Tinus Maritz Efficiency in the provision of production specifications for the South African construction industry Peer reviewed Abstract In most developed countries production specifications are based on national standardised specification systems, such as the National Building Specification or NBS (Great Britain), the National Specification System or NATSPEC (Australia), Master Specification Systems or MasterSpec (United States of America and Canada), General Materials and Workmanship Specifications or AMA (Sweden), and the National Standard Building Specification or STABU (the Netherlands). Standard specifications are primarily designed to shorten descriptions in the texts of new projects, whether in respect of descriptions on architectural or engineering drawings and technical specifications or descriptions in bills of quantities, schedules of rates, etcetera. In some countries the development of computerised specification systems has reached the point that these systems are supplanting the traditional word processing method. These systems are also providing links or interfaces to other information systems of the construction sector, such as design, products and cost information systems, etcetera. The South African construction industry, however, lags behind these countries that have been involved in the development of construction information systems or processes over the years. A call is therefore made to improve the efficiency of providing production specifications, as inadequate project information has been identified as one of the major causes of inefficiency in the building process. Keywords: Specification, classification systems, construction information, interoperability, standardisation. 63 Kommentaar • Commentary Tinus Maritz, Department of Construction Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Email: 64 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) Abstrak In meeste ontwikkelde lande word konstruksie inligtingstelsels gebasseer op nasionale gestandaardiseerde spesifikasiestelsels, soos die National Building Specification of NBS (Groot Brittanje), die National Specification System of NATSPEC (Australië), Master Specification Systems of MasterSpec (Verenigde State van Amerika en Kanada), General Materials and Workmanship Specifi cations of AMA (Swede), en die National Standard Building Specification of STABU (Nederland). Standaard of algemene spesifikasies bevat instruksies en/ of vereistes betreffende die uitvoering en gehalte van werk en verkort be skrywings in ander verkrygingsdokumente, soos byvoorbeeld beskrywings op argiteks of ingenieurstekeninge en tegniese spesifikasies of beskrywings in hoeveelheidslyste en skedules van tariewe. In sekere lande het die ontwik keling van gerekaniseerde spesifikasiestelsels die stadium bereik waar kon vensionele woordverwerkingmetodes vervang word met ’n objekgeoriënteer de benadering vir die organisering van konstruksie inligting sonder menslike intervensie. Hierdie moderne stelsels voorsien ook skakeling of integrering met ander inligtingstelsels wat in die konstruksiesektor gebruik word, soos byvoor beeld met produksoek , tender en koste inligtingstelsels. Die Suid Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf het egter ’n agterstand teenoor lande wat oor jare reeds met die ontwikkeling van konstruksie inligtingstelsels of prosesse gemoeid is. Dit is algemene kennis dat gebrekkige projekinligting een van die hoofoorsake van oneffektiwiteit in die bouproses is, en die feit kan nie weg geredeneer word nie dat integrasie van inligting op tekeninge en in spesifi kasies die hoogste prioriteit onder die veeltal betrokkenes in die veld van kon struksie inligting behoort te geniet. Sleutelwoorde: Spesifikasie, klassifikasiestelsels, konstruksie inligting, integrasie, standaardisering 1. Introduction Production specification can be defined as written informationprepared by the design team for use by the construction team,the main purpose of which is to define the products to be used, the quality of the work, any performance requirements, and the conditions under which the work is to be executed. It is common knowledge that many of the problems on construction sites are caused by poor or missing information. Effective communi- cation of high quality specification information between designers and constructors is therefore essential for the satisfactory execution of construction projects. The main thrust of the research undertaken by Maritz (2003) for a PhD thesis was an investigation into the establishment of a code of practice for the classification of construction information on which production specifications, bills of quantities, etcetera can be based. The study has shown, inter alia, that the evolution in the classification or specification processes, which form an indispensable part of the overall procurement process, has become stagnant in South Africa and that little use is made of the benefits that the advancement in construction information technology (CIT) offers. The Construction Industry Status Report, which was prepared by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR, 2002) for the Department of Public Works (DPW), corroborates the findings of the abovementioned study. The objective was to report on the status, capacity and performance of the construction industry against de- velopment criteria. The report focused on a number of issues, two of which were: • Standardisation of contract information in order to deter- mine the percentage of contracts awarded on criteria other than price, as well as how many contracts meet the principles of modern forms of contract; and • Customer satisfaction with construction products, delivery time, and quality of service and product. The summary of the findings on the first issue revealed that little uniformity in procurement practices exists and proposed that the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) should not only have to develop best practices to promote uniformity, but would also need to ensure that ongoing training programmes for both 65 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications clients and professionals are available to keep people abreast of the latest best practices. On the second issue it was reported, inter alia, that traditional methods of preparing design specifications seem to pose a large problem in both the architectural and engineering domains, and neither clients nor contractors were satisfied with design specifica- tions. Professionals were of the opinion that the quality of specifi- cations is still good, but that it is becoming increasingly difficult to produce quality specifications within the set time and budget con- straints. This confirmed the general opinion that work processes are not up to international standards amongst a large contingent of professionals. The above shortcomings were further emphasised by the following concluding remark: Clients and contractors perceive that consultants have lost a significant amount of expertise and capacity in devel oping specifications and documentation in the building sector. This leads to inaccurate specifications that result in a high level of design variations that in turn lead to an ad versarial and time consuming approach in dealing with variation orders. The next section of this article attempts to assess whether profes- sionals in the South African construction industry agree with the view expressed in the above citation and outlines an overall analysis of these specific research issues and focal points within the frame- work of the research that was conducted by Maritz (2003). 2. Research approach For the collection of information from secondary sources an exten- sive review of related literature was carried out, and a selected number of classification and specification systems in use in other countries were reviewed. The developments in the field of classifi- cation were then examined in detail by reviewing the latest litera- ture published in conference papers and on the Internet, by at- tending seminars in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia, and by making contact, either on a personal level or through correspond- ence, with some of the leading players in this particular field of the industry. 66 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) The review process was supplemented throughout by the personal observations and experiences of the author, which have spanned a period in excess of three decades and which have occurred at the cutting edge of the industry. A two-stage descriptive survey (Leedy, 1997: 196- 197; Cooper & Emory, 1995: 121) was ultimately chosen for the data generation and analysis. The first-stage survey process comprised obtaining qualita- tive data through structured interviews from a pre-selected sample of senior academics and practising quantity surveyors in the UK. “Open-ended” questions regarding the current trends in compiling procurement documentation and systems for the classification of construction information were set on a non-standardised schedule (Zikmund, 2000: 310-312). Certain tendencies were identified and some of these were used for the second-stage survey. The second- stage survey process, which produced mostly quantitative data, comprised the design, pre-test and administration of a structured questionnaire that targeted architectural, quantity surveying and consulting engineering practices to obtain their view on the ef- fectiveness of the procurement processes (which included the drafting of production specifications and the management of in- formation for construction). 3. Review of the literature on international and local (South African) specification systems The International Construction Information Society (ICIS) published two very comprehensive reports (ICIS Report No. 1, 1995; Mindt Report No. 2, 1997) that set out to compare the specification systems in 13 selected countries in Europe and elsewhere. These reports show that there were no substantial differences between the specification systems; they all covered more or less the same basic construction works, their structure followed the chronology of a construction pro- ject, and their main users were consultants and contractors. Further development of all the systems investigated seemed to be in the same direction and followed the technologically most advanced systems (more specifically those of Switzerland and the Netherlands). A common goal was the continuous integration of computer tech- nology, mainly by providing interface facilities with other construc- tion information systems. 