ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

ADDIS ABABA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTEMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Contract, Specification and Quantity Survey

(CENG 5101)

CHAPTER-2
SPECIFICATION
October 2011
(NASIR B.)
CONTENTS
 Introduction

 Purpose of specification

 Types of specification

 Specification Writing

 Reference for specification writing

 Specification Language
 Guidelines
 Standard Specification for Building

 Standard Specification for Road

2.1. Introduction
 Specification is defined as the designation or statement by which
written instructions are given distinguishing and/or limiting and
describing the particular trade of work to be executed.
 In short Specification is a statement of particular instructions of how
to execute some task.
 In terms of an engineering project a specification contains a detailed
written description of the quality of materials and workmanship
necessary to complete the work.
 In the construction activity therefore, the scope of the work that is
described in drawings includes such information as dimensions,
form, or details while the specifications provide the description of
the qualities of materials for construction.

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2.1. Introduction Cont.
 Information that is best transmitted in written form is addressed in
the specification while that which is best transmitted graphically will
be addressed in drawings where both are so defined as to be
mutually complementary and understood in conjunction.
 In other words drawings show what is to be done in graphics form,
specifications show how it is to be done by furnishing written
descriptions to supplement the drawings.
 Generally, specifications are written instructions which supplement
the drawing to set forth the complete technical requirements of the
work.
 Therefore drawings and specifications in combination define the
project in sufficient detail to enable the carrying out of the works.

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2.1. Introduction Cont.
 Drawings and specifications should compliment each other and
neither should overlap or duplicate the other.
 Specifications are devices for organizing the information depicted on
the drawings and they are written descriptions of the legal and
technical requirements forming the contract document.
 The main difference b/n specification and drawing is that drawings
should generally show the following:
 Dimensions, extents, size, shape, and location of component parts.
 Location of materials, machineries and fixtures.
 Interaction of furniture, equipment and space.
 Schedules of finishes, windows and doors.

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2.1. Introduction Cont.
 Specifications generally describe the following:
 Type and quality of materials, equipments, labor or workmanship
 Methods of fabrication, installation and erection
 Standards, codes and costs
 Allowance submittals and substitutions
 Cost included, insurance and bonds
 Project record and site facility

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2.1. Introduction Cont.
 Specifications are written based on the prepared design, drawings,
general and scientific trends of workmanship, quality expected,
equipment involved, and materials to be used for the particular trade
of work
 The specifications should clearly specify:
 Design and drawing
 Labor employment
 Materials to be used
 Construction method
 Equipment used
 Specifications should be clear, concise, and brief description of what
is required to execute the proposed trade of work.

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2.2. Purpose of Specification
 The purpose of specifications generally include:
i. Guide the bidder at the time of tendering to arrive at a reasonable
cost for the work.
ii. Provide guidance for the execution of the work
iii. Guide contractor for the purchase of materials
iv. Serve as part of contract document to limit and describe the rights
and obligations of each contracting parties.
v. Guide the bidder to identify his capacity to execute the work
vi. Serve as fabrication and installation guide for temporary and
permanent works.
vii. Guide the contractor for purchase and/or hiring of equipments.
viii. Serve the owner to know what she/he is intended to receive.

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2.2. Purpose of Specification Cont.
 The purpose of specifications generally include:
ix. Serve for the manufacturers of construction materials, equipments,
tools etc. to grade, classify, and improve qualities of their products.
x. Indicates method of testing and acceptance of final products.
xi. Guide parameters for rejection of non conforming works.
xii. Indirectly, the specifications are very much related to the legal
considerations, insurance considerations, bidding requirements,
alternates and options, rights, obligations and remedial measures
for the contracting parties.
 Note: in the events of conflicts between specification and drawings,
the specification governs.
 A clearly written specification will enable proper quality control and
avoid disputes in administering construction projects.

