KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND BUILDING ENGINEERING
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN CIVIL AND BUILDING ENGINEERING

YEAR THREE SEMESTER ONE

[Date]

HANDOUT

COURSE Name: Specification Writing

COURSE Code: TCBE 3107

LECTURER: Paddy Mulamba

Mob. Contact: +256 702865555

Date: August 2019

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 1.0 Introduction

1.1 General Purpose and Goals specification writing should encompass those

These lecture notes will provide a convenient factors which permit the architect or engineer

resource for the recommended principles and to understand more clearly the relationship

approaches used for specification writing in between drawings and specifications, between

Building and civil-engineering projects, the graphic and the verbal, and to enable him

however, its recommended that use of other to communicate more effectively by setting

resources like Construction Specification forth in a logical, orderly sequence the material
to be incorporated within a specification.
Institutes (CSI) for additional information on
A specification as per NBS specification 2017
required skills and recommended practices for
report can be defined as a document that
writing specifications that provide the controls
describes, in words, what cannot be visualized
needed to construct a quality project. These
or explained on a drawing or in a model.
notes will also give guidelines related to
Also, Webster’s unabridged dictionary
preparation of specifications including
defines a specification as a written or printed
allocation of time and resources, quality input,
description of work to be done, forming part of
coordination between disciplines, coordination
the contract and describing qualities of
between drawings and specifications, reviews,
materials and mode of construction, and also
interfacing with outside agencies and site
giving dimensions and other information not
personnel, developing contract document
shown in the drawings.
components and quality assurance for
In construction, the specification can cover
documents.
everything from the establishment of the site,
Principles and procedures of
the type of contract to be used, the
specification writing
performance criteria of the asset, the quality of
A knowledge of specification writing principles
the systems and products, which standards
and procedures is essential to the specifier in
are applicable and how they should be
the Architect’s and Engineer’s office in the
executed, to even the products which are to be
preparation of sound, enforceable
used. The type of specification can relate to the
specifications. Unless these skills are properly
project or the procurement route, whether it is
developed, an expert knowledge of materials,
performance-based, prescriptive, proprietary
contracts, and construction procedures
or referenced, all of which are dependent on
cannot be communicated successfully to the
the project requirements. Specifications are
ultimate users of the finished specifications.
required during the design stage, they also
The users, namely, contractors and materials
form an integral part of the contract, and they
suppliers, will also have a better understanding
play a key role in project implementation.
of the nature of specifications. What, then
constitutes the principles of specification
writing? Basically, the principles of
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 3/73
 Bidding Requirements b. Terms and conditions of contract or
conditions of contract (draft),
General
c. Technical specifications, and
Bidding requirements consist of documents d. Drawings related to the work.
that are used in the solicitation of bids by an
owner or any agency, and are directed to A. Invitation to Bid
bidders who might be interested in submitting Other terms have been used to mean Invitation
bids for a project. These documents consist of to bid, like Request for quotation, Expression
three essential forms dealing with advertising, of interest, Request for proposal, Request to
or notifying interested bidders of the existence bid etc.; but are used somewhat incorrectly as
of a proposed project; instructions pertaining the heading for this document. These include
to the submission of a proposal or bid; and the Advertisement to Bid (sometimes used in
sample form on which the bid is to be executed public work for public advertising), Notice to
by a bidder. The three documents are Invitation Bidders, and Notification to Contractors. The
to Bid, Instructions to Bidders, and Bid Form. term “Invitation to Bid” is preferred since it best
Because of the varying practices of the describes the intent of this document. This
individual specifiers and the lack of order and letter is not long because essential information
terminology of the material preceding the is normally set out in the tender documents.
technical specifications, some chaos and non- The letter is needed to tell the bidders which
uniformity in the arrangement and drawings have been sent, arrangements for
nomenclature of these documents has existed site visits / pre-bid meeting, date for return of
previously. Bidding requirements are not the tender and how the tender should be
specifications. Generally speaking, certain submitted. The purposes of an Invitation to Bid
information contained in the bidding are to attract bidders in sufficient numbers to
requirements which is pertinent to a ensure fair competition, and to notify all parties
contractor’s obligations – such as time for who might be interested in submitting
completion, base bid, alternatives, and unit proposals. It should be limited to information
prices – should be entered into the agreement that will tell a prospective bidder whether the
or contract form to insure its fulfilment by the work is in his line, whether it is within his
contractor. Invitation to Bid are generally capacity, and whether he will have the time to
circulated in the case of private work to certain prepare a bid prior to opening. It should be
selected bidders, and in the case of public brief and simple, and free from extraneous and
agencies, they are advertised in the local irrelevant subject matter not consistent with its
newspapers. In any event, the Invitation to Bid, purpose. The Invitation to bid should comprise
along with the Instructions to Bidders and a the following elements:
sample copy of the Bid Form, should be bound a. Project Title. State the name of the project,
in the specifications. Other documents include; its location, and project number if any.
a. Bills of Quantities / pricing and scheduling
information,
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 4/73
b. Identification of Principals. State the name procedures, expectations and disclaimers of
and address of the architect or issuing the owner, and other necessary information for
agency, together with the date of issue. the preparation
c. Time and Place for Receipt of Bids. State of proposals for consideration by the owner for
the time and place where bids will be a competitive bid. The purpose of the
received and whether they will be publicly Instructions to Bidders is to outline the
opened. If opened privately, indicate requirements necessary to prepare and submit
whether prime bidders can attend. a bid properly. As such, they are truly detailed
d. Project Description. Provide a brief but instructions to a bidder; they guide him in
adequate description of the project, setting soliciting information concerning
forth size, height, and any unusual features discrepancies in the contract documents and
so that the bidder will be in a position to provide him with all the information necessary
determine whether he has the financial and to execute the bid form. The Instructions to
technical ability to undertake the Bidders consist of the following elements:
construction of the project. (i) Form of Bid. Identify the form of bid and
e. Type of Contract. State whether bids are indicate the number of copies to be
being solicited for a single or segregated submitted.
contract and on what basis. (ii) Preparation of Bid. Describe which blank
f. Examination and Procurement of spaces in the Bid Form are to be filled in by
Documents. State where the tender the bidder, including base bids,
documents can be examined and when alternatives, unit prices, and so on.
and where they can be obtained. Indicate (iii) Submission of Bid. State how bids are to
whether a deposit or a charge will be be sealed, addressed, and delivered.
required for procurement of the documents (iv) Examination of documents and Site.
and whether there will be any refunds. Instruct the bidder to examine the tender
g. Bid Security. State whether a Bid Bond or documents and the site of the proposed
other type of bid guarantee will be required project in order to familiarize himself with all
to ensure the execution of the contract. aspects of the project.
h. Guarantee Bonds. State whether (v) Interpretation of documents. State how
Performance Bonds and Labor and discrepancies in tender documents
Materials Payments Bonds will be required discovered by bidders will be interpreted
to ensure the completion of contract. and resolved by the Project consultant /
B. Instruction to Bidders Employer.
The Instructions to Bidders have also been (vi) Withdrawal and Modification of Bids. State
identified by other terms, such as Information how bids can be withdrawn or modified
for Bidders and Conditions of Bid. It’s a prior to bid opening and consequences
document included as part of the bidding after bid opening but prior to the expiry of
requirements that sets forth specific the bid validity.
instructions to candidate constructors on (vii) Award of Contract. Describe the
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 5/73
 procedure under which the award of the • Project Identification. State the name of the
contract will be made. project.
(viii) Rejection of Bids. State the conditions • Acknowledgement. Provide an
under which the bids can be rejected. enumeration of the documents and a
(ix) Other Instructions to Bidders. State statement to the effect that the site has
whether certain information relative to been visited and examined.
financial status, subcontractor, and • Bid Schedule. Set forth a bid list of all the
substitutions are to be submitted with the major bid proposals.
Bid Form. • Alternatives. Set forth a list of all alternative
prices. A description of the alternatives
C. Bid Form
should be set forth under the General
The Bid Form, sometimes termed the Proposal
matters.
Form or Form of Proposal or Form of Bid, is a
• Unit Prices. Provide a list of unit prices and
document prepared by the architect or issuing
their description.
agency in order to assure similarity in the
• Time of Completion. Establish the time of
preparation and presentation of bids by
completion or permit the bidder to insert his
bidders and to obtain a uniform basis of
own time of completion.
comparison. This is a pre-printed formal
• Acknowledgment of Addenda. Provide
statement, often in form of a letter, in which a
spaces for acknowledgment of receipt of
tenderer fills in the blank spaces, his name and
addenda by bidders.
address, completion period and the sum of
• Agreement to Accept Contract. State the
money for which he offers to carry out the
conditions under which the bidder agrees
works in accordance to the contract
to enter into a formal contract within a
documents. By using only, the forms prepared
specified time.
by the issuing agency, the owner is assured
• Signature and Address of Bidder. Provide
that all bidders are submitting proposals on an
spaces to be filled in by the bidder for his
equal basis. The Bid Form is prepared in the
signature, address, and seal where
form of a letter from the bidder to the owner,
necessary.
and contains the necessary blank spaces for
D. Bills of Quantities / pricing and
the bidder to fill in contract prices as well as
scheduling information;
spaces for the required signatures and
These are issued to tenderers for them to
addresses. The Bid Form consists of the
prepare a price for carrying out the works. The
following essential elements;
Bills of Quantities (BOQs) assists tenderers in
• Addressee. State the name and address of
the calculation of construction costs for their
the individual receiving bids.
tender, and, as it means all tendering
• Name and Address of Bidder. State the
contractors will be pricing the same quantities
name of the organization and address of
(rather than taking-off quantities from the
the bidder.
drawings and specifications themselves), it
also provides a fair and accurate system for
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 6/73
tendering. The contractor tenders against the client has requirements that might not be
bill of quantities, stating their price for each familiar to suppliers and where certainty
item. This information is very key at tender regarding the exact nature of the completed
negotiations and project implementation. development is more important to the client.
E. Conditions of the contract; Specifications are an important part of the
This document sets out the obligations and system for obtaining bids and administering
rights of the parties and the detailed conditions construction contracts. To be efficiently
under which a subsequent contract will applied, the specifications must be prepared
operate. If a standard form, such as the FIDIC and utilized within the context of the total
form, is used it will not be sent out with the system. The purpose of specifications is to
invitation to tender, it being assumed that the convey specific written, technical information
tenderers will have a copy or can readily obtain from the design engineer to contractors,
one. The clause headings will, however, be suppliers, and inspectors so that the required
listed in the first (Preliminaries) section of the materials can be provided and construction
BOQs and/or specification. Conditions of the can be performed and monitored. The
contract have two parts, that is general relationships between the specifications and
conditions covering the rights and the complement of documents and the
responsibilities of the parties and the special methods by which specifications are

conditions or contract data or particular integrated into the system will be explained in

conditions covering the requirements specific this guide. Included is a detailed discussion of

to a project. the use of a standardized format, professional

F. Technical specifications; preparation, independent checking of

These describe the materials and contents, and a means to relate the

workmanship required for a development. specifications and drawings to the work

They do not include cost, quantity or drawn G. Drawings;

information, and so need to be read alongside Drawings are those documents that graphically

other information such as Bills quantities, show the relationships and requirements for

conditions of contract and drawings. Having a the finished project. Drawings may contain

prescriptive specification when a contract is specifications in the form of notes, charts, and

tendered gives the client more certainty about other instructions Normally general

the end product, whereas a performance arrangement, drawings will be provided,

specification gives suppliers more scope to showing site location, position of the proposed

innovate and adopt cost effective methods of facility and means of access to the site and

work, potentially offering better value for floor plans / elevations. Tenderers are not

money. Typically, performance specifications normally given working drawings as they are

are written on projects that are straight-forward not considered to be necessary for pricing

and are well-known building types, whereas purposes, full descriptions of the work being

prescriptive specifications are written for more incorporated in the bills or specification.

complex buildings, or buildings where the Tenderers are informed, however, that they can
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 7/73
inspect drawings not supplied to them, at the should keep the following contract
architect’s / Employer’s office. fundamentals in mind when drafting your
Contractual Relationships of specifications specifications.
and other contract documents Your contract will be presumed complete at
Contract documents describe the relationships the time of contract award. If you've as an
between the owner, the engineer and the employer inadvertently left something out and
contractor or supplier. They include the want to add it after contract award, you will
description of the work to be done and the have to negotiate a supplementary agreement
materials and equipment to be furnished. A and furnish something, like more money, to
large percentage of the misunderstandings your contractor in exchange. Explicit
and disputes concerning work responsibilities requirements to agree about something at a
can be prevented if more emphasis is placed later date violate this principle.
on development and review of specifications.
Changes to contracts are never unilateral. The
Construction specifications should be clear,
only exceptions are rare situations in which the
concise, correct, consistent and well
Government has to use its sovereign power to
organized. They should be based on detailed
respond to an emergency. Even in those
standards that include clearly stated
cases, both parties have to sit down later on
requirements and acceptance criteria.
and agree upon equitable compensation.
Satisfying the needs of all parties on a project
Also presumed upon contract award is the
depends on promoting a clear understanding
unlikely fact that both parties fully understand
of these concerns early in the project, and
and agree upon all the words written in the
carrying that understanding through the
contract. The truth with engineering projects is
completion of the project by developing and
often that neither party fully understands what
maintaining a professional degree of trust and
work has to be done until the work is actually
confidence between the parties.
under way. Only then do many details become
Contract- A contract is an agreement evident, and only then do we find out that the
between two parties involving the mutual contractor had interpreted some of our words
exchange of some things of value, known as differently from what we had intended.
"consideration." Ordinarily it's simply money
Coordination of Contract Documents
in exchange for some goods or services, but
The conditions of contract, the drawings, Bills
sometimes it defines a complex set of duties
of Quantities and the specifications must all
and compensation for both parties. Such is
work together. Drawings show the quantities,
most often the case in engineering contracts,
dimensions and geometric relationships of
of which the specifications are the
the work. The specifications cover the
core. When you write specifications, you
qualitative aspects of the materials and
must therefore be aware that you are writing
workmanship. Each of these parts of the
a contract, which is subject to a stringent set
contract has a defined purpose; they must
of concepts and rules. Consequently, you
network without overlap or gaps. Duplication
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 8/73
should be avoided because it can often lead the construction industry
to contradictions. • They provide clear instructions on the
Coordination with the drawings is especially intent, performance and construction of the
critical. Extensive written material and project.
equipment requirements should be avoided on • They reference the quality and standards
the drawings as much as possible and placed which should be applied.
in the specifications. Terms used on the • Materials and manufacturers’ products are
drawings should be consistent with the clearly defined.
specifications. Dimensions should appear only • The requirements for installation, testing
on the drawings. and handover are identified.
Coordination problems can be avoided by: • Classification in the specification are used
• Assigning one person to coordinate the to support handover and running of the
tender / contract documents. asset.
• Establishing a communication process • The drawing or model does not need to be
between the various disciplines or groups overloaded with detailed information,
involved with the project. which can sometimes be difficult to
• Requiring the design team to keep well- identify.
organized notes about materials and • They are used to support the costing of a
products that are incorporated in the project: not only the materials and products
design. These notes must be readily but also the performance and
available to the specification writer. workmanship.
• Having the drawings completed before • The specification forms part of the
finalizing the specifications. contractual documents, along with the
Well-coordinated tender / contract documents drawings, and therefore can help minimise
will reduce construction problems, claims, disputes and provide support should there
delays and will ultimately reduce project costs. be any legal disputes.
Specifications may be transmitted by hard • They support the interpretation of the client
copy or electronically. Regardless of whether brief and gives the client assurance that the
the reviewer provides changes through hard project which they commissioned is being
copy or electronic format, final changes to the delivered.
document should only be made by a person • They are not only essential for the
proficient in the use of the word processing construction phase but also used as part of
software that the document was created in so the soft-landing process, subsequent asset
that formatting and language style errors are management and the lifecycle plan.
minimized. The specification writing procedure • By being clear and concise and containing
should require revision of the specifications all the information, they save the project
only by the specification processing group and team, the client and the contractor time and
revisions should be stringently controlled. money by providing answers to many of the
Significance of specifications are crucial in on-site construction questions.
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba 9/73
• Specifications are used by all the project • Determine the scope of the tender- this
team throughout the construction phase; in includes the extent and limitations of the
other words, its considered as a living requirements.
document and not stop being used at the
Principles of specification writings
design phase.
In broad terms, the principles of specification
• The specification and any variations or
writing can be set forth as follows;
value engineering can also be used for the
1. The Role of the specifications:
project audit trail and should form part of
Specifications constitutes one of the contract /
the handover documents. It will then form
tender documents, together with the drawings
the basis for the running of the property by
and the agreements among others. Since they
the asset management team.
are written instructions, they are frequently
Tasks performed before writing
adjudged by the courts as having greater
specifications
importance than drawings when these two
• Talk and Listen to the people who will be
documents are in conflict, and judgements are
using the service and find out exactly what
frequently resolved on the basis of the
is their need. Some of the questions you
specifications. Also, the drawings, except for
might ask include; what to do they need it
structural, mechanical, and electrical drawings,
for? What purpose do they want it to serve?
make no attempt at segregating the work of the
Who will be using it? When do they need it?
various trades, and all of the architectural work
How long do they need it for? Customer
is shown on them as an integrated whole. The
requirements are the central to the
specifications, on the other hand, segregate
specification.
the information depicted on the drawings into
• Research the market (by making general
various specification sections so that a
enquiries of suppliers or purchasers, or by
contractor can generally let his subcontracts
placing formal advertisement for
on the basis of the specification breakdown
expression of interest) to determine
sections.
currently available solutions to
2. The relationship between Drwaings and
requirements, likely cost and time scales.
Specifications:
• Identify the risk- Are there any risks in the
Drawings are in a graphic portrayal of the
specifications such as over ordering and
various elements. Specifications should
wasting goods or too few suppliers who
describe the quality of materials, processes
could fulfill the requirements? Then assess
(methodology), and workmanship. There
the outcomes and how large that risk is. Is
should not be duplication between these two
there anything that can be included in the
documents; instead, they should be
specification to the limit that risk? Or is it
complimentary. To improve coordination
better to do nothing and not seek supply of
between drawings and specifications, there
the goods and services rather than take the
should be standardization of the information
risk?
appearing in them

LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba10/73

3. The organisation of specifications; In broad terms, the procedures to be followed
For many years specifications were arranged in are based on the developed standard by
series of sections based on order or various authors. These include the following;
chronology in which the various trades • General requirements; These are non-
appeared on the construction scene. However, legal, non-technical portions of the
it was found that the increasingly complex specifications which are described in detail
building structures did not necessarily follow in the General matters of the standard
these simple rules, nor was there a uniform, specifications from Ministry of works.
nationwide system of specifications. • Specifying materials; This parameter
4. The Technical section and its deals with the approach to writing open,
arrangement; closed or base bid specifications for
The technical section, which generally forms a materials and products, citing the
subcontract, must be defined in terms of its advantages and disadvantages of each
scope and content. Until the promulgation of system.
the CSI 3-part section format, there was no • Specification language; The use of clear
universal arrangement of information in an technical language that can be understood
orderly, coherent series of paragraphs dealing by contractors, superintendents, and
with the content of the technical section. foremen is imperative. Legal phraseology
5. Types of specifications; or highly stilted formal terms and sentences
Specifications can be prepared on the basis of are to be avoided. Sentences should be
earlier methods or results. The specifier can clear and concise; they should be written in
elect to specify in detail the method by which a simple terms to avoid misunderstanding.
contractor does certain operations in order to Sentence structure, punctuation, and the
achieve a certain result. Conversely, he can phraseology used in specification writing
prepare a specification placing on the are an art in themselves.
contractor the responsibility for securing the • Specification Reference sources;
desired result, leaving to the contractor the Knowing where to look for information to
method by which he secures it. Generally, be used in specifications is quite important.
there are four different types of specifications; Materials standards were by the
(i) Description, (ii) Performance, (iii) Proprietary, Governments, the American society for
and (iv) Reference. Testing and materials, the American
6. Specification Writing and Techniques; national standards institutes, and others.
These techniques involve the use of scope Association standards were developed by
clauses, the work of other sections, the use of materials manufacturers and
“or equal” or base bid specifications, the subcontractors for materials and
avoidance of duplication and repetition, and workmanship. Many textbooks on
use of the residual legatee technique. specification writing are available for
reference purposes.
Considerations when writing specification

LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba11/73

• Materials evaluation; A systematic materials and equipment described in the
approach to the evaluation of materials is specifications.
outlined suggesting the parameters to • They are written for the resident project
review in evaluating and selecting representative / clerk of works, who must
materials. be given a document that can aid him in
• Specification Writing procedures; A inspecting and controlling the quality of
guide is recommended for the procedure to work.
be used in gathering information, research, • They are written for the owner, who would
and writing to dovetail the completion of like to know what he is buying and what he
the specifications with the finalization of the is entitled to receive.
drawings. • They are written for the subcontractors so
The role of the specifications that each can readily discern the scope of
Whenever an Architect or an engineer is his subcontract.
commissioned by an owner to design a • They are written for the manufacturers of
building or a structure, he must develop six building materials and equipment so that
basic documents which a third party, the the grade and type are clearly defined with
contractor, must utilize when he undertakes to respect to the many variations they may
build the structure, these six basic documents manufacture.
are drawings, conditions of contract, Functions of specifications
specifications, instructions to bidders, the a. Legal considerations; (i) As a written
agreement and Bills of Quantities, they all document, courts have generally held that
constitute the tender / contract documents. in the event of conflict between drawings
Specifications as one of the tender / contract and specifications, the specifications
documents, it is imperative that practicing govern and judgments are most frequently
architects and engineers have a good working resolved on the basis of the specification
knowledge of the role that specifications play. requirements. (ii) General conditions,
Whether the specifications are written by a whether they consist of any standard form
specifier in a large office or by the job captain of contract or individually prepared general
or architect and engineer in a small office, they conditions of contract which are usually
are utilized by rather a diverse group of bound with the specifications and by
participants. reference, made part of the specifications.
• To begin with, they are written for the Essentially, however, the general
contractor to tell him how to construct, conditions of contract establish the legal
manage, and direct the construction. rights, responsibilities, and relationships of
• They are written for the estimator in the the parties to the contract.
contractor’s office who prepares the b. Insurance considerations; Insurance
estimate based on the specifications. requirements governing workmen’s
• They are written for the purchasing agent in compensation, contractor’s All Risks, fire
the contractor’s office who procures the insurance etc., are usually incorporated in
LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba12/73
 the general conditions or in the f. Inspection and testing procedures
supplementary conditions and a gain, (Quality control); The specifications
made a part of the specifications by establish inspection and testing
incorporation therein. procedures to be followed during the
c. Bidding requirements; The bidding construction operations. Standards for
requirements include, the invitation to office and field inspection are described for
bidders, instructions to bidders, the bid numerous materials and building systems.
form, Other forms and the bid security Test procedures are given for evaluating
format. These bidding requirements are the performance of completed mechanical
developed by the Architect or an engineer installations.
solely for the use of the bidder and g. Design criteria; In some instances, the
intended to provide the bidder with drawings cannot be utilized to show or
information required to submit a proposal. delineate design decisions. For example,
d. Alternatives, options; (i) The the architect’s selection of finish hardware
specifications provide a basis for the for doors can be described only in the
bidder’s estimate and the submission of a specifications. Specifications for paint
bid. Alternatives are established and owner materials, the number of coats of paint, and
for the deletion of work, the addition of the degree of luster or sheen are similarly
work, and for the substitution of materials. given only in the specifications.
Alternatives are listed in the bid form /
Typical Bid documentation
Tender form / form of bid / form of
Bidding requirements- these are bound with
proposal. (ii) The technical specifications
the contract documents for convenience of the
may permit the contractor, at his option, to
bidders.
use one of the several materials or
a) Invitation to Bid or Advertisement for
manufacturers’ brands specified for use in
Bids
the work.
• Exact title of project,
e. Subcontract’s limits; Drawings generally
procurement/contract reference
show all of the work to be done and the
number and its location
inter relationship of the various parts. No
• Name of owner
attempt is made on the drawings to
• Name of Architect / project manager /
segregate the work of the several
consultant
subcontractors, except in some cases
• Pre-bid meeting date and place
where separate drawings are prepared for
• Person to receive queries
plumbing, air conditioning, ventilation,
• Person bids will be addressed to
electrical works etc. The specifications
• Place for receipt of bids
segregate the work shown on the drawings
• Time and location for receipt of bids
into many sections, or units of work so that
the main contractor can sublet the work to • Type of bid opening

various subcontractors. • Short description of project, scope and

LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba13/73
 type of construction interest
• Type of contract • Consent of surety
• Place for examining bidding documents • Application and certificate for payment
• Place for obtaining bidding documents • Other sample forms
• Time for bidding documents to be d) Agreement
available (i) Conditions of contract / Form of
• Statement of what bonds / guarantees contract
are required • Any standard / individually drafted form
• Statement on time of completion and of contract
liquidated damages, if any (ii) Supplementary conditions / Particular
b) Instructions to bidders conditions of contract / Contract data
• Qualification of bidders • Examination of the site
• Bidder’s representation • Labour standards
• Examination of bidding documents • Wages and hours
• Clarification of bidder’s queries / • Insurance requirements
questions • Unit prices, predetermined
• Addenda • Payment to contractor
• Bid guarantee requirements • Time of completion
• Performance guarantee • Value engineering / substitution of
• Procedure for execution of bids materials
• Procedure for submission of bids • Partial completion / sectional handover
• Procedure for withdrawal or • Bonus and penalty clause
modification of bids • Liquidated damages
• Procedure for opening of bids • Guarantees and affidavits
• Conditions for rejection of bids • Other conditions as required
• Evaluation criteria e) Schedule of drawings
• Procedure for award of contract • Architectural drawings
• Submission of post- bid information • Structural drawings
• Return of biding documents • Mechanical drawings
• Other instructions to bidders • Electrical drawings
c) Sample forms • Landscape drawings
• Bid form • Furniture and fittings layout
• Bid security guarantee f) Specifications
• Power of attorney 1.0 General matters
• Bidder’s Qualification questionnaire • Interpretation of terms
• Agreement form • Workmanship
• Performance and payment guarantee • Code of practice
• Declaration form for no conflict of • Materials

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• Ordering of materials • Removal of rubbish
• Proprietary materials of materials • Disposal of rubbish
• Samples • Use of suitable material for hardcore
• Prove vouchers • Dustproof screens
• Tests • Shoring
• Payment of Tests • Building openings
• Rejected workmanship and materials • Cutting openings in existing walls
• Overtime or night work • Existing public service mains
• Nuisance of adjoining buildings • Employer to retain ownership of
• Existing and adjacent property salvageable materials
• Damage to public and private roads • Materials to be removed from site
• Existing services • Definition of “make out and make
• Watching and lighting good”
• Licences and permits 3.0 Excavation
• Notices and Fees • Clearance of site
• Definition “FIX only” • Trees and bushes to be preserved
• Attendance of nominated sub- • Felling trees
contractors • Anthills
• Temporary roads • Removal of vegetable soil
• Temporary fencing • Excavation to reduce levels
• Storage of materials • Excavation to foundations
• Sheds for operatives • Bottoms of excavations to be approved
• Site office • Soft spots
• Site meetings • Excess excavations
• Works Diary • Working space
• Forman-in-charge • Excavation in rock
• Temporary latrines and Ablutions • Definition of solid rock
• Water of works • Determination of rock excavations
• Light and power for the works • Payment for rock excavation
• Signboards • Blasting
• Protection of works • Return, fill and ram
• Keeping and delivering site and works • Filling to make-up levels
clean • Borrow pits
• Contingencies • Replacement of vegetable soils
2.0 Works of demolition and alterations • Disposal of surplus excavated material
• Demolition • Definition of “Get out”
• Obstruction of public roads etc. • Planking and strutting
• Prevention of dust and fans • Keeping excavations free of water

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• Hardcore • Removal of formwork
• Temporary retaining boards • Composite concrete / hollow clay block
• Ant-termite treatment structures
4.0 Concrete • Free span and maxspan suspended
• General requirements structures
• Cement • Free span units or beams
• Aggregate for concrete • Maxspan precast rib and filler block
• Grading of aggregates structures
• Sand / fine aggregates • Concrete lintels
• Grading of aggregates • Precast concrete
• Maximum sizes of coarse aggregates • Concrete apron
• Storage of aggregates • Attendance
• Concrete mixes by volume or weight
• Concrete mixes 5.0 Walling
• Design mixes • General requirements
• Trial mixes • Brick / block walling
• Mixing of concrete • Stone walling
• Hand mixing Transporting and placing • Provisions, allocations for other works
concrete 6.0 Roofing
• Ready mix concrete • General requirements
• Compaction of concrete • Steel sheet
• Construction joints • Aluminum sheets
• Movement / expansion joints • Roof tiling
• Protection of concrete • Bituminous felt roofing
• Concrete surface finishes • Roofing shingles
• Fair / Fine face finishes of concrete • Proprietary roofing systems
• Form hole chases • Roof screeds
• Steel reinforcement • Making good
• Bending reinforcement 7.0 Carpentry
• Spacing of reinforcement bars • Timber
• Fixing and assembly of reinforcements • Preventive treatment for timber
• Cover to concrete • Seasoning
• Inspection of reinforcement • Samples and testing
• Formwork to non-exposed concrete • Sawn timber
• Formwork to exposed concrete • Wrot timber
• Preparation of formwork before • Workmanship
concreting • Jointing
• Approval of formwork • Connectors

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• Nails and bolts 11.0 Wall and ceiling finishes
• Insect damage • Cement
• Cleaning • Lime
8.0 Joinery and Ironmongery • Sand
• Timber • Plastering generally
• Species of timber for joinery works • Internal plastering
• Preventive treatment • External rendering
• Seasoning • Tyrolean finish
• Samples for testing • Wall tiling
• Plywood • Insulation boards
• Block boards • Flat sheets
• Wood chips 12.0 Glass works
• Veneers • Glass
• Adhesives • Putty
• Nails and screws • Glazing
• Workmanship • Beading strips
• Flush doors • Cleaning on completion
• Priming 13.0 Painting
• Ironmongery • Workmanship
• Mosquito gauze • Sub-letting work
9.0 Metal work • Materials
• Materials generally • Paint
• Structural steel • Wax polish
• Metal windows and doors • Lacquer treatment
• Composite windows • Preparation
• Fly screens
14.0 Fire extinguishers etc.
10.0 Paving • Cabinets
• Cement • Fire extinguisher
• Sand • Accessories
• Granolithic coarse aggregates • Pumps
• Granolithic paving • Hose reel installation
• Chemical surface treatment 15.0 External works
• Screeds • Standards
• Terrazzo paving • Generally
• Concrete and quarry tile paving • Site clearance and earthworks
• Cork tile paving • Construction of sub-base and bases
• Flexible PVC floor tiling • Drive ways and parking areas

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16.0 Building sanitation
• Plumbing
• Drainage
• Storm and surface water drainage
17.0 Electrical services
• General requirements
• Electrical works
• Standards and specifications
• Site lighting
• Lightning protection
• Centralized television system
• Fire detection and alarm system
• Training of client personnel
• Air conditioning and mechanical
ventilation
• Inspection, testing and commissionin

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 2.0 PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIFICATIONS
Specifications writers;
Specification writers / spec writers or specifiers, work to interpret construction documentation, such
as specifications, drawings and schedules, as they assist other members in the construction industry
in interpreting drawings (Architectural, Structural, Electrical, Mechanical etc.), ordering of materials /
products, and developing detailed bidding procedures and contracts. Their task is to improve the
coordination and dissemination of information relevant to the construction process. They also Provide
documents that clearly identify and define the owner’s requirements for a given project, so that the
contractor understands the project expectations and a specifier / specification writer should always
be aware of any risks involved in the document prepared.