67 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications Since the publication of the abovementioned reports there have been further advances in CIT and changes in computer-aided design (CAD) applications. Practically every design office now has a computer and access to the Internet. Recent developments have made it possible to build a virtual prototype of a project (i.e. a 3D model) on a computer. This enables errors, omissions and coordination problems in the production drawings to be identified and rectified before work starts on site. Most of the specification systems investigated, however still use a word processor environment, which means that a ‘delete un- wanted text’ or ‘cut and paste’ technique is used to draft a production specification. This has the result that the information is only interpretable by humans. In relational systems, bits of infor- mation can have a meaning that is ‘understood’ by a computer through definition of attributes and possible ranges of values, so that the information can be interpreted by the system and pro- cessed without human intervention. It was found that, although much work and research have been done in this regard, workable outcomes and full implementation would only be achieved in the next generation. The review of the literature on the application and development of specification systems for the South African construction industry that follow, draws a distinction between the private and public sectors. This has been done because of the distinct differences in procurement methods that have existed between these two sectors over the years. 3.1 Private Sector Traditionally, production specifications for private works – whether general, particular, or both – were produced solely by the designer (architect/engineer), normally by making use of in-house general and project particular specifications. Because of the absence of a national standardised specification system upon which these specifications could be based, they differed in style and format between the various firms. In recent years, however, the quantity surveying profession has be- come increasingly involved in the drafting of production specifi- cations on private sector works. The designer generally issues only annotated drawings, occasionally accompanied by specific model 68 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) specifications, to the quantity surveyor for measuring purposes. The Standard System of Measuring Building Work (SSM 1999) (ASAQS 1999b) in the section General Instructions prescribes that: Quantity surveyors shall prepare bills of quantities containing clear and complete descriptions, leaving no reasonable doubt as to their intent and meaning; and Descriptions must contain all the essential information ne cessary for pricing. Without a proper and comprehensive production specification from the designer, the quantity surveyor is obliged to insert additional preambles in his bills of quantities, either as a complete section at the beginning of the document, or as part of the various bills (trades). It appears that quantity surveyors have taken cognisance of these changed circumstances as the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS) has produced model preambles for the build- ing industry in an effort to meet the foregoing requirements. The 1999 edition of the Model Preambles for Trades (ASAQS 1999a) is currently the most frequently used document on major private building works, especially in instances where a quantity surveyor has been ap- pointed as part of the professional team, and where bills of quan- tities form part of the building contract. 3.1.1 Development and status of the Model Preambles During the late 1970s the ASAQS produced the first standard pre- ambles document (ASAQS, 1980) that had as its basic function the abbreviation of descriptions in the text of bills of quantities. This docu- ment was revised in 1989 to accommodate coastal conditions where these differed from inland conditions. Further editions followed in 1992, 1995 and 1997 with relatively minor amendments. A more representative committee, which included members from the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) and the local Master Builders Association (MBA), representing the Building Industries Feder- ation of South Africa (BIFSA), was formed when the next edition was due. As a result of the interaction between the various sectors, an intensive examination of the entire document was carried out. This culminated in the publishing in 1999 of the current edition of the Model Preambles. 69 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications According to Cahill (2002), the present chairman of the Model Preambles Committee, the committee is currently dormant, but will presumably be revived when stocks of the current edition run low. In the meantime the chairman’s only task is to respond to queries and to keep note of various points raised by users of the docu- ment for possible inclusion in the next revision. 