Stacey Madsen, Project Assistant --Sometimes on the jobsite I hear about unclear scopes in the spec book. The contractor interprets the scope one way, completing the work, but hears afterward from another member of the design-construction team (the engineer, for example) that something wasn’t installed per specification. Spec books are a typical example of how a simple item can become a complex mess.
How do we prevent this from happening in construction?
Anything you have to say should be said how you mean for someone else to interpret it. Everyday miscommunication leads to situations that demand more effort on recovery and explanations than would have been required had the wording come out right the first time.
Spec books often list items under one category, when it’s in actuality another trade that picks them up. For example, roofing and sheet metal are so intertwined that it’s easy to miss which subcontractor is providing the termination bars, pitch pans, etc. To complicate the situation further, the scope has roof drains, so now the plumber is involved. The most important thing to note here is that the general contractor/construction manager must be thorough with the scopes while the project is being bid. Phone calls to the respective trades should be made to ensure all work has been picked up by one of the trades. These areas not only cost the contractor money if missed, but could potentially cost the owner money if multiple subcontractors pick up the same work. If more than one sub bids the work, the GC/CM must coordinate who is actually responsible for completing it.
Saying what we mean and clarifying exactly how we mean it leaves no room for misunderstanding. It makes the world around us more simple, both personally and professionally, and it helps yield success on a construction project.