JUNE 2024CONSTRUCTIONTECHREVIEW.COM8IN MYOPINIONCONSTRUCTION TOLERANCE: PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NEXT TRADEBy Corey Zussman, Director of Quality Management, Pepper Construction GroupOver the past several decades, I have seen more and more contractors trying to make construction fit and comply with the Con-tract Document dimensions that typically do not take construction tolerances into account. Making the construction `work' under these circumstances typically leads to dimensional imperfections and problems in the field for the next contractor, such as not getting the proper system rating of a wall or column because the correct thickness of material per the tested assembly cannot be achieved within the confinements of the installation as designed. Conditions might create a situation where to achieve the required ADA required distance from a wall, the finishing contractors need to make unnecessary adjust-ments to materials or work in a place that ends up being an extra cost to the subcontractor, general contractor, or owner.We could do better, and it starts with the designer, taking fabrication and construction tolerance into account and holding contractors to the allowable tolerances set forth by the industry.There are many acceptable tolerances in construction, including those conveyed through the following reference samples from building codes or other guides typically referenced in the Contract:· Handbook of Construction Tolerances 2 ed by David Kent Ballast, AIA, CSI · ACI 117, Specifications for Tolerance for Concrete & Materials· MNL 116 & MNL 117, Quality Control for Structural Concrete / Architectural Concrete· MNL-135, Tolerance Manual for Precast & Prestressed Concrete· ASTM A6, Specification for Rolled Structural Steel, Plates, Shapes, & Sheet Pilings· AISC 303, Code of Standard Practice for Steel Buildings & Bridges· ASTM C55, ASTM C90, ASTM C129, ASTM 744 ­ CMU· ASTM C62, ASTM C216, ASTM 652, ASTM C1088 - Masonry· ACI 530.1/ASCE 6/TMS 602 ­ Specifications for Masonry Structures Corey Zussman
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