CHAPETR – 3

SPECIFICATION
Chapter Outline
‡ 3.1. Introduction
‡ 3.2. Purposes of specifications
‡ 3.3. Types of Specifications
‡ 3 4 Specification writing
3.4.
 3 1 Introduction
3.1.
‡ The information that is needed for construction is usually
y
conveyed by two basic communication lines. They are Drawings
(pictorial) and Specifications (written).

‡ Specifications are devices for organizing the information

depicted on the drawings and they are written descriptions of
the legal and technical requirements forming the contract
documents.

‡ Difference: Drawings should generally show the following:

„ Dimensions, extents, size, shape, and location of component parts
„ Location of materials,, machineries,, and fixtures
„ Interaction of furniture, equipments and space
„ Schedules of finishes, windows and doors
3 1 Introduction
3.1.
‡ Specification is defined as the designation or
statement by which written instructions are given
distinguishing and/or limiting and describing the
particular trade of work to be executed.
‡ Specification is one of the contract documents.
‡ Specifications are written based on the prepared
design, drawings, general and scientific trends of
workmanship,
k hi quality
li expected,d equipment
i
involved and materials to be used for the particular
trade of work.
work
3 1 Introduction
3.1.
‡ The specifications should clearly specify: -
‡ Type and quality of materials, equipments, labor or workmanship
‡ Methods of fabrication, installation and erection
‡ S d d codes
Standards, d and d tests
‡ Allowance, submittals and substitutions
‡ Cost included, insurance and bonds
‡ Project records and site facilities.
‡ Specifications should be clear, concise, and brief
d
descriptions
i i off what
h iis required
i d to execute the
h
proposed trade of work.
3 2 Purposes of specifications
3.2.
‡ The purpose of specifications generally includes:
1. Guide the bidder at the time of tendering to arrive at a
reasonable cost for the work
2. Provide guidance for execution and supervision of works.
3. Guide the contractor for the purchase of materials
4. S
Serve as a part off contract d
document to li
limit
i and
dddescribe
ib
the rights and obligations of each contracting parties.
5. Guide the bidder to identify his capacity to execute the
work.
 3 2 Purposes of specifications
3.2.
6. Serve as fabrication and installation guide for temporary and permanent
works.
7. Guide the contractor for the purchase and/or hiring of equipments.
8. Serve for the owner to know what he/she is entitled to receive
9. Serve for the manufacturers of construction materials, equipments, tools
etc to grade, classify, and improve qualities of their produces.
10
10. Indirectly the specifications are very much related to the legal
Indirectly,
considerations, insurance considerations, bidding requirements,
alternates and options, rights, obligations and remedial measures for the
contractingg parties.
p
‡ Note: In the events of conflicts between specification and
drawings, the specification governs.
3 3 Types of Specifications
3.3.
‡ In general, specifications can be broadly classified into four categories as
f ll
follows:
‡ Manufacturer’s specification: Manufacturers prepare specification of
their product for the guidance of their users, which may include
property description and installation guide lines.
lines
‡ Guide Specification : Specifications prepared by an individual or group
of individuals based on manufacturer’s specifications, established trends
of workmanship, p, service and laboratory
y tests and research findingsg to be
used as guide lines for preparation of contract specifications.
‡ Standard Specification: Specifications which are intended to be used as a
reference standard in the construction of a project. The guide
specification
ifi i whichhi h hhas b
been standardized
d di d b by a recognized
i d authority
h i iis
considered as standard specification.
‡ Contract (Project) Specification: the specification prepared for a
particular project to accompany the drawings and other contract
documents.
3 3 Types of Specifications
3.3.
‡ “Technical Specification and Methods of Measurement for Construction of
B ildi ” off March
Buildings”, M h 1991 iis theh standard
d d specification
ifi i which hi h h
has b
been iin use
for many years as one of the contract documents in our country. This
material has the general requirement part and the specific part.

‡ In the general requirement part the following items, which may be applied
to any project and any trade of work are described in general terms:

