By Dvir Atias
MasterFormat and UniFormat are the two classification systems you meet on construction projects. MasterFormat organizes specs by work results and trades; UniFormat organizes a building by systems and assemblies. Here is how they differ, when each is used, and why product reps should care which one they are looking at.
Construction projects use two classification systems published by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada: MasterFormat and UniFormat. They answer different questions. MasterFormat asks what work is done and by which trade. UniFormat asks which part of the building is this.
MasterFormat in one paragraph
MasterFormat organizes specifications by work results. Since the 2004 edition it has 50 divisions, numbered 00 to 49, and six-digit section numbers such as 07 54 23 for thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing or 08 71 00 for door hardware. Each section is written in three parts: Part 1 General, Part 2 Products and Part 3 Execution. Project manuals for bidding are almost always organized this way. See our MasterFormat guide for product reps.
UniFormat in one paragraph
UniFormat organizes a building by elements, the systems and assemblies it is made of, regardless of which trade builds them. Its top-level groups are A Substructure, B Shell, C Interiors, D Services, E Equipment and Furnishings, F Special Construction and Demolition, and G Building Sitework. A roof, for example, is part of B Shell, whatever materials it uses.
The difference, side by side
| MasterFormat | UniFormat | |
|---|---|---|
| Organized by | Work results and trades | Building systems and assemblies |
| Typical use | Project manuals and detailed specifications for bidding | Early cost estimates and preliminary project descriptions |
| Project stage | Construction documents and bidding | Concept and schematic design |
| Names products? | Yes, in Part 2 of each section | Rarely; it describes systems, not products |
| Example | 07 54 23 Thermoplastic-Polyolefin Roofing | B Shell, roofing |
Why product reps should care
If you see a UniFormat description, the project is early. Products have usually not been named yet, which makes it the best time to talk to the architect. By the time a MasterFormat project manual is out for bid, the named products, and any “or approved equal” language, are in Part 2 of your section, and the clock on substitutions is running.
- UniFormat document: the design is still open. Get in front of the design team.
- MasterFormat project manual: read your section, check who is named, and note the substitution deadline in Division 01.
✱FAQ
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