SPECIFICATION

WhatareSpecifications?

Specificationsdescribethenatureandtheclassofthework;materialstobeusedinthework,workmanshipetc.and
are very important for the execution of the work. The cost of a work depends much on the specifications.
Specificationsshouldbeclear.

PurposeofgivingSpecifications

Thecostofaunitquantityofworkisgovernedbyitsspecifications.
Specificationofaworkisrequiredtodescribethequalityandquantityofdifferentmaterialsrequiredfora
constructionworkandisoneoftheessentialcontractdocuments.
Thisalsospecifiestheworkmanshipandthemethodofdoingthework.Thusspecificationofaworkserves
asaguidetoasupervisingstaffofacontractoraswellastotheownertoexecutetheworktotheir
satisfaction.
Aworkiscarriedoutaccordingtoitsspecificationandthecontractorispaidforthesame.Anychangein
specificationchangesthetenderedrate.
Astherateofworkisbasedonthespecification,acontractorcancalculatetheratesofvariousitemsof
worksintenderwithhisprocurementratesofmaterialsandlabour.Thustenderratewithoutspecification
ofworksisbaseless,incompleteandinvalid.
Specificationisnecessarytospecifytheequipmenttoolsandplantstobeengagedforaworkandthus
enablestoprocurethembeforehand.
Thenecessityofspecificationistoverifyandcheckthestrengthofmaterialsforaworkinvolvedinaproject.
Specificationisanessentialcontractdocumentandisreferredforarbitrationandcourtcases

ComponentofSpecification

Descriptionofmaterials:Type,quality,size,consistency,proportion,treatment
Mixproportionofconcrete[1:2:4or1:1.5:3]slumpcriteria[aspernormalorcasespecific,linepump
concreteincaseofhighrisebuilding]anyaddmixturetobeused[toimpartsomespecialproperty,
maybecolour/workability/settingtime]
Workmanship:Methodofconstruction,stagesofconstruction,timebetweenthetwoconsecutivestage,
preparationofsurface,finishing,curing
Serialandparalleljobaction,standardofcompaction[byhowmanylayers]timeofcuring,any
additionalconstructionrequirement.
ToolsandPlants:Equipmentsrequiredforanyconstructionoranystagesofconstruction.Condition,
standardratingandefficiencyoftheequipment
ClausesofSpecification:citespecificclausebyanyinstitutionforanystandardprocedureofwork,overall
Qualityandtestingmechanism
Safety:safetyofworkers,protectionofnewworkoroldbuilding
Safetymeasures,safetydrill,barricadingthenewblockorolderpart
Expression:thespecialinterestdependinguponthespecificsitelocationandnatureofthework.
Movementofconstructiontraffic,roadsafetynearsite,transplantofexistingtrees,useofwater
fromexistingwaterbody

TypesofSpecifications

1. GeneralSpecifications
2. DetailedSpecifications

GeneralSpecifications

Ingeneralspecifications,natureandclassofworksandnamesofmaterialsthatshouldbeusedaredescribed.Onlya
briefdescriptionofeachandeveryitemisgiven.Thegeneralspecificationsdonotformapartofcontractdocument.
Withoutgoingthroughthelengthydetailsofspecification,generalinformationregardingclassandqualityof
materialarestatedingeneralspecification

DetailedSpecifications

Thedetailedspecificationsformapartofacontractdocument.Theyspecifythequalities,quantitiesandproportions
ofmaterialsandthemethodofpreparationandexecutionforaparticularitemofworksinaproject.Thedetailed
specificationsofthedifferentitemsoftheworkarepreparedseparatelyandtheydescribewhattheworkshouldbe
andhowtheyshallbeexecuted.Whilewritingthedetailedspecifications,thesameordersequenceastheworkisto
becarriedoutistobemaintained.Itprovidesacompleteknowledgeabouttheconstructionmaterial,workmanship
ofconstructionwork,ratioofdifferentmaterials,mixingmethod,quantityofindividualmaterial,howtopreparethe
materials and conduct the installation, different testing requirements to be followed and how work will be
measured.