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2.3. Types of Specifications
 In general, specifications can be broadly classified into four
categories:
1. Manufacturer’s specification: Manufactures prepare specification
of their product for guidance of their users, which may include
property description and installation guide lines.
2. Guide specification: specification prepared by an individual or
group of individuals based on manufacturer’s specifications,
established trends of workmanship, service and laboratory tests and
research findings to be used as guide lines for preparation of
contract specification.
3. Standard specification: specifications which are intended to be
used as reference standard in the construction of a project. The
guide specification which has been standardized by recognized
authority.
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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
4. Contract (Project) Specification: The specification prepared for a
particular project to accompany the drawings and other contract
documents.
 The specifications described above can be prepared following the
format which has general and specific parts (General Specification
and Specific Specification).
 In the general part of the specification the following items are
included:
 Administrative and Procedural Requirements
 Scope, definition
 Reference Organization and Standards

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
 Project Description, site facilities
 Submittals and quality assurance
 Delivery, storage and handling
 Project records, Insurances other general requirements
 In the specific part of the standard specification the following are
included:
 Detailed description of the quality of items to be used
 Preparatory actions and methods of incorporating the items
 “Technical Specification and Methods of Measurement for
Construction of Buildings”, of March 1991 is the standard
specification which has been used as one of the contract document in
our country.

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
 In the general requirement part the following items which may be
applied to any project and any trade of work are described in general
terms
♦ 011 - General ♦ 014 - Project Records
♦ 012 - Site Description ♦ 015 - Site Facilities
♦ 013 - Quality Assurance ♦ 016 - Cleaning Up
 In the specific part the different trade of works (excavation and earth
works, concrete works, etc.) are described in details and the method
of measurement are given.

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
 Specification can also be classified as Material and Workmanship
Specification and Performance Specification.
I. Material and Workmanship Specifications
 This form of specification includes,

 The description of the scope of the works,

 The general and specific requirements that are necessary for the
execution of the work,
 Material requirements,

 Construction details, and

 Method of measurement and payments for completed works.

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
A. Material Specifications
 For some items may focus on the physical and or chemical
properties that can also be cross checked by tests.
 For others the performance characteristics may be the governing
factors.
 In some cases, a composition of the two types may be also
applicable.
 These descriptions generally include;
 Physical properties, such as strength, durability, hardness, and
electricity.
 Chemical composition
 Electrical and thermal and acoustical properties
 Appearance including color, texture, pattern and finishes.

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
B. Workmanship Specifications: describes the desired results that
need to be achieved in the works which include;
 Specify the desired results as to the quality of workmanship
 State any detailed construction methods or procedures necessary
for the accomplishment of particular purposes.
 Stipulate any desired limitations or restrictions to be placed on
the contractor's methods in the interest of coordination of the
work.
 Give any precautions necessary for the protection of the work or
adjacent property.
 Specify the methods of inspection and tests to which the work is
to be subjected

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
II. Performance Specifications
 Such types of specification, define the performance requirements for
machinery and plant operating equipment.

 This allows the advance manufacturer and procurement of such

equipment, or the of the standard brands.

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
 Specification could be written in several ways, with the prime
emphasis given to either the producer company’s brand or the
performance capacity of the material and so on.
 Accordingly, there are the following types of technical specifications:

A. Proprietary Specifications
 This specifications call for desired materials, producers, systems,
and equipment by their trade names and model numbers.
 For detailed descriptions reference should be made on
manufacture’s specifications.
 They are of two types; Closed (sole) and Open or equal source.

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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
B. Performance Specifications
 Specifications which define products based on desired end results
which are performance oriented.
 Most appropriate when new or unusual products or systems are
required or when innovation is necessary.
 Describing the problems or condition under which the products or
system must operate, and the parameters for the acceptable
solutions is difficult and challenging.
 Testing methods and evaluation procedures for defining the required
performance must be explicitly specified.
C. Reference Specifications
 Specifications which refer to levels of quality established by
recognized testing authority or standards set by quality control
authority. They are used in conjunction with other types.
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2.3. Types of Specifications Cont.
D. Descriptive Specifications
 Specifications which describe all components of products, their
arrangements, and method of assembly, physical and chemical
properties, arrangement relationship of parts of numerous other
details.
 The specifier shall take total responsibility for the function and
performance of the product.
E. Cash Allowance Specifications
 Specifications meant to direct bidders to set aside a specified
amount of money to be applied to the construction work at the
direction of the specifier.

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2.4. Specification Writing
 Basically specifications are not to be created; they are prepared based
on existing standards, codes, guidelines, and laws.
 When planning to write specifications one should start first of all
with:
 An overall analysis of the work to be done, and
 The requirements necessary to achieve the required level of
quality,
 Conditions under which it must be done,
 Materials required, and the
 Details of the construction
 Hence preparing an outline of the details of the work is the first step
in writing a good specification.