‡ 011 - General 012 - Site Description 013 - Quality Assurance

‡ 014 - Project Records 015 - Site Facilities 016 - Cleaning up

‡ In the specific part the different trades of works (excavation and earthworks,
concrete works, etc.) are described in details and the method of
measurements are given.
g
3 3 Types of Specifications
3.3.
‡ There are the followingg types
yp of technical specifications:
p
‡ Proprietary Specifications: This specifications call for desired
materials, producers, systems, and equipments by their trade
names and model numbers. For detailed descriptions reference
should be made to manufacturer’s specifications.
„ They are of two types; Closed (sole) source and Open or equal source.
‡ Example: -
‡ 1. Water reducing agent shall be used in all concrete, in
strict accordance with the manufacturer's printed
i
instructions.
i Total
T l airi entrained
i d shall
h ll b
be 55.0%
0% plus
l or
minus 1.0% of volume of concrete with required strengths
maintained.
‡ 2. Air – Entraining Agent: “Darex” by W.R. Grace
Company, “Aerolith” by Sonneborn Building Products or
equal meeting ASTM C260 as approved by the architect.
3 3 Types of Specifications
3.3.
‡ Performance Specifications: specifications which
define products based on desired end results which
are performance oriented;
‡ most appropriate when new or unusual products or
systems are required or when innovation is necessary.
‡ Testing methods and evaluation procedures for
defining the required performances must be explicitly
specified.
ifi d
‡ Example: - Stud shear connectors shall conform to
th requirements
the i t off A
Article
ti l 4.26
4 26 off th
the A
American
i
Welding Society.
3 3 Types of Specifications
3.3.
‡ Reference Specifications: Specifications which refer
to levels of quality established by recognized testing
authority or standards set by quality control
authorities. These specifications are also used in
conjunction with other types of specifications.
‡ Example : - C – 25 Concrete.
‡ Descriptive Specifications : Specifications which
d
describe
ib all
ll components off products,
d their
h i
arrangements and methods of assembly, physical and
chemical properties
properties, arrangement and relationship of
parts and numerous other details.
3 3 Types of Specifications
3.3.
‡ The specifier
p shall take total responsibility
p y for the function
and performance of the product.
‡ Example: - “Supply and fix 40mm. thick flush wood door
with hard wood frames and both sides covered with best
quality 4mm thick ply wood. Price includes approved
quality lock, hinges, three coats of varnish paint, door
stopper and all necessary accessories to comply ES ES’’..
‡ Cash Allowance Specifications: Specifications meant to direct
bidders to set aside a specified amount of money to be applied
to the construction work at the direction of the specifier.
specifier
‡ Example: - “A lump sum of $3,000.00 for purchase of hard
ware, as defined by and specified in Specification sections
off Di
Division
i i 8”
 3 4 Specification writing
3.4.
‡ Specification writing embodies certain methods of presenting information and
instructions When specifications are to be written
instructions. written, the following shall be taken into
consideration:-
1. Specification writing require
1. Visualization (having clear picture of the system)
2. Research ((to know the legal
g impact
p correctly) y)
3. Clear thinking (understanding things directly without misleading)
4. Organizing (organizing what we know to write the specification)
2. Specification writing require professional ability to read drawings
3. Specification writing require wide knowledge of the construction materials, various levels of
workmanship,
k hi diff
different construction
i equipments
i and
d method
h d off construction
i to b
be employed
l d
4. Specifications use simple and clear language such that it can readily be understood.
5. Specifications shall be brief and short as much as possible (avoid long sentences without
punctuations)
6
6. Specifications shall include all items affecting the cost of the work
7. Specifications shall be fair and do not attempt to throw all risks and responsibilities on one of
the parties signing the contract, the employer or the contractor.
8. Specifications shall avoid repetition of information shown on drawings to avoid mistakes and
duplications
p within the specifications
p and drawingsg
9. Specifications shall not include inapplicable text and do not specify the impossible or anything
not intended to be enforced.
What are the useful references in
specification
ifi ti writing?
iti ?
‡ The followingg are useful references in Specification
p
Writing:
„ Codes and ordinances of governments, cities, or
municipalities For example
municipalities. example, Ethiopian Building Code of
Standards (EBCS)
„ Standards prepared by distinct societies and government
agents. F
For example,
l ACI standards,
d d ASTM standards,d d BS BS,
ES.
„ Standards or model specifications
p prepared
p p byy
manufacturers, professional societies, and government
bodies.
„ Master specifications and previously written specifications.
specifications
„ Information or experience acquired by personal observation
and contact with trained or experienced people in the
construction industry
Specification language
‡ The specification
p writer should present
p his instructions
regarding the particular work under consideration in such a
manner that: -
1. Th d
The drawings
i are more clearly
l l iinterpreted,
d not d duplicated.
li d
2. Rights, obligations, and remedial measures shall be designated
without ambiguity
g y or prejudice.
p j
3. Clearly express the extent of works under consideration;
therefore, the phraseology used in this regard shall be: -
„ i)) Judged
d db by its quality
l not its llength
h
„ ii) Should be concise and short and written with commonly used
words
„ iii) Punctuations are important but their usage shall be limited to few
Specification language
‡ Capitalizing the first letters is mandatory for the following expressions: -
1. Parties to the contract; e.g. Employer/Client /Contractor/ Engineer
2. Space within the building; e.g. Bed Room, Toilet, Living Room
3. Contract documents; e.g. Bill of Quantity, Working Drawing, Specification
‡ Minimize pronouns
pronouns, better to repeat nouns
‡ Minimize the use of symbols
‡ Do not use foot notes, do not underline within a sentence for emphasis
‡ Words shall be used as follows:-
follows:
„ shall in place of must; use “shall” for the duties of the contractor or the
consultant to represent the word “must”
„ “will” is used for the duties of the employer
p y to represent
p the word “must”
„ “must” –avoid the use of the word “must” and substitute by the word shall
to prevent the inference of different degrees of obligation
„ Avoid the use of words which have indefinite meanings or limitless and
ambiguous in their meanings
meanings. For example
example, any
any, either
either, same
same, similar
similar, etc
etc.
‡ Group – 2, 3, 4 and 5
‡ Day 1 – 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10
‡ Sat.
Sat May 31 – 9:00 – 11:30 AM
‡ Day 2 – 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15
‡ Tues.
Tues 3:00 – 11:00 PM
‡ Day 3 – 16, 17, 18 , 19 and 1
‡ Thur.
Thur 1:30 – 4:00 PM
E tension
Extension
‡ Presented – G 1, 4, 5
‡ Group 1– 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 – May 31, Sat. 1:30 – 4:30
‡ Group 2 2– 10,
10 1111, 12
12, 13
13, 14 – June 4,4 Wen
Wen. 6:15 –
8:00 pm
‡ Group 3 3– 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 – June 10, Tue. 6:15 –
8:00
‡ Group p 4– 20,, 21,, 22,, 23,, 24 – JJune 11,, Wen. 6:15 –
8:00
‡ Group p 5– 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 – JJune 14, Sat. 1:30 –
4:30
‡ Group 6– 30, 31, 32, 33, 35 – June 18, Wen. 6:15 –