Chapter 25: Construction Specifications

Question 1

What is included in a project manual?

Answer 1

It is a bound book containing all the contract and noncontract documents for a construction project except the drawings and the agreements.

1) Bidding requirements (if needed)
2) Parts of the contract itself, which may contain the agreement between owner and contractor bond forms, and the like
3) General and supplementary conditions of the contract
4) Technical specifications

Question 2

What are prescriptive specifications?

Answer 2

Tell exactly what product or material the contractor must use by brand name (closed).

Question 3

What are performance specifications?

Answer 3

Tell what results the final construction assembly must achieve, but they give the contractor some choice in how they will be achieved. (open)

Question 4

What are proprietary specifications?

Answer 4

The most restrictive specifications in that they call out a specific manufacturer’s product. Gives interior designer complete control but may result in more expensive products with longer lead times.

Question 5

What is a base-bid or equal specification?

Answer 5

Calls out a proprietary material or product but allows the substitution of other products that the contractor thinks are equal to the one stated.

Risky method because contractor may substitute item that they think is equal but may not be equal.

Question 6

What are the variations of a base-bid specification?

Answer 6

1) List several approved manufacturers of a product
2) “Approved equal” - requires approval by designer, but still gives contractor some freedom in looking for lower-priced alternatives and puts burden on contractor.

Question 7

What is a descriptive specfication?

Answer 7

Type of performance specification that gives detailed written requirements for the material or product and the workmanship required for its fabrication and installation. Does not mention trade names. Difficult to write.

Question 8

What is a reference standard specification?

Answer 8

Variation of the descriptive specification type that describes a material, product or process based on requirements set by an accepted authority or test method. Fairly easy to write and generally short.

Question 9

What is a pure performance specification?

Answer 9

Station setting criteria and results required of the item being specified. The results can be verified by measurement, tests, or other types of evaluation.

Difficult to write.

Question 10

What are sections?

Answer 10

Regardless of what type of construction specification the designer uses, there is a separate specification for each product or activity used on a project call sections.

Question 11

What are master or guide specifications?

Answer 11

Prewritten specificiations that cover nearly all types of products, methods of installation, and other variables that relate to a specific product or construction activity. The designer uses the master specification to edit out the inapplicable portions and fill in any information that is unique to the project.

Used because it’s difficult to write a complete, accurate, up-to-date specification of any type and most projects require many specifications.

Question 12

How are master specifications products?

Answer 12

1) A design office can buy or subscribe to a commercial product that enables them to simply select and edit the required sections of a specification to fit the needs of each product.
2) Some large offices write and maintain their own master specifications and may even have a separate specification writer.
3) Hire a specification consultant who uses their own or a commercial product.

Question 13

What is the MasterFormat system?

Answer 13

The organization of the technical sections has been standardized through the general adoption of the MasterFormat system developed by the Construction Specifications Institute to standardize the numbering and format of project-related information for use in specifying, cost estimating, and data filing.

Question 14

What is Division 00?

Answer 14

Procurement and Contracting Requirements

Covers requirements for bidding and contracting, including bid solicitation, instructions to bidders, information available to bidders, bid forms, thee contract, bonds and certificates, general conditions of the contract, supplementary conditions, addenda, and modifications.

Question 15

What is Division 01?

Answer 15

General Requirements

Includes requirements that are applicable to the entire project or all the individual technical sections. these include a summary of the work, how pricing and payment will be handled, alternates, value analysis, contract modification procedures, unit prices, construction progress documentation, submittal procedures, quality control, temporary facilities at the job site, product substitution prodecures, owner-furnished items, special execution requirements, and final cleaning and protection of work.

Question 16

What is Division 02?

Answer 16

Existing Conditions

Used to specify site remediation, site decontamination, subsurface investigation, surveying, and selective demolition.

Question 17

What is Division 03?

Answer 17

Concrete

Covers all aspects of concrete, including forms, reinforcement, cast-in-place concrete, precast concrete, cementitious decks and under-layment, grouts, and concrete restoration and cleaning.

Question 18

What is Division 04?

Answer 18

Masonry,

Covers all aspects of masonry, including brick, concrete block, stone, terra-cotta, simulated masonry, glass block, and masonry restoration and cleaning.

Question 19

What is Division 05?

Answer 19

Metals

Includes all types of structural steel and other structural metals, ornamental metals, and metal fabrication (metal stairs, ornamental iron work, handrails, grating, metal castings, and stair treads and nosings), as well as expansion joint covers and metal restoration and cleaning.

Light-gage metal framing for partitions is located in Division 09

Question 20

What is the number format for the MasterFormat system?

