) and the Contract Documents (after signing the
Agreement or contract).

Bidding documents is a term generally used to describe the documents furnished to

bidders. Consisting of bidding requirements, Drawings, and Specifications. Issued to
prospective general contractor bidders for competitive bidding and for the Owner to
select the Contractor named in the Agreement and referenced in other Contract
Documents. Direct selection by the Owner based on qualifications of the Contractor. In
such cases, competitive bidding still occurs but it is managed by the Contractor, who
issues Bidding Documents and manages the bidding process

Contract Documents- is the term used for documents identified in the Agreement
(construction Contract).
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Agreement —A written agreement between the Owner and the Contractor summarizing
the work to be performed, the Time in which the Work shall be completed, and the
Contract Sum to be paid. The Agreement is typically prepared by the Owner's legal and
insurance counsels or by the Construction Manager if one is involved in the project. The
Architect/Engineer typically does not prepare the Agreement and its attachments. If the
Architect/Engineer is involved in producing the Agreement and its attachments, it should
be under the direction of the Owner.
1. Owner-Architect Agreement
2. Owner-General Contractor Agreement
3. Owner-Specialty Trade Contractor Agreement
4. General Contractor- Specialty Trade Contractor Agreement
5. Owner-Project Management Agreement
6. Owner-Construction Management Agreement
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Conditions of the Contract—Typically, these consist of the General Conditions and the
Supplementary Conditions.

• General Conditions- Documents stipulating the procedural and the administrative

aspects of the contract. It also set forth the rights, responsibilities, and relationships
of the parties involved. These are general clauses that establish how the project is to
be administered. It contains provisions which are commonly practiced nationwide.
Standard documents published by professional societies are often used.

• Supplementary Conditions- Represent part of the contract documents which

supplements and may also modify provisions of the general conditions. These
supplements or modifications may be needed to provide requirements unique to a
specific project, ex. wage rate.
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Drawings—Graphic descriptions of the Work to be performed by the Contractor. This

includes supplemental details and shop drawings.
Working Drawings- intended. For the use of contractor, subcontractor/fabricator,
which form part of the contract documents for a project. Contains necessary
graphical information to manufacture, erect, fabricate, or construct a building or
portion of the building.
• Architectural Drawings
• Engineering Drawings
Specifications—Written descriptions of the Work to be performed by the Contractor.

Modifications—Architect's Supplemental Instructions

Special Provision- Instructions which may be issued to the bidding to supplement and/or
modify drawings, specification, and/or general conditions of the contract.
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Addendum/Addenda- written or graphic instruments that supplement the bidding

documents for the purpose of clarifying, correcting or adding to the specifications
previously issued. Become part of the contract documents when construction contract is
executed. This is typically issued prior to the opening of bids. These are changes made
before the execution of contract.

Contract Modifications
Change Orders
Construction Change Authorization
Supplemental Instruction
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Addendum/Addenda- written or graphic instruments that supplement the bidding

documents for the purpose of clarifying, correcting or adding to the specifications
previously issued. Become part of the contract documents when construction contract is
executed. This is typically issued prior to the opening of bids. These are changes made
before the execution of contract.

Contract Modifications
Change Orders
Construction Change Authorization
Supplemental Instruction

SPECIFICATION- The Contract Specifications are essential for complete

understanding of the Work to be performed by the Contractor.
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Specifications
A written document prescribing in detail the scope of work to be done, materials
and equipment to be used, method of installation or application and the quality of
workmanship for a certain work to be placed under a contract

Generally it does not include material cost. It is an explicit set of requirements to be

satisfied by a material, product or services. A written, verbal description of the work
to be. Performed. Specifications govern over drawings.
Supplementary Specifications- additional information which may be issued as
an addition or amendment to the provisions of the specifications.
Guide Specifications- a guide is a standardized document intended to provide
the guidance to the specifier in preparing particular portion of the contract
documents.
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Project Manual- complete set of bid and contract documents that include the bidding
requirements, contract forms, contract conditions and project specifications

Contents of Project Manual

1. Title Page
2. Table of Contents 11. Bid Bond
3. Addenda 12. Performance and
4. Bidding Requirements Payment Bonds
5. Invitation to Bid 13. Other Sample Forms
6. Invitation to Bidders 14. Conditions of the
7. Information Available to Contract
Bidders 15. General Conditions
8. Sample Forms 16. Schedule of Drawings
9. Agreement 17. Technical Specifications
10. Bid Form 18. Division 1-48
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Submittal- document/material provided to the Architect/Engineer for their review/

approval.
Insurance- basic insurance requirement and coverage that may be necessary to
safeguard the interest of all parties to the contract, including the designers.