Construction specifications should:

• Define qualitative requirements for all products, materials and systems to be used on the project,
as well as the standards of workmanship required for their effective installation and use.
• Specifications must harmonize with the architect’s, engineer’s or designer’s drawings, as well as
the other consultant’s drawings.
Because specifications provide material information and recommendations to the entire project team,
writing a specification requires a thorough understanding of construction materials and how the
materials are effectively and safely used. Product research goes beyond the understanding of
materials; research must also take into consideration the particular project’s requirements. Local
jurisdictional rules and regulations, knowledge of suppliers, an understanding of maintenance and
replacement services, the expected life cycle of the materials and other cost factors. Specifiers must
understand the conceptual project documents so that they can discuss all risks with the parties
involved. For example; costs of design by change order, currency inflation, time delays, overall project
schedule, occupancy date. Specifications type, project delivery and staging are determined at the
beginning of conceptual design. However, these may change up until the design development
drawings are complete. The specifier must be able to adapt and write the specification accordingly,
and so must know how to create and work with each type of project delivery method. While the
construction industry grows and changes - there are constantly new technologies and new
techniques used to create innovative design - the role of the specifier remains as critical as ever. A
good specifier recognizes that every project is unique and has its own exciting challenges.

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Types of specifications
In general, there are two basic approaches to the writing of specifications; the method system and
result system. When the method system is employed, the specifier describes in detail the materials,
workmanship, installation and erection procedures to be used by the contractor in the conduct of his
work operations in order to achieve the results expected. When the specifier instead elects to specify
results, he places on the contractor the responsibility for securing the desired results by whatever
methods the contractor chooses to use. The method system can be described as a descriptive
specification; the result system is best described as a performance specification. An appropriate
analogy can be made by comparing these approaches with building code standards. The
specifications code sets forth specific materials and methods that are permitted under the law in the
construction of a building. Under the performance code, materials and methods are left to the
Architect and Engineer, provided that performance criteria for fire protection, structural adequacy,
and sanitation are met. As a matter of fact, both the descriptive specification and the performance
specification can be used together in the same project specification, each in its proper place, in order
to achieve the prime objective. The major types of specifications include the following;
• Prescriptions (ingredient) / Descriptive specifications
• Performance (criteria) specifications
• Reference specifications
• Proprietary or Base Bid (trade name) specifications

Descriptive / Prescriptive Specifications; can be defined as one that describes in detail the
materials to be used and the workmanship required to fabricate, erect and install the materials.
Described in cookbook fashion are the materials, workmanship, installation and erection procedures
employed by the contractor. This approach is based on the wealth of information and experience that
has been produced on known materials and methods. The specifier is aware that if he specifies known
bricks and mortar and proper workmanship techniques that have previously been used and put
together in a specific fashion, the contractor can erect a quality masonry wall. As an example, a
descriptive specification for a masonry wall would describe the materials to be used; the brick and
mortar ingredients, composition of the mortar, test of individual components, weather conditions
during erection, workmanship involved in laying up the brick, type of brick bond, jointing and finally,
the cleaning procedures. This allows all those concerned with specifications an opportunity to check
each of the items specified. The supplier furnishes the brick and mortar specified; the laboratory tests
the components in accordance with the specified test requirements; and the inspector checks the
workmanship requirements so carefully specified. If the specifications have been accurately prepared,
the masonry wall is erected accordingly, and the result the architect envisioned has been achieved
through his minute description.

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Under this method of specifying the exact properties of the materials and methods of installation /
construction are described in detail without using proprietary or manufacturer’s names. Descriptive
specifications are commonly used for products for which no standards exist, on projects where using
proprietary names is restricted, and in in situations where the Architect / Engineer want to exercise
tight control over the specified work.

Preparatory steps to develop specifications for the product, installation, and testing
requirements include:
• Research and determine the end product
• Research and determining the primary features that make up the end product.
• Determine which features to describe in the specification and which features to show in drawings
• Reviewing product data and manufacturers' literature to determine which equipment is best suited
to the project.
• Developing an outline of project specific installation and construction procedures.
• Determining the extent of testing the needed and the responsible party for accomplishing the
testing.
• Describe the important features
• Specify quality assurance measures (i.e. submittals, certifications, testing or inspection activities
Remember that the prescriptive specification is a "how-to" specification. Accomplishing the desired
end result is directly related to the adequacy of the specifications. A contractor cannot be faulted if
the construction follows the specification requirements and the desired result is not achieved. In such
a case, the engineer will be deemed responsible for the failure. Specifying a product by trade name
or brand name is a form of prescriptive specification. One method is to specify the exact product by
name, another is to list a group of suitable suppliers; yet another is to specify the name with an "or
equal" qualification. Specifying a product by name may seem like a good procedure, but it often
introduces other complications such as reduced competition, limited opportunity for innovation, and
allowing vendors to “package” the named product with other non-specified products that they also
represent in a “take it or leave it” demand to the contractor.

The "or equal" approach can save specification preparation time and may allow for options and
increased competition. However, when used incorrectly, it can also appear to be unfair and partial.
For instance, if there are no practical equals available as a result of the way a specification is written,
an “or equal” clause may be construed as unlawful under certain governmental contracts. In
addition, using an "or equal" may result in differences of opinion about the equality of a product. If
a bidder has few parameters to base his choice of equals upon, he may choose items which the
engineer does not consider as being equal. This can affect bid preparation and result in
administrative problems.

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In order to address these concerns, it is critical for a specifier to include all necessary significant
characteristics of the desired product when an “or equal” clause is used. This will provide the basis
that will be used to evaluate the equality of the proposed “or equal” product submitted by the
contractor. When “or equal” provisions are used, the submittal specification should also include
details of what product information is required and the process that will be used to evaluate it.
Advantages to using descriptive specifications
• Descriptive specifications specify exactly what the design intends
• They are applicable to all conditions, methods or situations of a project.
• They are applicable to all sizes and types of projects
• They permit free competition because they do not restrict the use of specific products or
manufacturers
Disadvantages of descriptive specifications
• They require the specifier to take special care in describing the design intent in order to achieve
the desired results.
• Descriptive specifications tend to take up more space because they require more verbiage than
other methods
• They may be more time consuming than other methods to create and write.
• They are being used less often as more complete reference standards are being developed and
implemented.

Performance specification; Until the advent of systems building, the performance specification was
used to a very limited extent. Buildings were designed utilizing unit materials that could be defined
and specified by means of descriptive, proprietary, or referenced specifications. Performance
specifications were utilized primarily when the specifier required the contractor to match or obtain a
result consistent with an existing situation. Specifying in this manner constituted a performance
specification. Other examples of performance specifications are involved with relatively simple
requirements. Since end results are paramount, a performance specification can be defined as
specifying end results by formulating the criteria for its accomplishment. The criteria for materials are
established on the basis of physical properties of the end product. The criteria for equipment of a
mechanical nature are established by operating characteristics. As an example, in a performance
specification for a paint material, the end result is obtained by specifying or formulating the following
criteria;
a) The painted surface shall withstand ten washings with a mild detergent.
b) The painted surface shall show no sign of alligatoring or crazing.
c) The painted surface shall be resistant to abrasion when using the taber abrasive method.
d) The painted surface shall have an egg shell finish

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Under this method the required end results are specified along with the criteria by which the
performance will be judged and the method by which it can be verified. The contractor is free to
choose the materials and methods that comply with the performance specification They are generally
used to encourage the use of new and innovative techniques that may lead to more economical
construction. They are also used to supplement other specification methods.
Another example of a performance specification is one for a complete installation of heating system.
The specification spells out the following performance requirements;
• The heating plant shall be capable of providing an interior temperature of 70°F when the outside
temperature is 0°F.
• The heating system shall utilize No.6 oil and shall be a hot water system.
• The heating elements shall be fin-type base board radiation.
• Controls such as thermostats, aquastats, and other safety devices shall be provided to regulate
heat and prevent explosion.
Since the advent of systems building using major assemblies and sub-assemblies, there developed
a need for more sophisticated procedures to specify end results. Performance specifications
encompassing these parameters are more fully explained under “system building and performance
specifications” The contractor is given the opportunity to develop methods to accomplish the end
result.
The specifier of a performance specification needs to consider that:
• The end result must be completely described. Failure to completely define the end result will allow
for the possibility of a final product that does not meet the intended outcome.
• The end result must allow for straightforward testing or inspection to avoid conflicts. Testing and
inspection criteria must be detailed.
• The bidders may have to undertake preliminary research and developmental work to prepare a
bid. This may require a longer bidding period.
Advantages to using performance specifications
• Only the end result of design intent is specified, this gives the contractor flexibility in selecting and
applying products.
• They permit free competition
• They can be applicable in all types and sizes of projects
• Performance specification delegate the technical responsibilities to the construction industry,
where the contractor instead of the Architecture / Engineering firm is responsible for the results.
Disadvantages to using performance specifications
• They can be time consuming to produce and may result in long detailed specifications.
• They are more difficult to enforce than other methods of specifying.
• They may be too elaborate for simple and minor projects.
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• Performance specifications delegate the technical responsibilities to the construction industry,
where the contractor instead of the Architecture / Engineering instead of the Engineering firm is
responsible for the results. (This is both an advantages and disadvantage)
Systems Building and Performance Specifications; sometimes referred to as systems building
specifications are always described in their relation to basic materials and simple systems. With the
advent of systems building, a design concept which rather than utilizing basic building materials as
building blocks combines integrated assemblies and composites, early pioneers experimented with
performance criteria and in turn with performance specifications. Systems building originated in
Europe after World War II primarily to reconstruct the continent initial applications in the United States
began with the California School Construction Systems Development (SCSD) in 1961. In turn, this
development was followed by California University Residential Building Systems (URBS); Florida
Schoolhouse Systems Project (SSP); Toronto Study of Educational Facilities (SEF); Building Systems
Project (BSP), a joint study by the Public Buildings Service and the National Bureau of Standards; and
by a host of other organizations. The difficult part of the subject is to tell the experienced specifier how
to write performance specifications for building components and systems, let alone the novice or
student, in as much as there is yet no consensus. It should be possible, nevertheless, to outline the
steps that have been taken in such a manner that the student and the specifier can better comprehend
the direction and make an intelligent beginning. Systems building and design are concerned more with
sub-assemblies and composites rather than with individual materials and products. Very few standards
exist on the performance of sub-assemblies and composites. In addition, the design of a building
system cuts across the design disciplines as we know them today. It requires the merging of architects
and engineers to design composite units and, in turn, it requires a joint effort to evolve performance
specifications.
First, new test methods have to be devised to cope with the requirements of sub-assemblies and
assemblies. This requires the establishment of criteria for structural adequacy, fire resistivity, thermal
conductivity, sound attention, and mechanical and electrical properties to provide for physical comfort
by controlling heating, cooling, and illumination. One approach to systems building requires that the
design team establish the parameters for a project, setting forth aesthetic controls, with the
specifications team establishing the performance characteristics required to meet these conditions.
Obviously, the specifications team will no longer be dealing with items of specific materials or products,
but rather with the broader range of sub-assemblies and components. The process will require
performance and results rather than description and methods. Individual or combined sections on
materials and their installation, as currently specified in descriptive specifications, are replaced by
systems performance specifications where technical sections establish the parameters of assemblies
of floors, ceilings, walls, roofs, mechanical systems, and so forth, on the basis of life safety, acoustic
environment, durability, and other recognized attributes.

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The term “specifications team” is used here to denote that the criteria to be established to prepare
performance specifications require the input of several professionals rather than the specifier alone.
This is based on the fact that the requirements may cut across a number of design disciplines, and, in
addition, no one individual has the broad knowledge that encompasses building science,
manufacturing processes, cost control, and maintenance and operation to make the judgments
required in the performance approach. Performance requirement is developed on the basis of three
major categories: requirement, criterion, and test. These three elements constitute a performance
specification for a proposed subsystem. For example; If a ceiling is selected as the sub-system and
the attribute, fire safety, is to be considered, the performance requirements can be developed as
follows:
Requirement 1: Provide fire safety
Criterion 1: Maximum flame spread 25
Test 1: ASTM E84
Requirement 2: Provide fire safety
Criterion 2: Smoke development not to exceed 75
Test 2: ASTM E84
Requirement 3: Provide fire safety
Criterion 3: Heat potential not to exceed 5000 btu / Ib
Test 3: Potential heat per ASTM, 61, 1336 – 1347 (1961)
Obviously, each attribute listed for the ceiling sub-system must be investigated and performance
requirements stated in terms of requirement, criterion, and test. The nature of the space in which the
ceiling is used requires differing performance requirements to the ceiling is used requires differing
performance requirements to the ceiling is used requires differing performance requirements to the
ceiling is used requires differing performance requirements to be developed. The specification team
will include acoustical consultants, fire safety consultants, materials experts, and others as necessary
to obtain as complete input as possible. In specifying performance, the process is much more difficult
since the specifier and specification team are breaking new ground and must have the foresight to
specify all parameters of a component or an assembly to assure that the requirements are properly
evaluated and assessed. It is suggested that anyone considering a performance specification
approach to the design of building systems obtain and review the following documents to find more
detailed information on attributes and performance requirements.
Comparison of Prescriptive and Performance Specifications

Prescriptive specifications are generally used when the end result cannot be adequately defined or
where loss of design control cannot be tolerated; whereas Performance specifications are generally
used when it is normal practice to specify end results (i.e. concrete strength) or when new processes
or products are needed and it is desirable to have the contractor provide the creativity for
development.

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Some advantages and disadvantages of descriptive / performance specification philosophy:
Bidding. Under prescriptive specifications, the contractor has a greater amount of detail available
and can develop a bid with relative ease. Under performance specifications, bidding is more difficult
because of the unknowns associated with developing a process or system.
Innovation. Definitely favors performance specifications where the contractor is encouraged to
develop efficient and cost-effective methods and to use innovative products.
Design Control. The advantage rests with prescriptive specifications. Each aspect of design is
specified. The creativity is generated by the designer and the contractor merely follows the recipe.
With performance specifications, certain design Costs. Cost advantages will vary depending on the
complexity of the project. For complex projects, performance specifications will generally result in
lower total costs because the contractor is not restricted to a specific procedure; the contractor can
innovate to reduce costs. On less complex projects, there is probably very little difference in cost
between the specification types.
Testing and Inspection: Depending on the category of work specified, testing and inspection
involvement may be heavy for either type of specification. Generally, detailed prescriptive
specifications require more testing as the work is put in place, while performance specifications
require more testing of the end result to verify that it meets the desired functional criteria.
Prescriptive specifications are more common than performance specifications, although newer
project delivery methods such as Construction Manager at Risk and Design-Build typically rely more
heavily on performance specifications. Most projects utilize master specifications and reference
standards that are applicable to the project, greatly easing the burden of specification preparation.
Pure performance specifications are used much less because of their emphasis on development
activities and loss of design control. However, performance specifications are preferable if they can
be effectively prepared, since the project can benefit from the contractor's construction experience
and skills. Unfortunately, with the limited use of performance specifications in the industry to date,
few engineers really understand the hints of writing an effective and enforceable one.
Combination of Prescriptive and Performance Specifications
Combining prescriptive and performance requirements in the same specification is a very common
practice in specification writing. Combining both types of specifications in the same project is also
quite common. These approaches create no significant problems, as long as the specification
philosophies are not combined or confused on the same product or activity. As an example, concrete
is often specified with both a minimum compressive strength and mix design constraints. This
combines an end result and a procedure, a practice that is used frequently when cast-in-place
concrete is required on a project. Care needs to be taken to ensure that conflicting requirements do
not occur because of combined prescriptive and performance specifications.

