Putting Pen To Paper: A brief course in spec writing

by Elaina Adams | December 1, 2011 10:29 am

By Vrej-Armen Artinian, CSC, CSI
Some would argue specification writers are an endangered species. Over the years, it has become apparent fewer people are showing interest in this area of design, leaving architects and engineers (or the technicians working for them) attempting to write specifications themselves in-house.

As a specifier with almost two decades of experience, this author has seen how doing so can produce difficulties at every stage of a project. This article is a guide for creating a specification document. While it cannot replace the expertise gained by experience or through taking an academic course, it can help design professionals visualize the length, breadth, and especially the depth of spec writing, which has evolved to become a sophisticated undertaking. However, before delving into the details of this evolution, let us begin with the definition of specification.

The basics of spec writing
A specification is a written document, as opposed to a drawing. The specification, or rather the project manual, forms the contract documents when coupled with drawings. These documents are used to obtain a bid from a contractor, acting as the guide to build according to the client’s requirements as interpreted by the consultants (i.e. architects, engineers, and other specialists).

The question that immediately comes to mind is the purpose for writing a spec. Are drawings, with appropriate notes, insufficient to meet that end? The answer is yes, they are not enough, although it is not unusual for small projects (and sometimes medium-sized ones) to be issued with notes on drawings and nothing more. However, in most cases, a separate project manual is necessary, as there is rarely sufficient space on drawings to include all necessary information for a successful project.

It is not practical to have pages and pages of specs on A0-sized sheets. Specs complete the drawings and provide a well-structured and coherent document to communicate with the client (i.e. owner), other consultants, and contractor(s).

In Construction Specifications Handbook, Hans W. Meier writes:

We try to ‘communicate’ clearly to a wide variety of people just what we want constructed and how we want it constructed. The role of specifications in a construction contract today is to define the quality and types of workmanship and materials upon which the contract is based.

In The Specifier and Building Science, Mervyn W. A. Jones writes:

The ‘specification’ generally includes not only the description of materials, but also directions as to method of tendering on the project and the legal implications of the contract.

Finally, what is the specifier’s task in all this? Generally speaking, he or she acts as the bridge between the design team and the builder, at the same time ensuring the client’s requirements are met. The spec writer must make certain information concerning selected materials, products, assemblies, and systems is obtained from manufacturers and included in the project manual in an easily comprehensible way and a recognizable, conventional format. He or she follows all aspects of the project, brings in the required modifications, and ensures what is executed reflects the specification. At the end of construction, the spec writer may summarize the executed project in the final  ‘as-built’ version, if requested.

Creating the specification 
Several considerations ought to be kept in mind when writing a specification document.

Basic language and style requirements

• express ideas in a clear, simple, and concise manner, with an appropriate and coherent vocabulary, avoiding contradicting or differing interpretations;
• keep descriptions short, precise, and specific;
• use a uniform, consistent style (i.e. write the same thing the same way throughout the document);
• do not include several ideas in the same paragraph;
• reduce the use of verbs as much as possible for concision’s sake;
• use numerals when specifying quantities;
• employ the correct symbols for units of measurement;
• use upper or lower cases correctly;
• use acronyms or abbreviations only when a legend is provided in the document;
• use the imperative tense in English, the infinitive in French;
• avoid terms such as ‘shall be,’ ‘to be,’ ‘must be,’ etc.—every statement in the document must have the same force, unless there is special importance to be given;
• use the affirmative, rather than the negative;
• address instructions to the contractor, independent of the given trade—in other words, do not use terms like ‘general contractor,’ ‘sub-contractor,’ or any specific contractors, such as ‘roofer,’ ‘plumber,’ etc. (if necessary, refer to the discipline [e.g. mechanical or electrical] for the work description);
• give each instruction once at the appropriate place (and always at the same place if it has to be included in different parts of the manual);
• avoid repetition;
• refrain from using vague and ambiguous statements like ‘as required’ or ‘as needed’—if using the term ‘as shown,’ ensure it is indicated somewhere in the specs or the drawings (using ‘first-class’ or ‘high-quality’ should only be included where they are clearly defined categories in standards or manufacturers’ data);
• avoid superfluous words, such as ‘all,’ ‘any,’ or ‘carefully;’
• never use ‘or equivalent’ or ‘approved equivalent’—rather employ terms such as ‘alternative product’ or ‘substitution;’
• when mentioning inclusions or exclusions, be careful not to exclude or include items unintentionally;
• when unsure, check grammar and orthography; and
• wherever possible, use tables or schedules.

