Construction Documents

Introduction
Construction documents are used as a communication tool between all the parties involved in a project (developer, designers, builders, and local government authorities). These documents are used to define the scope of a project, the way the project needs to be constructed, and the materials used in the construction. The written construction documents are divided into three main divisions: bidding documents, project manual, and contract documents. Some of the construction documents like specification are part of all the three divisions, while other documents like drawings are part of only two divisions (bidding and contract documents). [1]

Bidding Requirements
The bidding requirements are part of the project manual and bidding documents. They are designed to attract possible contractors and to assist them in submitting a fitting bid. This section includes invitation to bid, instructions, information available to bidders like minimum acceptable standards, and forms necessary for the bid. Contract Forms The second part of the project manual and biding documents include the owner-contractor agreement along with payment and performance bonds. These documents bind the contractor and the owner/developer together for the duration of the project. [9]

Contract Conditions
The third area of the project manual and bidding documents, the contract conditions. The contract conditions are divided into two main elements. The first element is the general conditions which define the duties, relationship, and rights of the owner, contractor, and architect/engineer. These are pre-printed documents prepared by national organizations such as American Institute of Architects (AIA). The second element is called supplemental conditions. Supplemental conditions modify the general conditions as required to meet the specific project requirements. [9]

Specifications
Construction specifications, also called specs, are the details for the work that needs to be completed in a construction project. These details include information such as materials, the scope of work, installation process, and quality of work. Subcontractors use the specs as a guide to choose the right materials for the specific project and are part of the project manual, bidding and contract documents. The construction specifications are created before the construction work starts. In any construction project there are three types of construction specifications: performance, prescriptive, and proprietary specifications. [2] Performance specifications A performance specification tells the contractor what the final installed product must be capable of doing. These specs describe how a component must function after the installation. There are no instructions for the contractors on how to accomplish the performance requirements. Therefore in many cases the contractor is required to perform tests on the installed component to determine that the equipment is performing properly. The general concept behind the performance specifications is for the design team to describe what they need, and the contractor to determine the best way to get there. The performance specifications focus on the outcome and shifts the selection of materials and methods onto the shoulders of the contractor. [6]

Prescriptive specifications
Prescriptive specification focus on the details for the material types as well as the installation of materials. These specifications can be broken into three separate sections: general, product, and execution. The general section provides information about the national quality standards, product handling, design requirements, and keeping quality control. The product section goes over the different products necessary for each task as well as the individual performance levels of each product. The execution section goes over how to prepare and install the materials. [7]

Proprietary specifications
Proprietary specifications are used when a single type of product is used for any kind of installation. The design team tries to avoid these kind of specs because it can lead to promoting a specific manufacturer.Favoring a manufacturer can discourage competition during the bid phase, which may increase the total cost of the project. [6]

Specifications format
Most of the specs follow the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) format. In this format the specs are divided into 16 divisions, each division assigned to a major part of work. Division 1 covers the general requirements of the project like project meeting procedures, quality control, and project closeout. The other divisions cover specific expertise. For example division 2 covers site work and division 16 covers electrical. [8]

Drawings
Construction drawings are a collection of drawings that represent the building as a whole. They don't define the administrative terms of the project nor the quality of the finished product. The construction documents are generated by the design, are ideally finalized before the bidding process and are subject to mark-ups throughout the project. They are documents that adapt and change until the project is finalized. The construction drawings are divided in five types: Shop drawings are created by the subcontractors and are based on the information provided by the construction drawings to further define the specific building components. Unlike the construction drawings, the shop drawings define each individual building component. They are created before the construction starts and usually are not official contract documents. [5] As-Built drawings are generated at the completion of the project and represent the final, exact construction of the building. They are useful to building owners for maintenance, repairs, safety, updates, and renovations. [5]
 * Architectural Drawings - contain all the details of the project such as location, site plan, building layout, elevations, sections and details
 * Structural Drawings - contain information about the structural integrity of the building. The major purpose of structural drawings is to ensure the life safety of building occupants.
 * Electrical Drawings - contain details about the location of light fixtures, location of switches and electrical wiring path.
 * Plumbing drawings - give details about location of sanitary, piping for water supply system, and fixtures.
 * Finishing drawings - contain information about the finishes of every component of the building such as flooring pattern, painting color, ceiling shape, etc. [4]

Addendum and Contract Modifications
In addition to the document categories already mentioned there are other types of documents that allow for changes in the construction documents. These documents are addenda and modifications. The addenda documents cover the changes made to the contract documents before the bid is submitted. A contractor's bid must capture these changes. The modifications are changes to the contract documents that occur after the contract is signed. These are usually small changes due to field discrepancies and they don't affect the contract price. [1]