Sequence of Preparing Division 01 Sec...

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Author Message Ronald L. Geren, FCSI Lifetime Member, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSC, SCIP Senior Member Username: specman Post Number: 1588 Registered: 03-2003 Posted on Tuesday, January 05, 2021 - 10:45 pm:    I'm reviewing the draft of the Construction Specifications Practice Guide (CSPG) 2nd Edition, and I've come across this gem: "As a general rule, sections of Division 02 through Division 49 should be written before completing the Division 01 sections." It appeared in the CSPG 1st Edition and in the PRM, but a similar statement was not included in the MOP--as a matter of fact, the MOP "Fundamentals and Formats Module" states that "[d]istributing a draft of Division 1 to all of the contributors to the specifications early in project development" should be part of the "coordination effort." I know there is a difference between "draft" and "completing," which may be a subtlety that many may not pick up on. I think some additional text is necessary for clarification. I want to undo a possible wrong here, so I want to ask: How many of you wait to prepare Division 01 until all the other sections are completed? Or, do you prepare drafts and then complete Division 01 after all other sections are complete? Ron Geren, FCSI Lifetime Member, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSC, SCIP Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 788 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 06:27 am:    The content of Division 01 sections and Divisions 02-49 sections must be coordinated with each other, so there will be some massaging and back-and-forth. However, because requirements flow from the contract conditions to Division 01 to Divisions 02-49 in increasing specificity, Division 01 sections should be drafted first, so that the corresponding more detailed requirements in the subsequent Divisions (for submittals, for example) are coordinated with those in Division 01. Edward J Dueppen, RA, CSI, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: edueppen Post Number: 69 Registered: 08-2013 Posted on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 08:09 am:    I agree with Dave. There is so much coordination required between Div. 01 and Div. 02-49, that Div. 01 needs to be drafted first. I always draft Div. 01 first and send it to the project architect for review and comment before I begin the technical sections. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1329 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 10:18 am:    Ron, I think the wording in both examples needs work. It seems to me that I begin my Division 01 draft early but completion, as stated in the CSPG, happens much later as useful information and feedback become available. I mostly try to reuse my early deliverables (PPD and Outline specs) so I guess I've "drafted" Part 2 of Divisions 02-49 before starting CD's. Still, when starting DD I ask the Project Architect and lead engineers to review the submittals and QC specs masters in case there is known content early (delegated design, integrated mockups, Special Inspections, precon testing, BECx and performance requirements in 018316, etc.). I send the summary and temporary facilities and controls masters to the PM for their input since they usually know the Project better than anyone at that point and they can request detailed information from the Owner. I also request the Owner's Division 00 at that time in order to draft Division 01 so I suppose that's when my clock starts. I rarely wait until I receive Division 00 as that typically holds up the job. I have held Division 01 hostage pending information from, or meeting with, the Owner on complicated Projects where Divisions 00 and 01 will be contentious down the road. When lucky, we're able to determine who the person is on the Owner's team that will be stuck administering the Project and who cares about the content. That's when the front end docs are most effective but that meeting rarely happens before our prefinal CD submission. I wonder if spec consultants include that level of effort as an option or add service in their proposals. I know very few Architects who could effectively hold that meeting. Once done I send the draft with meaningful content for review by the PA, landscape architect, engineers, and consultants along with a cover letter explaining that they need to delete the boilerplate language in their individual specs and markup Division 01 to suit their needs. On rare occasions some even read and comment on the draft. Depending on the jurisdiction, each entity stamps their own specs so I can only offer them the opportunity to do things right. If they insist on including their own version of Division 01 within their individual Sections or Divisions there's little I can do to stop them from doing so. Horse => water. Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 675 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 11:08 am:    We do a lot of repeat project types, often with the same design and consultant teams. We prepare a draft Division 00 & Division 01 around the beginning of CDs, when we have a breather. This gets it into the hands of the owner and CM while they have some time to review and comment. We hold off assembly of Allowances, Unit Prices, and Alternates until late - these are always moving targets. Phil Kabza FCSI CCS AIA SpecGuy Specifications Consultants www.SpecGuy.com phil@specguy.com Jeffrey Potter Senior Member Username: jpotter Post Number: 21 Registered: 02-2017 Posted on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 12:15 pm:    If the project uses the Owner's Division 01, that is reviewed in the CD Phase. If the project uses in-house Division 01, I 'draft' a copy in DD and send out in the 100% DD Project Manual for review. Some teams review it and coordinate it early with the Owner and their Div 00, while others rarely review them, which causes some headaches later. I believe its always better to start them earlier than later, as coordinating them can take a long time, especially if the Owner has an extensive General Conditions. John Bunzick Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1833 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, January 06, 2021 - 05:18 pm:    i always did Division 01 first. In particular, it was the opportunity to get input from the owner and the project architect about expectations for administration. It is also necessary to coordinate with the Contract Conditions. With that in hand, it means that the other sections can be more accurately done. I'm not sure how you could do the tech sections before Division 01. Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP, EDAC Senior Member Username: redseca2 Post Number: 691 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, January 07, 2021 - 01:31 pm:    I find that I may start DIV 01 first and finish it last. Our work, large projects for healthcare organizations and universities, seems very adept at generating multiple DIV 01 stakeholders who all want to be heard. Sometimes the first I hear of an individual is when the client's project manager sheepishly hands me their redmark of DIV 01. Stephen Wilson Member Username: swilson Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2019 Posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 - 02:47 pm:    It sounds like I'm in the minority here based on previous posts, but I always write up the specs for Divisions 02 and up before writing up Divisions 00 and 01. Maybe things are different because I write specs in-house for our firm, but most of the time our Division 01 sections are largely the same. I typically don't need to do a lot of editing as far as submittals, administrative requirements, closeout, etc. are concerned. Most of the edits in Division 01 are to alternates, allowances, summary, and stuff that frequently changes in the design process. Division 00 is usually the last part I work on since the details for bidding are among the last things to get figured out by the owner. Things can be different in CM projects though. In those cases, I'm typically preparing the Division 01 stuff earlier for the CM to review. (I've usually have an outline spec of the technical sections ready by that point though.) William C. Pegues Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 991 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 - 05:02 pm:    Stephen, you are definitely not alone though. Your description is almost identical to the way I have always done it. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Guest (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 - 06:37 pm:    I usually work on them all at the same time and go back and forth revising and changing as more information is known and decisions are made. I typically won't start editing Div 01 without knowing what the General Conditions are, but I can usually do a lot in the technical sections before I *need* to get anything done in Div 01. On the other hand, I've had projects where I can get the General Conditions early, before the design is developed, and I can get a lot done in Div 01 before I can really start on the technical sections. I don't think there is a correct answer as long as in the end the Project Manual is clear, concise, complete, and correct. However I can get there is good enough for me.