UNIT-V

• Specification for building works

• Specification for earthworks for roads, canals,
etc.
• Specification for other Civil Engineering works

Refer chapter 13 of Estimation & costing in Civil Engineering book by B N Dutta for detailed
specifications.
 SPECIFICATIONS
• Specifications describes the nature and the class of the
work, materials to be used in the work, workmanship,
etc., and is very important for the execution of the
work.
• Drawings only show the dimensions and arrangement
of rooms with very brief description of different parts.
• The cost of work depends much on the specifications
which are describes the details of different items of
work, the quantity of materials, proportion of mortar
and workmanship.
• Drawings and specifications form important parts of
contract document.
 Nature of the work

The purpose for which work is

required
SPECIFICATIONS
DEPENDS ON Strength of the materials

Availability of materials

Quality of materials, etc.

 TYPES OF
SPECIFICATIONS

General specification or brief

specification- It gives the
nature and class of the work
and materials in general terms
to be used in various parts of
the work from foundation and
superstructure.
It is a short description of
works.
Detailed specification- It gives the detailed
description of items of work specifying
the qualities and quantities of materials,
proportion of mortar, workmanship, the
method of preparation and execution
and the methods of measurements.
The detailed specifications of different
items of work are prepared separately
and described what works should be and
how they shall be executed and
constucted.
The detailed specifications form an
important part of contract document.
 General Specification of a First Class Building
• Foundation and plinth- Foundation and plinth shall be first class brick work in lime mortar or 1:6 cement
mortar over lime concrete or 1:4:8 cement concrete.
• Dam proof course- D.P.C shall be 2.5 cm(1”) thick cement concrete 1:1 ½ :3 mixed with one kg of Impermo
per bag of cement or other standard water proofing materials as specified and painted with two coat of
bitumen.
•  Superstructure- Superstructure shall be of first class brick work lime mortar or 1:6 cement mortar. Lintels
over doors and windows shall be of R.C.C.
• Roofing- Roof shall be of R.C.C. slab with an insulation layer and lime concrete terracing above, supported
over R.S.Joist or R.C.C. beam as required. Height of rooms shall not be less than 3.7m (12 feet).
• Flooring- Drawing room and dining room floors shall be mosaic (terrazzo). Bathroom and W.C. floor and
dado shall be of mosaic (terrazzo). Floors of bedroom shall be coloured and polished of 2.5cm (1”) cement
concrete over 7.5cm (3”) lime concrete. Floors of other shall be of 2.5cm (1”) cement concrete over 7.5cm
(3”) lime concrete polished.
• Finishing- Inside and outside wall shall be of 12mm (1/2”) cement lime plastered 1:1:6. Drawing, dining, and
bedrooms-inside shall distempered, and others-inside white washed 3 coasts. Outside shall be coloured
snowcem washed two coats over one of white wash.
• Doors and windows- Chaukhats shall be seasoned teak wood. Shuttering shall be teak wood 4.3cm (1 ¾”)
thick panelled and partly glazed as required, with additional wire gauge shutter. All fitting shall be of brass.
Doors and windows shall be varnished or painted two coats with high class enamel paints over one coat of
priming. Windows shall be provided with iron grating or grills.
• Miscellaneous- Rain water pipes of cast iron or of asbestos cement shall be provided and finished painted.
Building shall be provided with 1 st class Sanitary and Water fittings and Electrical installations. 1 meter wide
7.5cm thick C.C. 1:3:3 apron shall be provided all round the building.
 General Specification of a Second Class Building
• Foundation and plinth- Foundation and plinth shall be of 1st class brick work with
lime mortar over lime concrete.
• Damp proof course- D.P.C. shall be of 2cm (¾”) thick cement concrete 1:2 mixed
with 1 kg of Impermo per bag of cement or other standard water proofing
materials.
• Superstructure- Superstructure shall be of 2nd class brickwork in lime mortar.
Lintels over doors and windows shall be of R.B.
• Roofing- Roofing shall be of R.B. slab with7. Cm lime concrete terracing above (or
flat terraced roof supported over wooden battens and beams, or Jack arch roof).
Verandah roof may be of A.C. sheet.
• Flooring- Floors shall be 2.5cm (1”) cement concrete over 7.5cm (3”) L.C.
verandah floor  shall be of brick tile or flag stone over lime concrete, finshed
cement painted.
• Finishing- Inside and outside wall shall be of 12mm cement mortar plastered 1:6.
Ceiling shall be cement plastered 1:3. Inside shell be white washed 3 coats,
coloured wash two coats 0ver one coat of white wash.
• Doors and windows- Chaukhat shall be of R.C.C. or well seasonal sal wood,
