Since I have spent the last number of weeks on a job site managing and completing the installation of a project, it’s now time to complete the record keeping part of the project…the part that we never talk about in school.
Most commercial clients like a type of product specification and material/finish binder – architectural and FF&E – to record and keep track of the materials used on their project. They not only become a resource for ordering future materials and products, but they also provide information on how to maintain those finishes and products. They are a great resource for your Owner, but also for you as a record of what you have done. In one place you have everything you need, so that if that same owner calls you in 5 years and asks a random question about the project – because they often do – you won’t have to remember. That said, they take a lot of work and time to complete.
For this particular client we have been creating specification sheets for furniture all along the way, but when it comes to the finish pages, it took the last multiple days to order and receive all the samples from the various manufacturers, and organize what we already had. While we waited for the samples to arrive, the pages that the materials would be mounted to were formatted, printed and glued to mat board. This makes them strong enough to hold up to the weight of the attached items.
This brings me to today…
The pasting party began:
Working toward a deadline of delivering these to the client tomorrow, there were up to 5 of us at once cutting, sorting, pasting and compiling. It’s a great way to catch up with your co-workers, but a lot of work that is often not given enough thought until the last minute, because of all the other needs for a project. There are 7 binders shown above…but that is just one copy; we created two!
Design Shadow 
Mark,
This is so helpful. Wow! It is easy to see how valuable it would be to keep samples and information on hand for reference. Once I move on to a new semester it is difficult to remember the details of projects from the previous semester, let alone years later. Having that information compiled together where it can be easily pulled for verification would make questions and reordering so much easier.
Yes, they are very helpful. Some clients don’t want them, but when they call us years down the road asking for information, they are a great resource for us to use.
Where do you keep the binders when they are done? Are they ever scanned in or made digital somehow?
I love reading your blog. It is so informational and helps me understand all the little things (which are often big things) that aren’t always talked about.
The Client keeps them and updates them as changes are made in the future. We do make them digital for those that want them, but most like the hard copy for quick reference.