NBS Free Back to Basics Guide to Specification Writing

A NEW Best Practice Guide to Specification Writing is out, published by NBS, the digital construction specification platform.

The guide is a free, comprehensive framework designed to standardise and improve specification writing across the sector.

Developed with industry professionals, the guide addresses common pain points, aiming to improve consistency and quality in specifications across practices and on contractor-led projects.

Guide to Specification Writing

The guide distils best practice into an accessible, structured resource for architects, engineers, design managers, contractors, professional clients, and students.

It provides a clear methodology for writing precise, well-structured specifications – reducing project delays, cost overruns, and compliance risks.

The development of the guide was shaped by industry focus groups where experts highlighted widespread inconsistencies in specification writing and the need for clearer classification and change management processes.

Adrian Shilliday, Technical Director at Galliford Try, said, “Construction projects are becoming increasingly contractor-led, and inconsistency along with lack of cross discipline coordination in specification writing is a growing problem. Poorly written specs can lead to cost overruns, delays, non-compliance with regulations and safety risks. This guide provides a clear framework to prevent those issues.”

The guide is designed to help industry professionals to write robust specifications. It complements free resources on the NBS website, including sample project specifications.

Addressing Specification Challenges

Author Dr Stephen Hamil, Innovation Director at NBS, emphasises the document’s role in setting a universal standard: “This is a framework for writing specifications that applies across the industry. Whether you draft specifications in software, Word or on the back of a napkin, the principles remain the same. The goal is to create a standardised approach, ensuring a consistent methodology across practices and clients.”

Building Safety Act

With regulatory pressures intensifying following the introduction of the Building Safety Act, the industry must improve how it tracks and communicates specification changes.

Stephen adds: “As a project progresses, it’s not just about publishing a spec and simply incrementing the revision number. It’s about highlighting precisely what clauses have changed and what those changes are. In addition, bringing as many of the specification decisions forward and ensuring full compliance is the safest route in the current regulatory climate.”

Industry leaders including 3DReid, AHMM, Bowmer + Kirkland, EPR Architects, Galliford Try, Laing O’Rourke and Purcell contributed expertise to ensure the guide reflects real-world challenges and solutions.

The guide is intentionally software-agnostic, allowing organisations to tailor it to their own processes and create a bespoke quality-assurance document.

“Transparency in documentation is no longer optional; it’s expected,” says Ruth King, Specifications Lead, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM). “Specifications must be clear, verifiable, and aligned with classification systems to ensure efficiency and consistency across teams.”

The guide also addresses manufacturer involvement in specification writing, advocating for early engagement to align product data with project requirements. “Getting manufacturers involved early is crucial. Their input ensures specifications are accurate and meet project needs from the outset,” adds Ruth.

The Best Practice Guide to Specification Writing is available for immediate download here.

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