Specification Writing

INTRODUCTION  Where we use “Specification” …  Is it connected with process of construction…?  Are they a part of ‘Contract’ document…? Drawings show proportions and relative positions of various parts/ items. Entire data or details regarding the quality materials and workmanship cannot be included in the drawings due to lack of space in the drawings. Hence information regarding quality of materials and workmanship is conveyed in the separate contract document SPECIFICATIONS… Objectives of Specifications:  The quality of materials and workmanship specified will help contractor filling correct rates for the different items of the work.  The information and instructions contained in the specifications will serve as a guide to the contractor and supervisor during execution of the work.  It helps architects and engineers to convey information to fulfill the design needs.  These specifications also aim to protect the owner from any damage due to bad workmanship or low-quality materials.  Thus, the specifications describe and limit the responsibilities of the owner and contractor. Importance of Specifications  The instructions which can be easily expressed well in the words are written in the specifications.  The provisions in the specifications are generally given more legal strength in most of the contracts. Most of the contracts state that in case of discrepancy between drawing and specifications, the provision of specification shall govern. Use of Specifications:  The specification of the project are prepared or written on behalf of the owner.  However, they serve as a best guide for contractors, sub- contractors, material suppliers, architect’s or owner’s site supervisor.  It serves as legal document in case of disputes between the owner and contractor. ROLE OF SPECIFICATION WRITING

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Supplementary role Additional information to what is given in Drawings. Ensures enforcement of contract as intended by the architect. It ensures the building to be built to the satisfaction and intention of the architect.  Guide to the contractor in the use of correct materials and are of good code and practice.  The main document on which the contractor is required to choose a technical specification for all times.  Supplement to bill of quantities in mode of measurement and payment. 2. Complementary role  It enhances the technical details and information already quoted in drawing or elsewhere in contract.  It is complementary to good building practices and to maintain minimum standards of materials and specifications intended.  Big role in restricting the cost, when cost is a constraint.  Complementary to the desired quality of constructions and reasonably good quality can be ensured by specifying correctly the items in the work.  Making supervision on site easier and preventing disputes; giving supervisory staff a good idea of an item in its finished state. How to write SPECIFICATIONS? Important aspects of writing specifications  Acceptability of Changes  Clarity  Cost  Flexibility  Product quality control  Co-operation and coordination amongst various agencies. Two essentials of drafting specifications:  To know what is required to be done  To be able to express it clearly The Paragraphs of a particular specification should be arranged in the following sequence:

• Specification of materials • Combination of materials • Preliminary work prior to construction or installation of materials • Installation of materials • Tests, if any • Clearing on completion • Schedules, if any • Mode of measurement PRINCIPLES OF SPECIFICATIONS WRITING: a. Subject matter. b. Grammar. c. Abbreviations. d. Development of styles. e. Selection of words. f. Accuracy. g. Conflicting requirements h. Practical limits & commercial i. Clearness j. Fairness k. Brevity (in brief) 1.    

Subject matter: It should relate to the information required for the contract Only requirements to be enforced should be included. Reduced use of cross references Inapplicable text should not be included.

2. Grammar:  Should comply with the rules of grammar  Addition, omission or misplacement of hyphens, commas and semi-colons should not alter the sense.  Avoid use of pronouns and relative pronouns 3. Abbreviations  Abbreviations known in building industries should be used  For any other use it should be defined 4. Development of styles  No attempt should be made to make an elegant and impressive style.

 Arranging ideas with clarity and brevity  Should be improved rather than copying from some manufacturer. 5. Selection of words  Use only suitable words with desired meaning  No use of words having more than one meaning 6. Accuracy  Information should be complete, correct and should not be repeated  All items affecting the cost of work should be included and described in detail without any repetition. 7. Conflicting requirements  Conflicting requirements shall not be mentioned. For e.g. in case of pile foundation, penetration of piles and soil bearing should not be mentioned. 8. Practical limits & commercial  Consideration to practical limitations of materials and workmanship should be considered  Should be in accordance with commercial sizes and patterns of the selected materials  Otherwise, expensive and time-consuming task should be avoided 9. Clearness  No meaning should be left on contractors’ interpretation  Same meanings should be followed by both the parties. 10.Fairness  Should not hold responsible contractor solely for all the risks  Unfair specification may sometimes prove to be expensive due to consideration of excess risks. 11.Brevity  Conciseness or brevity is the essence of the specifications  Specifications should be short, simple, and should give appropriate directions for construction work.  As it is legal document fewer words will involve less risk FACTORS AFFECTING SPECIFICATION WRITING  Current modes and practices in the field

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Knowledge of basic construction details Availability of materials in the market Costs involved and financial constraints if any Availability of skilled manpower in the region Codes of practice as published by Indian Standard specifications Practicability and ease in the use of those specifications

CLASSIFICATION OF SPECIFICATIONS A. Open Specifications: An open specification gives the physical properties of the material, the tests it must comply with or the result expected. These are generally used for public works. Advantages:  Suitable for basic material such as cement, sand, steel, since standards for such material can be easily written down.  Provide for a atmosphere for true competitive market resulting at lower cost to the owner. Disadvantages:  Checking & testing for each material becomes time-consuming.  If not properly drafted may lose on control over quality of the product.  These specifications are lengthy, hence architect or specification writer spends more in framing them, hence time consuming. B. Restricted specifications: In a restricted specification, the material is described & then, the choice of the contractor is limited to two or more manufacturers or distributors. Thus, an approved list containing the catalogue number or name of the product is specified & the contractor has to choose the material from the approved list. Advantages:  Promotes competition among manufacturers to include their product in the approved list by maintaining the standard quality at reasonable price. Disadvantages:  Products which will not alter the design & will not disturb the space requirements must be carefully considered.  Product must be more or less of the same quality & price. C. Closed specifications In this type of specification, material or product is specified by a trade name mentioning catalogue number, manufacturer & sometimes a

particular distributor from whom the product is to be purchased. Since the designer is the agent of the owner & hence, will select only those materials or products to be included in the closed specification which will be helpful in turning out a satisfactory completed project. Advantages:  The architect can complete the drawings of the project before the tenders are invited.  Since complete details are known the designer can decide the fittings, room dimensions etc.  The owner has a choice of material he prefers.