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Reference Specification; is one which makes reference to a standard that has been established for
either a material, a test method, or an installation procedure. These standards similarly are predicted
either on description or performance criteria. Before the advent of materials standards such as ASTM
specifications, ANSI standards, or federal specifications, materials were minutely described in the
specifications so that the contractor was completely cognizant of what the specifier wanted. In many
instances, these descriptive specifications for materials have been supplanted by the aforementioned
standards. For example, in lieu of describing Portland cement in detail, as to quality, fineness module,
and other characteristics, the specifier now simply states Portland cement “meets the requirements
of ASTM C-150, Type …”. This method of specifying resulted in a type of specification that can best
be described as a reference specification. By making reference to a standard, the standard becomes
a part of the specification to the same degree as descriptive or performance specification language
is used. The term “reference specifications” can similarly be applied to workmanship standards.
Various trade associations, such as the Tile Council of America, the Gypsum Association, the Painting
and decorating contractors of America, and others, prepared standard workmanship specifications
for ceramic tiles; furring, lathing, and plastering; painting and so on; these can be incorporated by
reference in project specifications. By so doing, the detailed descriptive workmanship clauses for
these sections no longer need to be copied, but can simply be incorporated into the project
specifications by means of the reference method. It is essential that the architect and specifier be
thoroughly familiar with standards he incorporates in his specifications. Some standards cover several
types and grades, and unless the type or grade is specifically stated, the choice then becomes the
contractor’s option and not the architect’s. In addition, a particular type or grade may be more suited
for a particular project so that it should be selected and specified by the Architect in preference to
another type or grade. Sometimes the types or grades apply to a specific climate or geographical
area, which becomes automatic unless another quality is specified. Most standard specifications were
developed by committees representing materials manufactures, governmental authorities, testing
agencies, consumers, and those having a general interest in the particular standard. A reference to
standards developed by technical and trade associations is another form of prescriptive specification.
These standards include those published by ASTM (formerly American Society for Testing and
materials. Referencing standards is a good specification approach because they are widely available,
familiar to those involved in particular specialties, and they have consensus authority. To incorporate
the standard, refer to proper title, number, and date. Be sure that revisions are recognized by referring
to the latest revision of the standard. Also, consider that reference standards:
• May not be readily available in the home office or field.
• May refer to other standards or require that options be designated by the specifier.
• May contain inapplicable or undesirable workmanship requirements.
• May conflict with other reference standards if more than one is used.
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Read the standards before specifying them; do not use them blindly. Reference standards can be
very helpful, but they must be understood, available, and appropriate for the project.
• Under this method reference is made to unestablished standard defined by associations very
knowledgeable about a certain part of phase of construction.
• Reference standard specifications are used for “commodity” products in the market place, where
brand names are not important.
Steps of preparing reference standard specifications;
a. The standard must be recognized as authoritative by the industry.
b. The standard must be available to all parties involved in the project
c. The specifier must know the standard. Assure that the standards relate to the current project and
does not present duplicate or conflicting information.
d. Establish a date of the standard.
e. Incorporate the standard correctly into then specifications.
f. Enforce the requirements of the standard
Advantages to using reference standard specifications:
• The standard is usually widely known and accepted by the industry.
• They do not limit competition
• They dramatically shorten the length of specifications
Disadvantages to using reference standard specifications
• They may be no appropriate standard to reference, because standards are written for the most
commonly used and generally available products.
• Standards generally refer to the minimum requirements
• The standard may become obsolete or out of date, because of advances and changes in
technology and the creation of new products.
• They require a lot of research and care in use.
• They must be incorporated properly, including all supplementary information.

Proprietary Specifications; A proprietary specification is one in which the specifier states out- right
the actual make, model, catalog number, and so on, of a product or the installation instructions of a
manufacturer. It describes a product, material, assembly or piece of equipment by its trade name and
model number, rather than by a performance specification; sometimes includes the names of one or
more manufacturers who may produce a product acceptable to the owner and or/or his or her design
professional. A proprietary specification allows the bidder to suggest an alternate or substitute
product. The correct use of alternate, option, and substitution is important when writing proprietary
specifications as each has a fundamentally different meaning.

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• Under this method the actual brand names, model numbers and other proprietary information is
specified.
• They are primarily used for private commercial projects where the owner knows what products
they want.
• They are two types of proprietary specifications i.e. closed and open.
The primary difference between the two types concerns substitutions are,
1. Closed proprietary specifications;
• Closed specifications generally prohibit substitutions
• One or more products are specified, and no substitutions will be considered.
2. Open proprietary specifications
• Open specifications permit substitutions
• One or more products are specified, but other manufacturers will be considered.
• It is necessary to specify the criteria and the alternative manufacturers will be judged.
Advantages to using proprietary specifications
• They allow for close control of product selection
• The drawings can be more complete and more detailed because they can be prepared based on
precise information from the selected manufacturer.
• The specification can be shorter.
• They simplify the bidding by narrowing competition and eliminating product pricing as a major
variable.
Disadvantages to using proprietary specifications:
• They reduce the competition
• They may specify products the contractor is not familiar with or has little experience with
• Care should be taken to assure no error is made when specifying model numbers or product
designations.
Selecting a method of specifying
The following questions are helpful to consider when deciding which method of specifying is most
appropriate.
• What does the owner require?
• What method is most appropriate for the project size and complexity?
• What method best describes the design intent?
• 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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 THE STANDARD TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Introduction
• Latest edition; December 2012
• Certified by Hon Eng. Byandala Abraham
• Standard specifications for building works are nationally recognized and serve as a standard
reference for the preparation of specifications for works to be undertaken on building construction
projects.
• Standard specifications should be updated periodically to cater for the dynamic technological
developments in the construction industry
Benefits.
Harmonization and restricting informal developments so as to ensure;
• Well-planned buildings.
• Well maintained buildings.
• Safe buildings.
• Cost effective buildings
• Decent buildings
• Human settlements
Standards specification- composition
• Architectural, Structural and General works
• Building sanitation
• Electrical services
• Air-conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation (HVAC)
Architectural, Structural and General Clauses
• Clause 1.0 – General matters
• Clause 2.0 - Works of demolition and alterations
• Clause 3.0 – Excavation
• Clause 4.0 – Concrete work
• Clause 5.0 – Walling
• Clause 6.0 – Roofing
• Clause 7.0 – Carpentry
• Clause 8.0 – Joinery and Ironmongery
• Clause 9.0 – Metal work
• Clause 10.0 – Paving
• Clause 11.0 – Wall and Ceiling finishes
• Clause 12.0 – Glass works

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• Clause 13.0 – Painting and Decoration
• Clause 14.0 – Fire Extinguishers, cabinets etc.
• Clause 15.0 – External works
Building services
• Clause 1.0 – Plumbing
• Clause 2.0 – Drainage / Drain laying
• Clause 3.0 –Storm water drainage / surface water drainage
Electrical services
• Clause 1.0 – General requirements
• Clause 2.0 – Electrical works
• Clause 3.0 –Builders
• Clause 4.0 – Climatic conditions
• Clause 5.0 - Electrical / power supply
• Clause 6.0 – Standards and specifications
• Clause 7.0 – Power intake – underground and overhead installations
• Clause 8.0 – Conduits for internal wire drawing
• Clause 9.0 – Main and sub distribution boards
• Clause 10.0 – Wiring accessories, small equipment and material
• Clause 11.0 – Information and communication technology
• Clause 12.0 – Luminaires and lamps
• Clause 13.0 – Site lighting
• Clause 14.0 – Lightning protection and earthing
• Clause 15.0 – Closed circuit television surveillance (CCTV)
• Clause 16.0 - Centralized Television system e.g. DSTV (by then start times etc. were…)
• Clause 17.0 – Fire detection and Alarm system
• Clause 18.0 – …
• Clause 19.0 – Training of Client’s Personnel
• Clause 20 – Inspection, Testing and commissioning
Air conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation
• Clause 1.0 – General requirements
• Clause 2.0 – Air conditioning system
• Clause 3.0 – Ducting
• Clause 4.0 – Dampers
• Clause 5.0 – Grilles, Diffusers and Louvres
1.0 General matters

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1.7 Materials
• All materials shall be new unless otherwise directed or permitted by the Project Manager
• In all cases where the quality of goods or materials is not described or otherwise specified are to
be the best quality obtainable in the ordinary meaning of the word ‘best’ and not merely a trade
signification of that word.
• In absence of a specification of intended material does not exist in that Standard Specification,
reference to a British Standard Specification may use and shall be understood to mean the most
recent and up to date edition of that specification as published by the British Standard Institution.
• The initials ‘B.S.’ used in this document are the abbreviated form of British Standard Specification.
• The Project Manager reserves the right to substitute, amend, alter, enlarge upon, correct or revise
any of the foregoing and where this is intended it will be expressly stated herein.

1.10 Samples
• The Contractor shall furnish at the earliest possible opportunity before work commences and at
this own cost, any samples of materials or workmanship that may be called for by the Project
Manager for his approval or rejection and any further samples in the case of rejection until such
samples are approved.
• Such samples when approved shall be of not less than the minimum standard for the work to
which they apply.
• Samples shall be as representative as possible and no attempt shall be made to be unduly
selective,
• Samples shall be taken separately from a number of places in a particular load, heap, stock pile,
batch deposit pit or suppliers store as the case may be, as directed by the Project Manager.

2.0 Works of demolitions and alterations

2.1 Demolitions
• All taking down and demolition is to be carried out without damage to the remaining structures or
the adjoining property.
• Where any such damage occurs, the Contractor shall reinstate and make good at his own
expense.

2.4 Removal of rubbish

• All items of taking down etc., shall be included for removing, getting out and clearing away from
site all debris and rubbish whether specifically mentioned or not from the relevant floor levels.

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2.5 Disposal of debris
• The Contractor shall make his own arrangements for a shoot or spoil heap for disposal of all
materials arising from demolition works and he is to pay all charges in connection therewith.
3.0 Excavation
3.1 Clearance of site
• Clearance of the site of the Works shall be done to the extent as directed by the Project Manager
but not otherwise.
• This shall include demolition and removal of all obstruction, removal of rubbish, cutting down
vegetation, shrubs, bushes and trees and grubbing up stumps and roots and burning or clearing
away from site, as appropriate.
• Holes made in grubbing up stumps and roots shall be filled in and rammed solid with approved
material deposited in layers not exceeding 150mm thick.
3.5 Removal of vegetable soil
• The Contractor shall excavate over surface of site of roads, paths, embankments, terraces, etc.,
and to a distance of not less than 3 m around any building, and
• remove vegetation and top soil to a depth of not less than 150 mm below the average existing
ground level to such other average existing ground level or to such other depth as directed by the
Project Manager,
• Vegetable soil shall be removed to a spoil heap within the boundary of the site or as otherwise
directed and carefully preserved for reuse in top soiling to embankments and areas of cut or fill.
3.6 Excavation to reduce levels
• The Contractor shall excavate over surface of site to reduce level and “get out”.
• Formation level is deemed to be the underside or gravel/marram base courses of roads, hard
standings and the like.
• Grassed areas or unpaved areas, are unless directed to the contrary to be reduced to 150 mm
below finished ground levels to allow for the replacing of top soil for grassing.
3.12 Soft spots
• Where pockets of soft or other unsuitable material are found to extend below the approved
foundation or formation level, the pockets shall be removed to such an extent and levels as
directed by the PM and filled up to the underside of the adjacent foundations with concrete mix
3.14 Working space
• Where work carried out by other trades demand it, or when instructed by the PM, the contractor
shall excavator working space sufficient to facilitate the proper carrying out of such work i.e.
vertical tanking, formwork to ground beams etc.

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4.0 Concrete work

4.2 Cement
• The cement shall, unless specifically stated to the contrary, be common cement complying with
the requirements of Uganda Standard US 310 – 1& 2: 2001.
• Where other cements are specified they shall comply with the requirements of the relevant
European Norms (EN) Standards.
• All cement shall be obtained from manufacturers in Uganda. Where cement is to be imported,
prior approval of the Project Manager shall have to be obtained.
• The Contractor shall supply, when requested by the Project Manager, test certificates relating to
each type of cement used certifying that it complies with the appropriate Uganda Standard.

4.9 Concrete mixes by volume or weight

• When directed by the Project Manager, the Contractor shall make trial mixes for his approval
mixes, before general manufacture of concrete commences.
• Trail mixes shall be made using the identical plant and compaction methods which will be used in
the works and deposited in suitable representative formwork.
• Careful measurements of the cement, aggregate and water: cement ratios, slump and workability
shall be made and the time of mixing noted for each mix.
• Six “preliminary” test cubes shall also be made for each mix. Three cubes from each batch shall
be tested for compressive strength at seven (7) days and the remaining three at twenty-eight (28)
days.
• The density of all the cubes shall be determined before the strength tests are carried out.
• Mixes shall be made in such numbers as directed until the desired qualities are obtained.
• Precaution shall be observed to ensure that the manufacture and placing of concrete in the works
is carried out in the same fashion as that used in the manufacture of the selected trial mix.
• The Project Manager may direct that fresh trial mixes be made should there be any change in the
source or grading of the aggregate, manner of making and compacting, or other change from the
trial mix adopted originally.
• Concrete cubes shall be submitted to the Project Manager for “Preliminary” and “Work” Cube
Tests.
• The Contractor shall equip himself with accurately made metal moulds for casting 150mm square
concrete cubes.
• The moulds and method of preparing such cubes shall be in accordance with B.S 1881 “Method
of Testing Concrete”.

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• Batches of six “Preliminary” cubes shall be taken from the trial mixes as previously described. Six
“Work” cubes shall be taken for testing from any batch or class of concrete in use on the works
as directed by the Project Manager.
• Three cubes shall be tested at 7 days and three at 28 days.
• Concrete test cubes shall be submitted to the central materials laboratory, Kampala

4.13 Mixing of Concrete (Water, Cement, Fine Aggregates, Coarse Aggregates)

• Concrete shall be thoroughly mixed to a uniform consistency in measured batches in a mechanical
mixer of capacity proportionate to the amount of concrete required in any section of the works
under construction.
• Mixing shall continue for not less than two minutes after the materials including water, which shall
be added last of all, have been passed into the drum and before any portion of the batch is
discharged but in all cases the actual shall conform to that required for the selected trial mix.
• The water content shall be carefully controlled and shall be added in sufficient quantity to make
up the amount found to be necessary in the trial mix
• Under no circumstances will the water: cement ratio be exceeded
• Any batch which is mixed too wet shall be rejected.
• The entire contents of the mixer drum shall be discharged before the succeeding batch is
introduced into the drum.

5.0 Walling
5.1.4 Mortars
• The cement mortar shall consist of one part of cement to four parts of sand by volume (1:4).
• The sand shall be measured in specifically prepared gauge boxes and thoroughly mixed in an
approved mechanical mixer or mixed dry on clean and approved mixing platforms, with water
added afterwards until all parts are completely incorporated and brought to a proper consistency.
• The use of re-tempering of wholly or partially set mortar will not be allowed.
• The gauged mortar shall consist of one part of cement to two parts of lime to nine parts of sand
by volume (1: 2: 9).
• In the case of gauged mortar, the sand and lime shall first be mixed into a coarse mix before
addition of cement.
• All mortar is to be thoroughly mixed to a uniform consistency with only sufficient water to obtain
a plastic condition suitable for trowelling.
• No mortar that has commenced to set is to be used or knocked up again for reuse.

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6.0 Roofing
6.4 Roof tiling
The roofing tiles shall be first quality local clay tiles of the type as specified in the contract drawings
and documents and shall be similar to those obtained from a firm approved by the Project Manager.
All tiles shall be well and evenly burnt, uniform in shape, size and colour and free from cracks, twists
and other defects.

Samples shall be submitted to the Project Manager for his approval before the work commences and
all tiles used shall be of equal quality to the approved sample.