Methodology

• adopt a creative approach—spec writing can be challenging and stimulating;
• follow a certain order and methodology when preparing a spec—establish your own step-by-step approach in compiling information and assembling it into the project manual;
• use established formats, but adapt and modify (with caution), according to project requirements;
• never reuse a previous project spec without revising it to suit the current project, even when the two are almost identical;
• carry on continuous research in order to follow the evolution of old materials and the marketing of new ones, including installation procedures and new product developments;
• always check the appropriateness of a product required by the designer for the intended purpose;
• double-check the information received from manufacturers, colleagues, clients, or others before incorporating a product into your specs;
• learn from executed projects and update your master or typical specs accordingly;
• update references to standards annually or on a continuous basis;
• always ask the project architect or engineer to review a spec; and
• have manufacturers and other experts read and provide feedback on your typical specs periodically, updating the document where required.

Methods of specifying
There are various ways of specifying a product, the most common ones being:

• prescriptive—describing products and systems, referring also to applicable standards;
• proprietary—naming trade models; and
• performance-based—referring to standards and required results.

The choice of the product specification method depends on many factors, such as its complexity or the functional and esthetic results expected. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. (A detailed description of these methods is found in the Canadian Handbook of Practice for Architects [Chapter 2.3.8].)

With the prescriptive method, basic materials (e.g. concrete, stainless steel, or wood) can be specified by a generic description or by reference to the corresponding standards. When specifying materials like a certain brick or ceramic tile using the proprietary method, one should use a manufacturer’s model number, or several models of different manufacturers (when all are acceptable alternatives). For more complex systems like mechanical equipment, elevators, or even a curtain wall, one should consider using the performance method to provide criteria related to the end results.

That said, employing a combination of the three methods can be more practical and can help maintain a project’s integrity. It is also recommended specifiers avoid very long texts, while ensuring a product truly satisfies the requirements of the cited standards or responds to the performance criteria. This method also allows the submission of alternate solutions other than the trade names mentioned.

Regardless of the method selected, one should consider creating a system within the project manual to ensure the drawings refer back to specified products. This could take the form of including a short description on the drawing itself. An alternative is to use an abbreviation and the spec section number in which the product is specified (e.g. MEMB.2, section 07 10 00, or CLKG.5, section 07 90 00, for a given vapour barrier membrane or a caulking, respectively).

Levels of specification
Specifications can be prepared at three different phases: the concept design, preliminary design, and final design.

1. The concept design phase refers to a short description of the design’s intentions in textual form that includes products and systems and is part of the concept design report. The main tool employed is UniFormat (or UNIFORMAT II), level ‘2’ or level ‘3,’ and the new PPDFormat, which puts this very initial specification of the project into context.
2. The preliminary design phase is a more detailed specification of the products and systems required using more technical language. Part of the preliminary design report, this phase also uses UniFormat (or UNIFORMAT II), although at levels ‘3’ or even ‘4’ or ‘5.’ Here, a summary of general conditions and requirements may be incorporated. PPDFormat is also a good guide to follow at this phase.
3. The final design phase corresponds to the project manual, which contains not only a detailed description of all products and systems, but also installation procedures and environmental and other conditions under which they must be executed. MasterFormat (with its 50 divisions) and SectionFormat/PageFormat are the tools to be used; standard specifications, such as National Master Specification (NMS) or office master or typical specs, help facilitate the production of this essential document.

