Construction Specification, Writing styles, Format.

Construction specifications, also known as construction specifications or specs, are

details within a construction service contract that outline all of the important aspects required for
project completion. Contractors and construction crews may use specifications as a reference
for questions that arise during the project's duration and to ensure the correct fulfillment of each
project requirement.

Specifications often include information about:

● The scope of work
● The materials for the project
● The timeline and important project milestones
● Methods of installation
● Quality of workmanship
● Testing requirements
● National, state and company safety standards

Contractors often use specifications to supplement architectural drawings and blueprints

to describe and document information they may not be able to provide visually.

Types of construction specifications

Prescriptive
Prescriptive specifications detail the required materials and the preferred method of
installation in detail. Prescriptive specifications can be classified into three types:

General provisions: These service provisions often reference building codes and
standards, both state and national, with which contractors must comply.

Required products: This part of a prescriptive specification describes the materials and
resources necessary for structural and performance requirements.

Execution procedures: Execution procedures describe the optimal and desired

methods of installation and the means for measuring the quality and effectiveness of completed
work.

Performance
The operational requirements of the completed project are described in performance
specifications. Rather than providing step-by-step instructions for each task, this type of
specification delegated execution to the contractor as long as the final performance objectives
were met.
Proprietary
Although proprietary specifications are not as common as prescriptive and performance
specifications, they are used when only one specific product can be used for an installation.

General Requirements Subgroup:

Division 01 – General Requirements

The General Requirements of Division 1 apply to the entire Works as a whole.
architectural, structural, landscaping, or other services described in the contract terms
Mechanical and electrical.

Facility Construction Subgroup:

Division 02 – Existing Conditions

Division 2 Existing Conditions includes site assessments and investigations, structure
removal, and hazardous soil, building, and groundwater cleaning. It describes methods for
detecting site factors that may influence future project activity. Many aspects of the site are not
immediately apparent, necessitating the assignment of specific pre-construction responsibilities.
It also includes methods for mitigating any negative site and building characteristics, such as
groundwater remediation and mold and asbestos removal from structures.

Division 03 — Concrete
Concrete in Division 03 includes both site-placed and precast concrete, as well as basic
concrete materials, admixtures and reinforcing, concrete forming, handling, and finishing, and
concrete maintenance and repair.

Division 04 — Masonry
Masonry is the process of constructing structures out of natural stone or man-made
materials such as brick or block. Masonry is one of the oldest types of construction, with ancient
masonry structures dating back more than 10,000 years still standing. Masonry is an excellent
choice for long-lasting constructions due to its proven durability and ease of construction.

Division 05 — Metals
Metals are a type of material that has become increasingly important in most
construction projects. Metals are used throughout the building, from structural steel columns
and beams that form the skeletal frame to bent and curved metals that form roofs, floors, stairs,
and aesthetic fabrications. A metal or aluminum curtain wall, metal studs for internal rooms,
stainless steel hand railings, or steel pipe guards at the loading dock could all be part of today's
project. Metal is infinitely adaptable and versatile. Metal is also regarded as a "green" material
due to the recycled content used in its production and its ability to be recycled once its purpose
has been fulfilled.
 Division 06 — Wood, Plastics, and Composites
Wood, Plastics, and Composites are a class of classic and modern building materials
that are used as structural, non-structural, and finish building materials in all types of
construction. The diverse properties provided by various wood species, material types, and
manufacturing techniques enable a wide range of purposes and applications. This category
includes both rough and polished
wood framing and finish carpentry Plastics and composites are cutting-edge materials that are
constantly being updated and improved to improve their capabilities. Plastic is made from
polymers, a synthetic material that can be reliably shaped or extruded into virtually any shape.
Composites are engineered products made up of two or more materials, the most common of
which are plastic, wood, glass, and carbon fibers.

Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection

Most construction materials degrade when exposed to moisture, so thermal and
moisture protection is important. Building systems must be constructed to prevent moisture from
entering the structure. It is critical for structures to provide people with pleasant places to visit.

Division 08 — Openings
Openings include the maintenance, repair, installation, or replacement of items or parts
of construction such as doors, grilles, entrances, and glazing systems, windows, skylights,
hardware, glazing materials, louvers, and vents.

Division 09 — Finishes
Finishes is concerned with the basic interior building components of a construction
project, such as walls, paint, ceilings, and flooring. It includes the vast majority of traditional
interior finishes. Interior finishes are presented in a way that allows you to learn about their
history, current use, installation requirements and processes, and future improvements.

