SPECIFICATIONS A detailed description of the quality of PURPOSES OF SPECIFICATIONS :

materials and workmanship required to complete an

engineering project in accordance with its drawings and
details is known as the specifications. A specification along  To describe the quality of different materials
with the drawings (including schedules etc), form the part required for construction work.
of the contract documents that translate the client's  It enables the department, engineers, architect
requirements into the eventual building/construction. and contractor to define, procure and check the
DEFINITIONS: There are a number of definitions of the term material’s quality as per specifications.
specifications - two of the best are:  To specify the quality of workmanship and
method of doing the same.
1. A detailed description prepared by a consultant Engineer  Specifications are required to clarify the
or Architect to tell the Contractor everything about
workmanship which cannot be shown on the drawings. drawings.
(Scott 1964)  Specifications are helpful to the contractor in
filling the rates of various items in the tender.
2. The document that prescribes the requirements with  Specifications of a work serves as a guide to the
which the product or service has to conform (possibly
Gelder 2001 supervising staff of the owner as well as the
contractor to execute the work to their
TYPES OF SPECIFICATIONS satisfaction.
 Specifications are necessary to verify and
General Specifications In general specifications, nature and
class of works and names of materials that should be used
check the strength of materials for a work.
are described. Only a brief description of each and every  Specification is an essential contract document
item is given. It is useful for estimating the project. The and is required for arbitration (dispute between
general specifications do not form a part of contract the contractor and owner) and court cases.
document.
 Specification is necessary to specify the
Detailed Specifications The detailed specifications form a equipment, tools and plants to be engaged for a
part of a contract document. They specify the qualities, work and thus enables to procure then
quantities and proportions of materials and the method of beforehand.
preparation and execution for a particular item of works in
a project. The detailed specifications of the different items
of the work are prepared separately and they describe what Requirement of a Good Specification:
the work should be and how they shall be executed. While 1. It should be clear in all details both in plan and
writing the detailed specifications, the same order specification as a protection to both owner and
sequence as the work is to be carried out is to be contractor is sure to render needed work only as
maintained.
he understood clearly what is desired by the
IMPORTANCE OF SPECIFICATIONS : planner. For the reason he can make certain of
his bid without gambling on uncertain hidden
1. Sometimes, it is not possible to furnish the work that he may be obliged to do due to vague
information on the drawings, regarding the specifications.
quality of materials to be used and the quality of
workmanship to be achieved during 2. It should be _brief because it is not like a
construction, due to shortage of space. novel. Only those characteristics or feature that
Specifications provide such useful data in a will assure result should be specified.
separate document.
3. It should be definite, indefinite specifications
2. The ‘drawings’ and ‘specifications’ form two are inserted for dishonest and vicious intent. For
important contract documents. In case of example, "it is provided that the Engineer shall
discrepancy between the drawings and interpret any provision not clearly stated". There
specifications, the provisions of the is an opportunity for him to decide the matter
specifications are given more legal strength and later. For this latitude of description, the
shall govern. engineer may have the chance to vary expense
and favor a certain person for dishonest motive.
3. The rates of items depend on the This is disadvantageous to the owner and
specifications. If the specifications are rigid and contractor.
demands for superior quality, the rate of item
will increase and vice versa. 4. It should be fair. Fairness in specification
means protection of the client and the
4. Specifications are necessary during contractor in every legal ways. Equitable dealing
supervising the work. between contending parties should respect for
others according to one's idea of social justice.
5. The specifications of items are required by the
contractor to fill the rates of items in the tender 5. It should be determinate. For example,
document. specification state that "Lumber required shall
be suitable character for tax purpose intended of
straight grain and free from defects as the
Engineer shall prescribed". This is not
determinate specification, it permit the Engineer • Project description: This details what the
in disregard of fair play to require materials more project is about, including the most important
superior to that actually needed by the Engineer. idea or description of the problem being
addressed. It can be a summary of items or just
6. Specification should not be ambiguous. It a paragraph.
should not have more than one meaning or
interpretation. Unnecessary or unreasonable • Contract price: The type of contract price that
requirements are always ambiguous and has been awarded and the total amount of
uncertain as to what is really desired and what money being contracted are detailed, as well as
actually needed by the Engineer. possible additions or deductions to the contract
and how they will be released.
7. Specification should not be unnecessary Prices should always be negotiated and
severe. Specification for materials of the class established before a contract is signed in order
desired should be embodied. It should not be to avoid any confusion, disagreement, or legal
unusual or extravagant because it adds disputes.
materially to the expenses.
• Payment basis: This describes the money that
8. Specification should not be arbitrary. The will be paid to the contractor, whether on a
Engineer's duty to control over the work should weekly, monthly, or milestone basis. This section
not be arbitrary. The contractor should not be should also specify what percentage of money
deprived of using sound discretion when should be retained on every application for
necessary to achieve the desired result. payment. It will also define when the payment is
Otherwise, the contractor may claim that he due, the penalty for late payments, whether
merely acted as ministerial works of the interest is accrued, and any other payment and
Engineer or his client not as contractor to escape invoicing terms.

