Chapter 25: Construction Specifications Flashcards
What is included in a project manual?
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
What are prescriptive specifications?
Tell exactly what product or material the contractor must use by brand name (closed).
What are performance specifications?
Tell what results the final construction assembly must achieve, but they give the contractor some choice in how they will be achieved. (open)
What are proprietary specifications?
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.
What is a base-bid or equal specification?
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.
What are the variations of a base-bid specification?
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.
What is a descriptive specfication?
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.
What is a reference standard specification?
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.
What is a pure performance specification?
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.
What are sections?
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.
What are master or guide specifications?
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.
How are master specifications products?
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.
What is the MasterFormat system?
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.
What is Division 00?
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.
What is Division 01?
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.
What is Division 02?
Existing Conditions
Used to specify site remediation, site decontamination, subsurface investigation, surveying, and selective demolition.
What is Division 03?
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.
What is Division 04?
Masonry,
Covers all aspects of masonry, including brick, concrete block, stone, terra-cotta, simulated masonry, glass block, and masonry restoration and cleaning.
What is Division 05?
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
What is the number format for the MasterFormat system?
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.
What is Division 06?
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
What is Division 07?
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.
What is Division 08?
Openings
Includes metal doors and frames, wood doors and frames, specialty doors, storefronts, all types of windows, skylights, hardware curtain walls, and glazing.
What is Division 09?
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.
What is Division 10?
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.
What is Division 11?
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.
What is Division 12?
Furnishings
Includes furniture, systems furniture, art, window treatments, accessories, multiple seating, and interior plants. Includes manufactured casework, whereas custom casework is in Division 06.
What is Division 13?
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.
What is Division 14?
Conveying Equipment
Includes elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters, moving walks, and lifts.
What is Division 21?
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).
What is Division 22?
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.
What is Division 23?
Heating, ventilating, and A/C
What is Division 25?
Integrated Automation
Includes energy monitoring and control, environmental control, lighting control and similar topics.
What is Division 26?
Electrical
Includes electrical distribution, switchgear, and all types of interior and exterior lighting.
What is Division 27?
Communications
Has been established for the technologies and specialized nature of computer and all types of communications systems.
What is Division 28?
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.
What is the MasterFormat system way organizing any particular specification section?
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
Where are sustainability issues addressed within a project’s specifications?
Division 01, General Requirements and in all of the individual technical sections that cover specific materials and construction elevations.
