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Home Construction Glossary
This glossary will help you to better understand some of
the terms commonly used when building a home. This list
is not all-inclusive and is provided for informational
purposes only.
Architect - An architect does much more than just draw
house plans; that’s a drafting service. An architect
helps you to design a house that is oriented physically
on the land and creates the interior spaces that fit
your needs and budget. Architects are licensed
professionals who have completed extensive specialized
schooling and/or apprenticed for many years with a
licensed architect prior to taking a test and becoming
licensed. An architect can get paid on an hourly rate,
percentage of building cost or a negotiated amount.
Alternative septic system - A system used to process
waste from a home when the land the home is built on
does not percolate and therefore cannot accommodate a
standard septic system. The price of a system varies
widely, depending in part on the topography of the land.
Architectural review committee - A committee of the
Homeowner’s Association (HOA) in a subdivision that
reviews and gives approval to building plans for homes
that are to be built in that neighborhood. The committee
is usually made up of a paid architect and local
homeowners. Many require a fee that may or may not be
refundable.
Blue prints - Reproductions of original construction
documents that produce blue/black lines on a white
background. They are generally very detailed, are used
to gain a building permit from the local municipal
building department, your HOA’s Architectural review
committee and by the builder to build your home.
Multiple copies are needed.
Building code - The collection of legal requirements
for the construction of buildings. Municipalities and
counties each have their own
building codes.
Building site - This is another name for a lot, acreage
or building envelope.
Building envelope - The footprint into which you can
build your home. In newer developments, you may purchase
a building envelope, which is surrounded by common area
space that is owned by the homeowners collectively.
Construction documents - The complete set of drawings
and written specifications for the construction of a
building, which are a part of the legal contract for the
construction.
Cost per square foot - The figure obtained by dividing
the total cost of construction by the area of heated and
cooled square feet in the construction building. This
figure does not include cost of land or spaces that are
not heated and cooled, such as garages, porches,
terraces and decks, but is most often used in comparing
construction prices.
Covenants, codes and restrictions - A covenant is an
agreement. Neighborhoods, developments, and subdivisions
often have covenants, codes and restrictions (commonly
called CC&R’s) regarding what is or isn’t acceptable in
the neighborhood and to maintain the perceived value.
It’s usually the land developer who writes the CC&R’s,
though they are voted upon and agreed to by the
membership of the neighborhood. CC&R’s can regulate a
variety of activities such as parking on the street,
acceptable architecture and landscaping, etc.
Draw request - Request made by a contractor to be paid
for the material and labor installed into a building
project during the previous 30 days or after specific
stages, to be drawn from the construction loan. Banks
will have an appraiser or home inspector review and
approve the request, prior to releasing the draw to the
contractor.
Easement - An easement is a privilege of use attached to
a specific parcel of land.
Elevations - Representational drawings of interior and
exterior walls to show finish features.
Floor plan - Representational drawing of everything that
constitutes a house.
Frame - The enclosing woodwork around doors and windows.
Also, the skeleton of a building that lies under the
interior and exterior wall coverings and roofing.
General conditions - A general listing of the
requirements and understandings upon which a
construction contract is based.
General contractor - A general or building contractor
manages the construction project. A general contractor
finds qualified subcontractors – negotiates contracts –
inspects subcontractor’s work – calls for building
inspections and meets inspectors – supervises
subcontractors on the job, answering questions about
plans – authorizes payments for materials and
subcontractors as needed – provides worker’s
compensation and job insurance – and can often be found
leaning on a pickup truck while talking on a cell phone!
Girder - A large beam of steel or wood that supports the
center of the floor for the length of the house.
Grinder Pump - Grinds and moves effluent from a larger
sewer main into a smaller, pressurized line uphill or a
long distance. Required in some new Sedona subdivisions
with pressurized sewer mains. An environmental grinder
pump has a large capacity overflow tank.
Hard costs - All the costs associated with a project
that purchase real (hard), resalable components, such as
land, building materials or construction labor.
Header - Also called a lintel. A horizontal member over
a door, window, or other opening. Usually made of wood,
stone, or metal.
Homeowner’s association - This is the formal
organization of all homeowners in a given neighborhood.
In addition to CC&R’s, the homeowner’s association (HOA)
may be governed by Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws,
Rules and Regulations, and often-architectural control
standards. The HOA is in place to enforce theses rules
and to preserve the value of homes in the planned
community.
Joist - One of a series of parallel beams, usually two
inches in thickness, used to support floor and ceiling
loads and supported in turn by larger beams, girders, or
bearing walls.
Lien - A subcontractor may file a mechanic’s lien on a
property if they are not paid for the work they
performed on that property. All liens must be paid off
prior to receiving any profit from the sale of a home.