CONTRACT • Schedule or calendar: The total number of

days or how the project schedule will be divided,
A construction contract agreement is a it should describe either calendar days or
document that sets the scope and terms of work business days and can be presented as a Gantt
for a construction project. It is an agreement Chart, bar chart, CPM, or another method.
between the contractor doing the construction
and the person or company who hires them to • Document list: A list of all contract documents
do the work. forms this part of the contract agreement.
Drawings, exhibits, specs, and supplemental
Including: conditions can be part of this list.

• What work will be done • Construction scope: The scope normally can be
• When it will start and be completed by measured or quantifiable and is a description of
• Which parties will participate in the all construction activities that will form part of
construction process the project.
• The cost of labor and materials
• How the parties will communicate • Construction conditions and responsibilities:
• Procedures for changing the scope of work or Responsibilities for the owner and the
other parts of the agreement contractor, including who is responsible for
• How disputes will be resolved providing documents, information, payments, or
other deliverables are laid out so the project can
Most construction companies or contractors will progress on time. It should contain specific terms
have a template they use as the basis of their for liens, penalties, withholding, and arbitration
construction contract. This template will outline rules, as well as specific instructions on how to
their standard operating procedures, rates, and process claims and proceed with disputes.
other conditions.
• Contract laws: Any applicable legal
Depending on the project, each agreement will requirements, including governing laws, liens
be slightly different, with modifications made for requirements, claims procedures, arbitration
scope of work, cost, and more, depending on the procedures, insurance, substantial completion
job. However, most contract agreements should requirements, final completion, and liquidated
include certain sections to protect parties on damages are detailed. This may also include
both sides of the agreement. procedures for how to terminate or suspend the
work and the agreement with the contractor.
Types of Construction Contract Agreements TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS

All contracts should: A. From a Legal Point of View Contract is a

mutual agreement between two or more parties
• Be in writing that something shall be done, an agreement
• Contain a description of the product or service enforceable at law.
being offered
• Be understood and clear between both parties B. According to FIDIC (International Federation
• Include services being contracted clearly of Consulting Engineers) Contract means the
• Include cancellation or termination policy General Conditions, the Supplementary
• Have financial terms clear Conditions, the Specifications, the Drawings, the
Bill of Quantities, the Tender, the Letter of
Acceptance, the Contract Agreement, and such
further documents as may be expressly
Types of Construction Contract Agreements incorporated in the Letter of Acceptance or
Contract Agreement.
Express This type of agreement defines the
purpose and scope of the agreement. Under this C. According to Method of Payment The
alternative, the stipulations and terms of the agreement of how the owner will pay the
contract are understood clearly by each part. contractor for work performed such as a lump-
sum or cost-plus payment.
Executed An executed contract agreement
provides a warranty period or malfunction.
Under this agreement, services have been ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
rendered, but the contract protects one party A construction project organizational structure
when the other's performance fails to provide has to help ensure on-time project completion
the proper warranty for defective or incorrect within the set budget. You have to decide how
installation. best to assign responsibility for scheduling and
cost control while making sure the project's
Conditional A conditional contract agreement is working-level teams carry out the work in the
an agreement used when services could not be right sequence and according to the
provided at the time the contract was signed. It specifications. An effective project organization
stipulates a future date when services will be leaves project team members free to decide on
rendered if certain conditions. the technical aspects of their work while
ensuring that they act within the project's time
Do I Need a Construction Contract Agreement? and cost constraints. Structural organization is
the formal arrangements that are established to
A contract agreement protects both the parties coordinate all activities in order to implement a
involved in construction work. It defines your given strategy. Thus, structure reflects the
scope of work, outlines terms for payment, and anatomy of a firm through its focus on
provides methods of settling disputes. Without a mechanisms and processes that link both
proper contract, any disagreements or vertically and horizontally the various parts of an
miscommunication over the work involved in the organization.
project, schedule, missed or late payments, or
other concerns could turn into a major legal Framework
battle. This can become costly for both the
property owner and the contractor. Having a Organization of a project differs from that of an
construction contract agreement protects the operating company because a project has a
legal and financial stake of everyone involved in limited duration. Employees making up the
a construction project. Neither the owner of the project team come from a company's general
construction company nor the owner of the work force and return there after the project is
property should agree to start work without one. finished. Salaries, benefits and disciplinary
matters remain with the corporate structure,
while work-related decisions come from the
project organizational structure, made up of
functional units and working-level teams
reporting to the project manager. Those
involved in the project focus on getting the work
done according to the project plan, satisfying
specific cost, scheduling, and quality objectives.
Functional seeks to know who is to do and what is to be
done.
Project managers need to control the project's
scope and costs, as well as handling project Structural Elements of an Organization (5 M’s):
scheduling. The project manager assigns
responsibility for these functions to key people, 1. Men – members of the organization starting
and the organizational structure gives them from the very top of the last workman in the
direct access to the working-level teams carrying organization.
out the work. The teams either report back to 2. Materials – represent the materials necessary
the functional units on costs, progress and in the distribution of functions or in the
scope, or they require the approval of the attainment of its objective.
functional managers to place orders and 3. Machine – the tools necessary in producing its
schedule work. In either case, the lines of desired output
reporting go from the project manager through 4. Methods – the procedures and ways used in
the functional units to the working-level teams, the course of its action
and back through the functional units to the 5. Money – The financial resources of the
project manager. organization