Division 10 — Specialties
Toilet accessories and fire protection are examples of commercial construction work
specialties. Extinguishers/cabinets, visual display, bathroom accessories, and various other
material products These items do not fit neatly into the other categories, but they are necessary
for the completion of any project and include items that are used on a regular basis.

Division 11 — Equipment
Equipment refers to any and all equipment required by a structure, facility, or house. In
order to meet the structural and/or mechanical demands of the equipment, equipment
requirements are frequently addressed during the design or construction phase of a project.
Just a few examples include parking control, security, banking, laundry, office, food service,
entertainment, health care, garbage collection, and recreational equipment.

Division 12 — Furnishings
Furnishings are artifacts that are placed in finished areas and are considered ornamental
or fine art. When used in any type of architectural environment, they can both facilitate human
activities and be visually appealing. They can be chosen by an interior designer or mandated by
the government.
designed by an architect or installed by a savvy homeowner When chosen, scaled, and
schemed correctly, furnishings complement and define a space's interior finishes.

Division 13 — Special Construction

Structures designed for a specific end-use, such as a greenhouse, necessitate complex
construction criteria and processes that are tailored to that specific building purpose. Installation
of similarly defined and specific sub-systems, such as a bank vault, is also included within
traditionally designed structures. Building projects in Division 13 are more expensive to plan and
complete because they require professional analysis and construction skills.

Division 14 — Conveying Equipment

Conveying Equipment is a type of mechanical handling equipment that is used to
transport objects. Items from one place to another Conveyors are particularly useful in
applications that require the Transport of large or bulky items, such as elevators and their
associated equipment and controls

Facility Services Subgroup:

Division 20 — Mechanical Support

Mechanical support designers work in mechanical design to create solid models and
detailed drawings that are used to build items and machinery. Mechanical systems provide
ventilation, reduce air penetration, and keep pressure relationships between locations in place.
Plumbing, electrical systems, HVAC, ventilation, elevators, and other mechanical services are
examples of mechanical services,
perhaps elevators.

Division 21 — Fire Suppression

Fire suppression refers to the scope of work performed at a project site within the
footprint of a building or structure to suppress a fire. Water-based fire suppression systems,
extinguishing systems, fire pumps, and water storage for fire suppression will all be included.

Division 22 — Plumbing
Plumbing is the scope of work at a construction site that extends from within the footprint
of a building or structure to about five feet outside the building. This section will go over how to
deliver city water to building fixtures, how to deliver fuel oil, natural gas, or propane to
corresponding fuel-burning appliances (including laboratory equipment), how to deliver
compressed air to pneumatic tools and pressurized fire protection systems, and how to supply
medical gasses.
 Division 23 — Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) refers to the scope of work at a
construction site that involves supplying conditioned air to a building's inhabited zones. Systems
that return air from the conditioned area and mix it with outside air, as well as those that remove
polluted air via exhaust systems, are also addressed. Exhaust air from kitchens and laboratories
is also collected using hoods.

Division 25 — Integrated Automation

Division 25 Integrated Automation refers to the upkeep, repair, rehabilitation,
replacement, restoration, and preservation of the projects and materials or equipment listed
below.

Division 26 — Electrical
Transportation and Infrastructure are covered by Division 26 Electrical, which includes
the operation and maintenance of electrical systems, instrumentation and control of electrical
systems, and medium-voltage electrical distribution.

Division 27 — Communications
Communications. This section contains numerous operational and maintenance
procedures. Communication system instructions, common work outcomes, structured cabling,
data communications, and audio-video communication.

Division 28 — Electronic Safety and Security

Electronic safety and security. This section includes rules for electronic security and
safety, access control, and fire detection and alarm. This design specification is addressed to
the designer on file.

Site and Infrastructure Subgroup:

Division 31 — Earthwork
Earthwork is the modification of soils to allow for construction operations. Soil
management, placement, and augmentation are all covered in this section.

Division 32 — Exterior Improvements

Exterior Improvements refers to the scope of work done at a project site that is not
contained within the footprint of a building or structure. Division 32 is in charge of two types of
site enhancements: pavement and landscaping. Pavement subtopics cover the entire
construction process for asphalt, concrete, and unit paving. Fencing, retaining walls, irrigation,
and landscaping
among the landscaping subtopics are wetlands issues.