Ridge and hip tiles shall be saddle back or half round tiles as indicated on the contract drawings of
similar quality and manufacture as the roofing tiles.

Tiles shall be carefully graded for size shape and colour upon delivery and again before fixing.

All tiles shall be carefully stacked on edge in the site and rows of tiles shall be separated with a layer
of straw, elephant grass etc. between each to prevent damage.

Any chipped, cracked or defective tiles shall not be used.

Nails, when required, shall be stout zinc nails not less than 36 mm long.

Mortar for bedding shall be gauged mortar as before described and if required shall be tinted with an
approved colouring compound to match the tiling.

When required, tile battens shall be of sawn pressure impregnated structural timber as described in
Carpentry.

7.0 Carpentry
7.1 Timber
Timber for carpentry work shall be well seasoned preserved treated timber as later described, graded
and free from defects in accordance with The Timber (Export and Grading Rules 1967) and obtained
from an approved Uganda sawmill.

Hardwood shall be second or selected grade in accordance with the “Hardwood Timber Grading”,
and softwood shall be in accordance with the Second Strength Grade of the “Softwood Strength
Grading Rules”.

All timber shall be free of live borer, rot and decay, brittle heart and compression failure and loose
unsound or dead knots.

All timber shall be grade marked as specified in the Grading Rules and certificates of Grading shall
be produced for verification by the Project Manager.
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In as much as is practicable, timber shall be purchased immediately after the contract is signed to
enable it to be adequately seasoned before required for use.

8.0 Joinery and Ironmongery

8.21 Flush Doors
Flush doors unless specifically otherwise described, shall consist of hardwood skeleton framing 75
mm wide to all stiles top and bottom rails, 50 mm wide horizontal intermediate rails not more than
150 mm apart, with suitable blocks to receive mortise locks on each long edge and covered on both
sides with 6 mm plywood finished for paint and approved hardwood lipping 30 mm thick on each
vertical edge.

All flush doors unless otherwise described shall be 45 mm finished thickness and shall be properly
framed and put together in accordance with the requirements of BS 459.

External quality flush doors where so described shall be as described above except that the plywood
shall be external quality bonding W.B.P. plywood as previously described and all adhesives used shall
be of the resin type.

All flush doors shall be perfectly plane on both faces free of all waves, ripples and distortion of any
kind. Any door which after the application of paint or polish shows any of these defects shall be
removed.

9.0 Metal work

9.5 Metal windows and Doors
All metal windows and doors shall unless otherwise specifically described be of the domestic type in
accordance with BS EN 990: 1996 – Steel Windows generally for Domestic and Similar Buildings.

Windows generally shall be Standard Metal Windows of the type and layout shown on the drawings,
constructed from sections rolled from best quality mild steel. Corners shall be electrically welded and
glazing bars shall be locked at points of intersection and machine tenoned to frames. All welds shall
be ground flush and all frames and casements shall be square and free from deformity of any kind.

10.0 Paving
10.9 Screeds
Screeds for in-situ terrazzo and other tile pavings shall consist of cement and sand (1:3) and shall be
laid in a similar manner as described for granolithic paving (monolithic or separate) to the specified
thickness and finished with wood float or steel trowel to suit the type of finish as specified in the
Particular Specification or Bills of Quantities.

11.0 Wall and Ceiling finishes

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11.5 Internal plastering
The internal plastering is to be applied in three coats and to be 16mm minimum thickness as
follows: -
a) 1stCoat – Cement and sand (1: 5 by volume), allowed to dry out thoroughly and well scratched to
afford a key for the second coat.
b) 2ndCoat – Cement and sand (1: 5 by volume), 6mm thick, finished true and level with a wood
float.
c) 3rdCoat – Cement Slurry or if lime is to be used, It shall be neat lime, plus 10% cement, not less
than 2mm thick, applied as soon as the second coat can stand trowelling and finished smooth with
a steel trowel.

Plastering on expanded metal lathing is to have a preliminary or pricking-up

coat in addition.

The setting coat of plaster shall not be applied until all conduits, pipes and the like have been fixed
and until all air bricks etc., have been fixed and all chases and cuttings in the walls have been
performed and made good.

13.0 Painting
13.4 Paint
All paints, including cement paint, oil paints, emulsion paint and oil bound distemper shall be ready
mixed and obtained, unless specifically instructed to the contrary, from approved local
manufacturers, and they shall be delivered to the site in sealed cans and shall be thoroughly mixed
and applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Testing and Acceptance Workmanship

General requirements for "workmanship" are usually included in the terms and conditions (General
Conditions) of the contract. In most cases though, these requirements are quite broad; such as,
"work shall be performed in accordance with established practices and standards."

Workmanship refers to quality: It relates to the labor effort that goes into the project and to the
appearance of the final product. In very common terms, the workmanship provisions say "Perform
Quality."
Wanting work of quality is desirable: specifying it is difficult. For example, concrete quality is
controlled through mix design sampling and testing. The placement and finishing is not as easily
controlled, even though established practices do exist. If the placement of concrete is of major
concern, and it is believed that requirements stronger than "comply with standard practice" are
needed, the actual method for placement will have to be defined. This involves a very elaborate
prescriptive specification that would include such items as transporting devices and distances,
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placing and vibrating methods, and curing procedures. Workmanship for finishing concrete can also
be prescribed by requiring that certain materials and methods be used or by specifying a level of
smoothness for the product.
Tolerances are another means of controlling the quality of work: The precision of survey lines
and grades, for example, can designate that it be checked to a tenth, hundredth, or other portion of
a foot, depending on the complexity of the work. Site grading work should require tolerances on the
elevations to ensure proper drainage.

Reference standards for materials and products usually have built-in tolerances and quality
requirements. The installation of the materials and products is usually done in accordance with
standard practices, manufacturer's recommendations, or trade association standards. If the
specifier wishes to describe the installation, workmanship and standard practices, or wishes to
modify the standard practices, then the specifier must detail the step-by-step process through a
prescriptive specification. Each increase in level of quality required or reduction in tolerance allowed
will have a proportional increase in cost.

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 Construction specification- Writing

Before you write a specification, the following in two categories should be done:

Category A

• Talk and Listen to the people who will be using the service and find out exactly what is their need.

Some of the questions you might ask include;

what to do they need it for?

What purpose do they want it to serve?

Who will be using it?

When do they need it?

How long do they need it for?

NB; Customer requirements are the central to the specification.

• Research the market (by making general enquiries of suppliers or purchasers, or by placing formal

advertisement for expression of interest) to determine;

currently available solutions to requirements,

likely cost and

time scales.

• Identify the risk- Are there any risks in the specifications such as over ordering and wasting goods

or too few suppliers who could fulfil the requirements?

• Then assess the outcomes and how large that risk is.

• Is there anything that can be included in the specification to avoid / control / manage the that risk?

• Or is it better to do nothing and not seek supply of the goods and services rather than take the

risk?

• Determine the scope of the tender- this includes the extent and limitations of the requirements

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Category B

Precepts / principles / guidelines

• Before specifications can be written, there are a number of prerequisite issues to consider.
• First, it is necessary to have a good knowledge of construction principles, procedures, and
practices.
• One must clearly understand what is to be specified before attempting to specify it. Building
science, construction details, materials, methods, and equipment should all be studied in detail.
• Second, the specification writer must have a thorough understanding of the construction
contracts and procedures; the bidding process in particular should be closely examined.
• Third, a good specification writer will develop the ability to analyze, synthesize, and organize
construction information, and will be able to take a building or contract apart mentally, put
information together in any required order, and then be able to present the information to others
in a convenient and recognizable form.
• Persons who wish to write good specifications should also be able;
to interpret construction drawings and literature and understand the graphical symbols
and common abbreviations used by construction industry.
They should be able to compare, judge and select from among variables in design and in
method.
They should be able to express ideas in clear and simple words and
they should have sense of fairness and responsibility toward the parties to particular
contracts and towards the construction industry as a whole.
Keep technically current / competent on the changing construction materials and
methods, codes, acts, regulations, litigation.
Treat specifications throughout the process, not an add on at the end of the contract
documents.
Hire qualified specifiers or upgrade your own specification skills.
Should know his/her audience.
Work as a Team, not isolated individuals
Enjoy rather than endure specifications
• During the process of writing specifications, there are a number of additional issues to consider
to ensure quality in finished product.
• These are alphabetically listed in the form of 10 precepts / guidelines / principles or
commandments;

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The precepts are as follows:
Be complementary: relate all parts of the contract.
Be concise: say only what has to be said.
Be consistent: in style, Attitude and firmness.
Be correct: check for errors and inaccuracies.
Be current: eliminate out of date references.
Be fair: contracts should be a bargain to both parties.
Be objective: the job has to be tendered out, award and then implemented.
Be organized: use standard formats where possible.
Be practical: contractors are not jugglers.
Be specific. Do not talk in general

It has been remarked that many specification writers are really frustrated lawyers. This idea probably
arises from the vast amount of legalistic jargon that appears to be so popular with so many writers.
To some limited extent, all specification writers do law without license, insofar as they have a hand in
the preparation of legal documents that will be used in contracts. While that fact should not be
overlooked, it should not be overemphasized either. The technical and procedural issues in a
construction contract are as important and as difficult to write as the legal aspects. In practical terms,
the specification writer should concern himself primarily with the technical and procedural issues; the
legal aspect can always be checked out with a lawyer when necessary. It has also been said that
many specification writers spend too much time telling contractors how to go about their own
business. To do these simple things well requires a high degree of skills; these skills only come from
experience and practice.

The precepts in detail;

Be Complementary
All parts of the contracts documents are intended to be complementary. The form of agreement, the
general conditions of contract, the supplementary conditions (particular conditions of contract), the
specifications, BOQs, and the drawings should be made to fit together with no omission and minimum
amount of overlapping. This is a valuable fact for the specification writer to remember particularly
between the specification and the drawings. The drawings can best show the scope of the work, the
locations of items of work and the dimension of many component parts of the project. The
specifications can best describe the quality of materials and workmanship and the many other
aspects that concern the relationships among the contractor, owner and designer. It is rarely
necessary to duplicate or repeat information in more than one part of the documents. Not only is it
not necessary, but it can be very dangerous to do so because of the chances of making a mistake in
one or in the other parts are high.

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Be Concise
Use the least number of words possible, while saying all that has been said. Every word that is used
has to be interpreted; the fewer the number of words the lower the chances of misinterpretation. In
addition, fewer words result in saving of time to type, proof reading and saving money for printing
and paper. Many words and phrases are redundant / superfluous in specifications. Some examples
are the following:
’’The contractor shall’’; this expression should occur only once in the contract, and it should
be placed in the agreement. It is not necessary to repeat it again.
’’This contractor’’ all instruction should be directed to the contractor, named in the agreement.
The use of pronouns (this, it, she, he, etc.) should be avoided.
’’the’’ and ‘’a’’: definite and indefinite articles (place, persons, group etc.) can usually be
eliminated;
‘’ the general conditions of contracts apply to the work of this section.’’: all such repetitive
statements can be deleted.
‘’scope clause’’: the drawings should show the scope. If there are no drawings a scope clause
may be necessary.
‘’all’’: to say ‘’cover floors’’ is just as clear as saying ‘’ cover all floors,’’ and it is said with two
thirds of the words.
Avoid: “such”, “said”, “all”, and “same”
v Such accessories shall be silver plated.
v Polish said floor with wax
v Polish same floor with wax
v Store all millwork under shelter.
"Ensure," "insure" and "assure"

v Ensure means to make sure or certain or to guarantee.

v Insure is ambiguous. Use it only when you mean "to issue or procure an insurance policy."
Make it clear from the context that an insurance policy is what you're writing about.

v Assure means to declare earnestly.

The salesman assured us that the car had been owned by a little old lady who drove it only
to church on Sundays.

It is good practice to use numerals (numbers) instead of writing out numbers in words. One reason
for doing this is that numerals are used on the drawings, and often these same numerals need to be
described in the specification. Apart from this reason, printed figures are quicker to type, easier to
correct or change if need be, and simpler to read and comprehend than written numbers in words.
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Some examples;
‘’three feet, seven and half inches’’ 3’71/2
‘’fourteen point three meters’’ 14.3m
‘’fourteen thousand three hundred millimeters’’ 14.3m
Alternatively, write numbers less than 13 in words, over 13 in Arabic numerals.
Use numbers for dimensions, degrees of temperature, percent, dollars and cents
Express clock time and dates in numbers on the 24-hour clock, exceptions noon or midnight,
noon not 12 noon or 12:00 pm
Use numbers for decimals, use zero to the left of numbers less than one.
Omit unnecessary zeros in time / money.
Use individual keys for fractions for uniformity.
When spelling out dimensions, use mm or m, separate numbers greater than four digits with a
space in groups of three.
When associated with a number use characters such as 16sqm.
Separate expressions with a slash for per without separating spaces between characters,
0.011/s/m2
Dimensions should appear on the same line and not separated by two lines, use hard or
connecting spaces in your word processor or spec editor. Do not permit them to be word
wrapped over 2 lines

It is also good practice to use abbreviations instead of writing out full titles of well-known things. Just
how well known anything is often a matter for some debate, and of course, many abbreviations are
quite ambiguous. There are some common abbreviations given as an appendix to these notes; most
of these abbreviations are may be used with confidence in construction Contracts. It is always
possible to include a list of abbreviations in any contract, with the meaning ascribed to such
abbreviations noted alongside each.
Symbols & Expressions
Use only those that are common throughout the industry such as:
% - for percent
“ - for inches of measurement or seconds of time,
‘ - for feet of measurement or minutes of time.
o
- for degree
/ - for per (forward slash)
+ - for plus
- for minus or to separate dimensional measurements
Kg - for kilogram

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 X - for “by” as in 1220mm x 2400mm; or as a multiplier
m - for metre
mm - for millimeter
kpa - for kilopascal
MPa for mega pascal
However, oversimplifying can be problematic
• C/w for complete with is distracting since readers need to think through it and may stumble over
it.
• CT ceiling tile is it for or ceramic tile?
• Gypsum board is it GWB, GB, GYP BD or something else.