Technical
PRINCIPLES OF GOOD ORGANIZATION
Construction projects include a technical
component that requires technical training, • Principle of Objective – must be known, it
expertise and professional qualifications. The serves as the guide to future planning and action.
project manager organizes the working-level It integrates policies, projects and programs and
teams to carry out specific tasks, such as drywall it enables every member to act consistently
or plumbing, in the right sequence. The according to common goal.
functional units track progress, schedule the • Analysis – study as the work could be finished
work and issue reports back to the project at the right time.
manager. When the company does not have the • Simplicity – The simplest organization that will
expertise in a particular field, it can hire serve to attain the desired objective is
contractors who interface directly with the considered the best. All activities which are not
functional groups to ensure that their work absolutely necessary should be eliminated, and
meets the requirements of the project. those retained should be handled in the simplest
practical way.
Quality • Functionalism – The organization should be
built around the main functions and not around
Quality control is a specialized function that the individuals.
usually has an independent structure parallel to • Departmentalization – In a big organization,
the project organization. Two requirements for the scope of operation can be very broad,
quality control are that the quality manager necessitating departmentalization to achieve a
reports directly to project management and that flow of operations
the personnel from the quality control • Centralization of Authority and Responsibility
department have direct access to everyone - in every organization there should be
carrying out work on the project. The project centralized executive control or command
organization chart generally shows the quality authority
manager directly below the project manager • Limited Span of Control – The number of
with a direct reporting path. The remaining subordinates an executive can manage
access is through a matrix organization with effectively.
reporting paths from each functional unit and
working-level team back to the quality assurance → GOOD ORGANIZATION & GOOD EXECUTIVE
department. Through the link to project A good executive may be able to secure good
management, the quality manager has authority results with a poor organization, and a good
over quality matters throughout the project organization may produce results from a poor
executive. But the ideal set up is, a combination
Organization of a good organization and a good executive.

is a group of individuals who are cooperating According to Kast, 1974, management involves
willingly and effectively for a common goal. It is the coordination human and material resources
nothing more than the mechanism by which toward the attainment of the organization’s
administration directs, coordinates and controls goal.
its business. It is indeed, the very foundation of
administration. To be specific, organization
• Management is a process – it is the process of
directing and facilitating the work of people who Executive Functions:
are organized for a common purpose. It is the
process of combining the efforts and resources Managers do not do the actual work of an
of individuals with a common interest to achieve organization. His specific functions are:
a desired objective.
1. To Plan - making things happen
According to Stoner and freeman, 1989, the 2. To Organize - improving the organization will
processes includes: always improve performance
3. To Direct - guiding and overseeing
1. Planning – process of establishing objectives subordinates, they are taught what to do and
and appropriate courses of action before taking told to get on with the job (leadership and
action coordination)
2. Organizing – arranging an organization’s 4. To Control - as the process by which an
structure executive gets the performance of his
3. Leading – directing and inspiring the subordinates to correspond as closely as possible
personnel to perform their functions. to chosen plans, orders, objectives, or policies
4. Controlling – process of motivating actual
organization activities to ensure to move toward Policies and Procedures → In planning, the
its objective critical task is the formulation of policies

Policies - general statements, which guide or

• Management is a function – it is an art of channel the thinking and action of members of
handling people. It is the function of getting an organization.
things done through the efforts of others.
Procedures - reflection of policy
MANAGEMENT CONCEPT: - involves the selection of a course of
action and applied to future activities.
1. Management to be effective must be - detailed the manner in which a certain
systematic – Things can be done better by activity must be accomplished.
means of plan of action. The plan is a step by step
outline of what is to be done and who does what. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY - the key to
effective management. Delegation of task to a
2. Management to be successful must be subordinate is a manifestation of faith and
scientific – analysis of the operation or work. confidence towards the ability of a subordinate.

