True architectural specifications are actually an art-form developed through experience, based on building type and other specific circumstances. Most architects and specifiers treat their specifications as proprietary information and guard it as if it were gold--which in some sense it is, since it's one of the ways in which these professionals ensure that their projects offer true value.

The major sources for true architectural specifications have long been the AIA and CSI, plus on-the-job experience built up over time.

That said, if what you are seeking is more of a check-list for materials, finishes, equipment and features, rather than an outline or full three-part architectural specification, there are a range of Internet-hosted sites where check-lists may be found. Do a Google for "residential specifications".

The challenge for consumers using check-lists, however, is that if one is inexperienced and "doesn't know what they don't know", check-lists may be confusing and even potentially dangerous by either omitting something important or including something unimportant.

Used wisely, however, and with some advice from experienced design professionals and/or builders, they can be a help. Your "construction manager" should be able to assist you.

Good luck on your project!

The way this should work is that the designer or manager gives you an outline of material and system categories and you indicate your preferences through discussions with them and your own research. It often helps to break the list down by general issues and rooms. This document could be called a Design Questionnaire or a Planning and Design Outline. If prepared by a design professional it might be more detailed and could be called an Outline Specification.

Then they turn that information into a written document that spells out in detail what these things are with brand names if appropriate, quality standards, coordination with other trade specs, references to manufacturer information, and installation requirements. That document should be organized by trade (usually in CSI format) so it can be separated and issued to the sub-contractors for bidding and eventually be included in their contract along with the drawings. This document could be called a Construction Specification or Contract Specification.

However, when a design professional is not involved home builders often use a more abbreviated approach. They might issue the initial Planning and design outline and drawings to the subs and ask them to propose their own descriptions and specifications which often do not include the manufacturer and installation requirements and then they sift through the different sub proposals to find the one they like. They might even do this with mechanical and plumbing systems.

What you probably need at this stage is the initial Design Questionnaire/Outline that is developed by every designer and modified for every project so it is not usually shared with other designers.

I will try to find something that might be useful but without knowing more about your project it could not entirely appropriate for your use.

Thanks for your responses!
I guess what I'm looking for is something that lists things like insulation, stud info, shingles, HVAC, and everything else that goes into a home. ;-)

I don't want "builder grade" stuff, but I don't know the difference until I see it, and I don't know what to ask for. I will continue to do lots of research, but I thought if I could find a good starting point with a spec sheet for a "higher end" custom home that I could use, it would help me out.

My construction manager works for a builder in the Houston area, and he can provide me with a basic spec sheet, but I really want to get pretty specific, and I don't want any builder grade materials.

I'd like to provide a very specific set of specs to each sub contractor so I can compare apples to apples when I get the bids.

Thanks again!

IMO, a house designer who cannot provide you with a the construction specification you want is only a draftsman. You will need more assistance than that for what you are about to spend.

The same goes for your construction manager.

Also not too impressed with the floor plan itself now that I look at it. There are several things I might change, but as long as you are happy with it, that's all that matters.

Oh no, you can't leave me hanging like that Jason!

What would you change? Overall, I like the flow. The guest suite in the back will be my mother's room. The two bedrooms up front are for my two daughters. I put the doors on both sides of the storage room/hall between my mom's room and my girls' rooms to make it easier to navigate through that part of the house, and since the stairway to the media room (over the garage) is in the hall by my mom's room, the storage room with the two doors will make it easier for my girls to get from their rooms to the media room.

What are your thoughts??

The big thing that stands out to me is the powder room. It almost looks too small with the door next to the toilet. I would probably make a closet in the study and change the hall by the master a little to accommodate a powder room.

The two halls from the garage is a little different and I don't like how long the one by the secondary bedrooms is (personal preference). Also don't care for the door swinging into the garage on the hall by the lockers and stairs (also might have a hard time putting switches in there).

The angle on the fireplace makes no sense to me. I would either put it centered on the wall with built ins on either side, or make the family room wider and put it in the corner at a 45 to match the other angles. I am guessing you did it to maxamize window space. If you can't make the family wider, you could always move it to the other end and have more room for windows, plus be able to see it from the kitchen as well as the dining.

If you are doing a built in ref. in the kitchen, it looks like you will run into problems with the crown molding on top of the ref. cabinet. There won't be a wall for it to die into since the space isn't deep enough. I would probably change the whole appliance layout. You may also want to put some windows on the left side dining wall just to let in some more light and make it feel more open.

I don't care for the layout in the laundry room. You walk in the door and see the side of your washer and dryer. I would move the ironing board and center the door at the very least.

The toilet room in the jack and jill looks a little tight with the door swinging in. I like to avoid that because if something happens to the person in there and they fall on the floor, nobody will be able to get the door open. It seems small, but I like to think of everything. As for the room with the tub. It doesn't even look like the door will open all of the way (hard to tell since the image is small). I also don't like the fact that it is open all the way through. I get you probably don't want it closed in, but they can see right through into eachothers rooms (no privacy). May be okay now, but as they get older, they will probably want it. The bedroom on the left also has a door that is in the middle of the wall. Not sure how you feel about that, but I always try and tuck them in a corner (something about walking into the middle of a room just doesn't feel right).

