If an approved shop drawing for installation of a MEP service contradicts the Project Specification, which one you will follow ?

Slight modifications are acceptable if required as per site conditions.

But whatever changes eventhough minor should be notified /brought to the knowledge of consultants

Project Specification will be govern it is a reference guide for the implementation, execution of works during construction at sites. If any, in case that the approved shop drawing contradicts with the specifications, the issue must be raised to management/client to discuss and make a possible action.

 

 

The question is wrong. How on earth would a shop drawing be approved when it is contradicting an specified project specification? And where can you find an MEP contractor who will prepare a shop drawing that will not follow or contradict the specification, and hoping to be approve by the consultant? If in some way this thing happened, then its either the consultant doesnt know the specification and just blindly approving the shop drawing. Or, the consultant who approved the shop drawing is highly incompetent. Normally, a shop drawing is prepared base on the IFC or Issued for Construction Drawings given by the consultant/client designer. This is so that it is very unlikely that the designer of the shop drawing will deviate from IFC without raising RFI if needed.

Every projects is binded with its own Constitution that the contractor have to follow and execute with but as every law in the world most of the times there are conditions (availability of the materials, site conditions, trasnportation of materials,...etc) that oblige changes in the preminarally spicifications and the consultant will issue new clauses according to these conditions that are reflected in the approved shop drawings and side notes. So my answer will e Approved Shop Drawings.

If you comapair shop drawings & Project specification then specification always have precedence in Project.

Specification to be followed

Project specification.

specification

The Project Specification shall be followed because it is the specified requirement of the project. If there is a deviation from the Project Specification, proper TQ shall be raised followed by CR for the approval of the said deviation.

Project spesifications are ruling the execution and that is the  standard practice according to the contract signed between the2 entities. However in some cases an erupted need which require a change that has to be approved by both the consultant & the owner  upon presenting the shop drawing & documents that justifies the change  to the consultant to be approved first  before the execution.

Specification of project is guidance of Execution and implementation base on engineering standard practice. Some condition need to be modified depend on the site condition and practical due to a valid reason and notes upon presenting the approved shop drawing to consultant before the execution.