List of all testing and inspections

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Author Message Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 464 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 10:13 am:    we have been asked by the Owner to assist with their RFP to testing agencies by providing a list of ALL testing and inspections that will be required in the specs (including code required, moisture testing of concrete, exterior envelope etc). The building hasn't been designed yet and is a large casino-resort, so will likely have a myriad of materials that require some sort of testing. My questions: (1) has anyone every been asked to do this? (2) If so...did you? (3) if you did...would you be willing to share your section/list? Otherwise, I assume I will have to go through each section of my master that MAY apply and search for any testing/inspections. Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 463 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 10:23 am:    Robin: If you are using Masterspec (I believe SpecLink also has a similar feature), you can compile a report that will automatically list all the T&I in the specifications--as long as the tests and inspections are included in a discrete article in each section (eg quality assurance or quality control). Likewise, reports can be complied for submittals, warranties, etc. I understand that the software works by searching for the applicable article titles. It would not work if the T&I requirements are scattered in multiple articles throughout a section. Dave Metzger Senior Member Username: davemetzger Post Number: 464 Registered: 07-2001 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 10:26 am:    Follow-up--if the building has not yet been designed (and therefore the specifications not yet written, or is that an unwarranted assumption?), this report would have to be compiled from the raw masters. Tony Wolf, AIA, CCS, LEED-AP Senior Member Username: tony_wolf Post Number: 56 Registered: 11-2007 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 10:31 am:    This used to be standard with us, because clients often asked for it. Before we adopted MasterSpec, we had a Div. 01 section that listed the testing by section, and the various disciplines would edit it. MS makes this more difficult, but we still get the client requests, so we do it. However, we don't include ALL testing, just the Special Tests and Inspections, and critical items. I don't think your client knows how much is being asked for. Less critical T&I can be the contractor's responsibility. You may want to present this as optional. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 574 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 11:12 am:    I've received this request many times including on my current project. While this is rarely something that has been agreed to in the Owner-Architect Agreement, and constitutes a considerable level of effort on the part of someone to go through every spec section (since T&I is often located in Parts 1, 2, and 3), it is not an unreasonable request by the Owner. The only caveat I usually make is that I won't include it in the spec. I will furnish it to the Owner, again with the understanding that I may have missed some items. If the Owner wants to furnish the list to the Contractor as a courtesy for Information only, that's up to the Owner. Frankly I prefer to let Contractors do their own digging. As to who that someone is who gets to search every Section (remember, this include MEP and Civil as well as Architectural and Structural and whatever work you're having done by specialty consultants), I usually suggest using an intern. It gives them an opportunity to see what's in a Project Manual. They are usually very detail-oriented and take tasks seriously enough to do the job better than many others. They ask questions. Great mentoring opportunity. Robert E. Woodburn Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 55 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 11:45 am:    Both SpecLink and SpecsIntact have the ability to generate such lists automatically (and other lists too, such as references, submittals, etc.), provided each such item specified is properly "tagged." All the tests in the master are so tagged, but if one adds a test, one could forget to add the tags... Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP, EDAC Senior Member Username: redseca2 Post Number: 401 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 01:09 pm:    A list of all required tests is a prerequisite for obtaining a building permit in the state of California for hospital construction projects administered by the state agency OSHPD. A link to the form that you must submit: http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/FDD/Forms/TIO/OSH-FD-303A_TIOProgram2010.pdf Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 594 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 01:20 pm:    There is no need to duplicate something that already is supposed to be submitted. Section 1704.3 of the 2012 IBC (other versions of the IBC are essentially the same) requires that the prime design professional compile, with the aid of his consultants, a statement of special inspections which lists all of the code required special inspections. This is submitted to the building official as part of the submission The statement of special inspections is envisioned as separate from the specifications. The details of the required tests and inspections would still need to be addressed in the individual specification sections. Contrary to common belief by many Architects special inspections do not just deal with structural issues. Tests and inspections that are not considered special inspections need not be listed in the statement of special inspections. The owner may have more flexibility if inspections that are not considered special inspections are not listed in the statement of special inspections. Structural Engineers Association of Northern California has produced a commentary on the special inspection provisions in the 2010 CBC which is very similar to the 2009 IBC. There is also a Model Statement of Special Inspections. These documents are currently not on the SEAONC web site but I can send a copy if you are interested. CASE and ICC have less detailed documents. Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 1364 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 01:43 pm:    Robin: we used to do this ALL THE TIME. the testing section in the specs was typically written as "information to the contractor" but was also written as a scope of work that was sent out to local testing agencies. I currently make a distinction now between code required testing (contractor always pays) and validation testing (owner pays). Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 595 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 01:53 pm:    The IBC requires that the code required inspections, special inspections, be hired and paid for by the Owner not the Contractor. Ref Section 1704.2 of the 2012 IBC. Sheldon Wolfe Senior Member Username: sheldon_wolfe Post Number: 663 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 06:27 pm:    Council of American Structural Engineers Publications; note Form 102. www.acec.org/case/news/publications.cfm John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1521 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Thursday, August 01, 2013 - 09:15 pm:    We have done this many times to assist an owner in getting an testing and inspection agency. I have to point out that this really has nothing at all to do with what is in the specifications (well, maybe a teeny bit in some instances). Of course, there are all the code-mandated testing procedures for structures and whatnot. Then there are often soils testing that go beyond what the code may mandate. There may be roof inspections, curtain-wall inspections, air barrier inspections, and sealant inspections, for example. The specifications do not say anything about these specifically insofar as the contractor is concerned because these are by the OWNER, not GC. They only must give site access when the owner chooses to do inspections. There is no way the owner is going to know (except for sophisticated ones) what inspections may be required, or recommended. When preparing designs, we would always consider where we wanted the owner to have the work inspected by qualified agencies. Even a sophisticated owner may not realize that we think a certain system merits inspection and/or testing. Knowing what is to be tested/inspected leads to the owner being able to obtain a qualified company. It also enables the company doing the inspection schedule and be prepared to do the work. Once this is all put in place, a list can be given to the contractor for the purpose of coordination. I don't know how all of this would get done properly without the designer's significant input. Not to mention the fact that it assists the designer in making sure that the work is done as intended. Then, there is the entire subject of whole building commissioning. Then, this becomes part of that process - but that is for another discussion. Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 596 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Friday, August 02, 2013 - 12:42 am:    How many are aware of the code required special inspections for sprayed fire-resistant materials, mastic and intumescent fire-resistant coatings, EIFS, fire-resistant penetrations and joints, and smoke control systems. In addition if you are in a moderately high Seismic Design Category there are special inspections for architectural components including cladding and exterior non bearing walls, access floors, anchorage of mechanical and electrical equipment, and storage racks. The point is that there are some requirements in Chapter 17 that require the Architect to take an active lead role. Agree that strictly speaking the details of the inspections need not be in the specifications but the Contractor needs to be aware of what is required so he will understand schedule impacts, can notify the Owner and its testing agency when inspections will be needed and to prevent the contractor from claiming that the scope of the project was increased because the testing frequency had been changed. This information is placed in the technical specification sections because there is no other good place for this information. My sense is that in much of the country the building department doesn't worry about the special inspections but there are some areas where the building department verifies that the inspections were done.