3.2 Public Sector The Green Paper on Public Sector Procurement Reform contains seven specific proposals regarding uniformity in contract docu- mentation. Two of these relate specifically to specification matters, namely: • Construction standards; and • Specifications. Watermeyer (1997) raised the following issues on the above- mentioned proposals: • There should be a complete separation in contract docu- mentation between conditions of tender, conditions of contract, specifications and terms of payment (including methods of measurement). • Government should play a leading role in the standard- isation of contract documentation and contract options and set an example in this regard for the private sector. • Construction standards common to all disciplines should be developed for engineering and construction works contracts. • The whole tendering process should be made more access- ible to emerging enterprises by ensuring that tender docu- mentation is: – ‘user-friendly’ and easy to comprehend; – free of unduly onerous requirements and conditions; – standardised. The current call according to Watermeyer (2002), is to simplify docu- mentation. Simplification needs to deal with issues such as lan- guage, style, presentation, layout and numbering. At its core is coherency in documentation and structure. For example, project 70 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) specifications and special conditions of contract should be drafted in such a manner that amendments to standard documentation can be readily detected. The White Paper on Creating an Enabling Environment for Recon- struction Growth and Development in the Construction Industry ad- dresses several aspects of procurement insofar as the construction industry is concerned, one of which was the establishment of the CIDB. This led to the promulgation of the Construction Industry Development Board Act 38 of 2000. This Act tasks the CIDB with, inter alia, the promotion and implementation of policies, programmes and projects aimed at procurement reform and standardisation and uniformity in procurement documentation, practices and pro- cedures. The Act also empowers the CIDB to publish best practices, promote standardisation of procurement processes within Govern- ment’s procurement policy framework, and allows the CIDB to initiate, promote and implement national programmes and pro- jects aimed at the standardisation of procurement documenta- tion, practices and procedures (Watermeyer, 2001). 3.2.1 The PW 371 Specification of Materials and Methods to be used (PW 371) The fourth edition of PW 371 (DPW 1993) is the current primary spe- cification document in use on most public building works. The DPW is the official body responsible for the publication and revision of the document. It was last revised in 1993 after the first edition was published in 1982. The format and application of the document are similar to that of the Model Preambles described above and the document therefore has the same limitations on its usage. This document is one of those identified in the aforementioned Green Paper that is in need of revision to make it acceptable. 3.2.2 SABS 1200 and SABS 0120 documents The SABS 1200 and SABS 0120 series of specification documents were developed for civil works and are exclusively used for this purpose. These documents will be withdrawn once a new specification for construction works that encompasses both civil and building works has been drafted. A working group has been constituted to de- velop this new specification, which will be referred to as SABS 2001: Standardised Specifications for Construction Works. Only after SABS 71 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications 2001 has been completed (it is anticipated that it will be developed in a phased manner and may take several years to complete), and the South African Institute for Civil Engineers (SAICE) has published its new measurement and payment system, will it be possible for SABS 1200 and SABS 0120 to be withdrawn or phased out. 3.3 Commercial specification systems A number of commercial product library information systems have come onto the South African market in recent years for specific applications in the construction industry, mainly as a result of the advancement in CIT. The initial objective of these systems was to replace the libraries of catalogues with complete on-line product information that would be accessible to designers, estimators, quan- tity surveyors, contractors, etc. Some of the systems that have been developed to date are integrated with specific bills of quantities production programmes, with the information on products and ser- vices being classified according to the usual trade-format approach prescribed in the SSM. The information that is provided in these systems about products aims to be complete, i.e. without a need for further reference to hard copy catalogues. Thus information such as place of manufacture, materials from which the product is made, complying standards, warranty details, application methods, etcetera are all provided. In addition, model bill descriptions of all likely items to be encoun- tered for the specific product range are often provided and can thus be conveniently downloaded by the person responsible for the measurement. However, Figure 1 shows that these systems are not used much in the construction industry. 