Not sure if there is enough room since I can't see dimensions or anything, but I might make the stairs a straight run and have a hall next to them with access to the closet centered in there. Might make the area feel more open. At the very least, I would probably try and rework the area to make it feel a little better (it is just two long halls with a bunch of doors).

I am sure I could think of more, but it is hard to see and I don't want to be too picky. I hope this isn't his finished floor plan because there is a lot missing off of there (especially the windows in your mother's room and garage).

Don't care for the layout either. Couple a poorly specced questionable design from some sort of draftsman with an inexperienced in a real custom home build ''supervisor'' to an inexperienced and construction unsavvy owner trying to manage the process backwards on the cheap and you have a recipe for a nightmare build for everyone involved.

You want to do this right, get an actual architect to design a livable plan that works for your family, and that is actually specced out before it's bid. Then you hire an experienced GC to actually supervise and build the plan. Otherwise, please go buy something already constructed. It will save you a ton of money and headaches.

The kitchen is quite problematic with a barrier island and non functional work zones. Traffic paths pass through the places that need to be protected from traffic. It's also relatively large for the size of the overall home.

There is a lack of focus on making the most often rooms be the pleasantest experience, with utility areas like closets taking up corners on a home. Corners are precious commodities that allow a room to have light and ventilation from two directions. They should be reserved for rooms that get the most time spent in them. In addition, the main public rooms in the home will all be dark. If this is in Florida and the back faces the south, that's one reason for choosing such an orientation that will be short on natural light. In a more temperate climate, it's a mistake.

In addition, the two hallways waste space that could be used for living areas if the home had better organization. The fireplace looks like a complete afterthought, and is unusable as pictured.

Folks, can we stick to the OP's request about spec sheets? Clearly the OP needs help, as hollysprings points out.

No point in raising the old hair-shirt debate about educated, trained and licensed design professionals versus those in the home-design-building business with no credentials. There are capable people in both categories, but it takes lots of due diligence to find them.

Reno, rightly points out the need for an outline for materials, features and equipment. To find one that will actually do the job will take a lot of searching and analysis.

It would save a lot of the OP's time if s/he had an experienced and trusted advisor to conference with, since no written outline is going to be 100% applicable.

Good luck on your project.

The following is a list of comments on the layout -- not really applicable to the original question. Feel free to ignore it:

- First, the complicated footprint will be expensive. I'd rather spend on the interior, where add to our comfort and enjoyment more.

- Loads of closets throughout -- good! Does the long walk-through closet near the garage serve any particular purpose?

- I like jack-and-jill bathrooms, but I don't like this one. Four doors in this small space is way too many. Two kids can share one bathroom without all this compartmentalization.

- I like the shared closet in the kids' rooms. Are those squares a dresser, or a washer/dryer?

- Loads of wasted space in the master bath. This could be reduced by 30% -- and it'd be BETTER.

- Is that a closet within the closet? Is it a safe?

- The powder room looks quite uncomfortable; I'd steal some space from the over-sized bath and closet. I don't see why it needs to open into the study; I'd just have it open into the hallway, and let the people in the study walk around the corner.

- The kitchen is large, but not functional. The "back L" is too far away from the work area, so it isn't going to be useful.

- Likewise, the laundry room is large, but not functional. I'd move the door to the middle of the room so you can walk straight in rather than walking in and immediately having to turn. You'd be better off to place the washer/dryer and sink on the same wall -- it'll save on plumbing lines. I'd also try to move the dryer to the outside wall; this would do two things -- first, it'd allow you to vent the dryer directly outside; second, it'd make the dining area quieter.

- I'd flip the guest suite's closet /bath to the other side of the room. Two benefits: First, you save money because the plumbing would be consolidated. Second, it would allow windows on two walls of this room -- a big benefit.

- A switchback stair is lovely, but also expensive. It makes sense if it's a focal point in the house -- but yours is tucked back in the back of the house, where no one will see it.

I would get rid of the double dog leg kitchen counter. It seems like it was lifted from a basement rec room or another house where it fit into the overall design.

Thank you all so much for your comments... especially MrsPete for your very detailed suggestions!

The kitchen has been bothering me too. What do you think if I move the sink to the island and put the cooktop on the back L counter? That would make a better workspace out of the walkway??

I really like the divider counter/bar between the kitchen and the living room, so I'd rather not get rid of it.

The windows are not finished. We haven't gotten to windows/electrical, etc.

MrsPete -
I've always wanted a storage closet for seasonal items, blankets that are not used often, board games, large kitchen gadgets that aren't used often, etc. So, I added a separate storage closet next to the pantry. I have a daughter in high school and she drives, so I thought we'd extend the long hallway and add a door to the garage which would give another entrance from the garage and make it easy to enter the house and go straight to the girls' rooms. I also thought it would make it easier for the girls to get to the media/game room (above the garage) if I put a door at both ends of the storage closet.

