Chapter 12

Specification
Subodh Sharma Gautam
(MSc Urban Planning, MBA Finance, BE Civil)
 Introduction
• The specification is the document where the
level of intended quality is specified.

• Specifications are clear concise descriptions of

materials and workmanship including the
methods of construction and precautions to
be taken
 Purpose of Specification
• It helps to avoid the lengthy descriptions in
bills of quantities and big captions on the
drawings. It supplements the information
given in the drawings

• It serves the bidders to guide about the

client’s intended quality requirements and to
arrive them at a fair price for the work
involved.
 Purpose of Specification
• Specification is the part of contract documents
between owner and the contractor limiting
and describing their tasks and responsibilities.

• Specifications serve as a guide for supervisors,

engineers and fabricators regarding the
methods of construction, fabrication,
installation of equipment and materials.
 Types of Specification
Depending upon the purpose served:

– Contract Specification

– Standard Specification

– Overall Performance Specification

– Manufacturer’s specification
 Contract Specification
Contract specification is developed for a
particular construction or project to
accompany the working drawings. It is
divided into two types:---

• General specification
• Particular Specification
 Contract Specification
• General specification
– This describes the nature of the purposed work,
qualities of the materials and workmanship in general
for the work as a whole
• Particular/ Detailed Specification
– This is detailed written descriptions of every item in
the schedule of quantities, which specifies the
materials to be used, its quality, workmanship and the
results to be achieved. Usually specification of the
items is written in the same sequence as they are
mentioned in the BOQ
 Contract Specification
• Detailed Specification can be sub divided into
three provision:
– General provision
– Technical provision
– Standard provision
• Technical provision constitutes:
• Specification for materials and workmanship
• Specification for performance
• Specification for proprietary commodities
 Standard Specification:

Generally prepared and published by national

standard organizations which cover specific
materials or group of materials used by a
specific trade or a segment of construction
industry. E.g. Indian standard, NS, NBC etc..
 Overall Performance Specification:

This details in comprehensive but

general terms, what the client is
looking for
 Manufacturer's Specification:

Specification prepared by
manufacturer’s showing their
quality of their products
 Specification Writing
The general principles of specification writing
are substantially the same regardless of the
subject matter, which are as follows:
• Specification language: Simple and clear. Same
tense and repetition of noun is preferable
• Brief: as brief as possible. Standard article be
specified by references and code numbers.
• Fairness: fair to all parties. Proper sharing of risks
 Specification Writing (Contd)
• Express: requirement of each and every item
• Repetition of information is avoided to avoid
possibility of contradiction
• Inclusion of proper paragraph
– specification of materials
– combinations of materials
– preliminary works prior to construction
– installation of materials
– test, if any
– clearing on completion
– mode of measurements
 Specification Writing (Contd)
• Standard size and patterns: commercial size should
be specified as far as possible, unusual; dimensions
should be avoidable
• Cross references should be minimum as possible
• Quality of materials and workmanship should be
specified
• Nothing impossible to achieve and not intended to
be enforced should be specified
• While specifying the brand of materials options
and choices should be given
 Importance of Specification
• Tender / contract document and
agreement without specification is
incomplete, baseless and invalid.
• The cost of an unit quality of work is
governed by its specification
• To verify and check the strength of
material for a work involved in a project
 Importance of Specification (Contd)
• To specify the equipment, tools and plants to
be employed for a works and thus enables to
procure or hire
• To procure the materials required for a
project and to check the quality of materials
• It serves a guide for the site Engineer
• Serves as an evidence in case of dispute
• Changes in specification changes the contract
cost
 Write down detailed specification for the
following items of works:
• E/W in excavation in foundation
• B/W in 1:4 cement mortar
• PCC (1:3:6) in foundation
• PCC (1:11/2:3) for RCC Works
• Steel Reinforcement
• Wood work for doors and windows frame
• Cement sand plaster (1:4)
• Enamel painting etc
 Specification of various items of works

E /W in Excavation Cement Concrete 1:2:4

• Scope
– Scope
• Materials
– Excavation • Proportion
– Finish of trench • Hand Mixing
– Finds • Machine mixing
– Water in Foundation • Slump
– Trench Filling • Formwork
• Laying
– Measurement
• Curing