How do you use MasterSpec?

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Author Message David Axt Posted on Wednesday, February 27, 2002 - 01:50 pm:    Do you use the raw unedited master every time you start a new specification? Do create office master specification by cutting and pasting the latest information from MasterSpec? Do you strictly use M-Spec for reference? John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI Posted on Wednesday, February 27, 2002 - 02:48 pm:    David, of course I never produce specifications based on previous projects. Me and the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus always have a strategy meeting before starting specs for a project and figure out how we're going to edit the office master for the particular requirements of a project. <G> Seriously, I use Masterspec as a resource. I think if you read Arcom's instructions on using Masterspec, it is intended that Masterspec be editted into office master specifications, with appropriate revisions to the Masterspec content to suit your office's practices, typical product selections and building code requirements. I like to call my "master" specifications "prototype" specifications. It implies that these specs are close to what is typically used for a project but need to have final editing to suit specific project requirements. There are products not included in Masterspec. In order to have "master" or "prototype" specs for these sections, you will have to write them based on manufacturer's specs (actually, you'll have to thoroughly rewrite them) and other product information. I subscribe to both Masterspec and BSD SpecLink+. I use them as references and they are very good for that purpose. Tommy Posted on Thursday, February 28, 2002 - 04:20 pm:    Our office has several types of Masters for our clients. We have our own in-house masters, individual client masters, Spectext and Masterspec. About once a year We are asked (required)along with all the other consultants to do a project using Masterspec. So I start from the latest raw unedited version. But normally We use Masterspec as a reference tool. The type of Master we use depends on the building type and complexity of the Project. Anne Whitacre Posted on Monday, March 04, 2002 - 08:05 pm:    David: ZGF uses Masterspec as its office Master, and we start (for the most part) with fresh, unedited sections every single job. The only exception I have at this time is the projects for a multi-building campus in which we take the existing specs, make the changes and then revise the specs. Even on that one, I started new two projects ago, to make sure we had a better base spec. We use LINX as an editing tool, and there are some items that I have to custom design sections for on every project. (just like almost any other master). However, using the MasterWorks utility, I can format most of the stuff all at the same time, and import sections from other consultants as well. It took me a few months to get used to using MasterSpec, but now that I've used it exclusively for the past three years (and been on the review committee) I'm more comfortable with the organization of the sections and their use. We also use the Short form specs (from Arcom) as well. John T. McGrann, Jr., AIA, CSI, CCS Posted on Tuesday, March 05, 2002 - 07:31 pm:    David: Like John and Tommy we use MasterSpec in our practice as a resource to create and update office masters maintained for various market segments and clients. Like Anne we also use LINX as an editor when the office masters are inappropriate for the project at hand. One thing we do to make the process a bit easier is to maintain corresponding files of language applicable to our office standards. This language sometimes varies by market segment. We can easily add customized language from these files into documents derived directly from documents derived from either MasterSpec or other guide specification sources. Regards to all, John Anonymous Posted on Tuesday, March 12, 2002 - 08:41 pm:    Under pressure from two newer clients I bit the bullet and bought into MasterSpec. They said they were familiar with it so I hoped they will be more inclined to use it. One firm was losing its spec writer due to retirement. After they gave me one of his old project manuals I discovered he was using it like most experiences spec writers, a good resource. The other client is committed to the whole catastrophe. Attempts on my part to tailor it to an appropriate scope drives him up the wall. i.e. deleting project meetings, mock-ups etc. I breifly looked at Linx, in hopes of speeding up the process but I am not sure it is worth the effort. A few good macros seem to be just as good. Does anyone find Linx worth the time to master for a couple jobs John Bunzick Posted on Wednesday, March 13, 2002 - 12:15 pm:    I find Linx most useful in two situations: One to make a fast-pass type edit to get to the meat of what I want. Then I translate and go to work. The other use is for staff who are not accustomed to writing specs. It forces them to think about stuff that they'd otherwise skip over. As far as using Linx versus not using it to prepare an office master--I don't think that it saves a huge amount of time, except perhaps to hack out the systems or products that just aren't part of your office's practice. I do use the Masterworks word processing tools quite a bit. Though I've written lots of macros in the past, Masterworks has most of what I need. My general experience with Masterspec to create office masters is that I'd rather start with Masterspec than from scratch. How much mucking around I do to get it into the shape I want depends a lot on the section. A few are close enough for me to use without a huge amount of editing, others, such as some of the window sections, I nearly rewrite completely. Also, if its a section of lesser importance to the project or our practice, I won't put as much time into fixing awkward language and the like as it doesn't pay off. (Yes, I want to for sake of pride in the profession, but there's only so many hours in a day!) John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA Jim Brittell Unregistered guest Posted on Wednesday, September 18, 2002 - 05:36 pm:    I've just started the process of creating prototype specifications from MasterSpec sections. I've used MasterSpec when I was with another firm, and their policy was to edit the raw sections for each project (for the most part). So, I've never had to go through a revision process. Once you've edited a MasterSpec section into a prototype section, how do you deal with an updated MasterSpec version of that section? Do you cut and paste the new material in? Or do you just start over? John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA New member Username: Bunzick Post Number: 30 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Thursday, September 19, 2002 - 08:43 am:    Normally I would not start over, but it depends on how much updating was done by MasterSpec, and how much editing I did to create our office master. If the revised MasterSpect is still somewhat similar to our office version, I would use MS Word's "compare documents" feature to quickly highlight differences, and decide what to adopt. In some cases, I would just update our master manually by inspecting for differences and pasting in new text. However, some of our office masters are substantially different in structure than MasterSpec, especially where I do not like their approach. These do take more time to work through, and there's no easy way to do it. Fortunately, MasterSpec sections are updated only every four years or so. Notably, our masters are continually updated based on our own research, and feedback from the field. Thus, we sometimes will have a more updated section than MasterSpec's.