A16 - SPECIFICATION GUIDES - OVERVIEW
A16-1 Notes to specification guides
A16-2 Specification guides
A16-2 Specification guides
Preface:
This reference guide covers the use of Specification Guides for resilient, carpet, hardwood, laminate, and other flooring types included in the NFCA Reference Manual.
1 • NOTES TO SPECIFICATION GUIDES
.01 The Specification Guides included within this Reference Manual are provided for use by design authorities (Architects, Engineers, Interior Designers, and Specifiers) who are required to provide project specific flooring specifications for Bidding and Contract purposes. In addition, manufacturers and suppliers may also use these Specification Guides as a aid for creating their own product specifications.
.02 It is strongly recommended that specifications required for a project be written by an experienced person who is qualified to write specifications. Such qualifications should include, as a minimum, the successful completion of the Construction Specifications Canada {CSC) professional development course "Principles of Construction Documentation" and preferably completion of the "Registered Specification Writer" courses. For information on these courses and local availability visit the CSC website at www.csc-dc.ca or telephone 416-777-2198.
.03 These Specification Guides are a guide only and must be used with a complete and thorough understanding of the materials and installation methods used and what is required in each specific application. Specifications must be project specific!
NOTE: These Specification Guides are comprehensive and attempt to include all the options and along with SPEC NOTES result in a "lengthy" specification section. Once appropriate choices have been made and all other information as well as the SPEC NOTES have been eliminated the resultant specification should be a lot shorter.
.04 SPEC NOTES included within each Specification Guide section are provided as a guide for editing or modifying the section and as explanatory information for those using the specification. All such notes should be deleted from the specification before it is printed for use as a specific project specification.
.05 The Specifier must choose one item from a series of items surrounded with [ .. ] brackets and delete the remainder. Items surrounded with ( .. ) brackets are additional information / comments that should be left in the specification.
.06 Where a "Scope of Work" has been established by a local or Provincial bid depository then that scope of Work will apply for the items to be included or excluded for the work under each specification section. In addition, the onus of defining the extent of any specification section of Work remains with the Project General Contractor who will ensure that the area / scope of responsibility of any particular Subcontractor / supplier is set out in full detail when awarding flooring subcontracts.
.07 These Specification Guides are based on the use of the Canadian Construction Document Committee (CCDC) Stipulated Price Contract, CCDC2, including the Definitions and General Conditions. Where other forms of Contract are used (e.g. Construction Management, Design-Build, etc.) the specification should be amended to suit.
.08 For the purposes of clarity, the term "Owner" where used in Specification Guides shall mean the individual or entity defined by the General or Supplementary Conditions of the Contract.
.09 For the purposes of clarity, the term "Contractor" where used in Specification Guides shall mean the "General Contractor" or "Prime Contractor", unless otherwise defined by the General or Supplementary Conditions of the Contract. Where the work is done under a construction management contract revise "Contractor" to "Construction Manager".
.10 For the purposes of clarity, the term "Consultant" where used in Specification Guides shall mean the "Prime Consultant" (the Architect, Engineer, or Interior Designer) or other design authority, as defined by the Contract General or Supplementary Conditions.
Note: As Owner, Contractor, and Consultant are defined terms in CCDC2 they must be capitalized.
.11 Where "Related Work Specified Elsewhere" is used in a project specification section, it shall mean work related to this particular section, but not included as part of the Work of the section.
The list of related work sections noted in each Specification Guide may not be complete. Users must select appropriate sections and delete all others and add other applicable sections as required.
Note that Division 00 - Procurement and Contracting Requirements (notably Section 00 72 00 - General Conditions and Section 00 73 00 - Supplementary Conditions) and Division 01 - General Requirements form an integral part of each specification section. This includes the following:
Section 01 20 00 Price and Payment Procedures (including substitutions). Section 01 30 00 Administrative Requirements (including submittal procedures). Section 01 40 00 Quality Requirements. Section 01 50 00 Temporary Facilities and Controls (temporary heat, ventilation, power, hoarding, dry storage space and temporary facilities which apply to the whole project, storage, maintenance and protection of installed flooring). Section 01 60 00 Product Requirements. Section 01 70 00 Execution and Closeout Requirements (final cleaning and vacuuming other than removal of scraps and cuttings, waxing, protection, and closeout submittals (maintenance manuals and materials).
.12 Where Reference Standards are used, the latest applicable edition of the standard must be included, including its date in the list of standards only and not within the body of the specification. This means reviewing all applicable standards and the appropriate Building Code to ensure the correct standard is used. Note however that Codes are updated on a periodic basis (usually every five years) and may not include the latest / most current reference standard.
