PROJECT TITLE: A Proposed Two-Storey Residential Building

LOCATION: P. Torres Street, Padre Garcia, Batangas

SUBJECT: General Notes and Specifications

INTRODUCTION

The project shall cover the design and construction of the Proposed Two-Storey Residential
Building located at P. Torres Street, Padre Garcia, Batangas. The site shall be developed to
accommodate the standard requirements of a residential building as prescribed by the
National Building Code of the Philippines and other generally-accepted design standards for
such structure. This set of Specifications shall govern the methods of construction and the
types of materials to be used for the proposed building shown in the plans and detail
drawings. The plans, detail drawings, and these Specifications shall be considered
complementary to each other, so that what is mentioned or shown in one, but not mentioned
or shown in the other, shall be considered to appear on both. If there is a dispute between
the two, the designer should be consulted to resolve the issue. Not all works can be shown
in the drawings. Generalized works are frequently in statement form; thus, the contractor is
highly urged to study the specification thoroughly.

THE LANGUAGE OF SPECIFICATIONS

The brevity of the provided specifications, potentially including incomplete sentences,

necessitates careful selection of relevant phrases based on core principles:

1. The technical specifications constitute merely one component of the comprehensive

contract documents.
2. The legally binding contract is enacted between the procuring entity and the general
contractor.
3. The general contractor bears sole responsibility for the work's completion in
accordance with all contract documents, irrespective of potential ambiguities within
the technical specifications.
Therefore;

1. The specifications solely address the general contractor to avoid any

misinterpretations of the contract's intent or disruptions in the chain of
command.
2. Once specialist contractors are chosen through bidding and assigned to the
general contractor, the general contractor becomes solely responsible for
completing the project per the contract documents. Therefore, there are no
direct references to them in the owner-general contractor
contract. "Contractor" always refers to the general contractor in all
documents.
3. While brand names indicate the desired quality level, they aren't
exclusive. The general contractor can submit substitutes of equivalent
quality, proven through lab tests and approved by the architect, for
consideration.
4. Whenever terms like "as shown," "as indicated," "as detailed," or similar
expressions are employed, they shall be interpreted as referring to the
accompanying project drawings, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
5. Within this document, the term "provided" shall be interpreted as signifying
"provided complete in place," which is synonymous with "furnished and
installed."
6. The majority of sentences utilize the imperative mood, a style particularly
adapted for conveying installation instructions for products and equipment.
7. Architectural specifications must be in accordance with the approved plans
and specifications.

I. GENERAL REQUIREMENT
1. Under this section this paper shall be known as the standard specifications
for and shall be the basis of interpretation of the plan for the Proposed Two-
Storey Residence.
2. The construction shall conform to all the requirements of the National Building
Code, as well as the local rules and regulations of the Municipality of Padre
Garcia, Batangas.
3. The Contractor shall secure from the government agencies all necessary
licenses and permits needed.
4. These specifications shall be part and parcel of the attached plans hereto and
shall govern over the said plans in case of conflict.
5. Every component of the construction must be done with first-class
workmanship, to the fullest talent and meaning of the designs and these
requirements, and to the complete satisfaction of the Architect/Engineer and
the Owner.
6. The contractor shall furnish all materials, equipment, tools, apparatus,
appliances, accessories, transportation, labor and supervision required for the
complete construction of the subject project, as shown on the drawings and
called for in these specifications, ready for use.
7. The contractor shall coordinate his work with all parties to ensure proper
phasing or comply with the approved schedule of work. The contractor shall
engage under him, a registered Engineer or Architect to supervise his work.
He shall remain at all times in the construction site.
8. The contractor shall diligently ensure the ongoing cleanliness of the premises
by promptly removing all waste materials such as rubbish, trash, debris, and
superfluous building supplies on a weekly basis. Upon the successful
completion of all construction works, the contractor shall further undertake the
restoration of any areas marred by the construction activities, ultimately
leaving the entire site in a pristine condition satisfactory to both the Project
Inspector or their representative and the end-user.
9. The contractor shall mobilize all the required project team personnel,
equipment, tools and manpower with the required skills and in sufficient
number as may be necessary for his efficient undertaking of the project.

SPL 1- PROJECT BILLBOARD

Design for billboard, refer the Project Engineer.

SPL 2- CONSTRUCTION SAFETY AND HEALTH

 Shall include the labor cost of first aider and material cost that use of
construction, such as safety shoes, safety helmet, first aid kit/meds, and
specialized PPE, in the duration of building a project.

SPL 3- PERMIT

Prior to construction commencement, permits will be obtained for electrical,

HVAC, plumbing, and side sewer elements, ensuring adherence to applicable
codes and regulations. Upon project completion, a comprehensive inspection by
a designated team will be conducted to verify compliance with plans, permits,
and governing regulations, guaranteeing the building's safety, functionality, and
regulatory adherence.

II. SITE WORK

Earth works consists of excavation, back filling and disposal of surplus material.
Work of this section includes all measure and materials required to complete the
design supply, support, use, construction, removal of earth work.