TypesofDetailedSpecifications

DetailedSpecificationsareoftwotypes
StandardSpecifications
SpecialSpecifications

StandardSpecifications

Standardspecificationsarethosewhichremainsameforvarioustypesofprojects.Thesespecificationscanbeused
foreveryprojectthatfallintothiscategory.Differentpublicsectororganizationscollectdatafromvarioustypesof
constructionworkandpublisheddataintheformofabook.Noneedtowritedetailedspecificationsagainandagain
foreveryproject.Itsavesfrommistakeswhilewritingspecificationsoverandoveragain.Detailedspecificationshelp
during the preparation of Tender Documents. One has just to mention the reference number of standard
specifications. Generally, CPWD, PWD, MES, Railway departments have their own departmental standard
specifications.

SpecialSpecifications

Sometimeconstructionprojectsareofspecialtype.Specificationsforthesetypesofprojectsarenotmentionedin
detailedspecificationsbook.Consultanthastowritespecificationsforthistypeofwork.Intenderdocumentsthese
specificationsarewrittenseparatelyunderSpecialSpecificationsheading.
PerformanceSpecifications
A performance specification is a document that specifies the operational requirements of a component or
installation. Simply put, a performance specification tells the contractor what the final installed product must be
capable of doing. The contractor is not instructed as to how to accomplish the task of meeting the performance
specification requirements only as to how the component must function after installation. For example, a
performancespecificationmaybeusedintheconstructionofanindustrialpumpingsystem.Thespecificationwould
provide a required pumping rate (say 500 gallons per minute), a required pressure (20 psi) and the difference in
heightbetweenthepumpandthefinaldestination(+40feet).Thespecificationwillalsostatethattheliquidtobe
pumpedwillbeatatemperatureof140Fandiscorrosive(pHof3).Itisuptothecontractortoprovidepumping

equipmentthatmeetsorexceedstherequirementsstatedinthespecification.Inmanycasesthecontractorwillalso
berequiredtotestequipmenttomakesurethatisoperatingproperly,andwillprovideoperationsmanuals.
The general concept behind the performance specification is for the architect or engineer to describe what they
need, and the contractor to determine the best way to get there. The performance specification focuses on the
outcome and shifts the selection of materials and methods, as well as a portion of the design work, onto the
shouldersofthecontractor.Thisapproachcanprovideincentivesforinnovationandflexibilityintheconstruction
approach,butalsoreducestheamountofcontrolthatthearchitectorengineerhasovertheproject.
PrescriptiveSpecifications
Prescriptivespecificationsconveytherequirementsofaprojectthroughadetailedexplanationofthematerialsthat
the contractor must use, and the means of installing those materials. This type of specification will typically be
formattedinamannersimilartothefollowingsections:
1. General:Thissectionwilltypicallycontainreferencestonational/internationalstandards,designrequirements,
a list of required submittals from the contractor to the architect/engineer, quality control requirements and
producthandlingrequirements.
2. Products: This section will describe, in detail, the various products required for the task covered by the
specificationalongwiththeindividualstructuralandperformancerequirementsofeachproduct.
3. Execution: This section will explain how to prepare the materials and conduct the installation, including the
testingrequirementstobefollowed.
Prescriptivespecifications shiftmoreoftheproject design controlontotheshouldersofthearchitect orengineer
andawayfromthecontractorbyestablishingasetofrulesthatistobefollowedforeachprojectcomponent.This
type of specification provides more certainty regarding the final product composition than the performance
specification,andisveryfrequentlyusedforhighlycomplexportionsofaproject.
ProprietarySpecifications
Proprietary specifications are those that require the use of a single approved product type for any particular
installation. Proprietary specifications are often used in cases where there is existing equipment or installations
alreadyonsite.Inthesecasestheownermaywanttomaintainconsistencyofmaterialsorpossiblysimplyprefersa
specifictypeofproduct.Also,inhighlycomplexinstallationswherethereisonlyonespecificpieceofequipmentthat
willaccomplishaspecifiedtask,aproprietaryspecificationisrequired.
Architectsandengineerstypicallytrytoavoidutilizingproprietaryspecificationsexceptwhenabsolutelynecessary,
and will usually allow the contractor to select from a list of approved suppliers. Requiring the use of one specific
product type can lead to the perception of favoritism towards a certain manufacturer and may eliminate
competitionduringthebidphase,whichmayincreasetheprojectcost.