Be Consistent
Select the correct words and put them into the correct context in the specification. Once the words
have been chosen, use them as often as necessary. The normal rules of composition suggest that
repeated ideas can be expressed by using slightly different words to avoid repetition or monotony. In
construction specifications, such rules are ignored. Each single word should be examined with
respect to all its possible meanings, its place in the phrase in which it occurs, and in relationships to
identical or similar words appearing elsewhere in the contract documents.
Many words have option spellings;
some examples are;
Calk should be caulk
Catalog should be catalogue
Color should be colour
Database should be data base
Defense should be defence
Facia should be fascia
Labor should be labour
Gage should be gauge
Lite should be light
Mockup should be mock-up
Molding should be moulding
Nite should be Night
Programme should be program
Sub-contractor should be subcontractor

Be Correct
Incorrect spelling distracts the reader, while correct spelling allows the reader to focus on the

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meaning. Check and double check names of manufacturers, models’ products, and local agents
involved in supply. Verify or confirm numbers, amounts, quantities, proportions, dimensions mixes,
and spellings used in specifications. Make sure the graphical conventions and abbreviations used in
contract documents are understood in the region where the work will be done. Be certain that the
construction details or procedure shown or described are free from error and ambiguity. Clauses
taken from previous jobs must be reviewed to make absolutely certain that they will fit the new project.
Be Current
Ensure that titles and dates of industry standards, government regulations, and manufacturer’s
literature direct the contractor’s attention to those that are in present use and that are easily available.
Referenced information is modified from time to time; care should be taken to include all amendments
to such information into the contracts. Many products and materials are fashionable for a short period
of time and then become obsolete; this is especially true of materials in the finishing trades. From
time to time industry practices and procedure are changed to improve services or relationships or to
take advantage of new technology; again, one must keep in touch with these moves
Be Fair
The specification writer has the responsibility for writing large parts of the contract between the
contractor and the owner, and will be paid by the owner for doing so. At the same time the
specification writer will realize that he (or the designer) will have the task of supervising and
interpreting the contract to ensure fairness to both the owner and the contractor, as though he was
quasi-arbitrator. If the writer includes unfair clauses which give an advantage to one party, the
chances are that the other party will try to get around these conditions, thus causing problems to all
concerned. The more fair and equitable the specification, the more smoothly the job will run. Quite
apart from any legal issues, if responsibility is unfairly placed upon the contractor in a contract, the
price is likely to rise to offset the additional risks that the contract is placing on the contactor. A
common example of this phenomenon occurs in excavation work. If the contract states that the
contractor has to include for removing every type of material he could possibly encounter, the price
must go up to cover that risk. The problem is that, no matter how much the contractor includes in his
bid, the risk is still there for him. From the owner’s point of view, he is paying out a lot of money for a
risk that in fact it may not arise, and thus he may not receive value for his money.
Consider the following phrases
• “Provide and apply two coats of asphalt paint on external surfaces of foundation walls below
grade, if so directed by the architect”.
In this case, the bidder would have to decide whether or not the architect was likely to
order the work to be done.
Also, each bidder would have to gamble on the interpretation that all his competitors might
make of the same phrase; to be safe, each bidder should include for the possibility of the
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 work being ordered.
It will also be seen that, if the architect does not order the work, the owner will be paying
for the value of work that he is not receiving.
There are two ways in which the situations could be improved;
the first is to omit the work from the basic contract, and to ask the bidding contractors to
quote a unit rate per square meter to apply the two-coat system if ordered.
The adjustment would be handled as an extra to the contract sum.
The second way is to specifically direct the bidder to include the work in his basic contract
price, and then negotiate a credit to that price if the work is deleted from the contract at a
later date
Many clauses that appear repeatedly in contracts are patently unfair to the contactor, in that they
make the contractor try to guess what the designer or the owner wants or will insist upon in any given
situation. Such clauses are known by several names, such as ‘’murder’’ clauses, ’’weasel’’ clauses,
or ‘’escape’’ clauses
Examples of such clauses are as follows
‘’to the satisfaction of the architect’’
‘’where directed by the engineer’’
‘’unless otherwise directed’’
‘’from an approved source’’
‘’at the discretion of the owner’’

In each of the foregoing cases, the contractor cannot predict what might satisfy the architect or what
the engineer might direct, or if a material source might be approved, or approved by whom. “murder
clauses” by contractors – clauses that embrace everything, yet fail to be specific. A typical example
of a grandfather clause might read as follows: “the contractor shall furnish and include everything
necessary for the full and complete construction of the building whether shown or specified or not
shown or described.” When an architect is incompetent, he entrenches himself behind such a series
of clauses, which may be interpreted to mean anything or nothing. In their failure to be specific, these
clauses will, during the course of construction, require interpretations by the architect that may be
difficult to enforce. A clause such as “concrete floors shall be finished level as approved by the
architect” without stating a tolerance means to the contractor, “Guess what I will make you do.” An
instruction to a contractor by means of a drawing or a specification must be specific, and no architect
should expect a contractor to fulfill a nonspecific requirement. Reference to any standard dictionary
will show some of the difficulties surrounding the use of words like ‘’satisfaction’’ Finally, one
sometimes encounters ‘’humorous’’ specification in the form of flyers passed around offices for
laughs; they contain statements like “’the contractor shall do the work at his own expense; if the

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expense is satisfactory, the work shall be done over again, in the opinion of this author, it is ideal to
compose such drivel when almost any real specification section will contain much funnier material,
as long as you are not one of the contracting parties.

Be Objectives
There are two primary objectives associated with the production of contract documents. The first is
to bring about the creation of a suitable contract by permitting bidding or negotiation to take place
so that an offer can be made and accepted. The second objective is to permit the objective to be
built, according to agreed contract. These two objectives should be borne firmly in kind throughout
preparation of drawing and specification to ensure their attainment.

Be Organized
The several portions of the contract documents have to be put together in some organized manner
by the designer, so that the convenient reference can be made to the various portions by the many
persons and firms who are involved with these documents during the designing, bidding and building
processes. Further, within each portion the actual technical and contractual information has to be
presented in a logical and acceptable manner to ensure understanding, to facilitate reference, to
create sound contractual relationships, and to clearly covey ideas from one party to all others using
the documents. In simple terms, contract documents organization involves two primary activities
• Recognition of the main elements of the contract
• Organization of these elements into patterns
1. Recognition of Elements
The contract documents consist usually (but not always) of graphical representation in the
form of drawing or sketches, together with verbal representation in the form of
specification sections or conditions of contract.
All these drawings, sections, and conditions must be identified and then arranged in an
understandable and acceptable sequence for every project.
it is sufficient to state here that all these elements are put into order, and then that order
is recorded in a detailed ‘’Table of Contents’’ which has to be prepared for and included
with every project manual.
2. Organization of the Element
The project manual for the majority of construction job can be conveniently organized using
two standard systems or formats, developed jointly by the construction specification institute
(CSI) in the United States and Construction Specification Canada (CSC).
The first of this format deals with the arrangement of the entire set of contract documents;
the second format deals with the arrangement of each part of the documents, excluding only
the drawings.

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Be Practical
It seems almost superfluous to say that the designer should consider the practicalities of having the
project bid and built to bring about the realization of the design. Yet it remains a fact that there is a
great deal of cloudy thinking in the minds of many designers about the everyday realities that
contractor face. Much of the problem lies in the lack of knowledge of ordinary construction processes
and techniques. Construction method must be distinguished from construction detail. It is not always
the intention to suggest that designers draw and specify only the tried and true designs and details.
Not at all. - innovativeness is encouraged. The rapid development in construction technology should
be researched by the designers, with improved innovation introduced into solutions to construction
problems wherever appropriate. At the same time, the practicalities of incorporating novel (original)
design solution into contracts for construction should be given the proper amount of thought, with
regard to such things as budget, locations, the local state of the construction art, building regulations,
and a hundred and one other elements.
Some specific warnings for designers are as follows
1. Contractors are not mind readers; they cannot guess what is in the owner’s mind, and, in general,
they only have to do what is indicated or reasonably inferable in the contract documents.
2. Contractors are not magicians; they cannot bring about miracles by the wave of a wand (baton /
stick); they cannot turn the clock back, and they are no better than anyone else at predicting the
future.
3. Contractors are not independently wealthy; they usually have to use the owner’s own money to
build the owner’s building and the money for alterations and extras usually comes from the same
source.
4. Contractors are not superhuman, they tend to suffer (or enjoy) the same strengths and frailties as
designers, and many are emotionally involved with their work as is any designer.
5. Contractors are not stupid, they probably know more about the insides and outsides of their own
particular trade than anyone else in the locality, and this expertise should be utilized by the
designers before and during construction.
6. Contractors are not dishonest, there are few crooks among contractors as there are in every other
walk of life, but the majority of dispute involving contractors can be traced to difficulties in
interpretation of contracts.
7. The more care taken to eliminate these difficulties, the harder it becomes for the crooks to operate,
and the easier it becomes for the honorable contractors to do their work.
• In general, it is advisable to adopt local industry techniques and practices, wherever possible, to
use standard terminology and component in contracts, to work to known standards, and to
thoroughly understand and appreciate both construction detail and construction method, as well
as materials, products, systems, and components. To this end, the specification writer should
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 assemble a good collection of checklist of items of work common to the unit of work that he or
she will specify in construction contracts.
Be Specific
The first recommendation about being specific is to include only those things in the contract that do
in fact pertain to the contract. Particular care should be taken not to introduce irrelevant items, often
carried over from previous projects or from standards that have not been properly edited. Second,
include only those things that can and will be enforced; conditions of contracts that are not enforced
or insisted upon tend to create weakening precedents which detracts from the enforcement of other
conditions. When telling the contractor what to do, it is good practice to use the imperative
grammatical mood and to put the verb at the beginning of the sentence. These techniques avoid the
possibility of making statements of fact when instructions were intended. The phrase ‘’all floors shall
be laid level’’ is a statement of fact the phrase ‘’lay floors level’’ is an instruction to the contractor.
There are occasions when the specification writer wishes to make a statement of fact. The phrase
‘’the owner will pay all costs in connection with concrete testing’’ gives valuable information to the
contractor. Tells him about something that is going to happen, and then he can act accordingly. The
distinction should be made between giving the contractor information and giving him specific
instructions or commands. A number of words and phrases that appear in specifications cause
problems because of ambiguous interpretation.
Some examples are as follows:
1. ‘’Any ‘’: this word introduces choice, such as in the phrase, ‘’patch any cracks in plaster.’’
2. ‘’Either’’ this word can be confusing, as in the phrase, ‘’paint either side of the door’’
3. ‘’And/or’’ Avoid this phrase; use ‘’and’’ or ‘’or’’, but not both.
4. Consider ‘’remove tools and/or debris. Does the contractor remove only the tools, only the debris,
or both the tools and the debris?
5. ‘’Etc.’’ this should never be used; it is almost; it is almost always impossible to tell what the next
item in the list will be.
6. Consider ‘’remove tools, rubbish, equipment, etc.’’ what is the next item on that list?
7. ‘’Use’’ : this word does not necessarily mean ‘’provide’’ A contractor may use tools that he himself
provides ,but he may use material that he expects the owner to provide

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Specification Deficiencies

What types of specification deficiencies create challenges for specification users?

Conflicts between specification sections or between the specifications and the drawings can simply
be due;
to a lack of coordination in document preparation, or
they may be a symptom of a lack of understanding by the specification engineer of the
total intended scope of the project.
Complicated grammatical instructions and poor use of English are symptoms of a lack of critical
review in checking the specification requirements, and cause interpretation challenges in the field.
Information that is out of place or difficult to locate within a specification may not be referenced
when a change to that information is made in the document. When that occurs, the missing modified
requirement may not be found until after the work is already performed. Lack of specific information
required to ascertain the type, quality, or importance of a work item creates guesswork and
disagreement in the field. The existence of unattainable results or inappropriate tolerances leads to
ignoring other reasonable requirements, due to loss of confidence in the document as a whole.
Ambiguous or unclear specification intent results in high contingencies during bidding and leads to
arguments during construction. Unnecessary and superfluous information confuses during project
implementation.

References to unneeded specifications and standards and items not part of the scope of
work lead to questions about the applicability of all requirements.

Inappropriate use or overuse of codes and standards leads to administrative difficulty if the codes
and standards are either not commonly used or not available in the field. Over-specification of
methods, rather than results, can reduce the intended responsibility of the contractor. Lack of
coordination between specification sections and between specifications and drawings (including
repetition of information shown on drawings) consumes undue administration time. Poorly compiled
bid documents decrease confidence in meeting the project goals. Lack of standard format leads to
confusion on where things are located and can result in a failure to include important information.
Complicating Circumstances

Why are these types of deficiencies so predominant if they are so well recognized? It is difficult and
time consuming for an engineer to comprehensively correct a set of contract documents. Shortcuts
in development and review allow substandard specifications to be issued. While many companies
have specification writing procedures, numerous exceptions on each project allow significant
variances in final product. Corrective measures only hit the obvious and least challenging areas.
Corrections occur in the field on a day-to-day basis in the form of change orders. Construction input
may not be available for the design phase, and design engineers may not be involved in the project

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when the issues occur in the field. Therefore, the lack of feedback can lead to a failure to correct
previous errors in future documents. Many of the above issues become magnified when several
specification sections covering various types of work to be performed are included in the document.
Often each section of the technical specifications has its own "scope" section or definition of the work
involved. This invites conflicts of scope between sections and may lead to incomplete scope
coverage. Hard-to-find information, hard-to-decipher requirements, and hard-to-reach results cause
extra administration time and inspection effort. Information that is duplicated in several specification
sections or which is slightly different in several places requires a complicated unraveling exercise
under the pressure of a construction schedule. Besides the challenges associated with multiple
technical sections, issues regarding the interpretation of bidding or contract documents are often
related to specifications. Contract documents that consist of a set of seemingly unrelated sections
and an incomplete table of contents may generate bidder confusion and unnecessarily increase the
time and effort required for bidders to understand the required components, their relative importance,
and overall applicability. Project bid documents are typically converted to “Issued for Construction”
document sets that are provided to the construction project team members. These sets include all
addenda and any other information that was properly added to the bid set during the procurement
process. In the past, this information was often incorporated in the “Issued for Construction” set by
simply attaching it to the front of the specifications manual.
Language in specifications
• Vocabulary: know correct terms and meanings of words and how to use them within
specifications
• Spelling and word use: understand the importance of correct spelling, use of abbreviations and
symbols, metric terms and numbers.
• Grammar: recognize grammar and sentence structure appropriate for specification writing.
• Style: understand the need for simple direct language and how to write using it.
• Specifications follow writing rules: these rules are proper vocabulary, correct and precise
grammar, consistent style and accuracy in detail and statement.
Once specifiers understand these rules and are able to apply them, they will follow a format and their
work becomes clearer.
Sentence structure
a) Imperative mood
Imperative mood puts the verb that defines the action as the first word in the sentence. It is the
recommended method for specifications covering installation of products and equipment. It is
easily understandable and concise.
Examples:
• Spread adhesive with notched trowel.
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• Install equipment plumb and level
• Apply two coats of paint to each exposed surface

b) Indicative mood
Indicative mood uses the passive voice with the use of the word shall in nearly every sentence.
Sometimes this can create unnecessary wordiness and monotony.
Examples
• Adhesive shall be spread with notched trowel
• Equipment shall be installed plumb and level
• Two coats of paint shall be applied to each exposed surface.
c) Streamlined writing
This technique uses a colon (:) to mean shall or shall be. Streamlined specifications are very
concise and clear to read. The subject before the colon is helpful when scanning the specifications
for key words.
Examples
• Adhesive: Spread with notched trowel
• Equipment: Install plumb and level
• Portland cement: ASTM C 150, Types 1

Specification Writing Procedures

How does one write a specification?

A system of specification writing procedures should include the;

work preliminary to the actual writing of the specifications,

the outline or preliminary specifications,

the actual writing of the specifications, and

finally the reproduction and binding of the specifications.

These procedures deal with time- tested methods such as;

• the use of a guide,

• checklists,

• work sheets and

• catalog files.

Reduced to their simplest form, specifications should be written according to an organized system.

A good office has logical standards for indication of doors, windows and the other countless elements

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of the drawings, similarly a specifier must have a system for the preparation of specifications,
especially since they must be written after the drawings have progressed to a point where they are
about 50% completed and the time available to write thus makes a systematic approach essential.

One of the first documents that the specification writer should have is;

preliminary, or;

• outline specifications.

This is generally prepared by the project architect or designer with the collaboration of the specifier,
and briefly lists materials and finishes without describing workmanship or fabrication.

The next step is to prepare a complete takeoff of every item from the working drawings and in
conjunction with the standard checklist. With the technical sections established on the basis of the
preliminary takeoff, the specifier is now in a position to start and complete some sections, and do to
start and gather information on other sections, and to start and gather information on other sufficient
information. The nature of specification writing is such that one cannot start writing immediately and
continue until the project is completed. There will be need for conferences with the owner and
designer to arrive at decisions on many items, and it will be necessary to obtain information from
manufacturers and their representatives on materials and products when the architectural details
involving these items are in doubt and require clarification and research. There are many sections
that can be written on the basis of incomplete drawings.

These should be written at the outset since they are not likely to change during the development of
the drawings. Such sections include Finishes for example, ceramic tiles, terrazzo, resilient flooring
and acoustic treatment. Other sections that can be written around partially completed drawings
include earthwork, concrete toilet partitions and masonry. To write these sections, many specifiers
will have their own guide which they have carefully developed over the years. To be truly effective,
these guides should not be static, and they should be revised as dictated by experience by the
experience and new developments. Some people refer to these guides as canned specifications.
However, it is difficult to see how many specification writers can do without such a valuable tool,
which comprises the sum total of his experiences and his best efforts to write better specifications.
Specifiers, like any other individuals, naturally develop their own personal idiosyncrasies with respect
to the systems they will develop in organizing themselves, their work habits and their approach to the
task of writing specification. Some use collection of notes and checklists. Whatever system is
employed, it should be orderly and systematic.