The jack-and-jill bathroom - a friend of mine who raised two daughters suggested making the shower and toilet separate areas, so when one is in the shower (with the door locked), the other can use the restroom.

The shared closet will have built in chests. But, I really like the idea of a stackable washer/dryer!

How would you reduce the space in the master bath and make it better? We want the walk in shower (no door). It will have two shower heads and a rain head. My daughters and I love to take baths, so I'm planning a large jetted tub.

The master closet has a safe room on the interior.

You're right about the powder room. We need to make some changes there.

Thanks so much for all of the suggestions!

Here are the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) specification categories. Writing a spec is unique to a given project so the full set of choices is usually contained in a software program that costs big bucks and is copyrighted. Specification writing software is more likely to be owned by an architect or spec writer than by a home builder, designer or draftsman. Using a spec from another project is tempting but it can result in important omissions and errors. No two jobs are exactly alike specially if they are in different materials markets and climates or the budgets are far apart.

Let me know if you want information about one of the sections.

Division 1 General Requirements
01100 Summary
01200 Price and Payment Procedures
01300 Administrative Requirements
01400 Quality Requirements
01500 Temporary Facilities and Controls

Division 2 Site Construction
02050 Basic Site Materials and Methods
02100 Site Remediation
02200 Site Preparation
02300 Earthwork
02400 Tunneling, Boring and Jacking
02450 Foundation and Load-Bearing Elements
02500 Utility Services
02600 Drainage and Containment
02700 Bases, Ballasts, Pavements and Appurtenances
02800 Site Improvements and Amenities
02900 Planting
02950 Site Restoration and Rehabilitation

Division 3 Concrete
03050 Basic Concrete Materials and Methods
03100 Concrete Forms and Accessories
03200 Concrete Reinforcement
03300 Cast-In-Place Concrete
03400 Precast Concrete
03500 Cementitious Decks and Underlayment
03600 Grouts

Division 4 Masonry
04050 Basic Masonry Materials and Methods
04200 Masonry Units
04400 Stone
04700 Simulated Masonry
04800 Masonry Assemblies

Division 5 Metals
05050 Basic Metal Materials and Methods
05100 Structural Metal Framing
05200 Metal Joists
05300 Metal Deck
05400 Cold-Formed Metal Framing
05500 Metal Fabrications
05700 Ornamental Metal

Division 6 Wood and Plastics
06050 Basic Wood and Plastic Materials and Methods
06100 Rough Carpentry
06200 Finish Carpentry
06400 Architectural Woodwork
06500 Structural Plastics
06600 Plastic Fabrications

Division 7 Thermal and Moisture Protection
07050 Basic Thermal and Moisture Protection Materials and Methods
07100 Damproofing and Waterproofing
07200 Thermal Protection
07300 Shingles, Roof Tiles, and Roof Coverings
07400 Roofing and Siding Panels
07500 Membrane Roofing
07600 Flashing and Sheet Metal
07700 Roof Specialties and Accessories
07800 Fire and Smoke Protection
07900 Joint Sealers

Division 8 Doors and Windows
08050 Basic Door and Window Materials and Methods
08100 Metal Doors and Frames
08200 Wood and Plastic Doors
08300 Specialty Doors
08400 Entrances and Storefronts
08500 Windows
08600 Skylights
08700 Hardware
08800 Glazing

Division 9 Finishes
09050 Basic Finish Materials and Methods
09200 Plaster and Gypsum Board
09300 Tile
09400 Terrazzo
09500 Ceilings
09600 Flooring
09700 Wall Finishes
09800 Acoustical Treatment
09900 Paints and Coatings

Division 10 Specialties
10100 Visual Display Boards
10200 Louvers and Vents
10240 Grilles and Screens
10290 Pest Control
10300 Fireplaces and Stoves
10340 Manufactured Exterior Specialties
10350 Flagpoles
10520 Fire Protection Specialties
10600 Partitions
10670 Storage Shelving
10700 Exterior Protection
10750 Telephone Specialties
10800 Toilet, Bath, and Laundry Specialties
10900 Wardrobe and Closet Specialties

Division 11 Equipment
11130 Audio-Visual Equipment
11450 Residential Equipment

Division 12 Furnishings
12050 Fabrics
12100 Art
12300 Manufactured Casework
12400 Furnishings and Accessories
12500 Furniture

Division 13 Special Construction
13600 Solar Equipment
13700 Security Access and Surveillance
13800 Building Automation and Control
13850 Detection and Alarm
13900 Fire Suppression

Division 14 Conveying Systems
14100 Dumbwaiters
14200 Elevators

Division 15 Mechanical
15050 Basic Mechanical Materials and Methods
15100 Building Service Piping
15300 Fire Protection Piping
15400 Plumbing Fixtures and Equipment
15700 Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Equipment
15800 Air Distribution
15900 HVAC Instrumentation and Controls
15950 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing

Division 16 Electrical
16050 Basic Electrical Materials and Methods
16100 Wiring Methods
16200 Electrical Power
16500 Lighting
16700 Communications
16800 Sound and Video