Note that the list of reference standards noted in each Specification Guide may not be complete. Users must select appropriate standards and delete all others and add other applicable consensus standards required.
Using or incorporating a reference standard into a specification entails that the user or specifier fully understands the standard and its applicability to the project requirements and that due diligence is done in ensuring that any products selected or approved conform to the standards noted in their specification. There is no point in naming a standard if it is not adhered to or enforced or in naming a product if it does not conform to the standard!
.13 Where the Specification Guide must be revised or information added to it to suit a project or an office master specification the specifying authority must ensure that such information is not only accurate but also in accordance with NFCA requirements. In addition, deleting items from Specification Guides must be done with the same care and diligence.
This reference guide covers the use of Specification Guides for resilient, carpet, hardwood, laminate, and other flooring types included in the NFCA Reference Manual.
1 • NOTES TO SPECIFICATION GUIDES
.01 The Specification Guides included within this Reference Manual are provided for use by design authorities (Architects, Engineers, Interior Designers, and Specifiers) who are required to provide project specific flooring specifications for Bidding and Contract purposes. In addition, manufacturers and suppliers may also use these Specification Guides as a aid for creating their own product specifications.
.02 It is strongly recommended that specifications required for a project be written by an experienced person who is qualified to write specifications. Such qualifications should include, as a minimum, the successful completion of the Construction Specifications Canada {CSC) professional development course "Principles of Construction Documentation" and preferably completion of the "Registered Specification Writer" courses. For information on these courses and local availability visit the CSC website at www.csc-dc.ca or telephone 416-777-2198.
.03 These Specification Guides are a guide only and must be used with a complete and thorough understanding of the materials and installation methods used and what is required in each specific application. Specifications must be project specific!
NOTE: These Specification Guides are comprehensive and attempt to include all the options and along with SPEC NOTES result in a "lengthy" specification section. Once appropriate choices have been made and all other information as well as the SPEC NOTES have been eliminated the resultant specification should be a lot shorter.
.04 SPEC NOTES included within each Specification Guide section are provided as a guide for editing or modifying the section and as explanatory information for those using the specification. All such notes should be deleted from the specification before it is printed for use as a specific project specification.
.05 The Specifier must choose one item from a series of items surrounded with [ .. ] brackets and delete the remainder. Items surrounded with ( .. ) brackets are additional information / comments that should be left in the specification.
.06 Where a "Scope of Work" has been established by a local or Provincial bid depository then that scope of Work will apply for the items to be included or excluded for the work under each specification section. In addition, the onus of defining the extent of any specification section of Work remains with the Project General Contractor who will ensure that the area / scope of responsibility of any particular Subcontractor / supplier is set out in full detail when awarding flooring subcontracts.
.07 These Specification Guides are based on the use of the Canadian Construction Document Committee (CCDC) Stipulated Price Contract, CCDC2, including the Definitions and General Conditions. Where other forms of Contract are used (e.g. Construction Management, Design-Build, etc.) the specification should be amended to suit.
.08 For the purposes of clarity, the term "Owner" where used in Specification Guides shall mean the individual or entity defined by the General or Supplementary Conditions of the Contract.
.09 For the purposes of clarity, the term "Contractor" where used in Specification Guides shall mean the "General Contractor" or "Prime Contractor", unless otherwise defined by the General or Supplementary Conditions of the Contract. Where the work is done under a construction management contract revise "Contractor" to "Construction Manager".
.10 For the purposes of clarity, the term "Consultant" where used in Specification Guides shall mean the "Prime Consultant" (the Architect, Engineer, or Interior Designer) or other design authority, as defined by the Contract General or Supplementary Conditions.
Note: As Owner, Contractor, and Consultant are defined terms in CCDC2 they must be capitalized.
.11 Where "Related Work Specified Elsewhere" is used in a project specification section, it shall mean work related to this particular section, but not included as part of the Work of the section.
The list of related work sections noted in each Specification Guide may not be complete. Users must select appropriate sections and delete all others and add other applicable sections as required.
Note that Division 00 - Procurement and Contracting Requirements (notably Section 00 72 00 - General Conditions and Section 00 73 00 - Supplementary Conditions) and Division 01 - General Requirements form an integral part of each specification section. This includes the following:
Section 01 20 00 Price and Payment Procedures (including substitutions). Section 01 30 00 Administrative Requirements (including submittal procedures). Section 01 40 00 Quality Requirements. Section 01 50 00 Temporary Facilities and Controls (temporary heat, ventilation, power, hoarding, dry storage space and temporary facilities which apply to the whole project, storage, maintenance and protection of installed flooring). Section 01 60 00 Product Requirements. Section 01 70 00 Execution and Closeout Requirements (final cleaning and vacuuming other than removal of scraps and cuttings, waxing, protection, and closeout submittals (maintenance manuals and materials).
