Patch Notes, Sealing, Purging and Other Construction Terms Every Homeowner Should Know

Renovating , remodeling, or building a home can be an incredibly stressful experience. Sure, there are expenses , and the disruption to your life and schedule. But there’s also the lack of control: As soon as you sign papers and write checks, contractors are invading and taking over your personal space.

The worst part is that you are often at a disadvantage because of their experience. Yes, that is why you hired them, but contractors can be intimidating (sometimes intentionally), throwing a lot of jargon and terms you don’t understand at you, using their experience and knowledge to force you to agree with their suggestions or prevent any interference. The best way to protect yourself from this kind of confusion is to know some of the jargon that is being thrown around. Having these definitions in your head won’t make you an expert, but at least you will know what your contractors are talking about.

• Aprons and stools. An “apron” is a trim piece below the window. A “stool” is a flat piece that sits on top, creating a small ledge inside the window.

• Backfill: If your contractor needs to dig holes or excavate areas on the site (to install plumbing or other infrastructure), they will backfill the holes with material when they are finished. This is usually dirt or gravel.

• Fulcrum. The fulcrum is where the load from above (the weight of the house) is transferred to the foundation. Typically, you will find a column at the fulcrum.

• Load-bearing wall. A load-bearing wall supports the floor above. These walls cannot be easily removed or moved because the floor above must first be reinforced and then a permanent solution (usually a large beam) must be installed to support it.

• Bib: If you have a garden hose in your backyard, it’s likely connected to a bib, which looks like a faucet.

• Bleeding. Bleeding is the process of releasing air from your pipes. It’s a fairly simple process, but skipping it can create air pockets that cause your plumbing to bang and splutter.

• Board foot. This is a measurement of lumber volume, not length. A board foot is a piece of lumber that is 1 inch thick and 12 square inches in area, which is equal to 144 cubic inches. It is primarily used to estimate the amount of lumber needed for a project and is rarely used in a residential project, but if it is, now you know what it means.

• Bullnose: Any rounded edge on a finished part of a home. You’ll most often hear this in reference to countertops or tile.

• Console. A console is a beam or slat that projects beyond a wall to support an extension. Often a balcony or projection that does not have its own foundation.

• Casing, trim, molding. While there are technical differences between casing, trim, and molding , in general, all of these terms refer to decorative elements used to cover gaps around windows and doors, and between walls and floors or ceilings. Contractors sometimes use these terms interchangeably.

• Groove. A groove is a groove cut into a masonry wall that is intended to act as a channel for pipes or wires. These channels are usually intended for covering, and cutting them into the wall allows the covering to be flush.

• Cladding. This is a layer of material attached to the outside of a house that is not load-bearing. Its primary functions are decorative and protective, protecting the house structure from the elements. Plaster is an example of house cladding.

• Cleanout: A cleanout is an access point in a pipe. It is usually a square top cap and is designed to allow easy access to the pipe if it becomes clogged, making it easier to clear the blockage.

• Control/Expansion Joint. When you have a poured concrete floor, heat and other factors can cause it to shift, expand, contract, or crack. An expansion joint is installed to separate the slabs, allowing them to move independently of each other rather than stressing the adjacent slabs. A control joint is cut into the pour and helps prevent cracking.

• Coping. Coping is a material used to cover a stone wall. Its main functions are decorative and waterproof – coping prevents rain from getting into the wall, giving it a finished look.

• Corner bead. This is a metal, plastic or vinyl piece that is installed on the corners of drywall before spackling and taping. It strengthens the drywall and gives it a clean, precise finish.

• Door panel. The door “panel” is what most of us think of as the door itself—the large panel that swings on hinges. Most doors are single-leaf. Bi-fold doors are technically bi-fold, and if only one panel has a latch, it’s called the “active panel.” Bi-fold doors can have multiple panels.

• Drip edge. This is the part of the flashing that is installed above windows and doors to direct rainwater in both directions so it doesn’t literally drip on you. It should always be installed.

• Shell. The “shell” of your home is the combination of materials and structures that seal it off from the outside environment. It includes the walls, windows, doors, and roof, among other elements. Anything that compromises the shell should be avoided unless there is a solid plan to restore it.

• Fascia and soffit. These terms are part of your home’s roofing system. The fascia is the wide board that runs along the bottom of the roof and helps to shed water while providing an attachment point for your gutters. The soffit is the flat structure underneath the fascia that also helps to keep water out of your home.

• Fishing Wire: When an electrician needs to install wiring behind an existing wall, he calls the process of pulling it from one point to another ” fishing ” the wire because it resembles pulling a fish.

• Waterproofing. Waterproofing is any material used to prevent water from entering a home. Some waterproofing is installed underneath other materials, such as window flashing. Some waterproofing, such as drip caps, is installed on the outside of the home.

• Floor Area Ratio: This is a calculation used in zoning that determines how much floor area can be built on a lot. For example, if your property has a floor area ratio of 2.0 and the lot is 1,000 square feet, you can build a structure (or structures) with a total square footage (not counting unused areas such as unfinished basements) of 2,000 square feet.

• Beams and rafters. Rafters are the beams that form the roof structure. Sometimes they are visible in the attic, sometimes they are hidden behind drywall (usually in flat roof systems). Joists are the horizontal beams that support the floors in your home.

• Millwork: Millwork typically refers to trim and cabinet parts that come pre-finished and ready to install.

• Plate, header, studs. These are the three main terms you need to know about wall framing. When framing a wood wall, the bottom plate is the board (usually a 2×4) laid on top of the floor, the top plate runs along the ceiling, and the studs form the “guts” of the wall (a “king stud” is a pair of 2x4s). The header is the horizontal frame at the top of windows and doors designed to support the load from above.

• Punch List: A final list of minor fixes and changes that must be completed before the project is considered complete. Punch list items should not be major repairs. This becomes even more important as you get closer to the end of the job, as the punch list is often your last chance to fix something before your contractor gets their final payment and moves on.

• Return: A return vent takes air from your home and returns it to your furnace or air conditioner to be heated or cooled and then recirculated.

• Ripping boards. If your contractor starts talking about ripping boards, he doesn’t mean vandalism. He means cutting lengthwise to reduce the width.

• Rough-in. Plumbing and electrical rough-in is the basic pipes and wiring that run through a home without any final connections or fixtures. Rough-in is sometimes left for future upgrades; this often happens in unfinished basements, where you can sometimes find rough-in plumbing for future bathrooms.

• Setback. This is the minimum distance between a structure and a property line, another building, or a road. For example, municipalities often require a certain amount of open space between the back of your home and the property line. This may limit the size of additions or other changes to the property.

• Takeoff. Takeoff is a detailed list of the materials needed for your project, how much of each is needed, and the specifications for each. It is vital that what is used in your project matches the takeoff.

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