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New Construction
Glossary of Terms for New Construction
Apron- A trim board that is installed beneath a window sill.
Backfill- The replacement of excavated earth into a trench around or against a basement/crawl space foundation wall.
Bat- A half brick.
Batten- Narrow strips of wood used to cover joints or as decorative vertical members over plywood or wide boards.
Brick veneer- A vertical facing of brick laid against and fastened to sheathing of a framed wall or tile wall construction.
Change order- A written document which modifies the plans and specifications and/or the price of the construction contract.
Chink- To install fiberglass insulation around all exterior door and window frames, wall corners, and small gaps in the exterior wall.
Class "C"- Minimum fire rating issued by the Underwriters' Laboratories for roofing materials.
Collar beam- Nominal 1- or 2- inch-thick members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure.
Corner bead- A strip of formed sheet metal placed on outside corners of drywall before applying drywall 'mud'.
Dampproofing- The black, tar like waterproofing material applied to the exterior of a foundation wall.
Drain tile- A perforated, corrugated plastic pipe laid at the bottom of the foundation wall and used to drain excess water away from the foundation. It prevents ground water from seeping through the foundation wall. Sometimes called perimeter drain.
Elevation sheet- The page on the blue prints that depicts the house or room as if a vertical plane were passed through the structure.
Extras- Additional work requested of a contractor, not included in the original plan, which will be billed separately and will not alter the original contract amount, but increase the cost of building the home.
Facing brick- The brick used and exposed on the outside of a wall. Usually these have a finished texture.
Felt- Tar paper. Installed under the roof shingles. Normally 15 lb. or 30 lb.
Flashing- Sheet metal or other material used in roof and wall construction to protect a building from water seepage.
I-beam- A steel beam with a cross section resembling the letter I. It is used for long spans as basement beams or over wide wall openings, such as a double garage door, when wall and roof loads bear down on the opening.
Laminated shingles- Shingles that have added dimensionality because of extra layers or tabs, giving a shake-like appearance. May also be called "architectural shingles" or "three dimensional shingles."
Pigtails, electrical- The electric cord that the electrician provides and installs on an appliance such as a garbage disposal, dishwasher, or range hood.
R factor or value- A measure of a materials resistance to the passage of heat. "New homewalls are usually insulated with 4" of batt insulation with an R value of R-13, and a ceiling insulation of R-30.
Shingles- Roof covering of asphalt, asbestos, wood, tile, slate, or other material cut to stock lengths, widths, and thickness'
Soil pipe- A large pipe that carries liquid and solid wastes to a sewer or septic tank.
Stick built- A house built without prefabricated parts. Also called conventional building.
Sump pump- A submersible pump in a sump pit that pumps any excess ground water to the outside of the home.
Tempered- Strengthened. Tempered glass will not shatter nor create shards, but will "pelletize" like an automobile window. Required in tub and shower enclosures and locations, entry door glass and sidelight glass, and in a window when the window sill is less than "16" to the floor.
Toenailing- To drive a nail in at a slant. Method used to secure floor joists to the plate.
W C- An abbreviation for water closet (toilet).
Weep holes- Small holes in storm window frames that allow moisture to escape.
Wonderboard TM- A panel made our of concrete and fiberglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks. |
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