3. Management must be humanistic – Authority is the power of an administrator to

Application of good human relations “pays off” delegate functions to the next ranking executive,
through cooperation and coordination leading who in turn transmit it to the employees who are
toward the goal and objective. charged with the actual operations.
- In order to have control, the manager
THE MANAGER must have authority. Authority should have a
definite limitation to avoid confusion.
• Managers – According to Kast, 1974, people - preferably be in WRITING - should be
who are responsible for integrating, interpreted CLEARLY to avoid misunderstanding
coordinating and directing activities of others. - Justifiable praise and commendation
Manager as executive, is the most difficult and should be given the deputy of work well done.
with the highest degree of responsibility. Recognition is a basic human desire and is an
incentive for further achievement. This is one of
Quality of an Effective Manager: the means for executive development and or
building morale.
1. Manager studies, analyzes and dissects
his/her job. Responsibility and Authority → Resposibility is
2. Manager knows how to delegate the “Hell” without Authority.
administrative details of his/her job. - BUCK PASSING : There are people who
3. Manager is willing to delegate to and share constantly seek for authority, but evade
with his subordinates the credit of a job well responsibility.
done.
4. Manager trains and develops his men to → Authority and responsibility must go together.
assume delegated work. But authority cannot be delegated completely. It
5. Manager knows how to control and plan his can only be shared.
time.
6. Manager institutes controls for effective Eg. The president may delegate any or part of his
performance. authority because he may expect to get the
necessary counsel of experienced or specialists How to Give Effective Orders
workers in the company. Yet, even with the aid
of responsible consultants, there is always that 1. Clarify your objective.
element of risk in decisions. Decisions should
result from the pooling of judgement of those 2. Obtain favorable attention.
who share in the responsibility and authority. → Your main objective is to get him to
The president or manager is still held responsible do what you want him to do and like it. To
for the action and liabilities of the company, achieve this, you must get interested attention
including the cause of strikes due to labor so that he will receive and correctly understand
disputes. the complete order. Request and suggestions
make it much easier for a person to like doing
HUMANISTIC MANAGEMENT It is a universally what you want him to do than a direct order.
applicable. Employees who are given definite
goals will clearly understand what they should 3. Make it simple and specific.
concentrate their talents on. They know what is → The order will only be clear and
expected and the standards by which they will be concise when it is simple and specific.
measured.
4. Phrase it tactfully for best results.
According to Konosuke Matsushita (the founder → Choose the most suitable kind of
of Panasonic corporation of Japan), for a orders and phrase it in the way that will produce
corporation to achieve its objective, it must the desired effect.
above all else, succeed in cultivating its human
resources. People-first business philosophy. 5. Explain why it should be done your way.
Make people before it make products. → Even they don't fully agree with the
reasoning involved, they appreciate being told
DIRECTING PEOPLE ON THE JOB → Before you about it.
can expect to give orders effectively, you must
understand exactly what an order is and the
different kinds of order you can use. 6. Learn how much information and guidance
he needs.
What is an ORDER? → An ORDER is a specific
message conveyed by a leader to a follower for 7. Let him have it.
the purpose of influencing the follower to take → Give the information and guidance he
desired tion. Orders are either VERBAL or needs as clearly and concisely as possible. Make
WRITTEN. sure you inspire his confidence in you and the
correctness of your order.
Directing People on the Job When to use VERBAL
ORDER? 8. Inspire his confidence in you and the
1. When the order is simple and the message can correctness of your order.
be clearly heard.
2. When privacy is important. 9. Note his readiness to act.
3. When the followers is intelligent and reliable. → Watch his reaction to your order to
4. When a demonstration is involved. see whether he has understood it correctly and
is ready to act on it.
When to have WRITTEN ORDER?
1. When precise figures or complicated details 10. Give him faith in his ability to carry it out.
are involved. → If there is any difficulty involved in his
2. When orders must be passed on to someone carrying out your order, he will perform at his
else. best when he believes in his ability to do it.
3. When the workers involved are slow to → Show your faith in his ability. if you
understand and forgetful. have any doubts about his competence, keep
4. When you want to hold the receiver strictly them to yourself.
accountable.
5. When particular sequence must be followed
exactly.
6. When a notice board can be suitably used.
7. When you are quoting general instructions on
higher authority.
8. When a record is desirable, perhaps the order
may need to be referred to in the future.