NBS Guidance

Using NBS Guidance

NBS clauses are very carefully worded so as to be unambiguous and totally clear in meaning. This helps in preventing any misunderstandings which could lead to problems on site. The specifier is responsible for selecting the appropriate clauses for the job, and where additional information is required to complete clauses, it is up to the specifier to insert the correct information. NBS offers help here in the form of Guidance Notes.

General Guidance

At the beginning of most work sections there is General Guidance, designed to equip you with enough information to make decisions about the work to be done. For many specifiers, the general guidance is the starting point not just for the specification, but for the design process itself. NBS Scheduler uses a different structure and does not contain general guidance.

The amount of guidance varies depending on the availability of good source information, but generally covers:

• Information on the material to be used – properties, performance, common usage, etc
• Key reference documents
• Design and workmanship advice
• Common reasons for failure, and how to avoid pitfalls
• Contractual arrangements.

To save time locating advice on a particular topic, NBS software allows you to search the NBS Guidance using keywords or free text.  This function is not yet available in NBS Scheduler.

Clause Guidance

As you select the clauses you need to include in your specification, help is offered through the Clause Guidance notes. In NBS software, guidance is an on-screen option which can be viewed throughout or called up as necessary by clicking the mouse. It is synchronized to the item you are currently working on whether it be a work item in NBS Scheduler or a clause in NBS Building, NBS Engineering Services and NBS Landscape.

User-specific Guidance

This extra functionality gives you the opportunity to add your own guidance notes to work sections and clauses. User-specific guidance can be used to highlight important information for consideration when completing clauses, specific to your office practices. Notes added to template specifications are viewable in subsequent project specifications. It is therefore a useful tool for promoting best practice during the specification process.

Links with other information sources

The NBS Guidance notes make frequent reference to British Standards, codes of practice and other technical information. To help you locate this information easily NBS software provides direct links to other electronic products.

If you subscribe to the The Construction Information Service, you can link to the full text of key documents cited in NBS Guidance by clicking on the button in the text (dependent on the level of service you subscribe to).

If you have NBS Building Regulations, our complete searchable version of the Building Regulations Approved Documents, you can jump from NBS Guidance notes straight to the required topic, eliminating the need to search.

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