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Asphalt - A dark, tarlike material commonly used in the building industry for roofing, waterproofing and dampproofing, exterior wall covering, and pavement. A bituminous material.

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Backfill - Earth or other material used to fill around foundation walls, usually, build up to drain water away from the foundation.

Base Molding - A decorative band of finish board used to cover the joint between wall and floor. Also called baseboard.

Blueprints - Complete construction plans, drawn to scale, used by builders and subcontractors to build a structure. They usually include site plan, foundation plan and cross-section, floor plans, elevations, building and wall cross-sections, mechanical systems, and special construction details. The term blueprint derives from the chemically treated blue paper on which drawings are printed in white; the term commonly refers to any set of working drawings, whether printed on blue, white, or other paper.

Building Code - Minimum legal requirements for all aspects of construction, established and enforced by local governments to protect public health and safety. Codes are established by building officials and others with first-hand knowledge of construction practices.

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Cast-in-Place - A term used to describe concrete that is poured between wooden forms to harden in the place where it is needed.

Center Beam - A wood or steel member that runs the length of the first floor of a house, bearing on the foundation wall at each end of the house and supported along its length by columns or piers. The center beam supports the house structure above it.

Certificate of Occupancy - A legal document issued by a building inspector, stating that a house has passed all inspections and is ready for utility hook-up and occupancy.

Chair Rail - A band of molding applied at chair back height along a wall to protect the wall finish from chairs being pushed against it, also used as a decorative detail.

Circuit Breaker - A safety feature for each electrical distribution bane. Should the demand for electricity on a particular circuit be excessive, the circuit breaker automatically cuts the flow of electricity through that circuit. The electrical circuit remains broken until the circuit breaker is reset.

Collar Beam - In roof framing a horizontal piece that provides structural strength by connecting opposite rafters.

Commode - Water closet; toilet.

Concrete - Mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water that hardens into a rocklike mass.

Concrete Block - Pre-cast hollow or solid building block made of cement, water, and aggregate such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone. Commonly used in wall construction.

Cornice - On the exterior of a house, structural trim where the roof and walls meet. Also called eaves when the trim overhangs the walls.

Crawl Space - In houses without basements, the space between the ground surface and the first floor, made big enough to "crawl around in" for utility installation and repairs.

Crown Molding - A decorative band of finish board used to cover the joint between wall and ceiling.

Cultured Marble - A manufactured marble- like material commonly used for countertops and lavatory surfaces. It is a cast polyester resin mixed with crushed marble, then molded, cut, and polished. It is water resistant, and is lighter weight and less expensive than quarry marble.

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Distribution Panel - Metal box through which all electrical wiring passes, usually located at juncture with utility company line. Electricity is distributed from the panel to all usage points by means of circuits, or sets of wires.

Dormer - A projection built out from a sloping roof as a room extension or for a window.

Drain Pipe - Clay or plastic pipe, sometimes perforated, laid in the ground to carry fluid away from saturated areas and disperse it. Also called drain tile.

Drywall - General term for a type of interior wall construction using "dry" gypsum wallboard panels instead of plaster. Also called wallboard.

Duct, Ductwork - Round or rectangular sheet metal or vinyl passages used to transfer heated and cooled air from heat and air conditioning sources to the various rooms in building.

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Eaves - The part of a roof that extend beyond the wall of a building.

Effluent - Liquid waste discharged from a septic or sewage treatment system.

Excavation - Removal of earth or rock to create a hole, as for the basement of a house.

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Fiberglass - A non-flammable material made of spun glass fibers. It is used in thick wool- like blankets as building insulation, woven into fabrics, and used to reinforce plastic resins in durable, molded, solid forms for a variety of uses.

Fire Underwriters - In some communities, a local board that performs inspections of electrical work to ensure compliance with the electrical code.

Flagstone - Flat pieces of stone used as a paving surface for patios, walkways and steps.

Flakeboard - A plywood substitute manufactured from wood flakes and a resin binder pressed into boards.

Flashing - Sheet metal or plastic used to cover joints and openings in exterior surfaces to protect against water leakage.

Footing - Widened support, usually concrete, at the base of foundation walls, columns, piers, and chimneys. Designed to distribute the weight of these elements over a larger area and prevent uneven settling.

Formwork - Support structure for freshly poured ("cast-in-place") concrete.

Foundation - Walls, partially below-ground, that support the weight of the building above and enclose the basement or crawl space.

Framing - The process of constructing the internal skeleton of a structure, usually of wood or steel studs, beams, and joists; also, the term used to describe the internal skeleton.

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Gable - The triangular end wall of a building that extends from the eaves to the peak of the roof.

Grading - The preparation of a site by digging, filling in, or both, to accommodate construction of a building. Also, filling in with earth or other material around a completed building, at a slope to direct rain water runoff away from the building.

Gutter - Metal, plastic, or wood channel at the eaves of a building, sloped slightly to carry off rain water and snow melt.

Gypsum Board - Panels used in drywall construction, consisting of the mineral gypsum pressed between two layers of heavy paper. Also called drywall, wallboard.

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Heat Pump - A forced air heating and air conditioning system. In winter, heat is extracted from air and circulated through the house. In summer, heat is extracted and discharged outdoors, and the cooled air circulated through the house.

HVAC - Common building industry abbreviation for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.

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Inspections - Examination of work completed on a structure to determine compliance with building code and other code requirements.

Insulation - Any material used in building construction to resist heat loss, protect against sound transmission or fire, or to cover electrical conductors.

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Joint Compound - A pastelike material used to cover tape at drywall seams for a smoother finish. Also called spackle.

Joists - A series of horizontal parallel beams that support floors and ceilings.