72 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) 4. Trends indicated by data collected in the Maritz study Respondents in Maritz’s empirical study were requested to rate hypothetical statements, conclusions and recommendations in accordance with a five-point rating Likert scale in the first part of the questionnaire. At the end of each series of questions the re- spondents could state their own point of view by using the space provided for ‘open-ended’ responses. The questionnaire was com- piled with several objectives in view, but the discussion in this article on the trends indicated by the data collected is limited to the ob- jectives dealing exclusively with specification matters. The discus- sion is further limited to the drawing of abbreviated inferences and conclusions only. 73 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications 6.6 13.3 8.9 12.9 10 4.5 4.1 2.2 15.1 0 9.2 2.2 3.7 24 10.3 16.6 4.1 49.147.6 79.7 89.7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Bu ild in g C e nt re A ut o sp e c Bu ild in g In fo S e rv ic e C la ss id e x D a ta B ui ld E- Sp e c Ez e e -D e x In te rn e t Ko m p a ss N a tio n Bu ild e r In -h o us e S ys te m Q ua nt a rc Q PL D ia lo g Sa b in e t Sp e c ifi le Sp e c ify in g D yn a m ic s Sp e c ify in g T e c hn iq ue s Sp e c ilin k Ye llo w P a g e s O th e rs D a ily / O ft e n (% ) Figure 1: The regularity of use of available product information sources Daily / Often Source: Maritz 2003: 164 Ta b e 1 : Sp e c ifi c e xp e rt ise a nd a p p ro p ria te e xp e rie nc e a re e ss e nt ia re q ui re m e nt s th a t th e d ra ft e r o f sp e c ifi c a tio ns s ho u d p o ss e ss 74 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) To ta l G ra p hi c a l p re se nt a tio n Ty p e o f r e sp o nd e nt A rc hi te c t Q ua nt ity En g in e e r su rv e yo r To ta l r e sp o ns e s 26 8 16 3 66 39 St ro ng ly d isa g re e 0 0 0 0 % 0 0 0 0 M o d e ra te ly d isa g re e 3 2 0 1 % 1 1 1. 2 0 2. 6 U nd e c id e d 14 10 3 1 % 5 2 6. 1 4. 6 2. 6 M o d e ra te ly a g re e 92 59 19 14 % 34 3 36 .2 28 .8 35 .9 St ro ng ly a g re e 15 9 92 44 23 % 59 4 56 .5 66 .6 58 .9 M e a n 4 52 4 48 4 62 4 51 S D 0 65 0 67 0 57 0 68 30 60 90 12 0 15 0 So ur c e M a rit z 20 03 1 41 All three disciplines supported the statement (sample mean = 4.52) that the specification drafter should be in possession of specific expertise and experience. Gelder (2001: 10) identified the following five desirable features of specification methods: • Compatibility with the form of contract; • Clear-cut responsibility for design; • Internal consistency, both technically and contractually; • Capacity to obtain a good price for the work; • Ability to integrate and coordinate services, especially with structural and other services elements. Designers (architects and engineers) are deemed to have expert knowledge with regard to the abovementioned specification mat- ters, and should, generally, be more capable than quantity surveyors of preparing and managing project specifications. Quantity sur- veyors would, generally, not have received the basic training re- quired for drafting proper specifications, as little emphasis is placed on this aspect in their curriculum. Quantity surveyors are mostly forced by the circumstances to provide ‘something’ in bills of quantities, or other types of procurement documents, in an effort to avoid later claims by the contractor that might result in cost overruns on budgets submitted to the client. Smallwood (2002: 8) comments that “… design effectively defines the work to be done.” The designer should therefore take the leading role during the design and construction phases concerning specifi- cation matters to ensure effective supervision of standards of work- manship and quality of materials, which has to be measured against the project specification and design. In his doctoral thesis that investigated, inter alia, the effectiveness of the procurement process in South Africa, Grobler (2000: 368) confirms the importance of proper supervision by stating: Quality control personnel must ensure that products are constructed according to drawings and specifications. (It seems so obvious, but quality control failed to prevent the many documented catastrophic failures in recent history). 75 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications 76 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) Ta b e 2 : Th e re s ho u d o n y b e o ne c o m p re he ns iv e a nd u p -t o -d a te n a tio na b ui d in g s p e c ifi c a tio n in So ut h A fri c a So ur c e : M a rit z 20 03 : 1 49 To ta l G ra p hi c a l p re se nt a tio n Ty p e o f r e sp o nd e nt A rc hi te c t Q ua nt ity En g in e e r su rv e yo r To ta l r e sp o ns e s 26 7 16 4 65 38 St ro ng ly d isa g re e 11 7 3 1 % 4 1 4. 3 4. 6 2. 6 M o d e ra te ly d isa g re e 8 6 1 1 % 3 0 3. 6 1. 5 2. 6 U nd e c id e d 17 13 3 1 % 6 4 7. 9 4. 6 2. 6 M o d e ra te ly a g re e 60 38 12 10 % 22 5 23 .2 18 .5 26 .3 St ro ng ly a g re e 17 1 10 0 46 25 % 64 0 61 .0 70 .8 65 .8 M e a n 4 39 4 33 4 49 4 50 S D 1 02 1 06 1 00 0 89 30 60 90 12 0 15 0 The designer, and not the quantity surveyor, should have the re- sponsibility for preparing the specification, and should, in addition to the quality control process, visit the site regularly to ensure that critical elements are constructed according to the design, and that construction techniques are sound and safe. These functions clearly belong to the designer and not to the quantity surveyor. All three disciplines supported the statement (sample mean = 4.39) that there should be only one comprehensive and up-to-date spe- cification system in South Africa. In the ‘open-ended’ responses following the statement two re- spondents noted the following: The industry should standardise nationally (with as much as possible ‘internationalisation’ to optimise the functioning of industry on a competitive basis and to cater for globalisa tion). All professions should contribute. The aim should be to standardise and unify the present diversification that exists. The private sector will only be enticed to make