About SpecsMadeSimple

Who We Are

SpecsMadeSimple is a library of SimpleSpecs, professionally written, downloadable architectural specification sections in Microsoft Word — built by a specifier with over 30 years of experience, for architects and designers who are tired of paying too much and waiting too long for specs that should take 15 minutes.

No subscription. No platform to learn. No bloated master library collecting dust.

Just clean, contractor-friendly, fully editable specification sections you buy once and own forever.

Our Story

SpecsMadeSimple didn’t start in a boardroom.

It started at 1 p.m. on a Friday with Craig yelling, “Why the hell is this spec twenty-seven pages?!”

Craig has spent over 30 years writing architectural specifications for projects of every size and type. He has seen every bloated master library, every unnecessary page, and every $2,500 subscription renewal that arrives whether the work does or not. He knew exactly what the industry was getting wrong — and exactly what it would take to fix it.

So he built SpecsMadeSimple.

The Problem He Solved

Architects and designers writing specifications without a dedicated specifier on staff were stuck in a broken system.

Paying thousands of dollars every year for master specification libraries that are opened maybe four times. Spending entire weekends on a few specification sections that should have taken an hour. Getting billed like a full-time specifier for a handful of projects a year. Wrestling 10 to 20-page specification sections into something a contractor could actually use in the field.

Solo practitioners and small architectural firms deserved a better option — professionally written specification templates sized for real projects, available without a subscription, and delivered in the software they already use every day.

That option didn’t exist. Craig built it.

What Makes SpecsMadeSimple Different

Shorter sections that actually get used. Most architectural specification sections run 15 to 20 pages. Ours run one to four pages. Long enough to protect you legally and document what matters. Short enough that your contractor will open them, read them, and build to them. A specification nobody reads is a specification that protects nobody.

Microsoft Word format — nothing new to learn. Every specification section is delivered as a fully editable Microsoft Word document. No proprietary software. No subscription platform. No IT support required. You open the file, edit the project-specific details, and issue it. Architects and designers who already know Word — which is everyone — are up and running in minutes.

No subscription. Buy once, own forever. Traditional specification software costs $2,500 to $4,000+ per year. SpecsMadeSimple sections are a one-time purchase. Buy the sections you need for the project in front of you. Own them permanently. Edit them freely across every future project. No renewal invoices. No annual commitments. No paying for access to sections you never use.

Written by a 30-year specification professional. Every section in the SpecsMadeSimple library was written by Craig — a licensed specification professional with over three decades of experience across residential, commercial, interiors, and landscape projects. These aren’t templates assembled from generic content. They are working specification documents built from 30 years of real project experience.

Who SpecsMadeSimple Is Built For

SpecsMadeSimple was built specifically for:

Solo practitioners and small architectural firms who write specifications without a dedicated specifier on staff and need a professional starting point that doesn’t require a commercial subscription to access.

Residential architects who need clean, appropriately scaled specification sections for custom homes, additions, and renovations — without the administrative overhead of sections written for hospital projects.

Architects expanding their scope into interiors, landscape, or comprehensive project types who need professionally written sections in unfamiliar specification territory without starting from scratch.

Any architect or designer who has ever spent a Friday night writing a specification section that should have taken 15 minutes.

The Specification Packages

SpecsMadeSimple offers professionally written downloadable specification sections across four disciplines:

Interiors Specifications — flooring, wall finishes, ceilings, millwork, specialty surfaces, and interior systems.

Architectural Specifications — exterior envelope, roofing, waterproofing, doors, hardware, windows, and building assemblies.

Landscape Specifications — site preparation, planting, irrigation, hardscape, exterior lighting, and site furnishings.

Comprehensive Specification Package — the complete library across all three disciplines in one purchase, for architects whose projects regularly cross disciplines or who want one professional specification resource for every project that comes through the door.

Every section follows the standard 3-part specification format — General, Products, Execution — and is fully editable in Microsoft Word.

The Result

What used to steal your weekend now takes about 15 minutes.

Hundreds of clean, professionally written, fully editable architectural specification sections — contractor-friendly, frustration-proof, and built by someone who spent 30 years in the trenches and decided the industry deserved better.

Because writing specifications shouldn’t feel like archaeology.

It should feel simple.

SpecsMadeSimple. Less frustration. More architecture.

→ Ready to feel the difference? Grab a free section — no card required.

→ Browse the full specification library

Frequently Asked Questions

What format are the specification sections delivered in? Every section is delivered as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file. No special software, plugins, or subscriptions are required. Open, edit, and issue directly from Word.

How long are the specification sections? Most sections run one to four pages — written to cover what matters on real projects without the bloat of traditional master specification libraries.

Do I need a subscription to access SpecsMadeSimple specifications? No. Every section is a one-time purchase. Buy what you need, own it permanently, and use it on every future project with no recurring fees.

Are these appropriate for publicly bid projects? Yes. Every section follows the standard 3-part specification format used on public and private construction projects across the country. You are responsible for confirming compliance with any jurisdiction-specific requirements.

Who wrote the specifications? Every section was written by Craig, a specification professional with over 30 years of experience writing architectural specifications across residential, commercial, interiors, and landscape project types.

What is included in the Comprehensive Specification Package? The Comprehensive Package includes specification sections across interiors, architectural, and landscape disciplines — the complete SpecsMadeSimple library in a single purchase, fully editable in Microsoft Word.

Can I edit the sections for my specific project? Absolutely. Every section is fully editable. The template provides the professional structure, standards language, and technical content. You customize the manufacturer names, product selections, and project-specific requirements for each job.