Answer 20

Uses six-digit numbering for individual specification sections. The first two numbers represent the division numbers, with a leading zero used for the single-digit divisions (02, 03, etc). The next pair of number (digits three and four) represent the level-two hierarchy, and the last pair of number represents level three in the hierarchy.

Question 21

What is Division 06?

Answer 21

Wood, Plastics, and Composites

Covers typical structural wood framing, rough carpentry, finish carpentry, and architectural woodwork. It also includes structural plastics, plastic fabrications, wood and plastic restoration and cleaning, and plastic wood and other specialty composite materials.

Manufactured casework is in Division 12, Furnishings

Question 22

What is Division 07?

Answer 22

Thermal and Moisture Protection

This includes dampproofing and water-proofing, insulation, vapor retarders, air barriers, shingles, roof tiles, siding, membrane roofing, flashing, joint sealers, fire and smoke protection, and roofing specialties, such as roof hatches, smoke vents, roof pavers, scuppers, and gravel stops.

Question 23

What is Division 08?

Answer 23

Openings

Includes metal doors and frames, wood doors and frames, specialty doors, storefronts, all types of windows, skylights, hardware curtain walls, and glazing.

Question 24

What is Division 09?

Answer 24

Finishes

Cover all types of finish materials, including plaster, gypsum wallboard, all types of floor and wall tile, terrazzo, all types of flooring materials, acoustical ceilings, and other types of decorative ceilings, wallcoverings, acoustical treatment, paints, and other coatings.

Question 25

What is Division 10?

Answer 25

Specialties

Covers a long list of items, including visual display boards, toilet compartments, louvers, grilles, wall and corner guards, access flooring, pre-built fireplaces, flagpoles, signage, lockers, awnings, demountable partitions, storage shelving, exterior protection (sun screens, storm panels, etc), and toilet and bath accessories.

Includes items that are not standard materials, are typically small scale, and are usually placed in a building in multiples. Small relative to the building and the spaces in the building. Usually more than one of them installed.

Question 26

What is Division 11?

Answer 26

Equipment

Contains information for architectural equipment, including vaults and security items, teller and security equipment, church-related equipment, library equipment, theater and stage equipment, musical equipment, mercantile equipment, checkroom equipment, vending machines, AV, loading dock equipment, detention equipment, athletic equipment, medical equipment, mortuary equipment, and equipment for laboratories, planetariums, observatories, and offices.

Includes items that are generally larger and more expensive than those in Division 10.

Question 27

What is Division 12?

Answer 27

Furnishings

Includes furniture, systems furniture, art, window treatments, accessories, multiple seating, and interior plants. Includes manufactured casework, whereas custom casework is in Division 06.

Question 28

What is Division 13?

Answer 28

Special Construction

Includes air-supported structures, special purpose rooms (clean rooms, saunas, planetariums, etc), seismic control, radiation protection, lightning protection, pre-engineered structures, hot tubs, and kennels.

Much larger elements that can almost be thought of as a building within a building. Generally not used in interior construction specifications.

Question 29

What is Division 14?

Answer 29

Conveying Equipment

Includes elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters, moving walks, and lifts.

Question 30

What is Division 21?

Answer 30

Fire Suppression

Includes detection and alarms, and all types of fire suppression systems - wet-pipe, deluge, carbon dioxide, foam, pre-action, and dry chemical systems, as well as standpipes and hoses.

Fire-related materials are in their respective sections (doors, fire-stopping).

Question 31

What is Division 22?

Answer 31

Plumbing

Includes supply piping, sanitary sewerage, strom drainage, plumbing equipment, and plumbing fixtures, as well as specialty items like swimming pool plumbing systems and gas and vacuum systems for laboratories and healthcare facilities.

Question 32

What is Division 23?

Answer 32

Heating, ventilating, and A/C

Question 33

What is Division 25?

Answer 33

Integrated Automation

Includes energy monitoring and control, environmental control, lighting control and similar topics.

Question 34

What is Division 26?

Answer 34

Electrical

Includes electrical distribution, switchgear, and all types of interior and exterior lighting.

Question 35

What is Division 27?

Answer 35

Communications

Has been established for the technologies and specialized nature of computer and all types of communications systems.

Question 36

What is Division 28?

Answer 36

Electronic Safety and Security

Has been established for the technologies and specialized nature of security systems, including intrusion detection, security access, video surveillance, and related topics.

Question 37

What is the MasterFormat system way organizing any particular specification section?

Answer 37

Part 1 - Gives the general requirements for the section
Part 2 - Details the specification for the materials and product themselves
Part 3 - Tells how the products and materials are to be installed

Question 38

Where are sustainability issues addressed within a project’s specifications?

Answer 38

Division 01, General Requirements and in all of the individual technical sections that cover specific materials and construction elevations.