Incomplete facade specifications are one of the most common causes of avoidable delay on construction projects. Every gap in the specification - a missing product name, an unspecified finish, an absent compliance reference - creates a query that must be resolved before procurement can begin. On a typical project, three or four of these gaps can add four to six weeks to the facade program before a single panel is ordered.
This is not a design criticism. Specifications are written under time pressure, often early in the project when details are still being resolved. But understanding what gaps cost in practice helps teams write tighter specs from the start.
What counts as a specification gap?
A specification gap is anything missing from the facade specification that needs to be resolved before the installer can price the job and the builder can programme procurement. Common examples include:
- No specific product named - the spec says “aluminium cladding” or “aluminium rainscreen” without identifying a product or supplier
- No finish specified - no indication of powder coat, PVDF, or anodised, and no colour reference
- No compliance standard referenced - no mention of AS 1530.1, no fire classification pathway, no reference to the NCC
- No wind load rating stated - the facade engineer’s requirements are not carried into the specification
- No profile or panel type identified - the spec describes the aesthetic intent but not the physical product that delivers it
Each of these is resolvable. But each one triggers a query loop.
How do specification gaps cause delays?
When an installer receives a specification with gaps, they cannot price accurately. So they raise a query. That query goes to the builder, who sends it to the architect, who may need to consult a facade engineer or research the options. Each loop takes one to two weeks at a minimum - often longer when multiple parties are involved or when the query requires a design decision rather than a simple clarification.
The problem compounds. Three specification gaps do not create three weeks of delay - they create four to six, because the queries overlap, depend on each other, and often trigger follow-up questions.
While those queries are being resolved, several things happen in the background:
- Material prices move. Aluminium, coatings, and freight costs do not hold still. A six-week delay can mean a meaningful price increase, particularly in volatile commodity markets.
- Programme slips. The facade is often on the critical path. Every week of specification delay pushes the enclosure date, which pushes interior fit-out, which pushes practical completion.
- Alternative products get proposed. When the original specification is unclear, substitution claims appear. The builder or installer proposes a different product, and the architect then has to evaluate whether it meets the design intent - which takes more time.
- Re-tendering occurs. If the specification changes materially during the query process, the installer may need to re-price, and in some cases the builder re-tenders the facade package entirely.
None of this is unusual. It happens on projects regularly. But it is avoidable.
What does a complete facade specification include?
The specification does not need to be complex. It needs to be complete. A well-written facade specification covers these items:
- Product name and supplier - e.g., interloQ by Valmond & Gibson
- Profile or panel type - the specific product variant
- Finish - powder coat, PVDF, or anodised
- Colour reference - a specific colour code, not just “dark grey” or “to architect’s selection”
- Wind load requirement - the serviceability and ultimate limit state pressures
- Fire classification standard - typically AS 1530.1 for non-combustible applications
- Applicable test reports - referenced by report number where available
- Fixing method - the subframe and connection system
- NCC compliance pathway - Deemed-to-Satisfy or Performance Solution, with the relevant clauses or evidence of suitability identified
When a specification includes this level of detail, the installer can price immediately, the builder can programme accurately, and the certifier has clear evidence to assess.
What does good specificity look like in practice?
Compare these two specification entries:
Vague: “Aluminium rainscreen cladding system, non-combustible, colour to architect’s selection.”
Complete: “interloQ interlocking rainscreen cladding by Valmond & Gibson. Powder coat finish, Interpon D2525. Colour: Dulux Monument. Non-combustible to AS 1530.1 (CSIRO report FNC12595). Weather tested to AS/NZS 4284 at plus or minus 1500Pa SLS (report 2022-031-S1). Fixed to aluminium subframe on conneQt adaptors.”
The first version will generate queries. The second version can be priced and programmed the day it arrives.
The same principle applies to solid panel specifications. For element13 solid aluminium panels: referencing the specific panel dimensions, PVDF finish, the AS 1530.1 non-combustibility report (CSIRO FNC12545), and the structural wind load test results (JFS Engineers 23-00156) gives every party in the chain what they need to proceed.
How Valmond & Gibson supports better specifications
We supply product data sheets, specification clauses, and compliance documentation that feeds directly into project specifications - making it straightforward for specifiers to include the right level of detail without researching it from scratch.
Writing or reviewing a facade specification? Contact our team for product data, specification clauses, and compliance documentation.
Related Reading
- Writing Facade Specification Clauses: A Practical Guide
- Why Facade Substitution Claims Cause Project Delays
- Why Builders Should Engage Facade Suppliers Before Tender
- How to Build a Compliant Facade Documentation Pack
Last updated: 4 April 2026