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Superglossary - Construction Category: Architecture and Buildings > Construction Date & country: 16/12/2013, USA Words: 722

Aerator
The round screened screw-on tip of a sink spout. It mixes water and air for a smooth flow.

Aggregate
A mixture of sand and stone and a major component of concrete.

Air space
The area between insulation facing and interior of exterior wall coverings. Normally a 1' air gap.

Allowance(s)
A sum of money set aside in the construction contract for items which have not been selected and spe

Amortization
A payment plan by which a loan is reduced through monthly payments of principal and interest.

Anchor Bolts
Bolts to secure a wooden sill plate to concrete , or masonry floor or wall.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
Annual cost of credit over the life of a loan, including interest, service charges, points, loan fee

Appraisal
An expert valuation of property.

Apron
A trim board that is installed beneath a window sill

Architect
One who has completed a course of study in building and design, and is licensed by the state as an a

Area Wells
Corrugated metal or concrete barrier walls installed around a basement window to hold back the earth

Assessment
A tax levied on a property, or a value placed on the worth of a property.

Assumption
Allows a buyer to assume responsibility for an existing loan instead of getting a new loan.

Astragal
A molding, attached to one of a pair of swinging double doors, against which the other door strikes.

Attic Access
An opening that is placed in the drywalled ceiling of a home providing access to the attic.

Attic Ventilators
In houses, screened openings provided to ventilate an attic space.

Back Charge
Billings for work performed or costs incurred by one party that, in accordance with the agreement, s

Backfill
The replacement of excavated earth into a trench around or against a basement /crawl space foundatio

Backing
Frame lumber installed between the wall studs to give additional support for drywall or an interior

Backout
Work the framing contractor does after the mechanical subcontractors (Heating-Plumbing-Electrical) f

Ballast
A transformer that steps up the voltage in a florescent lamp.

Balloon
A loan that has a series of monthly payments with the remaining balance due in a large lump sum paym

Balloon Framed Wall
Framed walls (generally over 10' tall) that run the entire vertical length from the floor sill plate

Balusters
Vertical members in a railing used between a top rail and bottom rail or the stair treads. Sometimes

Balustrade
The rail, posts and vertical balusters along the edge of a stairway or elevated walkway.

Barge
Horizontal beam rafter that supports shorter rafters.

Barge Board
A decorative board covering the projecting rafter (fly rafter) of the gable end. At the cornice, thi

Base Or Baseboard
A trim board placed against the wall around the room next to the floor.

Base Shoe
Molding used next to the floor on interior base board. Sometimes called a carpet strip.

Basement Window Inserts
The window frame and glass unit that is installed in the window buck.

Bat
A half-brick.

Batt
A section of fiber-glass or rock-wool insulation measuring 15 or 23 inches wide by four to eight fee

Batten
Narrow strips of wood used to cover joints or as decorative vertical members over plywood or wide bo

Bay Window
Any window space projecting outward from the walls of a building, either square or polygonal in plan

Beam
A structural member transversely supporting a load. A structural member carrying building loads (wei

Bearing Header
(a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for a chimney, s

Bearing Partition
A partition that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.

Bearing Point
A point where a bearing or structural weight is concentrated and transferred to the foundation

Bearing Wall
A wall that supports any vertical load in addition to its own weight.

Bedrock
A subsurface layer of earth that is suitable to support a structure.

Bid
A formal offer by a contractor, in accordance with specifications for a project, to do all or a phas

Bid Bond
A bond issued by a surety on behalf of a contractor that provides assurance to the recipient of the

Bid Security
Funds or a bid bond submitted with a bid as a guarantee to the recipient of the bid that the contrac

Bid Shopping
A practice by which contractors, both before and after their bids are submitted, attempt to obtain p

Bidding Requirements
The procedures and conditions for the submission of bids. The requirements are included ion document

Bifold Door
Doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors. Often u

Binder
A receipt for a deposit to secure the right to purchase a home at an agreed terms by a buyer and sel

Bipass Doors
Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors.

Blankets
Fiber-glass or rock-wool insulation that comes in long rolls 15 or 23 inches wide.

Block Out
To install a box or barrier within a foundation wall to prevent the concrete from entering an area.

Blocked (Door Blocking)
Wood shims used between the door frame and the vertical structural wall framing members.

Blocked (Rafters)
Short '2 by 4's' used to keep rafters from twisting, and installed at the ends and at mid-span.