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2.4. Specification Writing
 Specification writing embodies certain methods of presenting
information and instructions.
 When specifications are to be written, the following shall be taken to
considerations:
a. Specification writing require:
i. Visualization (Having clear picture of the system)
ii. Research (to know the legal impact correctly)
iii. Clear thinking (understanding things directly without misleading)
iv. Organizing (organizing what we know to write the specification)
b. Specification writing requires professional ability to read
drawings.
c. Specification writing require wide knowledge of the construction
materials, various levels of workmanship, different construction
equipments and method of construction to be employed.
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2.4. Specification Writing Cont.
d. Specifications use simple and clear language such that it can
readily be understood.
e. Specifications shall be brief and short as much as possible (avoid
long sentences with out punctuation)
f. Specifications shall include all items affecting the cost of the
work.
g. Specifications shall be fair and do not attempt to throw all the
risks and responsibilities on one of the parties signing the
contract.
h. Specifications shall avoid repetition of information shown on
drawings to avoid mistakes and duplication within the
specification drawings.
i. Specification shall not include inapplicable text and do not
specify the impossible or anything not intended to be enforced.
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2.4. Specification Writing
References for Specification Writing
 The following are useful references in specification writing:
a. Codes and ordinances of governments, cities, or municipalities.
E.g. EBCS
b. Standards prepared by distinct societies and government agents.
E.g. ACI standards, ASTM standards, BS, ES.
c. Standards or model specifications prepared by manufacturers,
professional societies, and government bodies.
d. Master Specification and previous specifications.
e. Information or experience acquired by personal observation and
contract with trained or experienced people in the construction
industry.

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2.4. Specification Writing
Specification Language
 The specification writer should present his instructions regarding the
particular work under consideration in such a manner that:-
1. The drawings are more clearly interpreted, not duplicated.
2. Rights, Obligations, and remedial measures shall be designated
without ambiguity or prejudice .
3. Clearly express the extent of works under consideration
therefore, the phraseology used in this regard shall be: -
i) Judged by its quality not its length
ii) Should be concise and short and written with commonly used
words.
iii) Punctuations are important but their usage shall be limited
to few

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2.4. Specification Writing
Specification Language Cont.
4. Capitalizing the first letters is mandatory for the following
expressions: -
a) Parties to the contract; e.g. Employer/Client/Contractor/
Engineer
b) Space within the building; e.g. Bed Room, Toilet, Living Room
c) Contract documents; e.g. Bill of Quantity, Working Drawing,
Specification
5. Rights, Obligations, and remedial measures shall be designated
without ambiguity or prejudice.
6. Minimize the use of symbols.

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2.4. Specification Writing
Specification Language Cont.
8. Do not use foot notes, do not underline within a sentence for
emphasis
9. Words shall be used as follows:-
a) shall in place of must; use “shall” for the duties of the contractor or
the consultant to represent the word “must”
b) “will” is used for the duties of the employer to represent the word
“must”
c) Avoid the use of the word “must” and substitute by the word shall
to prevent the inference of different degrees of obligation
d) Avoid the use of words which have indefinite meanings or
limitless and ambiguous in their meanings. For example, any,
either, same, similar, etc.

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2.4. Specification Writing
Specific Guidelines for Specification Writing
 Below are some specific guidelines that one needs to follow when
preparing a specification:
 Be specific and not indefinite
 Be brief, avoid unnecessary words or phrases
 Give all the necessary facts
 Avoid repetition
 Specify in the positive form
 Use correct grammar
 Direct rather than suggest
 Use short rather than long sentences
 Do not specify both methods and results
 Do not specify requirements in conflict with each other
 Do not justify a requirement
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2.4. Specification Writing
Specific Guidelines for Specification Writing Cont.
 Avoid sentences that require other than the simplest punctuation.
 Avoid words that are likely to be unknown to the user of the
specification ( words with more than one meaning)
 Arrange the specification in the order of the execution of the work.
E.g. Formwork, concrete mixing, concrete placing, curing, etc..
 Address measurement and payment issue
 Refer only to the principal parties in the contract, Owner, Engineer,
Contractor.
 Use “these specifications” rather than “this specifications”. Use the
plural.
 Workmanship should be in accordance with….
 Materials should confirm to ….A reference specification.

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THANK YOU!

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