I've taken technical writing courses and have experience working with MasterSpec, US Military specifications, vendor specifications, and various ownership standard specifications.
I'm giving an internal training to our younger staff and I'm particularly interested in opinions from contractors and vendors who regularly read a variety of specifications for bidding. What advice would you give for those who write specifications? I'd be interested in helping train our staff as well as improve myself. Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
3 Comments
Dave L.
5/22/2019 10:32:16 am
Having been on both the giving and receiving end, I think that is a very good question. Later (when I'm not on the clock), I might type a few thoughts, but for now I'll say I appreciate the information and perspective I found on Liz O'Sullivan's "Comments from a Spec Writer" website and blog:
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PETE
5/22/2019 11:52:45 am
I have experience writing specs in BSD Speclink. The one piece of advice I would give is to not over-constrain the project to the point that it ties the hands of the contractor, especially if the job is going out to bid. Companies have proprietary methodologies. It's part of free-market enterprise. On the other hand, if it's design-build, you typically know on the front end how it's going to go in. In the latter case, over constraining may come back to bite you in the a**.
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Dan Wilder
5/22/2019 01:39:08 pm
Find out standard construction means and methods and utilize those to detail your specifications. Talk with the owners and insurance agencies about long term goals and practical trade offs. If the insurance gives allowances for a Sch 40 piping and/or the use of Nitrogen to prolong the life of the pipe and components and is utilized over sensitive areas, use that to shape the direction of the spec in those instances. Follow the RFI questions/Substitution requests asked from GC's and maybe hit those areas first which typically show a need for adjustment.
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