The term ‘Work’ means the construction and services required by the Contract
Documents, whether completed or partially completed, and includes all other labor,
materials, equipment and services provided or to be provided by the Contractor to fulfill
the Contractor's obligations. The Work may constitute the whole or a part of the Project.
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The Drawings
• Drawings present a picture or a series of pictures of a project or parts of a project to
be constructed.
• A Drawing can be considered a special language or means of communication to
convey ideas of construction from one person to another. These ideas cannot be
effectively conveyed by words alone.
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Drawings should indicate the relationship between elements of the facility and may
designate the following for each material, assembly, component, and accessory:
• Location of each material, assembly, component, and accessory.
• Identification of components and pieces of equipment. Use only generic names
and locations, and coordinate terminology used on Drawings and in
Specifications with short keynotes.
• Give dimensions of components and sizes of field-assembled components.
• Indicate interfaces and connections between materials, detail assemblies, and
diagram systems. Indicate boundaries between materials of different capacities.
• Show forms and relationships of building elements.
• Indicate limits of Work and, as applicable, indicate areas of construction phases.
• Indicate extent of alternates and indicate “base bid” and “alternate bid”
construction so that the scope of each condition is clear.
• Indicate work to be performed by or for the Owner under separate contracts.
• On multiple-prime contract projects, indicate locations, limits, and extent of the
Work included in separate contracts and detail interfaces between scopes of
Work.
• Identify applicable Drawing symbols in a schedule of symbols. Indicate the
graphic scale of Drawings
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Well-prepared Drawings:
• Should not use comprehensive or too many notes. Redundancy should be
avoided; concise notes enhance the clarity of the Drawings. The Specifications
should present information in text form.
• Should not use notes that define Work to be performed by a specific
subcontractor or trade unless required by authorities having jurisdiction. The
Contract Documents are addressed to the Contractor, who has overall
responsibility for all Work under the Contract. The General Conditions of the
Contract typically note that the Contract Documents do not establish trade or
subcontract jurisdiction for portions of the Work.
• Should not use proprietary names and slang terms. Instead, use proper, generic
terms that are coordinated with the terminology used in the Specifications.
• Should not cross-reference with specifications by indicating “SEE SPECS.” The
Specifications should always be “seen.” Use of this phrase could be interpreted
to mean that there is information presented that does not require “seeing” or
reading of the Specifications.
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The Drawings and the Specifications each serve distinct purposes in telling the story.
Specifications should generally describe the following:
• Type and quality of every product in the work, from the simplest material
through the functioning system
• Quality of workmanship, including quality during manufacture, fabrication,
application, installation, finishing, and adjusting
• Requirements for fabrication, erection, application, installation, and finishing
• Applicable regulatory requirements, including codes and standards applicable to
performance of the Work
• Overall and component dimensional requirements for specified materials,
manufactured products, and equipment
• Specific descriptions and procedures for allowances and unit prices in the
contract
• Specific descriptions and procedures for product alternates and options Specific
requirements for administration of the contract for construction
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The Drawings and the Specifications each serve distinct purposes in telling the story.
Specifications should generally describe the following:
• Type and quality of every product in the work, from the simplest material
through the functioning system
• Quality of workmanship, including quality during manufacture, fabrication,
application, installation, finishing, and adjusting
• Requirements for fabrication, erection, application, installation, and finishing
• Applicable regulatory requirements, including codes and standards applicable to
performance of the Work
• Overall and component dimensional requirements for specified materials,
manufactured products, and equipment
• Specific descriptions and procedures for allowances and unit prices in the
contract
• Specific descriptions and procedures for product alternates and options Specific
requirements for administration of the contract for construction
• Specifications should not overlap or duplicate information contained on the
drawings. Duplication, unless it is repeated word for word, is harmful because it
can lead to contradiction, confusion, misunderstanding, and difference of opinion.
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DEMARCATION BETWEEN DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATION

The Drawings should indicate a material such as gypsum board in general terms,
using graphic indications or simple notations. It should be left to the Specifications
to describe specific attributes of the gypsum board, such as thickness and resistance
to fire, impact, and moisture
CHECKLIST- The checklist should indicate milestones for publishing various versions of the
Specifications, including preliminary or outline specifications, design coordination draft
Specifications, Specifications for plancheck submissions to code authorities having
jurisdiction, Specifications for use in preparing estimates of probable construction costs,
Specifications for issuance to bidders, and Specifications included as a portion of the
Contract Documents used for actual construction.
Accompanying the Checklist should be listings of decisions made by designers
and detailers, with action items noted for matters to be developed or resolved. Changes
in design and detailing should be recorded and described, with notations on why the
changes were made. In Masterspec®, published by ARCOM for the AIA, two types of
supplementary documents are included with the guide Specifications, titled “Drawing
Coordination Checklist” and “Specification Coordination Checklist.”
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Specifications checklists should be used to ensure that:

1. Necessary items are identified appropriately in the Drawings and
Specifications.
2. Specified product names and series, models, and catalog numbers are
correct.
3. Drawings and Specifications do not contain duplicate and conflicting
information.
4. Cross-references in the Specifications are correct, especially the use of
Section numbers and titles for related Work specified in other Sections
5. Referenced standards are correct and applicable, Industry associations
change names, standards are superseded or withdrawn.
6. 6. Manufacturers’ names are correct and contact information is current.
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PLANCHECKERS

Cost estimators- They need coordinated Drawings and Specifications in order to prepare
a complete and accurate estimate.

