Rock-solid guide specifications are the ultimate pipe-dream of consulting engineers because they minimize the amount of time that needs to be repeatedly spent on the minutiae of tiny details from project to project.
In specifications for items that are commercially available, I often see specific models listed in the specifications. On one hand, this is great because if an alternate item is proposed by a contractor during the submittal process, the similarities can easily be compared. Putting model numbers in a specification, however runs the risk that by the time someone uses the specification again, that model might have been discontinued. Plumbing fixtures are the absolute worst for this.
Every single manufacturer seems to have products that run the gamut from low end to high end products, and they ALL seem to change model numbers constantly. Is there a brand of plumbing fixtures (for any or all fixture types) that maintains consistent models for long periods of time or is there a better way to avoid spending time constantly updating specs without contractors trying to sneak the cheapest builder-grade fixtures through submittals?