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Lavatory - Wash basin; commonly called a sink.

Load Bearing - Providing support for a building's weight.

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Masonry - General construction term for materials set in mortar, including stone, brick, concrete, tile and glass block.

Mechanical Systems - General term for plumbing, heating and air conditioning, and electrical systems.

Membrane Waterproofing - Method of protecting a structure against moisture using plastic sheeting or felt layers coated with asphalt or other bituminous material.

Molding - Wood, metal, or plaster strips used for decorative finish around windows and doors, at the top and base of walls, and along cornices.

Mortar - A thick, pastelike material that hardens to bond masonry units together. Usually made of a mixture of cement, lime, sand, and water.

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Oriented Strand Board - A plywood substitute composed of layer bonded together with resin. Each layer consists of compressed strands of wood fiber oriented in a single direction; layers alternate direction of strand orientation.

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Percolation Test - A soil test used to determine the rate at which water will be absorbed into the ground. Results are used to establish best locations for septic fields on a piece of property and to determine their size. Also called "perc test."

Permit - A document issued by a local government agency allowing construction work to be performed in conformance with local codes. Work may not commence until permits have been obtained, and each permit issuing agency must inspect the work at certain specified points during construction.

Plywood - A type of building material made by gluing three or more thin layers (or "plies") of wood together in panels. Plies are laid so that the wood grain alternates direction with each layer; this increases the plywood's overall strength and counteracts warping in each ply.

Polyethylene - A durable, pliable, waterproof plastic film used in construction as a vapor barrier.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) - Rigid, durable plastic material used in plumbing for pipes and fittings.

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Quarry Marble - Marble that has been extracted from a naturally-occurring land source and has been cut and polished for use in construction.

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R-Value - A term which, when used with a number, indicates the level of resistance to heat flow in a building material. The higher a material's R-value, the more effective insulation it provides.

Rafter - One of a series of structural members that form the legs of the triangle created in roof framing; joined at the peak of the triangle by the ridgeboard. Rafters support roof sheathing and finish materials.

Ridgeboard - The length of lumber at the peak of a roof; supports upper ends of the rafters.

Roofing Paper - See building paper.

Rough-In - The stage of construction that follows framing, when installation of all systems that will be concealed behind the walls-plumbing, heating, an air-conditioning, and electrical wiring-occurs.

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Screed - To level off freshly poured concrete and plaster. Also, the straight-edged device used in the screening process.

Septic System - A sewage disposal system for individual homes. A holding tank for raw sewage is installed in the ground, where sewage is broken down and liquefied by bacterial action. Small amounts of solid matter do not breakdown, but settle to the bottom of the tank. (The tank must be cleaned out every few years). Liquid waste is discharged to a distribution or absorption field where it slowly passes into the soil and is purified.

Setback - The minimum allowable distance between a structure and its lot lines, established by local zoning ordinances.

Sewer - A system of pipes for carrying away storm runoff, waste water, or sewage to a municipal processing plant.

Shake - Hand-split wood shingle.

Sheathing - Sheets of plywood, flakeboard, oriented strand board, or insulation board used to cover the exterior of a building's frame.

Shingles - Roof or wall covering of asphalt, wood, tile, slate or other material cut into standard lengths; widths and thickness.

Siding - The exterior finish of a house applied over the sheathing; generally wood, plastic coated wood, vinyl or aluminum.

Sill - A support member laid flat on the top of the foundation wall, used as the base for floor framing; also called the sill plate. Also, the member forming the lower side of an opening, such as a windowsill or doorsill.

Slab - A flat layer of poured concrete.

Sod - Top layer of soil, containing grass and grass roots. Available in precut mats for starting lawns.

Soffit - Exposed underside of a projecting building part such as a cornice or eaves.

Spackle - A patching compound used to fill plaster or drywall cracks or nail holes; also called joint compound.

Stack Vent - Vertical waste ventilation pipe in a plumbing waste system. Discharges gases and introduces fresh air into the system.

Stakeout - Measuring of house dimensions on a lot in accordance with the house plans and using stakes to indicate each corner.

Stucco - A plaster cement used as an exterior and interior wall finish.

Stud - Upright wood or metal members used as supporting elements in walls and partitions.

Sub-Contractor - A person or company that contracts with the builder to perform work on a specific part of a construction job, such as excavation, plumbing, electrical work, or landscaping. Also called "sub".

Sub-Flooring - Rough boards, plywood, flakeboard, or oriented strand board laid on top of the floor joists, to which the finish floor is fastened.

Sump Pump - Device used to remove liquid from a drainage pit (or "sump").

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Transformer - A device for increasing or decreasing electrical current. Used by electrical utilities to convert high voltage levels for use in individual buildings.

Trap - In plumbing, a bend in a waste pipe designed to hold water. The water acts as a seal to prevent insects and harmful sewage gases from discharging into plumbing fixtures inside the house.

Trench - A narrow excavation in the earth for the installation of footings, pipes, drains and electrical cables.

Trim - Interior finish materials, including door locks, knobs, hinges, and other metal hardware; moldings around windows and doors; and other decorative work.

Truss - Pre-assembled roof framing member, fabricated of wood, commonly manufactured in a triangular configuration that replaces ceiling joists, rafters and collar beams.

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Underlayment - Moisture resistant material, such as asphalt-treated paper, applied over roof and wall sheathing and under roof and exterior finish to prevent water from entering the structure. Also used between sub-flooring and finish floors.

Utilities - Public service available to all citizens of a community, such as water, electricity, gas and sewage disposal.

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Vapor Barrier - Treated paper or plastic film that retards the flow of air and moisture.

Veneer - Any decorative, non-structural surface layer.

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Wallboard - See gypsum board, drywall.