use of public sector documents if these documents embrace best practices that are superior to the documentation that they currently utilise. Conversely, the public sector will only make use of private sector documenta- tion if such documents adequately serve their requirements in the reformed procurement environment. This article contains an earlier reference to government’s proposal that the various systems cur- rently utilised by the different public authorities be amalgamated into one, and also to the fact that government has no plans to revise the standard specifications within the foreseeable future. It seems, therefore, rather certain that the initiative to produce a single system would have to come from the private sector. The sample mean (4.05) of the total for all respondents indicates that the respondents agreed with the statement. In the ‘open-ended’ responses following the statement a respond- ent noted the following: One body controlling specifications must be in place that shall set standards throughout the country information must be obtainable and updated through the Internet. 77 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications 78 Acta Structilia 2005:12(1) Ta b e 3 : Th e n a tio na b ui d in g s p e c ifi c a tio n sh o u d b e h a nd e d b y a n a p p o in te d c o m m itt e e u nd e r t he a us p ic e s o f a n um b re a b o d y su c h a s th e C D B So ur c e : M a rit z 20 03 : 1 52 To ta l G ra p hi c a l p re se nt a tio n Ty p e o f r e sp o nd e nt A rc hi te c t Q ua nt ity En g in e e r su rv e yo r To ta l r e sp o ns e s 26 9 16 5 66 38 St ro ng ly d isa g re e 12 8 2 2 % 4 4 4. 9 3. 0 5. 2 M o d e ra te ly d isa g re e 15 7 4 4 % 5 6 4. 2 6. 1 10 .5 U nd e c id e d 38 23 9 6 % 14 1 13 .9 13 .6 15 .8 M o d e ra te ly a g re e 86 55 20 11 % 32 0 33 .3 30 .3 29 .0 St ro ng ly a g re e 11 8 72 31 15 % 43 9 43 .7 47 .0 39 .5 M e a n 4 05 4 07 4 12 3 87 S D 1 10 1 09 1 06 1 21 20 40 60 80 10 0 The positive support from the sample on the above statement would therefore suggest that the respondents would be in favour of some intervention and cooperation by public authorities, such as the recently established CIDB. In developed first-world countries, such as the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the USA, the respective industries can probably afford to pay high subscription charges for the benefits of using a comprehensive and up-to-date specifica- tion system. However, the situation in South Africa should rather be compared with that of other developing nations, such as Singapore. According to Goh and Chu (2002), such developments in Singapore are joint exercises between the government and private organisa- tions, constituent bodies, etc. 5. Conclusions and recommendations It is estimated that the potential for continued work by the local construction industry in the area of specification drafting is of such a scale that one or more working groups would have to spend a vast amount of time on it. Decisions by all the industry role players will therefore be needed in respect of the most important priorities, such as the status of the proposed work sections; the extent and status of the information to be provided; the possible use of the information; and the financing of the work. In this regard the follow- ing salient aspects will have to be considered: • Owing to the rapid progress of computer technology and its widening range of application areas, the demands of the various construction parties for interfacing possibilities between different programmes will increase. The following three technologies will be of particular significance for the exchange of information: – Integrated knowledge-bases and data-bases for CAD, enabling all construction parties to work simultan- eously on a proposed building model; – Computer-based communication networks; – Electronic data interchange. • The increasing development of international standards, and their integration into national systems, will automatic- ally lead to assimilation of the technical content of the various systems into local applications. 79 Maritz • Efficiency in the provision of production specifications • International projects are increasingly being executed by individual professional firms or contractors or as joint ven- tures with overseas partners, and local systems have to be readily adaptable for international use. Harmonisation of the different systems will be necessitated, due to growing international competition and globalisation, and to the growing use of CIT. It is anticipated that as more and more specifiers and other users discover the advantages of data- based information systems compared to computerised typewriters or the ‘cut and paste’ method, they would prefer to use these systems in order to rationalise and in- crease the efficiency of their work. • There should be only one comprehensive and up-to-date national building specification system covering all types of construction work. Especially on small or medium-sized projects contractors often earn additional money from vari- ations requested by the employer during the con struction period due to specifications only covering the basic neces- sities and therefore being incomplete. It is recommended, however, that the system should be divided into manage- able parts, keeping building works separate from civil works, for instance. 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