.12 Where Reference Standards are used, the latest applicable edition of the standard must be included, including its date in the list of standards only and not within the body of the specification. This means reviewing all applicable standards and the appropriate Building Code to ensure the correct standard is used. Note however that Codes are updated on a periodic basis (usually every five years) and may not include the latest / most current reference standard.
Note that the list of reference standards noted in each Specification Guide may not be complete. Users must select appropriate standards and delete all others and add other applicable consensus standards required.
Using or incorporating a reference standard into a specification entails that the user or specifier fully understands the standard and its applicability to the project requirements and that due diligence is done in ensuring that any products selected or approved conform to the standards noted in their specification. There is no point in naming a standard if it is not adhered to or enforced or in naming a product if it does not conform to the standard!
.13 Where the Specification Guide must be revised or information added to it to suit a project or an office master specification the specifying authority must ensure that such information is not only accurate but also in accordance with NFCA requirements. In addition, deleting items from Specification Guides must be done with the same care and diligence.
- When the inclusion of Separate, Alternative, or Unit Pricing for materials is required this must be done with due diligence and care. It is recommended that such pricing be indicated within Part 1.1 – Description using the Section number as an aid to listing such pricing in a numerical order on the Bid Form. The following pricing for carpet is provided as a guide only - Specifiers may choose an alternate method.
- Separate Prices: Provide the following Separate Price and note same on the Bid Form:
- Separate Price 096800S-1: for recycling of existing carpet using a carpet manufacturer's reclamation system.
- Alternative Prices: Provide alternative prices for the following items pre-approved before Bid Closing and note same on Bid Form:
- Alternate Price 096800A-1: for alternative to specified carpet.
Alternate Price 096800A-2: for alternative to specified carpet cushion.- Unit Prices: Provide the following Unit Price and note same on Bid Form:
- Unit Price 096800U-1: for carpet over-runs based on square [metre][yard] cost for supply and installation of specified carpet. If more than one type specified indicate by using a different Unit Price number, e.g. 09680U-2.
- Specification Performance Criteria: Where product performance criteria noted in guide specifications must be revised the specifier must ensure that any revisions do not contradict NFCA minimum requirements.
- Inclusion of Products: Where products / names are to be included within a specification the specifier must ensure that they conform to the specification requirements. This entails providing enough specific information including references to appropriate standards to ensure that such products meet the project performance requirements.
.14 Approval of Products: The approval process and submission requirements for products should be spelled out in Divisions 0 and 1 of the specification (Instructions to Bidders, Submittals, etc.).
When approving non-specified products the design consultant / specifier must ensure that they conform to specification requirements. This process should only occur during the Bid Period and be done with due diligence with any "approved" products named in an Addendum issued before Bid Closing. This process must not be taken lightly or be done by anyone that doesn't have a full understanding of both the specification and the process. A fair and equitable comparison must be done before any product is approved. There is no point in approving "apples" if oranges" have been specified!
There is no point in approving a product if it does not adhere to the specification requirements, nor is there any point in writing a specification and issuing it to Bidders if the bidding and submission requirements are not adhered to. Products should only be approved during the Bidding process and not accepted afterwards. To do so repudiates the sanctity of the Bidding process and wastes the time of those who legitimately bid the work based on specified or pre-approved products.
.15 In addition to providing project specifications, it is strongly recommended that the design authority or Owner provide a Finish Schedule at the time of Bidding that clearly indicates the type and extent of flooring and base materials required for each area. Where more than one type or colour of material is used these must be differentiated on the
Finish Schedule and also in the specification.
Remember, if in writing a floor covering specification, the design professional or specifier is in any doubt as to the pertinent information to include or delete from an NFCA Specification Guide please ask NFCA or the appropriate Provincial Floor Covering Association for assistance.
2 • SPECIFICATION GUIDES
The following Specification Guides are provided by NFCA:
The following Specification Guides are provided by NFCA:
Quality Assurance Program
Cementitious Underlayment
Existing Flooring Removal
Resilient Flooring (for tile and sheet)
Static Control Flooring
Carpet Flooring (for roll carpet)
Carpet Tile Flooring (for modular carpet)
Hardwood Flooring (solid & engineered)
Laminate Flooring
Bamboo Flooring
Cork Flooring
Cementitious Underlayment
Existing Flooring Removal
Resilient Flooring (for tile and sheet)
Static Control Flooring
Carpet Flooring (for roll carpet)
Carpet Tile Flooring (for modular carpet)
Hardwood Flooring (solid & engineered)
Laminate Flooring
Bamboo Flooring
Cork Flooring