1 General Requirements 1.1 About This Document 1.1.1. Some Terms Defined. In these specifications, the following terms will always have the meanings set forth here unless it is clear from their context that some other meaning is intended: "you" means the Contractor performing the work; "we" means the owners/designers contracting the work; "or" means the inclusive OR, commonly rendered "and/or"; "including" means "including, but not limited to"; "shall" means something you are required to do; "will" means something we undertake to do; and, "may" means something you or we are not forbidden to do. 1.1.2 Organization Of Provisions 1.1.2.1. Chapters. These specifications are organized into chapters approximately corresponding to stages of the job, but that organization is done for convenience only. We assume no responsibility for the the extent, limits, or amounts of any subcontracts. 1.1.2.2. Numbering, Headings, & Placements. Neither the numbering, heading, or placement of any provision in these specifications is to be considered as giving that provision any weight or force beyond that inherent in its actual wording exclusive of its heading and numbering. 1.1.2.3. Cross-References. Any internal cross-reference in these specifications is provided solely as a convenience, and no inaccuracy or irrelevance in citing other provisions by cross-reference shall affect the meaning or force of any provision herein containing a cross-reference. 1.1.2.4. Index & Table Of Contents. Any index or table of contents for these specifications is provided solely as a convenience, and any conflict between any such index or table and these actual specifications or omission from any such index or table of any content in these specifications shall not affect the force of the actual specifications. 1.2 Scope of Job 1.2.1. Applicability. These specifications and the accompanying drawings as listed at 1.2.2 below, and any notes on those drawings or attached to these specifications, are intended to describe and provide for a finished work; what is called for by any is as binding as if called for by all. The work described herein is to be complete in every detail, even if not every item involved be particularly mentioned. 1.2.2. Drawings. The drawings accompanying these specifications, as tabulated below, are hereby incorporated into these specifications as an integral part thereof. 1.2.2.1. Formal Drawings. The following drawings, as submitted to the Adams County Planning & Building Department, numbered as shown thereon, are included: #1. House Foundation Plan #2. House Floor Plan #3. Garage Foundation & Floor Plan #4. South & West Elevations #5. North & East Elevations #6. Electrical Wiring #7. Typical Floor, Wall, & Roof Section #8. Special Slab Conditions #9. N/S Section & Chase Detail #10. Site/Vicinity Depiction 1.2.2.2. Owner Drawings. The following drawings, as prepared by us, are included: --Living Room, West Elevation & Shelving Cross-Section --Living Room, East Elevation --House NW Corner Floor-Plan Layout Detail --Audio Cabinet, Elevation View --Audio Cabinet, Top View --Dressing Room, Shelving Area Elevation View --Toilet/Bidet Room, North Elevation --Office, North Elevation --Office, East Elevation --Office File Cabinets, Detail --Laundry Room, East Elevation --TV Room, North Elevation & Cabinetry Side View --Kitchen, East Elevation --Kitchen, North Elevation --Kitchen, West Elevation --Bathrooms, Sink-Area Elevation View --Tank Room, West Elevation --Entrance Door, Frame Design --Entrance Door, Side & Top Views --Satellite/Intercom/Gate/Telephone Wall Pass-Through --Satellite/Intercom/Gate/Telephone Connector Layout --House-Garage Slabs Junction, Detail --Satellite-Pole Mount 1.3 Codes And Procedures 1.3.1. Code Conformity. You shall do all work in conformity with all applicable legally binding building codes, ordinances, etc., which are hereby incorporated by reference into these specifications. 1.3.2. Non-Binding Directives. Even if any of the following procedures or codes are not legally binding, you shall conform all work to them as if they were. The subject codes and procedures are: --U.S. Department Of Housing & Urban Development document "Design Guide For Frost-Protected Shallow Foundations" (Instrument No. DU100K000005897, June 1994); --the Truss Plate Institute's "Commentary and Recommendations for Handling, Installing, and Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses" (HIB-91); and, --the National Fire Protection Association Lightning Protection Code, NFPA 780. In each case, the latest edition shall control. All cited documents are hereby incorporated by reference into these specifications. 1.3.3. Conflicting Requirements. Should any of the codes or procedures mentioned in 1.4.1 and 1.4.2 above contain requirements that conflict one with another, the most stringent requirement shall be the one that governs unless that requirement is not allowable under the legally binding requirements, in which case the most stringent requirement that is legally acceptable shall govern. 1.3.4. Nonconforming Directions. You shall immediately call to our attention any directions, whether on a drawing or note or in these specifications, which appear to be not in conformity with any requirement set forth in 1.4.1 or 1.4.2 (as controlled by 1.4.3) above or which in your judgement violate good practice or which otherwise appear in any way to be in error, and you shall not implement any such apparently erroneous or nonconforming direction until we have reviewed it and, if appropriate, modified it. 1.3.5. Unspecified Procedures. Anything not expressly set forth in either the plans or the specifications but which is reasonably implied shall be furnished and performed as if specifically mentioned. 1.4 General Work Practices 1.4.1. Environment. You shall take care during the course of the work to avoid any disturbance or damage to the construction area or its environs beyond that essential to the work. "The work" shall include travel to and from the site and storage of materials, as well as site preparation and actual construction itself. 1.4.2. Property Protection. You shall protect our property and any other party's property rightfully on our property, including utility company facilities, from injury or loss during the period of execution of the contract. You shall further protect adjoining property as required by ordinances or these documents. 1.4.3. Materials Protection. You shall take suitable precautions during the course of the job to assure that all accomplished work and all materials are adequately protected from weather, casual theft, animal damage, and other ordinary job-site risks and dangers. 1.4.4. Materials & Workmanship. Unless particularly otherwise specified, you shall use new (as opposed to used) materials throughout, and all workmanship and materials shall be of the best quality. 1.4.5. Dimensioning. You shall verify all existing conditions and proposed dimensions at the job site; you shall not scale drawings. 1.5 Debris & Clean-Up 1.5.1. Final Cleaning. At the completion of the work, you shall remove all debris, scrap, etc., except as provided at 1.5.2 below, from the site. You shall leave all glass washed and clean, and the building interior "broom clean." 1.5.2. Scrap Retention. You shall leave all scrap lumber pieces of length greater than approximately one foot, or, if plywood, area greater than approximately one square foot, stacked with reasonable neatness inside the garage. 1.6 Air Tightness 1.6.1. Requirement. The finished house shall have a natural air infiltration rate, with all operable doors, windows, or other such openings closed and secured in their normal way and the HRV discussed at 11.5 below not running, of not over 36 cubic feet a minute (approximately 0.110 air changes an hour). 1.6.2. Testing. You shall test the finished house for conformity to the requirement of 1.6.1 above by use of a blower door in the standard manner for such testing (the 50-Pascal cfm50 measure). 1.6.3. Remediation. Should the test described at 1.6.2 above show noncompliance with the requirement of 1.6.1 above, you shall, at no extra contract cost, locate and remediate air leaks as necessary until the house does pass the subject test.