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Interior Design vocabulary · Clients & Projects

Specification

Meaning in interior design, with examples

/ˌspesɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/nounCore term

In interior design, specification means: A detailed written description of the products, materials, finishes and quantities to be used in a project, so that they can be priced, ordered and installed correctly.

In Turkish: şartname, teknik şartname, malzeme listesi

How it is used

Usually shortened to spec. Designers write specifications, specify products and check that the contractor has not changed them. Swapping a specified product for a cheaper one, often as part of value engineering, needs the designer's approval.

Example sentences

  1. The specification lists the exact tile, grout colour and joint width for each bathroom.

  2. Please don't change the tap; it's in the specification for a reason.

Common collocations

  • write a specification
  • finishes specification
  • built to specification
  • spec sheet
  • finishThe final surface of a material, or the material used on a visible surface, such as paint, tiles, wood stain or polished stone; also how that surface looks, for example matt or glossy.
  • FF&EShort for furniture, fixtures and equipment: the movable items and fittings in a project that are not part of the building structure, such as furniture, lamps, curtains and artwork.
  • contractorA company or person hired to carry out building or fit-out work, such as demolition, plastering, electrics and installation, usually based on the designer's drawings.
  • lead timeThe time between placing an order and receiving the item, which can be days for stock products and many weeks for bespoke or imported pieces.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Clients & Projects

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