Scope of Works
A scope of works is a document that describes what is to be done — the breadth and boundaries of a project. It defines:
- The items of work to be carried out
- The sequence or grouping of those items
- What is included and (importantly) what is excluded
- The extent of the works in terms of area, number of items, or extent of coverage
A scope of works does not necessarily specify how something is to be done or the quality of materials and methods to be used.
Example scope item:
"Strip out existing bathroom to structural substrate. Supply and install new bathroom suite including WC, WHB, and bath. Tile all walls floor to ceiling. Install shower over bath with tray, screen, and thermostatic mixer."
This tells the contractor what they must do. It does not specify the tile size, the brand of sanitary ware, the shower valve manufacturer, or the tile adhesive type.
Specification
A specification describes how something is to be done — the standards, materials, products, and workmanship required. It answers questions such as:
- What grade or brand of product is required?
- What workmanship standards apply?
- What preparation is required before a product is installed?
- What testing or inspection is needed?
Example specification item:
"Tiling: All tiles to be porcelain, minimum 10mm thick, suitable for wet areas (slip rating R10 minimum). Adhesive to be Mapei Keraflex Large Format or equal approved. Grout to be Mapei Ultracolor Plus or equal approved. All tile joints 2mm with consistent grout lines. No chipped, cracked, or stained tiles to be left in the finished work."
This tells the contractor what standards must be met. Without a scope, the specification does not tell them how many tiles or in which rooms.
Why Both Are Needed
The scope defines the extent of the work; the specification defines the quality of the work. Together, they create a complete description of what is required.
Without a specification: Contractors can substitute cheaper products, use lower workmanship standards, or interpret requirements loosely.
Without a scope: It is unclear what has been priced, what is included, and where the contractor's responsibility begins and ends.
For pricing and tendering, both documents are needed. A contractor pricing from a scope alone will make assumptions about quality. A contractor pricing from a specification alone will not know how much wall area to tile.
Combined Scope and Specification
On smaller residential projects, a single document often combines both functions — describing the items of work and the standards required in the same document. This is sometimes called a "specification" but functions as both.
RCB produces combined scope and specification documents for all projects, setting out items of work alongside material and workmanship standards, exclusions, provisional sums, and assumptions.
Provisional Sums
Where the scope or specification cannot be fully defined at the time of pricing (for example, the floor tile has not yet been chosen), a provisional sum is used — an allowance in the contract sum that will be adjusted once the actual requirement is confirmed.
Common provisional sums in residential projects:
- Floor tiles (where client selection is still to be made)
- Kitchen units (where the kitchen company has not yet been appointed)
- Allowance for unforeseen structural work during strip-out
Provisional sums should be clearly identified and their basis explained — an inadequate provisional sum is a common source of disputes.
RCB Design & Build
RCB produces detailed scope and specification documents for all projects before pricing or contracting. We ensure clients understand exactly what is included, what is excluded, and what assumptions underpin the contract sum — reducing the risk of disputes and unexpected costs during the build.