shutter of shisham wood or deodar wood 4cm (1 ½”) thick, panelled, glazed or
partly paneled and partly glazed as required, fitted with iron fitting fittings. Doors
and windows shall be painted two coat over one coat of priming.
• Miscellaneous- Rain water pipe shall be of cast iron finished painted.
Electrification, sanitary and water fitting may be provided if required.
 General Specification of a Third Class Building
• Foundation and plinth- Foundation and plinth shall be 2nd class
brickwork in lime mortar over lime concrete. Damp proof course shall be
2cm thick cement mortar 1:2   mixed with standard water proofing
compound.
• Superstructure- Superstructure shall be of second class brickwork in
mud mortar. Doors and windows opening shall be provided with arches
of 2nd class brickwork in lime mortar or with wooden planks.
• Roofing- Roofing shall be of mud over tile or bricks or planks over
wooden beam or of tile or G.I. sheet or A.C. sheet sloping roof.
• Flooring- Flooring shall be of brick-on-edge floor over well rammed
earth.
• Finishing- inside and outside walls shall be plastered with lime mortar
and white wash three coats.
• Doors and windows- Chaukhat shall be of salwood and shutters of chir
mango or other country wood. Doors and windows shall be painted two
coat with ordinary paint over one coat of priming.
 General Specification of a Fouth Class Building
• Foundation and superstructure- Foundation and superstructure shall be
of sun-dried or kutcha bricks in mud mortar. Doors and windows opening
shall be provided with arches of 2nd class brickwork in lime mortar or with
wooden planks. Inside and outside shall be water proof mud plastered.
• Roofing- Roof shall be tile roof over bamboo and wooden support.
• Flooring- Floor shall be kutcha or earthen floor finished with cowdung
lepping.
• Doors and windows- Doors and windows shall be of chir or mango wood
or country wood.
 The detailed specifications of various
items of works are as follows:
• Earthwork in excavation in foundation-
• Lime concrete in foundation-
• Lime concrete in roof terracing-
• Cement concrete (1:2:4)-
• Reinforced cement concrete (R.C.C.)-
• Damp proof course 2.5 cm (1”) c.c. 1:1.5:3-
• Brickwork I class-
• Brickwork II and III class-
• Brickwork in mud mortar-
• Reinforced brickwork (R.B. work)-
• Plastering cement mortar or lime mortar-
• Pointing (cement or lime mortar)-
• Lime punning-
• 2.5 cm (1”) cemet concrete floor-
• Mosaic or terrazo floor-
• Brick- on-edge or brick flooring over 7.5 cm
(3”) lime concrete-
• White washing-
• Colour washing-
• Distempering-
• Snowcen washing-
• Decorative cement colour washing-
• Painting-
• Painting steel and iron work-
• Varnishing-
• French spirit polishing-
• Wood work (carpenter`s work)-
• Doors and windows-
• Glazing-
• Centering and shuttering-
• Ashlar masonry-
• Couse rubble stone masonry-
• Random rubble stone masonry-
• Mud phuska terracing with tile brick paving-
• Madras terrace roof-
• Asbestos cement corrugated sheet roofing-
• Asbestos cement semi-corrugated or trafford
sheet roofing-
• Galvanised corrugated iron sheet (G.C.I.sheet)
roofing-
• Allahabad tile roofing-
• Manglore tile roof-
• Earthwork in irrigation channels and road-
• Cement mortar
• White lime mortar
• Kankar lime mortar
• White lime
• Kankar lime
• Brick ballast
• Surkhi
• Cinder
• Sand
 Road Specifications
General specification of Modern Road-
1. Subgrade- well consolidated and compacted each with a camber of 1 in 60.
2. Soiling- 30 cm (1’) wider than the metalled width of the road surface and may
be either over burnt or split stone boulders.
3. Inter coat 7 Top coat- stone ballast or over burnt ballast (12 cm) compacted by
road roller to 8 cm.
4. First coat of bituminous painting- Asphalt or road tar no 3 and stone grit of 20
mm gauge at 220 kg of Asphalt and 1.35 cu. M of stone grit per 100 sq m.
5. Second coat of bituminous painting- Asphalt or road tar no 3 and stone grit of
20 mm gauge at 120 kg of Asphalt and 0.75 cu. M of stone grit per 100 sq m.
6. Brick edging- with straight over burnt at both sides.
 Detailed specifications of road work
• Overburnt bricks
• Overburnt brick ballast
• Stone ballast
• Kankar
• Laying and consolidation of road metal, stone or
brick ballast
• Laying and consolidation of kankar metal
• First coat of painting or outer surface dressing
with bitumen
• Second coat of painting or outer surface dressing
with bitumen
TACK COAT
• Binder, shelmac or shelspra heated to (320 to 340)0 F
• Applied uniformly on cleaned surface with sprayer or pouring
CARPET
• Preparation of premix using stone chips and binder
• Rolling should be started after 15 cm length of laying the premix with 7 to 8
tonnes roller. Excessive rolling avoided
SAND FLUSHING
• Over the compacted surface after rolling, dry coarse sand should be spread at
the rate of 0.3 cu m per % sq m and rolled again until a smooth surface is
obtained.