Drawings and Specifications need to be understandable by construction inspectors and

the supervisors for the Contractor and subcontractors. Field representatives of the Owner,
Architect, and Engineer also need to have readily understandable documents.
EXAMPLE:
For example, in the Drawings, building exterior elevations and sectional views
need to correctly represent the grades around the building. There should be
graphic indications of below-grade walls to guide material take-offs.

The Specifications should generally describe preparation, mixing, application,

and curing activities for products, although the Specification may reference
much more detailed instructions by the product manufacturer that shall be
followed.
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FUNCTIONS OF SPECIFICATION
• Legal
• Insurance
• Bidding Requirement
• Alternate options
• Subcontractor’s limits
• Contractors limits
• Inspection and Testing Procedures
• Design Criteria
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Four Methods of Specifying

In The Project Resource Manual – CSI Manual of Practice, Fifth Edition (McGraw Hill
Professional, 2004), four methods of specifying are described, with some supplements
and variations.
1. Descriptive Specifying: Under this method, exact properties of materials
and methods of installation are described in detail without using
proprietary names (manufacturers’ trade names).
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Four Methods of Specifying

In The Project Resource Manual – CSI Manual of Practice, Fifth Edition (McGraw Hill
Professional, 2004), four methods of specifying are described, with some supplements
and variations.
2. Reference Standard Specifying: Under this method, reference is made to
established standards to which the specified products and processes shall
comply or conform.

Examples:
AWI: Architectural Woodwork Institute
BHMA: Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association
ARMA: Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
NRCA: National Roofing Contractors Association
WSRCA: Western States Roofing Contractors Association
NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NECA: National Electrical Contractors Association
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Four Methods of Specifying

2. Reference Standard Specifying: Under this method, reference is made to
established standards to which the specified products and processes shall
comply or conform.

Examples of Associations
REFERENCE STANDARD AGENCY
• ASTM: ASTM International (formerly American
Society for Testing and Materials) • ASTM Standards
• ANSI: American National Standards Institute • ANSI Standards
Examples of Reference Standard Specifications • ACI Standards
• Basic material standard: ASTM C 33 – Portland • NFPA Standards
Cement • AASHTO Standards
• Product standard: PS-1 – Plywood
• Design standard: SMACNA – Architectural Sheet
Metal Manual Workmanship standard: Woodwork
• Institute – Manual of Millwork Test method standard:
ASTM E 84 – Steiner Tunnel Test (flammability)
• Qualifications standard: AWS D1.1 – Welders
Qualification
• Codes: ICC Evaluation Service Research Reports
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Four Methods of Specifying

2. Reference Standard Specifying: Under this method, reference is made to
established standards to which the specified products and processes shall
comply or conform.

Common Uses of Reference Standard Specifications

Reference standard specifications are used for “commodity” products in the
marketplace, where the manufacturer and brand name are not important. They are
also used for products for projects where administrative restrictions prohibit
identification of proprietary products.
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Four Methods of Specifying

In The Project Resource Manual – CSI Manual of Practice, Fifth Edition (McGraw Hill
Professional, 2004), four methods of specifying are described, with some supplements
and variations.
3. Proprietary Specifying: Under this method, actual brand names, model
numbers, and other proprietary information are specified.

Examples of proprietary specifications text.

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Four Methods of Specifying

In The Project Resource Manual – CSI Manual of Practice, Fifth Edition (McGraw Hill
Professional, 2004), four methods of specifying are described, with some supplements
and variations.
3. Proprietary Specifying: Under this method, actual brand names, model
numbers, and other proprietary information are specified.
De Facto Restrictive Specifying
When the specifying method is based on precise features that only one manufacturer can
meet, specifications may be de facto restrictive

Examples of closed proprietary

specifications text.

Examples of open proprietary specifications text.

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Four Methods of Specifying

In The Project Resource Manual – CSI Manual of Practice, Fifth Edition (McGraw Hill
Professional, 2004), four methods of specifying are described, with some supplements
and variations.
4. Performance Specifying: Under this method, required results are specified
and the criteria are specified by which the performance will be verified. The
Contractor is free to provide any material complying with the performance
criteria.
The term “performance specifications,” as used in this discussion, pertains to
portions of a project specification rather than a whole-building performance
specification . Performance specifications allow the Contractor to be inventive
and ingenious in complying with requirements of the construction contract.
This can and perhaps should result in more efficient and economical
construction.
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This requires that performance specifications clearly and definitively communicate the
required results while not unnecessarily limiting the products, methods or means the
contractor uses to achieve those results.
Producing Performance Specifications
• According to the PRM, there are four essentials in performance specifying:
• Attributes Requirements Criteria Tests
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SELECTING METHOD FOR SPECIFYNG

The specifier should determine the following and then select an appropriate method or
methods for the Specification Section.
• What does Owner require?
• What method best describes the design intent?
• What method is most appropriate for the project size and complexity? What
method will result in the best quality of work?
• What method will result in the best price for the work?
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MIXED METHOD SPECIFYING

It is not only acceptable but recommended practice to mix methods of specifying. A
specification section may be written using mainly the proprietary method. Real products
by real manufacturers in the marketplace are specified. Then the specified product is
further identified using the descriptions method and the reference standard method.
Finally, performance characteristics are specified.