The following principles will aid the in establishing a procedure for writing his specifications when
he approaches the task before him:

1) Review the preliminary or outline specifications to obtain a better understanding of the project.

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2) Review the preliminary drawings to visualize the project and obtain a better insight.

3) Since the architectural specifier is the focal point for all the specifications, determine who the
consultants are for the structural, mechanical electrical and site specifications. Coordinate their
activities and establish the form, arrangement, and numbering system of the technical sections.
To ensure coordination between the respective sections so that there is no duplication or
overlapping, submit a coordination list to all consultants for agreement on whatever goes where.

4) Review the working drawings and prepare a table of contents of the technical sections.

5) Discuss questions relating to any of these item with the employer, designer or any other individual
and determine what will be shown on the drawings and what will be specified. Determine which
items require additional research, note these and perform the necessary investigation a time when
a lack of sufficient drawings precludes actual writing of specifications.

6) Commence the actual writing of the specifications. Use guide or brief where these are available
and utilise the takeoff list and a check list to ensure completeness of each section.

7) Select those sections that will not be affected by further development of the drawings as
previously described and complete these sections. Start those sections on which there is good
deal of information that can be gleaned from the drawings. Note the information that can be
required in order to complete them at a later date. Arrange the information within each section.

8) Do the required research on unknowns when you can no longer proceed with any actual
specification writing.

9) Leave until the very last for those sections that require almost complete working drawings such
as carpentry etc.
Specification Development Planning
• To be effective, specification writing should follow a well thought out plan that can be used for
most projects.
• Specification development is improved through the use of a specification processing flow chart.
• The chart may be enhanced and expanded with the specific project in mind.
• Use of an established procedure, such as a flow chart, can help the specifications engineer
manage the time required for engineer and owner review. Receipt of delayed review comments
is common and can result in major changes late in the process.
The following is an example flow chart that might be used to detail the process to be followed to
provide specifications on a project. The example uses a specification writer as the key individual
controlling the production of the overall project specifications.

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Step 1:
The scope of work is developed as agreed upon between the owner and the specifications writer. It
is important for the specifications writer to meet the owner in the beginning of a project to formalize
the project specification philosophy.
Step 2:
Some owners provide the specifier with contract terms and conditions and standard technical
specifications; some owners provide only basic minimum requirements or none at all.
Step 3:
The specifier reviews the owner's documents (if provided) and determines applicability to the scope
and type of project.

Step 4:
The specifier with the project manager, develops an outline of the scope of work, determines the
specification sections necessary, and develops a preliminary production schedule.

Step 5:
The specifier starts the development of outline specifications and suggests certain clauses to be used
in conjunction with the technical specifications such as:

• Schedule incentives
• Differing site conditions
• Price escalation / inflation
• Availability of the material
• Material delivery timelines
• Contract completion dates
Step 6:
Technical reviews by project team will reveal whether the specification writer / writers is / are on the
right track.

Step 7:
The owner reviews the preliminary output and suggests revisions.
Step 8:

The bulk of the work involves expanding the list of sections and working the applicable owner-
provided documents into draft sections.

Step 9:
Documents are reviewed by the entire project team for constructability and engineering quality.

Step 10:
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The owner reviews and suggests additional revisions if desired / necessary.
Step 11:

Meetings should be conducted often and as required to respond to comments from the owner and
to resolve the differences. The specifier should be part of the review process and participate in these
meetings.

Step 12:
The specifier prepares the final draft document, incorporates all comments, and submits for final
review. The owner's checks and reviews could be continuous and go back and forth repeating steps
10, 11, and 12 several times during fine-tuning.

Step 13:
The owner issues documents for bidding purposes after all issues have been addressed.

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Specifications in the third person
Normally we write specifications so that they always refer to the third person. Forcing your writing
into the third person is difficult, and often makes the sentences difficult to read. It runs contrary to the
advice of modern writing teachers who are trying to reform us, and is also contrary to the advice of
the Construction Specifications Institute. BUT, the rest of the world is expecting to see
specifications written in the third person, and writing them otherwise is inviting criticism. Hence, using
the words "I," "we" and "you" is frowned upon.

If you MUST refer to the first or second person, be sure you define the meaning of the pronouns, and
use them only as defined.

Lists

Whenever you compose a list in the text of your specifications, you should take pains to make it
complete and easy to read, and that its elements all consist of parallel parts of speech.
a. Completeness of lists
Take the time to think of everything you could possibly want to include in your list. Generally speaking,
the best policy for specification writers to follow is "If you don't mention a thing explicitly, then don't
expect to get it." Adding generalized list elements, like "and others," "and the like," or the words "not
limited to" will probably not get you something you haven't mentioned explicitly. Generalized list
elements add little meaning to the text, and can often be ignored by readers. If you must use
generalized terms, then use them alone and unaccompanied by specific items. By mentioning one
thing explicitly, you may be excluding others. So often and for so many years has this method of
interpretation been used that lawyers have a Latin name for it: "Expressio unis est exclusio alterius,"
which means "to say one thing is to exclude the other." Sometimes generalized list elements are
subject to interpretation according to another legal canon known as "ejusdem generis," which limits
the unwritten elements to members of the same family. For example, the list "resistors, capacitors,
inductors and other components" could be interpreted as not applying to transistors, since transistors
are active components and all the listed components are passive.

b. Readability of lists
When the elements of a list become numerous, the visual clutter of the text makes it difficult to read,
and readers are therefore likely to miss one or more of the elements. This human-factors problem is
easily solved by listing the elements vertically with bullets or subparagraph labels and separated by
blank lines. For example:
Temperature-rise specifications shall apply to
• resistors,
• capacitors,
• inductors, and
• transistors.
As a rule, indented lists are always preferred in technical documentation.
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c. Parallelism in lists

The elements of each list should all be the same part of speech. For example, the list:
• safety,
• rowboats,
• resuscitate, and
• life preservers
is incorrect because "resuscitate" is a verb and all the other three elements are nouns. This list's
elements should have been all nouns.
Use of words and phrases in specification writing
Vocabulary - Specifications consist of words. The language should be clear and exact. Although
technical terms or vernacular may be used, they should be used correctly. The common or local usage
may not be the way that these terms will be interpreted by bidders and contractors from other areas.
Be careful with the use of certain words. Be sure the exact meaning in the specification is easily
understood. Coordinate specification terminology with the contract definitions contained in the
conditions of the contract.
• Day. This word could refer to a calendar day, working (8-hour) day, or 24-hour day. The conditions
of the contract commonly define the term for use in that contract.
• Shall and Will. Do not interchange since it is usually understood that "shall" refers to the contractor
and "will" to the owner or engineer. Part of the problem may be eliminated by using imperative
sentences where "contractor shall" is understood, e.g. "Finish concrete with a steel trowel." Again,
this should be defined in the contract conditions.
• Any and All. The word "any" refers to a selective action, while “all" means everything. Usually
there is no need to use "any" or “all" since they should be understood by the context, e.g. "Steel
shall be erected within the tolerances specified."
"Affect" and "effect"
"Affect" is always a verb, meaning either "to influence" or "to pretend to have or feel."
"Effect" is nearly always a noun meaning "result" or "consequence." It is sometimes used in formal
writing as a verb to mean "to bring about" or "to make happen."
"Effective" is an adjective whose meaning is rarely clear.
"And/or" -This use of the virgule is particularly confusing. It leaves the reader free to choose whether
the sentence ought to read "and" or to read "or," whichever reading is cheapest to satisfy. Because
of the confusion and expense that may result from the use of this phrase, don't use it in specifications
and statements of work

"Any"- is an ambiguous word . Writers may intend it to denote "plurality" and readers may interpret
it to denote "oneness." Also, when "any" is used to describe the selection of items from a set, it's the
reader who selects, not the writer. Which, and how many items the readers select depends upon their
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point of view. A good way of testing is to substitute "any old" for "any." If the meaning changes,
the sentence needs to be rewritten.

To correctly rewrite sentences with "any," it may be necessary to first make a Venn diagram of the
situation to be described. Check it carefully. Then assemble words that describe your diagram. Don't
use the word "any."

"ANY OR ALL" means readers may choose any item(s) (they choose which and how many) OR all of
them, whichever they prefer. If you have used this phrase, you probably meant "each," "every," or
"each and every," which is a phrase of emphasis often used by lawyers. "Each," "every" or "all" nearly
always does the job perfectly well on its own.
Here are some examples of misused "anys":

• "Any voids greater than 1 mm across shall be filled." This requirement says that some voids
greater than 1 mm, but not necessarily all of them, must be found and filled.

• "There shall be less than 10 mV of error measurable between any two of the three test points."
Here the specification says that if the tester finds one of the measurements yielding less than 10
mV, the equipment passes the test.

Now that you know just how slippery "any" is, you must be wondering how you're going to express
yourself without using it. Don't feel alone. Your formerly liberal use of the word "any" is an expression
of your American origin.

"As a minimum" and "not limited to"- These phrases serve no purpose other than to give the
specification writer a false sense of security. Don't use them in specifications. You must clearly spell
out all requirements in full. If you don't know what is required, the front-end work needs to be revisited.
Buying from the low bidder, no reasonable person can expect to get more than the absolute minimum
required by the contract. What sense does it make then, to say "We'd like more, but we're only paying
for..."? Lawyers often use the phrase "not limited to" in an attempt to dodge a rule of interpretation
known as "expressio unis est exclusio alterius," which means "the mention of one thing is the
exclusion of the other." This maneuver doesn't always work for lawyers, and is even less likely to
work for engineers.

"As well as"- We often use the phrase "as well as" in ordinary writing to avoid monotonous repetition
of "and." In most cases, our ideas are conveyed very well by such usage. In specifications, however,
we must bear in mind that we have readers who are trying very hard to keep down the cost of doing
exactly, to the letter, what we've told them to do.

When we tell such a reader to do task "A" as well as task "B," we haven't explicitly required tasks "A"
and "B" to be done; we've required only that both be done equally well.

"Because"- Be very careful how you use "because" in specifications. Specifications specify; they do
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not explain. Explaining may needlessly provide grounds for disputes, as in the "reflectivity" case.
Furthermore, the word "because" may introduce both essential and nonessential subordinate clauses.
Many readers and writers are not equipped to distinguish between the two. Here's an example:

"The fasteners shall not be sandblasted because of corrosion."

Does the sentence mean "Corrosion shall not constitute reason to sandblast the fasteners," or does
it mean "The fasteners shall not be sandblasted since sandblasting them may cause corrosion"?
Which did the writer intend? The way it is punctuated requires that we accept the first interpretation,
regardless of the meaning intended by the writer.

Capable- Remove the word "capable" from your specification vocabulary.

When you use "capable" to describe equipment, you're not specifying that the equipment be
delivered ready to do the job. To do the job it may need other equipment that is not furnished, or it
may need to be modified

In short, when you use the insidious word "capable" in specifications, you will be unwittingly
specifying the need for an ECP

…It doesn't require that you actually make the thing work underwater, it only requires that you
make it capable of working underwater.

The fact that we often have equipment delivered that actually does things that were specified only as
capabilities is evidence of the goodwill of our contractors .

Coined words- While it's OK to coin words when you're writing literature, or even when you're writing
memos and reports, it's not OK in engineering specifications.

A fine example of this is the word "vendorized." This coined word was used by a spare-parts specialist
when referring to parts that are nearly identical to regular commercial items, but have been slightly
modified and given a new part number by a systems integration firm. Its meaning is not obvious from
its construction. Even when used in context, and the reader knows it modifies the word "parts," the
meaning is elusive.

"Comprise"- The word "comprise" is nearly always misused. The phrase "is comprised of" is often
seen in engineers' writing, but is logically incorrect. Comprise means to include or contain: The whole
comprises the parts. The training device comprises the instructor station, the student stations, and
the computer system. Instead of tackling this commonly misused word, I recommend that you use
"consist," which is nearly always used correctly

"Critical"- The word "critical," which is very often used by engineers, is likely to cause trouble
because it is both vague and ambiguous . Here are a few of its definitions:

• Prone to criticize,

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 • Relating to a turning point,

• Uncertain, and

• Able to sustain a chain reaction.

If you must use the word "critical," be sure that the sentence cannot be interpreted two or more ways
by choosing different definitions. Also, be sure that, within the scope of 2. or 3., you haven't allowed
the reader to decide what your product is supposed to be.

"Designed to" - You'd be better off to specify that the equipment actually "shall DO" whatever you
need it to do or "shall BE" what you need it to be. A contractor can reason that, since your spec has
numerous cases of "shall be X" and "shall Y," you meant something different in the few instances
where you said "shall be designed to Z."

A few phrases you might use in your rewrite are "designed and built to," "designed, built, and installed
to," "built to," and "equipped to."
"Ensure," "insure" and "assure"

Ensure means to make sure or certain or to guarantee.

Insure is ambiguous. Use it only when you mean "to issue or procure an insurance policy." Make it
clear from the context that an insurance policy is what you're writing about.

Assure means to declare earnestly.

The salesman assured us that the car had been owned by a little old lady who drove it only to church
on Sundays.

"Etc."- The abbreviation "etc." is short for "et cetera," which is Latin for "and others" or "and the rest."
Its use is inappropriate in specifications because contractors are not required to deliver things that
are not specifically mentioned. This means that you must take the time to figure out everything you
need to specify, and then spell it out completely.

Forbidden words and phrases

This is our rogues' gallery for specification words. These words and phrases are more trouble than
they're worth. Use your word processor to search them out and destroy them. They are:

• And/or

• Etc.

• Up to

• Capable
"Include"- This ambiguous word could mean "consists of" or it could mean "contains as a subset."

Remember, it's the contractor who has the authority to interpret our specifications. Even though you

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meant "contains as a subset," the contractor may interpret what you wrote as "consists of" and be
entirely correct as far as the law is concerned. The result is that you get only the items you spelled
out in the list that follows "including."
Even if you add "not limited to," you haven't solved your problem. The same goes for "as a minimum".
You must explicitly state the requirements or they are not enforceable.
To reword, sometimes you can fix this one by using the words "be equipped with," "consist of," or
"have." Be careful of "comprise".
"Limited"
Make another jump for advice on:

• "Limited" in general
• "Not limited to"
Minimum- There are two types of error likely when one sees the word "minimum" used in
specifications.
a) The first occurs when the writer says something like "The wire shall have a minimum ampacity of
20 Amperes." The logic of such a statement is ambiguous: it could mean the ampacity shall be
no less than 20 Amperes, or it could mean the ampacity of the wire shall not be greater than 20
Amperes.
b) The other case is when the word appears in the phrase "as a minimum."
"Or"- The simple word "or" is the most often misused word in drafts of engineering specifications.
About 50% of the time when the word "or" is used, the author really intended the word "and."

Remember, "or" may be read in its strictest logical sense, meaning one item OR the other, not both.
The English language doesn't distinguish between inclusive and exclusive "or" as we do in logic
design, so in specifications, "or" is taken in the sense that is cheapest to comply with.

Whenever you swap an "or" for an "and" while reworking a sentence, be careful to recheck the
meaning of the whole sentence after the swap. Make sure that it says exactly what you want it to.

Be especially careful of sentences that contain more than one conjunction. Multiple conjunctions are
a common source of ambiguity.

"Up to"- is a particularly troublesome phrase in specifications. It can be interpreted three ways,
depending on one's point of view.

• It may mean "all numbers from the specified minimum to the specified number." This is what
engineers usually intend when they write "up to."

• It may mean "a single number between the specified minimum and the specified maximum, but
not more." This is the way the contractor's attorney will interpret your spec.

