This week’s SPEC SHORT is all about clearing up one of the most common misunderstandings in construction: What exactly is the Project Manual?
In this issue, Professor V steps in to help connect the dots. Too often, Specifications and Drawings are viewed as separate or independent—but when it comes to construction projects, they’re two critical parts of the same complete document! The Project Manual is the entire collection of documents needed to price, bid, and construct a project successfully. It isn’t just the specifications. It isn’t just the drawings. It’s BOTH working together, building off one another.
A well-built Project Manual includes:
Specifications, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Division 00 — Procurement & Contract Requirements
- Division 01 — General Requirements
- Divisions 02-45 — Technical Trade Sections (where product solutions live!)
Drawings, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Plans,
- Elevations,
- Sections,
- Details, and
- Schedules
Without both pieces, the whole project picture is incomplete — leaving gaps, confusion, and risk for everyone involved.
Link to the post on LinkedIn
