A true specification for a single room is probably overkill, since a 3-part specification for everything in that small a project will probably not be read by contractors.

Instead, you probably can cover everything necessary with drawings and notes.

That's what I would do.

Thanks BT and Virgil, I was thinking along the same lines. Maybe I do something simple like BT stated, reference a few standards for each trade, and attach a simple drawing? I do want the contractor to assume responsibility for the product, I will make sure to specify the exact materials. What about bonding requirements, or is that covered by generic standard terms and conditions somewhere?

I recommend drawing as many plans, sections, elevations and details as required to explain the design adding a lot of notes on the drawings describing the materials and systems and any installation instructions or special requirements.

Carefully describe what you will be doing and what materials you will be providing. Describe any material allowances and make it clear installation is part of the base price not the allowance. Ask for their markup on allowances. Better yet, don't have allowances.

I would not include any qualities; let the contractors do that; they'll probably do it anyway.

Begin notes with a directive like "supply and install" ("provide" means the same thing), or Owner to supply, Contractor to install", etc. It might help to group the notes by specification section like "General, Rough Carpentry, Finish Carpentry, Architectural Woodwork, Stone Counters and Surrounds, Acoustic Insulation, Doors & Windows (including hardware), Finishes (Gypsum Board/Veneer Plaster, Tile, Wood Flooring, Painting), Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical.

Don't conflate the Specs with the Agreement. Will you be writing the Agreement or let the contractors do it? That can be more difficult than the Specs.

Bonding would be a contract clause. I've never seen it used for a residential project. At any rate you would be paying for it.

Would there be any outside work or exterior wall penetrations?

Thanks RES. Listing the requirements as notes in the drawings is similar to what we do when we use our own in-house construction arm. With those types of jobs we don't even issue a stand alone specification. Sounds like something like that would be more appropriate for a residential scenario.

Yes there would be some outside work. We are removing some windows, adjusting the size of some others, and widening a row of French doors, all of which will require exterior trim, weatherproofing, and stucco work.

There is significant structural modifications as well including exposed gluelam beams that terminate outside to a patio, but I have already drawn up, stamped, and gotten my S sheets approved by the city.

Just remember a specification is only one element of a contract. The contract will also include the Drawings, the Agreement, the General Conditions (usually a part of the Agreement for a small project) and any Addenda. The Specs are the easiest part.

Will do Res. The agreement is next on my agenda to work out. Honestly these types of agreements are not my strength, but will start learning what I can.

My suggestion is to keep it simple. You're only looking to the contractor to execute a $30K +/- scope of work on a single room. That's a pretty small scope of work for most remodelers who aren't solo practioners. You may find it difficult to get competitive bids on a project scope that small.

Residential construction is not like commercial construction. Approaching it that way is a recipe for frustration. I know because I've been there.

If you limit the spec to notes on the drawings you should be OK. If the contractor is only providing labor (an odd approach) there won't be much need for a specification. . I can't imagine why you would want to supply the drywall.

See if your state has requirements for the terms of a "home improvement contract".

Here are the terms required by Massachusetts with a link to a sample form at the bottom.

Putting notes on a plan is always a good idea compared with a separate sheet of specifications unless they make the plans too "busy." Builders and remodelers don't tend to read separate sheets of specifications and they don't tend to provide a copy of them to the trades, which saves paper because they won't read them either.

I like to use numbered key notes on the plans and then list the pertinent keynotes with descriptions on the same sheet.

The challenge with notes on the construction drawings is to get the trades to read them.

But...there's a somewhat higher probability than if they are bound in a separate spec manual.

Charles Ross's point of putting as much info as possible on the plan sheets is well taken but often the plans are filed up with other stuff. I agree that "spec" sheets are not often read (sometimes the plan and elevation sheets aren't either....LOL) but often there's no other place to put that info.

As an illustration of sheet density, here's a reno project that just went out the door last month where we added a second floor. There's a separate "spec sheet" and some info like the nailing schedule is on the plan sheet which filled up the sheet. Just looking at "line density", on the plan there's not much room for any more info.

I'm just glad it's done with CAD! I could move stuff around as things got more crowded. Back in the old days it would have been a graphite infested mess!

A sheet for specs is fine as long as it can be stapled with the drawing set.

Now the challenge is to get someone to read them.

Just to clarify: When I mentioned 30k labor, it was just to give a sense of the contractor's level of effort. Materials the contractor will be installing comes out to about 30k as well, here's a quick estimate I put together of the materials contractor will be installing. Only thing contractor will not be responsible for procuring is the flooring which I purchased a while back.

Contractor will be doing drywall, window and door removal/install, flooring, and paint.

We will be handling structural, electrical, audio/ethernet, cabinetry, plumbing, and finish trim. Including the materials and electronics we are installing on our end, and not counting our labor, this is going to be a 100k entertainment room remodel.