The project manual contains three principal parts of groups, as categorized by MasterFormat:

• procurement and contracting requirements (Division 00);
• general requirements (Division 01); and
• technical requirements (Divisions 02 to 49, some of which are not assigned and are for future use).

The first two components may vary in some significant ways according to the type of contract (e.g. stipulated price contract, construction management, or design-construction).

Whether comprehensive, short form, or very short form, it is recommended the project manual maintain the main structure of the standard specs (i.e. sections based on types of work as established by MasterFormat, and each section in three parts [i.e. General, Products, and Execution] as prescribed by SectionFormat). Once again, the specifier should consider writing the project manual on standard letter-sized paper—per PageFormat instructions—as opposed to using drawing sheets, even if it is only a few pages. Other factors to take into consideration and manage are the project manual’s various publications and modifications required during the bid period and construction.

During the course of a project, the manual can be issued:

• ‘for comments’—to obtain comments from the client or other professionals (at different stages of its completion);
• ‘for tender’—to start the bidding process (at 100 per cent of its completion);
• ‘for construction’—incorporating changes made during the bid period, to sign the contract, and to begin construction; and
• ‘as-built’—to include changes made during construction.

The project manual can be issued in consecutive packages (i.e. for multiple contracts with construction management), in repetitive packages (i.e. when constructing in phases), and, for practical reasons, in several volumes.

Changes during the bid period may result from additional client requirements, clarification requests from bidders, or late information. These modifications are issued in addenda, which will have the same legal value as the project manual itself. For similar and other reasons, changes during construction are issued by change directives and change orders, and also acquire contractual force.

Putting together the project manual

It is always wise to create a checklist for the work procedures when preparing a project manual. Apart from determining the type of spec and contract, these procedures include:

• selecting products section by section in conjunction with the project designer and project manager, and verifying the choice is still available on the market;
• co-ordinating specs and drawings, ensuring they complete each other and are easily interrelated;
• verifying administrative requirements with the project manager (who in turn must obtain the client’s requirements), including compliance with prescriptions of, for example, FM Global, and of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, as well as specific extended warranties;
• determining what specialties will be dealt with by external consultants, such as finish hardware, asbestos removal, and elevators;
• establishing items to be co-ordinated with the engineers and other consultants, like masonry reinforcement and load-bearing stud walls; and
• checking the requirement for tests and inspections to be paid by the client (e.g. air/vapour barrier membranes, roofing, and curtain walls).

More than a specification
Although ‘project manual’ and ‘specification’ are two terms frequently used to mean the same thing, they are not, in fact, synonymous. The former has a larger meaning than the latter. The project manual ties everything together to ensure all those participating in a project understand the intricate relationships involved in the creation of a building. It completes the design process, and reflects all the care and experience the design firm can offer its clients. (See this author’s earlier article, “Putting Together the Project Manual” in the March 2009 issue of Construction Canada. Visit www.constructioncanada.net[1] and select “Archives.”) Indeed, as this author has written in an earlier issue of Construction Canada, “it is the depository of the knowledge, experience, and history of a professional firm.”² As such, it should be taken seriously and prepared with care and high proficiency. That is the challenge of the spec writer’s profession.

Vrej-Armen Artinian, CSC, CSI, is a graduate of Cairo University (B.Arch, 1964) and McGill University (M.Arch, 1969). He started his career specializing in the design of school buildings, and then moved on to industrial buildings, laboratories, and research centres. Artinian has been a specification writer at Montréal-based NFOE et associés architectes since 1992. He is a member of Construction Specifications Canada (CSC), Ordre des architectes du Québec (OAQ), Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), Conseil du bâtiment durable du Canada (CBDCa) Section du Québec, and Conseil de l’enveloppe du bâtiment du Québec (CEBQ). A writer contributing to Montréal’s Armenian press, he can be contacted via e-mail at vrejarmen@hotmail.com.

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