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Cook, S J and English, C (1997) Overspecification of speculative UK commercial office building: an International comparison. In: Stephenson, P (Ed.), Proceedings 13th Annual ARCOM Conference, 15-17 September 1997, Cambridge, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Vol. 1, 183–92.

  • Type: Conference Proceedings
  • Keywords: Over specification; commercial buildings; international comparison
  • ISBN/ISSN: 0 86 339 759 X
  • URL: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar1997-183-192_Cook_and_English.pdf
  • Abstract:
    There is a view expressed by some authors that the UK is currently over specifying speculative commercial office space. Comparative studies between the costs of constructing speculative office buildings in the UK and those constructed abroad have indicated the existence of many cost differentials that have not been further investigated. This paper illustrates the different levels of standards and specifications typically used in the construction of a medium sized, six storey office block in the UK based on a questionnaire survey with those same standards used in Australia, North America, Japan, France, Germany and the UK. A comparison was made using a questionnaire, with five other countries having a similar climate and/or enjoying similar levels of economic development. This paper illustrates the major similarities and differences that currently exist between standards and specifications in speculatively built six storey office within the six countries and posit reasons for these differences.