Division 33 — Utilities
Utilities include all mechanical and electrical services provided at a site to support
building functions. Water and waste water pipes are all included, as are electrical conduit and
overhead power lines, fuel and steam distribution systems, telecommunications networks, and
storm water drainage structures. Division 33 describes and specifies the design and installation
requirements
for the primary system components of each of these utility systems

Division 34 — Transportation
People use trademarks or architecture on a daily basis in the form of terminals, airports,
railway stations, and other transportation-related structures. Transport equipment is expensive
machinery that is used to hold, secure, or protect goods during transit. This section includes
transportation operation and maintenance, whereas "materials transportation" refers to any
method of transporting produced, processed, or raw resources within the development area,
such as gas, sewage, water, and oil.

Division 35 — Waterways and Marine Construction

Despite recent technological advances in air and road transportation, inland waterways
continue to play an important role in navigation, crop irrigation, water supply, and drainage, and
have expanded significantly in many places. Marine constructions are vessel-based reclamation
projects such as dredging, drilling, pipe laying, buoy laying, cable laying, and caisson building.
This section also covers scheduling, signaling, control equipment, general fabrications,
hydraulic gates, and coastal construction.

Process Equipment Subgroup:

Division 40 — Process Interconnections

Division 40 Process Interconnections sections offer numerous recommendations for
valves, process instruments, meters, thermometers, and gauges. Consider the following:
general valve material requirements (compatible with service, pipe connections, and
bubble-tight structures), valve material requirements, equipment, design, and installation
requirements, and valve material requirements.

Division 41 — Material Processing and Handling Equipment

Details and standard criteria for testing mechanical pipework and equipment are
included in Material Processing and Handling Equipment. Hiring factory-trained personnel and
submitting manufacturer's check sheets are required before beginning work on the following
specialty equipment: pumps, control components, backup generators, HVAC system, and
material requirements.

Division 42 — Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment

Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment refers to the division and its purpose in
the construction process, as well as the operation and maintenance, common work results, and
schedules of Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment, Process Boilers and Heaters,
Industrial heat exchangers and recuperators and furnaces, and many others.
 Division 43 — Process Gas and Liquid Handling, Purification and Storage
Equipment
Division 43 Process Gas and Liquid Handling, Purification, and Storage Equipment
includes non-industry specific process equipment for handling, purifying, and storing gases and
liquids.

Division 44 — Pollution Control Equipment

Division 44 Pollution Control Equipment includes municipal, industrial, institutional,
commercial, and campus pollution and waste control equipment in addition to water and
wastewater treatment equipment. It is also equipped with air conditioning. Waste thermal
processing includes pollution control, noise pollution control, odor control, water pollution
control, solid waste control, and waste thermal processing.

Division 45 — Industry-Specific Manufacturing Equipment

Division 45 Industry-Specific Manufacturing Equipment includes NAICS Group 339
equipment. Replacement, repair, preservation, and so on of other items manufacturing
machinery maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation

Division 46 — Water and Wastewater Equipment

Water and Wastewater Equipment includes systems and processes for water treatment,
wastewater treatment, and water reuse, as well as associated systems and equipment.

Division 48 — Electrical Power Generation

Electrical power generation maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and replacement are all
aspects of electrical power generation repair, preservation, and so on.

Writing Specifications for Construction Contracts

Some principle guidelines for writing specifications are as follows.

*The layout and grouping of subjects should be logical. These need planning out
beforehand.

*Requirements for each subject should be stated clearly, in logical order, and checked to
see all aspects are covered.

*Language and punctuation should be checked to see they cannot give rise to ambiguity.

*Legal terms and phrases should not be used.

To define obligations the words ‘shall’ or ‘must’ (not ‘should’ or ‘is to’, etc.) should be used.

*Quality must be precisely defined, not described as ‘best’, etc.

 *Brevity should be sought by keeping to essential matters.

An error-free specification is difficult to achieve. It is very helpful to copy model clauses that
have proven satisfactory in their wording through use and modification in many previous
contracts. Such model clauses can be stored on computer files and easily reproduced and
modified to be relevant to the specific project at hand. The practice of copying entire texts from
previous specifications, which can result in contradictory requirements, should be avoided. It is
difficult to write entirely new material, and it will almost certainly take more than one attempt to
get it right.

Format:

To write specifications for a construction project, you’ll need to follow the MasterFormat
guidelines, which include divisions for:

1. General Requirements.
2. Facility Construction.
3. Facility Services.
4. Site and Infrastructure.
5. Process Equipment.

Links:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/specification-in-construction
https://buildipedia.com/knowledgebase
https://www.builderspace.com/how-to-write-specifications-for-a-construction-project