BSD Customer Case Study: 
SpecLink Cuts Specification Writing Time in Half at Bledsoe Architects

Bledsoe Architects is a partnership of Benjamin Bledsoe, AIA and Richard Bryan Yeates, AIA, MBA.

Located in Shreveport, Louisiana, Bledsoe Architects was established in September, 1999. Bledsoe Architects couples artistry with technical ability, depth of resources, and vision to achieve the best possible design. They understand the need to provide highly efficient spaces for every function in the project. They work to bring their client’s vision into reality — on schedule and within budget.

The firm’s experience includes a wide range of architectural design and other detailed client-specific services. They provide services such as strategic and master planning, site planning, project scheduling, new building design, and existing building renovation and restoration. Their projects include healthcare and educational facilities, religious buildings, and restaurants.

They understand that different types of projects demand different levels of need and attention. Bledsoe Architects has the experience to evaluate each project with the entire team to determine the level of services required. Each project is tailored to meet these needs and the expectations of their clients.

The Need: Bledsoe Architects understands how important it is to meet client requirements. However, in 2004 they realized they had an internal need that was not being met. Masterspec, the commerciallyavailable specification program they were using, was not working for them. Formatting and editing were cumbersome. Checking reference standards took a long time. The whole process of creating specifications just took too long. They wanted to find something that would better meet their needs. What they found was SpecLink.

The Solution: Once he saw how easy it was to edit and format with SpecLink, Ben Bledsoe, AIA, Principal with Bledsoe Architects, was sold on the program. He says, “What do I like best about SpecLink? It is easy to use — and to re-use. By using the SpecLink office master, I am able to edit project specifications much faster. I especially like having all choices intact — in case changes are required during project development.”

Bledsoe estimates his firm is creating specifications in half the time it took with their previous system. He continues, “With SpecLink, it is much easier to make the necessary specification modifications. The global page formatting, headers, footers – everything is MUCH better than the way we used to do it!”

The Outcome: In addition to the formatting features, Bledsoe also likes how SpecLink helps keep information such as reference standards up to date. And he says that the coordination notes have helped to make their documents even better.

Not long ago, Bledsoe had two projects he was working on. He recalls, “I recently completed specifications for two separate projects, totaling over $9 million in construction costs. The projects were very similar, yet quite different. I completed them in less than a week. It used to take us weeks to get that much work coordinated and printed.”

Bledsoe’s closing comment, “We would not go back to Masterspec if you paid us.”