Almost every specification section most specifiers will ever need is available in one or more commercial master guides, and for those that aren't, there are other options. Many manufacturers provide guide specs for their products. Most offices have a..
Writing a Spec Section From Scratch
by Elias Saltz | Aug 20, 2018 | SectionFormat, Specifications, work results
Format? OR Content?
by David Stutzman | Nov 3, 2014 | CSI, MasterFormat, PageFormat, Professional Practice, SectionFormat, Specifications
When writing construction specifications what is really important the format or content? Listening to some design teams, it seems lack of consistent format generate the greatest anxiety. Why is this? Well architects are generally visual creatures...
Contract Documents are Related
by David Stutzman | May 26, 2014 | AIA, Construction Administration, contract documents, CSI, Division 00, Division 01, MasterFormat, Professional Practice, AIA A201, SectionFormat, Specifications, Specifier, UniFormat
It's a debate. The debate is evidenced in all the commercial guide specifications and even CSI's SectionFormat™. Related Requirements is an article heading near the beginning of specification sections. This article gives specifiers an opportunity to list..
Reinventing? Let's Standardize!
by David Stutzman | Dec 16, 2013 | contract documents, CSI, MasterFormat, Outline Specs, PageFormat, PPDFormat, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), SectionFormat, Specifications, standards, UniFormat
The construction industry in general and the architectural profession specifically, seem to enjoy the same challenge on every project. You would think the challenge is about the design - trying to optimize the response to the owner's program and the..
Specifications Formats & Processes
by David Stutzman | Aug 12, 2013 | AIA, contract documents, CSI, MasterFormat, outline spec, Outline Specs, PageFormat, PPD, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, AIA B101, Architect, SectionFormat, Specifications
Construction specifications contain data, lots of data. These data must be easily found by the hundreds of individuals involved in any construction project - not just the architect and contractor, but the subcontractors, materials distributors,..
How Perfect Must Specifications Be?
by David Stutzman | Aug 13, 2012 | CSI, MasterFormat, PageFormat, Practice Guide, Professional Practice, SectionFormat, Spec language, Specifications
I would like to produce perfect documents every time. However, I remember Hal Barcus, one of my architecture professors saying, "Architecture is never done; you just run out of time, patience, or money." As a student, I didn't appreciate the valuable..
What's so Important about Submittals?
by David Stutzman | Jun 12, 2012 | Construction Administration, CSI, Division 01, MasterSpec, Practice Group, Professional Practice, SectionFormat, Specifications, Specifying Practice Group, submittals
An interesting question--no doubt about it! More than 90 Specifying Practice Group members, an attendance record, met last week to discuss it.
Specifying Different Products Differently
by David Stutzman | Oct 11, 2010 | CSI, Part 2, Practice Group, SectionFormat, Specifications, Specifying Practice Group
What, you say? Of course, different products are specified differently! Concrete block, doors, and air handlers are simply not the same. Why would the specs ever be the same?
Submittals, Submittals, Submittals
by David Stutzman | Sep 5, 2010 | CSI, Practice Group, Professional Practice, SectionFormat, Specifications, Specifying Practice Group, submittals
CSI's Specifying Practice Group met to debate why contractor submittals are required, how submittals are classified, and the A/E's responsibilities for submittals. Must the A/E require submittals to ensure the owner gets what is due? Will submittals help..
SectionFormat and PageFormat 2008
by David Stutzman | Aug 8, 2010 | CSI, MasterSpec, PageFormat, Practice Group, SectionFormat, Specifications, Specifying Practice Group, SpecText
Fifty-three members of CSI's Specifying Practice Group met August 5 to discuss the updates for two of CSI's formatting documents: SectionFormat and PageFormat. The meeting included wonderful discussion and interaction among the members while reviewing..