Percolation Test - A test performed by a professional to
determine if land that does not have public/private
sewer service can accommodate a standard septic system.
Holes are dug in the land and filled with water to
determine the rate of percolation. If land does not perc,
an alternative septic system is required.
Professional home inspection - A visual and physical
inspection by a licensed home inspector of the various
mechanical systems and the physical structure of a home.
Many home inspectors have backgrounds as engineers. The
home inspector is paid a fee (usually by the buyer or
new home owner) and provides a written report detailing
information about the home’s condition. It’s equally
important to have a newly constructed home inspected as
an existing home, as even the most conscientious
builders make mistakes. We insist that all our home
buyers obtain an inspection for their own protection.
PUD - A planed unit development can consist of townhomes
or single-family dwellings. The residences are grouped
into clusters with a substantial amount of remaining
land, generally hilltops and wash, left as open space.
Punch list - A written list of unfinished or incorrectly
finished items that must be finished or corrected before
the owner will accept the project as completed from the
contractor.
Rough in - To install the basic, hidden parts of a
plumbing, electrical, or other system while the
structure is in the framing stage. The installation of
“finished” electrical work or plumbing consists of the
visible parts of the system such as faucets, toilets,
ceiling fans, etc.
Setback - A set back is the distance from a curb, or
other established property line, in which no structure
may be built. There are often setbacks between lots that
dictate the distance between homes.
Scale - The proportion between two sets of dimensions.
On building plans, the house is drawn smaller than the
actual house, but in scale, so that the proportions are
the same. For example, when the scale is expressed as ¼”
= 1’-0”, ¼ inch on the drawing equals 1 foot on the
actual house.
Section - A drawing or part of a building as it would
appear if cut through by a vertical plane.
Septic systems - Household sewage is called black water,
and drainage water (from sinks) is called gray water.
They drain into a sealed tank that’s located 2 feet
below the ground surface. Overflow goes to the leach
field for dispersion. The tank’s outlet is about an inch
lower than the inlet so that the top scum and bacteria
isn’t removed. As the tank fills up, the excess goes out
the outlet and along a bunch of perforated pipes to be
disbursed by the leach field into the ground water. If a
home has a septic tank, a qualified inspector prior to
sale must inspect it.
Sewer - A public or private system set up to handle the
black and gray water from home use. Most municipalities
have a public sewer system that serves them, but not all
homes and lots. There may be a hook up fee involved when
building a new home to connect to the sewer system. It
is advisable prior to the purchase of a lot or land to
verify that the sewer connection is to the lot line.
Some existing homes have
prepaid the hookup fee.
Sill plate - The lowest member in the framing of a
structure; usually 2-by (as in 2x4, 2x6, etc.) lumber
bolted to the foundation wall on which the floor joists
rest. Also called a mudsill.
Site plan - Drawing of all the existing conditions on
the lot, usually including slope and other topography,
existing utilities, and setbacks.
Specification - Written lists, instructions and general
information that relate to the construction and make up
a part of the total contract.
Subfloor - Plywood or oriented strand boards attached to
the joists. The finish floor is laid over the subfloor.
Survey - Provided by a professional surveyor who marks
the corner boundaries and researches any easements or
encroachments of a property for a fee. Often
required as part of a home or land sale. A surveyor can
also provide a topographical survey, which shows trees
and changes in elevations on land that is used by an
architect for designing a custom home.
Truss - A frame or jointed structure designed to act as
a beam of long span.
Variance - A variance is an exemption to the zoning
ordinance for a specific parcel of land.
Working drawing set - The architect will provide a set
of drawings needed to apply for a building permit.
Here’s a typical list: Plot plan of the entire parcel
with all existing and proposed structures – Floor plan
with the location, size, and use of each room, location
and size of windows and doors, location of plumbing and
heating fixtures – Foundation plan with all dimensions
including exterior and interior footings, stem wall,
pier blocks, and foundation support- Elevation plan of
the finished exterior including all openings, siding
material, original and finished grade, and roof pitch –
Framing plan for floors and roof including lumber grade,
floor girder size and spacing, floor joists, wall studs,
ceiling joist, and roof rafters and/or trusses –
Electrical plan that shows the location of outlets,
plugs, ceiling lights and subpanels – Signatures of plan
designers and engineers as required by code – Other
items can include structural and engineering
calculations, soil report, and permits required by other
agencies.
Zoning - Zoning starts at the county or city level.
Cities enact zoning laws to isolate land uses. That is,
they want to keep commercial uses separate from
residential uses. The subcategory zones tell how many
residences can be on the property, or how many acres
they require per residence, or some other criteria.
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