ABSTRACT
THE value of an up-to-date specification was referred to in Chapter 2. It is prepared to enable a contractor to assess the standards of materials and workmanship required by the engineer, so that he can price his tender. The specification is also a legal document and must not therefore be open to misinterpretation. Where relevant, it should state quite specifically that materials or workmanship 'shall be' to a certain standard; expressions such as 'to be' should not appear in the document. Where the employer or the engineer is to provide a service, the words 'will be' or 'may be' can be used.