A. SITE PREPARATION
Ensuring proper foundation layout and defining floor heights fall under
the purview of project engineering.
B. SITE CLEARING
The designated building area shall be meticulously leveled in
accordance with the approved construction plans. All rubbish, organic
debris, and other objectionable materials must be eradicated and
removed from the site. Suitable elements may be repurposed for
adjacent landscaping, while all remaining materials shall be disposed
of as directed by the presiding architect or engineer.
C. EXCAVATION
The contractor shall make all necessary excavations for foundations to
grades indicated without extra compensation including all other
excavations, required and necessary for the proper persecution of the
work. Incidental excavation to the level the bottom of footings
compacting and tamping should be included in the building contract.
 The contractor is responsible for digging the ground to the specified
lengths, widths, and depths needed for the construction. If the ground
contains unsuitable or weak materials, the contractor must assess and
inform the Engineer in writing before proceeding. It is essential to
ensure that all excavation remains dry and tidy to prevent any
disruption from water entering the site.
D. BACKFILLING
The backfilling process shall commence only upon successful
inspection, testing, and Engineer approval of critical elements such as
drainage systems, insulation piping, construction details, and
watertightness. All backfill material must be devoid of organic matter,
debris, oversized stones, and boulders exceeding 15cm. Backfilling
techniques and depths shall ensure finished surfaces, post-settlement
and compaction, comply with designated levels per drawings and
specifications.
E. GRAVEL BEDDING
This item requires constructing a layer of gravel beneath all structural
components, including footings, columns, and slabs. This provides a
stable and level base and prevents harmful particles from
compromising the structural integrity.

III. Concrete
The scope of work for this project encompasses the furnishing and installation of
all requisite materials, labor, tools, equipment, and other construction facilities as
explicitly detailed in the approved plans and accompanying specifications.

CONCRETE
All concrete employed in this project shall adhere to stringent
specifications. Precisely combined Portland cement, fine and coarse
aggregates, water, and approved admixtures will constitute each
mixture, meticulously blended to achieve ideal uniformity, consistency, and
temperature for placement. Specified strength requirements mandate a minimum
of 3,000 psi for designated structural elements such as footings, retaining
walls, beams, and slabs. Further details regarding specific concrete compositions
and strength requirements are outlined in the accompanying specifications.

AGGREGATES
Fine aggregates shall comprise exclusively of hard, robust, durable, and
uncoated particles. The designated fines percentages within the sand may be
procured through processing natural sand or producing suitably graded
manufactured sand. Particle shape should generally be rounded or cubical, with
minimal occurrence of flat or elongated pieces. The utilization of beach sand is
strictly prohibited.

Coarse agreement shall consist of gravel, crushed gravel or rock, or a

combination thereof. g. The particle shape of one of the smallest sizes of crushed
coarse aggregate shall be generally rounded or cubical, and the coarse
aggregate shall be reasonably free from flat and elongated particles. A thin, flat
and elongated particle can be defined as a particle having a maximum dimension
greater than five times the minimum dimension.

WATER
Water shall be clean and free from injurious amounts of oils, acids, alkalis, salts
and organic materials, or other substances that may be deleterious to concrete or
steel. Water-Cement Ratio shall be determined so as to achieve the required
workability and to obtain the specified concrete strength which shall be subject to
the approval of the Engineer.

REINFORCING BARS
a. Reinforcing bars shall be kept clean and free from rust, straight and
free from distortion, place and held in position as indicated.
b. Place reinforcement accurately fastened and support it to prevent
displacement before or during placing of concrete. Bars shall be bent
 cold. Splices in bars shall be made at critical points of maximum
stresses.
c. Reinforcing bars shall be deformed conforming to ASTM A615 billet
steel as follows:
1. 16mmǿ bars and larger shall be high grade with minimum Fy = 414MPA
(6000PSI).
2. 12mmǿ bars and smaller shall be intermediate grade with minimum
Fy=276MPA (40000PSI)
d. If bending and welding are important, deformed bar shall conform to
ASTM A706 low alloy grade 414 steel bar.
e. Tie wires shall be local standard commercials G.I. wires gauge 16.

IV. Masonry
1. Throughout the project, the contractor shall utilize a single brand of Portland
cement consistently. Said cement must comply with the latest revision of
ASTM Designation C-150, Standard Specifications for Portland Cement,
specifically for Type 1 Portland cement.
2. Only clean, washed river sand meeting the requirements of ASTM C 35 - 67
is acceptable. This sand must be strong, free from organic matter and other
harmful materials, and not sourced from saltwater or lahar deposits.
3. The water must be potable, meaning suitable for drinking, and must not
contain any harmful levels of oil, acids, alkalis, organic matter, or other
detrimental substances.
4. The specified minimum compressive strength for the concrete mortar
employed in this project shall be 13.8 megapascals (MPa), which is
equivalent to 2,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
5. Apply laser bond on all wall areas prior to plastering.
6. MORTAR TOPPING & PLASTER REINFORCING FIBER: For plaster works
thicker than 25mm (1”) and for mortar topping over membrane waterproofing
for roof decks and balconies.
7. Use 100 mm x 200 mm x 400 mm (4” x 8” x 16”) Load Bearing Concrete
Hollow Block Units of standard manufacture, machine vibrated with even
 texture and well-defined edges, steam-cured, conforming to PNS16 Type 1,
Class A, with a 99 minimum compressive strength of 500 psi for building
exterior and interior walls and septic tank retaining wall around open court
and wherever else specified.
8. Gauge 16 Galvanized Iron (G.I.) tie wires.