Specifications in

Construction Project
Chapter 12 – B.E Civil
 Specification
 The specification is the document where the
level of intended quality is specified.
 A specification is a description of the physical
or functional characteristics of a good, service,
or construction item.
 Specifications are clear concise descriptions of
materials and workmanship including the
methods of construction and precautions to be
taken.
 Specification contd..
 It is a description of what the purchaser/employer
seeks to buy, and to which a bidder/offeror must be
responsive in order to be considered for award of a
contract.
 The more clear and precise the specifications are, the
less time will be needed to respond to prospective
bidder’s/offer’s questions.
 Specifications have a great impact on the price.
Whether the specification is open or restrictive directly
affects the extent of competition.
 Poor Vs Well written
Specification
• Poorly written specifications:
 Increase costs.
 Decrease the chance of desired results.
 Are easily misinterpreted.
 Are open to challenge and protest by unsuccessful bidders.
 Increases risk.
• Well-written, complete, clear, concise, specific
specifications:
 Attract many qualified offerors.
 Are easier to evaluate.
 Minimizes the possibility of protests.
 Lower risks.
 Lower costs.
 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.

 Specification is the part of contract documents between owner and

the contractor limiting and describing their risks and
responsibilities.

 Specifications serves 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, the specifications can be grouped as
follows:
 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
 This describes the nature of the purposed work, qualities of the
materials and workmanship in general for the work as a whole
 Particular 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
 Types of Specification contd..
 Standard Specification:
• This is generally prepared and published by national standard
organizations which covers specific materials or group of
materials used by a specific trade or a segment of construction
industry. E.g. Indian standard, NS 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:

1. specification language: Simple and clear. Same tense

and repetition of noun is preferable
2. brief: as brief as possible. Standard article be specified
by references and code numbers.
3. fairness: fair to all parties. Proper sharing of risks
4. express: requirement of each and every item
5. repetition of information is avoided to avoid possibility
of contradiction
 Specification Writing

 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
 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
 while specifying the brand of materials options and choices should be given
 A good specification should be:
• Consistent.
• Easy to read and understand.
• Easy to revise, if needed.
• Formatted with good direction.
• Organized and categorized.
• Concise and free of repetition.
 When preparing specifications, consider:
• Who will receive the document?
• What do I want people to know or do?
• How detailed and exact should my information be?
• What questions might they ask?
 Choosing Words and Phrases
Words or phrases to avoid: Preferred words
 consumption use
 circumvented avoided
 nevertheless but
 activate start
 cooperation help/aid
 erroneous false
 initiate start
 compensation pay
 exemplifies show
 expedite rush
 conglomeration mixture
 disseminate spread
 incinerate burn
 prioritize rank
 Choosing Words and Phrases
 Words or phrases to avoid: Preferred
 modification change
 necessitate require
 a great number of times often
 in most cases usually
 experience has shown experience shows
 a small number of few
 it is recommended that we recommend
 with respect to concerning
 make contact with meet
 at a later point in time later
 in consideration of the fact that because

at your earliest convenience soon at regular intervals regularly
 in the normal course of normally
 Importance of Specification
1. Tender / contract document and agreement without
specification is incomplete, baseless and invalid.
2. The cost of an unit quality of work is governed by its
specification
3. To verify and check the strength of material for a work
involved in a project
4. To specify the equipment, tools and plants to be employed
for a works and thus enables to procure or hire
5. To procure the materials required for a project and to check
the quality of materials
6. It serves a guide for the site Engineer
7. Serves as an evidence in case of dispute
8. Changes in specification changes the contract cost
 Specification of various items of works
 E /W in Excavation Cement Concrete 1:2:4
• Excavation • Materials
• Proportion
• Finish of trench
• Hand Mixing
• Finds • Machine mixing
• Water in Foundation • Slump
• Trench Filling • Formwork
• Measurement • Laying
• Curing

specification building.pdf
Specification- ST.pdf
BW 1:4
Materials
Brick
Sand
Cement
Proportion (Combination)
Proportion
Mixing
Preliminary Works Prior to laying
wetting the brick
scaffolding
Laying
Frog upward
horizontal joint
vertical joint
Uniform raising
Tests if any
Clearing
protecting
curing
Measurement
THANKS