Blocking
Small wood pieces to brace framing members or to provide a nailing base for gypsum board or paneling

Blow Insulation
Fiber insulation in loose form and used to insulate attics and existing walls where framing members

Blue print(s)
A type of copying method often used for architectural drawings. Usually used to describe the drawing

Blue Stake
Another phrase for Utility Notification. This is when a utility company (telephone, gas, electric, c

Board Foot
A unit of measure for lumber equal to 1 inch thick by 12 inches wide by 12 inches long. Examples

Bond or bonding
An amount of money (usually $5,000-$10,000) which must be on deposit with a governmental agency in o

Boom
A truck used to hoist heavy material up and into place. To put trusses on a home or to set a heavy b

Bottom chord
The lower or bottom horizontal member of a truss.

Bottom Plate
The '2 by 4's or 6's' that lay on the subfloor upon which the vertical studs are installed. Also cal

Brace
An inclined piece of framing lumber applied to wall or floor to strengthen the structure. Often used

Breaker Panel
The electrical box that distributes electric power entering the home to each branch circuit (each pl

Brick Ledge
Part of the foundation wall where brick (veneer) will rest.

Brick Lintel
The metal angle iron that brick rests on, especially above a window, door, or other opening.

Brick Mold
Trim used around an exterior door jamb that siding butts to.

Brick Tie
A small, corrugated metal strip @ 1' X 6' - 8' long nailed to wall sheeting or studs. They are inser

Brick Veneer
A vertical facing of brick laid against and fastened to sheathing of a framed wall or tile wall cons

Bridging
Small wood or metal members that are inserted in a diagonal position between the floor joists or raf

Buck
Often used in reference to rough frame opening members. Door bucks used in reference to metal door f

Builders Risk Insurance
Insurance coverage on a construction project during construction, including extended coverage that m

Building Codes
Community ordinances governing the manner in which a home may be constructed or modified.

Building Insurance
Insurance covering the structure of the building.

Building Paper
A general term for papers, felts, and similar sheet materials used in buildings without reference to

Built-Up Roof
A roofing composed of three to five layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch, or asphal

Bull Nose (Drywall)
Rounded drywall corners.

Bundle
A package of shingles. Normally, there are 3 bundles per square and 27 shingles per bundle.

Butt Edge
The lower edge of the shingle tabs.

Butt Hinge
The most common type. One leaf attaches to the door's edge, the other to its jamb.

Butt Joint
The junction where the ends of two timbers meet, and also where sheets of drywall meet on the 4 foot

Buy Down
A subsidy (usually paid by a builder or developer) to reduce monthly payments on a mortgage.

By Fold Door
Doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in a smaller area than standard swing doors. Often u

By Pass Doors
Doors that slide by each other and commonly used as closet doors.

Caisson
A 10' or 12' diameter hole drilled into the earth and embedded into bedrock 3 - 4 feet. The structur

Cantilever
An overhang. Where one floor extends beyond and over a foundation wall. For example at a fireplace l

Cantilevered Void
Foundation void material used in unusually expansive soils conditions. This void is 'trapezoid' shap

Cap
The upper member of a column, pilaster, door cornice, molding, or fireplace.

Cap Flashing
The portion of the flashing attached to a vertical surface to prevent water from migrating behind th

Capital
The principal part of a loan, i.e. The original amount borrowed.

Capital And Interest
A repayment loan and the most conventional form of home loan. The borrower pays an amount each month

Capped Rate
The mortgage interest rate will not exceed a specified value during a certain period of time, but it

Casement
Frames of wood or metal enclosing part (or all) of a window sash. May be opened by means of hinges a

Casement Window
A window with hinges on one of the vertical sides and swings open like a normal door

Casing
Wood trim molding installed around a door or window opening.

Caulking
(1) A flexible material used to seal a gap between two surfaces e.g. Between pieces of siding or the

CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate)
A pesticide that is forced into wood under high pressure to protect it from termites, other wood bor

Ceiling Joist
One of a series of parallel framing members used to support ceiling loads and supported in turn by l

Celotex
Black fibrous board that is used as exterior sheething.

Cement
The gray powder that is the 'glue' in concrete. Portland cement. Also, any adhesive.

Ceramic Tile
A man-made or machine-made clay tile used to finish a floor or wall. Generally used in bathtub and s