Specifications are broadly divided in to two categories  Brief specifications  Detailed specifications Brief specifications: While preparing the estimate the quantity surveyor writes down the brief description of very item. These are known as brief specifications. They are not part of contract document and are only useful to the person preparing the estimate of work. Detailed specifications:  These specifications form a part of contract document  They are divided into following three groupsGeneral provisions Technical provisions Standard specifications  General provisions  It writes the conditions governing contract  The clauses which are related to the work as a whole are written in a separate contract document known as the general provisions or condition of contract.  Conditions of contract are framed in the legal terminology and in case of complicated contracts; the lawyers are entrusted to frame conditions of contract.  The provisions in the technical specifications are made use of at any stage of the work.  But it is likely that clause contained in the general provisions may not be used at all during the contract period. Following groups of conditions of contract are generally accommodated: 1. Conditions relating to documents:  Bill of quantities and schedule of prices  Drawings  Indian standard specifications  Notices  Provisional and prime cost sums etc.

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2. Conditions relating to the general obligations of the contractor. These pertain to Access to works Acts, bye-laws and regulations Fencing, watching / security, lighting Insurance Setting out site etc.

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3. Conditions relating to labour and personnel: Accident to workmen Contractor's representative Engineer's representative First aid Rates of wages Removal of the employee of the contractor etc.

4. Conditions relating to assignment and sub-letting  Assignment  Sub-letting  Specialist contractors etc.       

5. Conditions relating to the execution of the work: Alterations, additions, omissions during progress of work Amount of extra items Damages Defective work, defects Materials Protection of trees and shrubs Public travel etc.

6. Conditions relating to measurement and payment  Method of measurement of completed works  Method of payment  Payment to sub-contractors etc. 7. Conditions relating to default and non-completion:  Abandonment of the work by the contractor  Bankruptcy of contractor  Failure to complete the work in time

 Right to suspend the work by owner  Time of completion etc. 8. Conditions relating to settlement of disputes  Arbitration  When engineer’s decision is to be final etc.     

9. Special conditions: Equipment Names of firms supplying materials Pollution of streams Use of intoxicants etc. Also, conditions of contract or general provisions define basic terminology used like definitions of owner, contractor, architect engineer in few typical clauses.

Technical Provisions / Specifications These specifications describe  The technical requirements of each type of construction.  Instructions regarding the desired quality of the final product, inspection & tests during construction to make sure that the specified requirements are being obtained.  Technical provisions should be in accordance with the provisions in the drawings of the work. Types of technical specifications: a. Specifications for materials and workmanship b. Specifications for performance c. Specifications for proprietary commodities Specification for materials & workmanship:  written for engineering structures such as bridges, buildings etc. where it is not possible to conduct any practical test to ensure that the structure will perform its required services throughout its desired period of utility.  A rigid control on material & workmanship, hence stress on the quality of material.  Performance of structure depends on structural design if material & workmanship are as specification.

 Properties included physical properties, chemical composition, appearance of material, information regarding protection during transportation, storage, inspection & procedure of test, place of inspection.  Features included the desired results, description of method of construction, instruction regarding protection of finished work as well as adjoining property.  Specification for performance: These specifications are based on the overall performance of the finished product & hence, they are written for the equipment & machinery such as pumps, motors etc.  General description: complete idea of size, shape of equipment or machinery.  Design & installation: If machinery of particular design, then has to be specified. Minor machinery – installed by contractor, large machinery cranes, turbines – separate tender by owner specifying responsibility of erection & installation of the equipment, facilities to be obtained from the contractor viz: preparation of foundation, fixing of anchor bolts, coordination of machinery installation with the rest of the work.  Provision for special equipment: If special type- state detail design type of design, power needed, capacity, efficiency etc.  Guarantee : Specs should provide for period of guarantee from the contractor for performance & durability of the equipment, supply of spare parts for a specified period.  Specification for proprietary commodities These specifications include commercial standardized or patented.

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The only thing to be mentioned in this type of specification is to state a name of a particular brand of firm. e.g.: Nirali sink, Godrej office chairs, Jindal Aluminium sections It is not desirable in case of Public works to specify certain trade names or brands, due to following reasons:  A monopoly is created for the patented article  A doubt of favouritism is laid down on specification writer. Some other manufacturers may be able to supply the same article of better quality at a lower cost.

Standard specifications Specification are often written for all items of the work. It is possible to standardize the specification for most of the items occurring in works of similar nature. e.g., modular false ceiling, vitrified tiles etc. Hence, each office develops its own standard specification in due course of time. • Lengthy process of wording is avoided. • Generally blank spaces provided in the skeleton of standard specifications as a provision to add any specific type / make / brand etc. • For construction work in India, PWD handbook is treated as standard specifications.