RES et al, I'm nearly complete putting the contractor spec sheet together. It is actually coming along much more simple than I was envisioning. I think stapling a half sheet to the drawings is going to be the winner. There are some complications to the install that are difficult to put in a drawing (for example the existing concrete slab floor is going to need some partial demo and leveling in areas and specific moisture barrier prep that is difficult to convey in a drawing), but are proving not too complicated to call out in a half sheet spec once I can find the proper trade reference standard.

Yes, your approach is a good one.

cith:

Engineers and lawyers who are potential clients automatically go on double secret probation with me. Just thought you should know. :)

Haha Joseph, I'd be lucky to have a pro like you install our bar sink. Secret probation no problem.

Darn you, Joseph Corlett. I was hoping I could sneak by under the radar and have you do work for me. I feel like I've been assigned to double-secret probation for no good reason other than the fact that I was seduced by the dark side and earned a degree in engineering. Is there a recovery group for engineers? Is there any hope of getting to single-secret probation or perhaps no-secret probation?

FYI. I always provide my paint. Never ever let contractor buy exterior paint - you could get valspar interior. Too much temptation for a contractor to buy cheap paint and pad the proffits.

"We are gearing up for a major remodel of our 800 sf entertainment room "

that brings to mind this awesome standalone home screening room in my area

http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/wareview.php?id=1894&category=1&style=classic

DE, that looks fantastic! We only have 9.5’ ft ceilings though, so we’ll have to take our concept another direction =). I was thinking of doing a progress thread with photos. We finished a year long kitchen remodel end of last year but didn’t share anything in that forum for a few reasons. An entertainment room might be different though...

BT, great tip. I’ve got BM Aura Matte written into my spec, maybe I should bold it! Huge fan of their matte finish, unbelievably easy to clean. The kitchen was done in cloud white if I remember correctly, we’ll be playing with colors and textures a bit more for this room. One of my main concerns is choosing a good color/wall finish that will help the 15 in-wall / in-ceiling speakers “disappear.”

Where homeowners want to perform some scope of either a remodel or new construction, I've found it works best to have a clearly defined end of one party's scope of work and hand off to the next.

The way you've described the project you'll be taking care of stuff behind the walls so the contractor will need to come back after you finish that (and the work has passed inspection) in order to install the drywall, then leave again so you can install interior trim, then come back for painting. Those logistics are a recipe for a project that can get stalled at multiple milestones while the contractor waits on you or you wait on them.

As I said earlier, the specs are the easy part. Writing an agreement for such intertwined responsibilities is a tough challenge. If there were to be a dispute, I doubt the agreement could be enforced by either party. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't get any bids from reputable GC;s.

However, you could act as the GC (if your jurisdiction allows it) and hire individual sub contractors with separate contracts.

I agree w Res. And intertwined work makes any warranties very tricky - usually non existent.

Charles, you make a good point about the paint. The idea was to give the contractor a chunk of work he could perform continuously without my delay. The contractor would start when I completed everything in the walls. They start with window/door removal/install, then drywall inside and stucco outside, then paint, then flooring.

You’re right though they would need to wait for me to finish the trim to paint that. We may need to paint the trim ourselves unfortunately. I have a graco 495 ultra that I used for the kitchen. I wasted a lot of paint and my sanity in that room to get a perfect finish that I wouldn’t try again, just not enough practice. On the other hand trim is not hard to get right. Just one more thing we will have to do now.

I have an active owner-builder permit for this project, so I could hire the trades directly or go with a GC. My thinking was having a GC would get me more competitive pricing, and the quality of work would fall on the GC as well.

You're going to be supervising the project like a GC regardless of how you structure the contract. GC's don't like owners getting in their way and will raise their price if they can't control the site.

Interesting point RES. That’s not how it works at all between contractors and large agencies. The prime contractor works with the RE to complete the project, it’s built right into the spec and the agreement. The contractor has control of his people, and the means and methods to achieve the design. The RE has control of the site and enforces specified construction practices where they see deviation from the spec. We run things this way whether it’s a 40k contract (the lowest I’ve ran) or a 20M+ contract.

If common practice in residential is for the GC to have complete control of the site without homeowner oversight, I may rethink the GC route and go directly in search of the trades...

It depends on the language of the construction contract.

In tract home construction, for example, it's common for the builder to own the land and in-progress construction. The future owner may not even be allowed on the site until ownership is turned over to the owner after conclusion of construction.

Contracts for custom home construction may be worded differently.

If an RE is a registered engineer, he would essentially be the representative of the owner and not performing work on the site. Architects perform the same role although they rarely oversee house construction. Other forces can be working on the same site if there is a clear separation of responsibility and physical use of the space.

I was the architect inspecting the the work in a precast plant and the owner arrived unannounced and directed the overhead crane operator to do something and when the super suddenly realized the operator was not following his hand signals he threw his hard hat on the floor so hard if broke in two pieces. There's only one boss in a precast plant.

A contractor is responsible for more than the means and methods of construction; he's responsible for everything.

Commercial/industrial construction projects are very different from residential projects with regard to the level of detailed documentation, project management, and the size and competencies of the companies which typically perform the work, just to name a few.

I think it will be less frustrating for you and everyone involved if you act as your own general contractor on this project.