Drawing Up the Specifications

A good specification is the basis of any successful renovation project, and a comparison of contractors' quotations is meaningless unless they have all been prepared against an identical specification.

The first draft of the specification should come from you, the homeowner, although you aren't expected to define thickness of timber or diameter of pipe. It is in your own interests to be absolutely clear about what you want - if you don't tell the contractor what you want, then you'll be leaving the decision to them and you may not like what they choose to use.

The final specification should be used to prevent any misunderstandings about the work to be done, the materials to be used, and who is responsible for what.