10

Interpreting

Specifications

10.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW.

Standard building specifications are written documents that go with the construction drawings and de-

scribe the materials as well as the installation methods. They also prescribe the quality standards of con-

struction expected on the project.

In the United States, the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) has established a widely recog-

nized format of organization for technical specifications. CSI is a nationwide organization composed of

architects, engineers, manufacturers’ representatives, contractors, and other interested parties who

have worked together to develop this system of identification. Prior to 2004 the format consisted of spec-

ifications for 16 divisions. These specification standards are noted in the MasterFormat, which in 2004

was expanded to 50 divisions, as will be described later in this chapter.

Specifications are legal documents and should therefore be complete, accurate, and unambiguous.

Specification writing has two main roles: defining the scope of work and acting as a set of instructions.

At the core of specification writing is defining the scope of work. Ensuring that the required level of qual-

ity of the product and services is clearly communicated to bidders and that the completed project con-

forms to this specified quality is extremely important, although sometimes misunderstood. Most projects

now incorporate the specifications within a project manual (a concept first developed by the AIA in 1964)

that is issued along with the drawings, bidding requirements, and other contract conditions as part of the

contract-documents package.

Construction drawings are supplemented by written project specifications. Project specifications

give detailed information regarding materials and methods of work for a particular construction project.

They cover various factors relating to the project, such as general conditions, scope of work, quality of

materials, standards of workmanship, and protection of finished work. The drawings, together with the

project specifications, define the project in detail and show exactly how it is to be constructed. Usually,

any set of drawings for an important project is accompanied by a set of project specifications. The draw-

ings and project specifications are inseparable. The drawings indicate what the project specifications

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