• In vendors' specifications, it often means "sometimes as great as, but not necessarily." They're

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 hoping you'll think they intended "all numbers from the specified minimum to the specified
number," and buy their product without testing it.
Avoid confusion. Write "no less than" or "from ___ to ___." Never write "up to." Be wary when you
read "up to" in a vendor's specification.

Usage of "which" and "that" in specs- If you've used "which" to introduce a relative clause, and
you want the clause to be an essential part of a requirement, use "that" instead of "which."
"Which" may introduce either an essential or a nonessential clause. In the case of nonessential
clauses, "which" must be preceded by a comma. Many writers fail to provide the necessary
comma, and consequently, there are often disputes over whether or not a particular "which"
clause was intended to be essential or nonessential.
Clauses introduced by "that" are always essential to the meaning of the sentence, and are not
preceded by a comma unless the comma serves another purpose. To avoid confusion, avoid
using "which" whenever "that" would fit.
You may use ", which" to introduce a relative clause stating a fact that is not essential to the
meaning of the sentence, but such cases should not occur often in specs. Specifications specify;
they do not explain. For an explanation of why specifications should not try to explain, read the
article on contextual ambiguity, which presents an example where the writer intended to explain,
but succeeded only in confusing.
When "which" is used, its preceding comma is the only indicator of whether the writer intended
the clause to be essential or nonessential. In specs, avoid using "which" whenever possible.
Otherwise, a comma, or lack thereof, is all you may have speaking on your behalf.
Here's a sentence with a nonessential relative clause introduced by "which":

The compressor shall be driven by a 12-inch pulley, which is dynamically balanced.

In this case, the pulley is not required to be dynamically balanced. The clause ", which is
dynamically balanced" merely states the writer's opinion that 12-inch pulleys are dynamically
balanced. Changing ", which" to "that" yields a sentence clearly requiring that the pulley be
dynamically balanced:

The compressor shall be driven by a 12-inch pulley that is dynamically balanced.

The clause ", which shall be dynamically balanced" would clearly state the requirement also.

Words with legal meanings different from common usage

These words are special cases of ambiguous words - words with more than one meaning. You must
be especially careful how you use them because your documents may be read by a someone who
seeks to take advantage of them. Here's a list of a few:

• consideration

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 • cause

• substantive

• cure

• material (as an adjective)

• harmless

• several

Restrictive and nonrestrictive dependent clauses

When referring to clauses, the terms "essential" and "nonessential" are interchangeable with the more
commonly used terms "restrictive" and "nonrestrictive." We have used the terms "essential" and
"nonessential" for most of this text because they seem to express the distinction more simply.
An essential clause is essential to the meaning of the entire sentence. If you take away an essential
dependent clause, the main meaning of the sentence is altered. Doing so to a nonessential clause,
while removing information, does not change the core meaning of the sentence.
Whenever someone says that a knowledge of grammar is not needed in order to accurately express
meaning, the distinction between restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses is sure to be mentioned in the
argument that ensues. If you wish to be a credible writer, you must master this distinction.

Chains of prepositional phrases

When you write a sentence containing a series of prepositional phrases all in a row, you are running
a risk of creating a syntactic ambiguity. The most common textbook example is "He saw the man
on the hill with the telescope."
An example that hits closer to home was found in an actual statement of work: "The instructional
materials shall be prepared for use by Navy instructors." Who was supposed to prepare the
materials, the contractor or the instructors?
Granted, sentences with nested modifiers are often necessary in specifications, but when you need
to use one, be careful. Pay attention to which word each phrase modifies. By some stretch of your
imagination, if it possible for a reader to attach one of the phrases to a different word than the one
you intended, then you must restructure the sentence. Remember, your readers may be very creative.
Whose interpretation prevails? The rule is that the contractor interprets the specifications, as long
as the interpretation is reasonable. The Specifier is responsible for furnishing sufficiently clear and
complete language to evoke the intended understanding in the reader, and the employer is
responsible for any expenses that may be incurred if the contractor does not interpret the
specifications as intended.

By the way, legal authorities like the courts and appeals boards are usually very generous in deciding
whether or not a contractor's interpretation is reasonable. If there is any way at all to read your words
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differently from what you intended, then there is a chance that a contractor will choose it and later on
require redirection in the form of a variation. Occasionally one will encounter contractors who take full
advantage of their power to interpret, as it provides them with more profit than by merely doing it right
the first time. In such cases, there are three elements of cost:

1) First, doing the work incorrectly,

2) Then undoing what was done; and

3) Finally, redoing the job correctly.

The specifier's authority

Here we have a civics lesson that deals with a topic fundamental to all modern forms of
government: limitations on the authority of officials. It summarizes the essential difference between
writing specifications for public contracts and writing them for private-sector work. Public policies
imposing limitations on the authority of officials were developed in order to prevent the kinds of
corruption that prevailed under the feudal system. Abiding by those policies is among the most
fundamental of our responsibilities as government workers.

As you probably know, the actual authority to obligate the Government contractually is held only by
contracting officers, and the actions of those officers are very tightly constrained by extensive
regulations. The work done by consultants is actually in support of those contracting officers. They
attend to the complex technical details while they take care of the complex legal and administrative
details. By being delegated such responsibility, they also make a lot of decisions that affect the scope
of the work to be done by contractors and the duties that must be performed by the employer.

Along with this bit of delegated authority come the necessary limitations. For example, government
engineers have authority to specify only minimum, essential, validated requirements. Such
requirements should always be traceable to higher-level documentation, and should always be
defensible in concrete terms of need. That means you can't specify a performance or design feature
just because you think it's nice to have or is the latest and greatest thing to come from the vendors.

There are numerous other limitations on what and how we are authorized to specify. In general, the
following things are forbidden:

• Specifying a particular vendor's product,

• Specifying the design of a product, and

• Specifying personal services.

Who is responsible for losses from errors in specifications?

When a project goes sour, the most likely thing the contractor's lawyers will do is examine the

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specifications and find a number of errors and inconsistencies in them that they claim to have mislead
their client. Very few specifications are totally free from such defects. The party responsible for the
losses is then the party who drafted the defective specifications. Such responsibility is a fundamental
principle of law.

By the way, private engineering firms who prepare specifications under contract usually put a clause
in all their contracts that disclaims responsibility for errors found in their work. The insurance
companies that cover them for professional liability insist upon it.

Coordination of specifications with Drawings

• Compatibility and coordination between specifications and drawings is paramount, since they
make up the technical information package that contractors, material and equipment suppliers,
and subcontractors use to bid and perform the work. Performance and quality requirements must
be considered.

• Drawings graphically illustrate the design concept, size and scope of the project, number and
size of materials or units, and how they are assembled into a complete project,

• It is important that they be clear, concise and uniform. A drafting system that is standard
throughout the design office should be developed and instituted. The standard should include
basic sheet layout, lettering, dimensioning, and consistent scales.

Drawings and specifications are usually maintained by the project owner as the permanent
record.

Therefore, it is important that these records contain sufficient information to trace the most
important materials and equipment, and design assumptions (loads and material strengths).

Complete information in specifications and on drawings simplifies operations and minimizes

design errors when future modifications are made to the project.

The following describes what should be included in specifications and on drawings in order for
them to serve as a permanent record of the project:
• Qualitative requirements for products and equipment to be incorporated into the project
(Specifications)
• A list of codes and standards noting specific sections that are directly applicable (Specifications)
• Design assumptions such as wind, ice, floor live loads, foundation bearing pressures, piping loads,
etc. (Drawings)
• Basic material strengths, e.g. concrete, steel, bolts, welds, etc. (Specifications)
• Standard symbols and abbreviations (Drawings and Specifications)
• Specific catalog numbers or other clear references for material and/or equipment (Specifications.
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 Note that drawings may reference specification sections and specifications may reference
drawings to minimize duplication of information.

Duplication of information within or between the various contract documents and almost always
ensures conflicts.

Conflicts should be avoided as they invite disagreements, add additional costs, and are a source
of embarrassment to the designer.
Drawing Recommendations
• No comprehensive notes
• Do not use excessive notes
• Do not use notes to define work to be done by a specific contractor
• Do not use proprietary names
• No “See Specs” notes
• Drawings Identify - Specifications Describe
Specification Recommendations
• Provide detailed requirements for:
1. Physical properties
2. Chemical constituents
3. Performance requirements
4. Standards of workmanship
• Do not include information that is more appropriate on drawings (Quantities).
• Do not repeat information shown on drawings.
The relationship between specifications and drawings – similarities
• They both form part of the “Contract” between the owner and the contractor.
• They use the same contract language and terms.
• They work together and cannot be used or developed separately.
• Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Architects that write the specifications need access to the
drawings.
• Specifications do not supersede drawings. And also, drawings do not supersede specifications.
If they contradict each other, it is a design error.

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The relationship between specifications and drawings – differences
Drawings Specifications
• Graphically shows the component in • Provides the component specifications of
relation to the rest of the building and performance, size, weight etc.
surrounding components.
• Graphically shows a symbol representing a • Provides component labeling and testing
component not drawn to scale. requirements.

• Provides dimensions for the component • Identifies the contractor qualifications to

placement. install the components.
• Annotations specific to the fitting • Provides direction to the contractor in the
placement. Such as “Coordinate the switch execution of construction to get a common
with the lighting fitting mounted adjacent to work result. It does not repeat
the door”. manufacturers or code requirements.

• Specification items are not repeated on the • Drawing information is not repeated in the
drawings. specs.

• Abbreviations can be used in situations • Abbreviations should never be used in

where space is limited specifications

• Drawings Identify Materials Specifications Describe materials

Drawings should:
a) Be CLEAR
o Indicate the interrelationships between components and materials (slab edge to wall; continuity
of air barriers);
o Locate each material, assembly, component, and accessory (vapour barrier and insulation in wall)
o Identify all materials, components, and pieces of equipment (Roof, insulation, walkway - grout in
collar joint);
o Give dimensions of construction and sizes of field-assembled components;
o Show details and diagrams of connections.

b) Be CORRECT
o Identify drawing symbols and abbreviations; GWB, TOS, AC, etc.
o Use consistent terminology - Consistent with the specifications
o Use identified generic terminology (hardwood, not oak);

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o Use material identifiers for multiple type products

c) Be COMPLETE
o Identify all materials, systems, components, appearance and connections.
o Indicate the extent of alternates.
o Show areas of construction phasing.
o Indicate limits of work.
o Show specific items of work by the owner or separate contractors (NIC; NOT “By Others”).
o Designate work (multiple prime).

d) Be CONCISE
o Organize information for the most easily understandable manner
o Show information only once in the best possible location
o Show the appropriate information at the appropriate scale (plan, building section, wall section,
detail
o Use generic information to identify, but not describe a material or component

Specifications should:
o Address the Contractor - not subcontractors; not trades; not suppliers;
o Provide detailed information (versus generic for drawings);
o Use consistent terminology;
o Be coordinated with Drawings;
o Include the correct use of words and grammar;
o Be properly edited (every word, line, and paragraph);
o Use the four C’s for effective communication:
Specifications should not:
o Include information which belongs more appropriately on the drawings, such as quantity,
capacity, and location;
o Be based on previous project specifications that are "just-like" this project;
o Retain "just-in-case" information not required for project
o Define work of subcontracts;
o Use abbreviations with multiple meanings (AC, ID).

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Summary of construction specification writing
Clarity
Specifications describe the character of the work, the desired results, and the materials and
procedures needed to complete, inspect, measure, and pay for the work. It is essential that the
contract provide a very exact definition of what the owner desires. Clear and exact language will
reduce disputes and ease interpretation and inspection.
Clarity is enhanced by:
• Arranging the text in logical order
• Discussing each detail fully and individually
• Using good sentence structure; preferably short sentences
• Being brief; a specification is not intended to be an essay, so only essential characteristics
should be described
• Using correct grammar
• Eliminating ambiguous and arbitrary statements
• Eliminating uncertainty caused by terms like "as the engineer shall direct”.
• Preparing fair requirements; limiting the severity of the requirement

Analyze the completed specification from the viewpoint of the contractor and the inspector. Is it
readable? Can it be understood? Are there any hidden problems?
Consistency
Use the same writing style throughout the specifications. Avoid jumping from one style to another.
Use words and terms that are plain and easily understood. Simple sentence structure is desirable.
Specifications are commonly written in the passive voice or indicative mood. This results in excess
verbiage through the frequent use of the word “shall,” e.g. “the contractor shall,” “the material shall,”
“the finishing shall.” Instead, the specifier should attempt to use an active voice or imperative mood
in writing specifications; e.g. finish the concrete, paint the surface, test the material; it should be
understood that the conditions of the contract normally specify that the contractor shall furnish, install
and test everything unless specifically excluded.
Be consistent with terminology and dimensional data used on the drawings. Adequate coordination
between the bid documents, general conditions, and technical specifications and drawings will
produce consistency.

Abbreviations and Symbols

Abbreviations and symbols are commonplace; however, do not assume that everyone understands
them. If there is any doubt, provide definitions. It is better to eliminate abbreviations for short words
(i.e., inch, foot, high, and acre).

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Specification Review
In accordance with the Specification Processing Flow Chart referred to in earlier in these lecture
notes, the draft specification should be subjected to thorough internal review by:
• The designers of the various components of the project
• The field personnel who will eventually have the task of monitoring the implementation of the
construction
• Experienced field personnel who can comment on constructability issues and eliminate potential
pitfalls or problems.
Each of the above parties should review the entire document and provide comments and input
related to their knowledge and expertise. After the internal review is completed and revisions have
been made, the specifications should be reviewed by the owner. Following the owner's review, the
specification team should incorporate changes and resolve differences.

Specification Language Problems

The following examples were extracted from specifications submitted for review. Some items
belong in more than one category of problems. Comments (notes) on each item are included.

Superfluous Language
Example 1 - “Contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, tools, supplies, equipment, materials,
transportation, services, and performance of all operations necessary for completion of the work.”

Note: This is a commercial, rather than technical requirement and belongs in the conditions of the
contract or scope of work.

Example 2 - “Prefabricated piping shall be erected before field run piping.”

Note: This is a scheduling item that should be in the proposal or agreement.
Example 3 - “All leaks discovered during testing shall be repaired at no expense to the Owner.”

Note: All requirements in the specifications shall be performed by the contractor for the contract
price unless specifically excluded.

Example 4 - “Upon completion of a system, the Owner may turn it over to the plant operator for
immediate use.”

Note: The general conditions should cover partial acceptance of the work.
Example 5 - “Piles shall be completely filled with concrete throughout their entire length without any
voids.”

Note: This is repetitive.

Example 6 - “The work shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

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(Listing of processes found later in the specification as well as in the table of contents, and lists
what will be provided by the contractor and what will be by the owner).”

Note: The scope of work section of the contract can better cover these items. All the specification
should state is what technical requirements are included in the specification.

Ambiguous Language

Example 1 - “Work shall be in accordance with stated codes except as noted herein.”

Note: The author probably meant, “except as otherwise noted herein.”

Example 2 - “Placement of concrete during cold weather shall not occur without written approval.”

Note: Unless a general statement defining the word “approval” is contained in the documents, the
contractor could approve placement.

Example 3 - “In the event that more than 100 cubic yards are placed on a particular day, an
additional set of compressive test specimens shall be made for each additional 100 cubic yards of
concrete placed.”

Note: Does this mean that if 199 cubic yards are placed, only one set of cylinders is required?
Example 4 - “All piping material furnished by the Owner shall be checked for conformance to size,
location and flange drilling.”
Note: Checked by whom and when?
Example 5 - “During installation, all openings in pipe, vessels, and equipment shall be covered with
temporary covers. Temporary covers shall be of plywood, sheet metal, or plastic.”

Note: Minimum thickness and means of securing should be stated.

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REFERENCES

LECTURE NOTES (2019): TCBE 3107 – Specification writing; by P. Mulamba