NH New Construction Terms for New Homes

Looking for a NH new home? 

New Construction can be confusing, here is some help with common NH new construction terms.  

Air Condtioning Condenser - The outside fan unit of the Air Conditioning system. It removes the heat from the freon gas and "turns" the gas back into a liquid and pumps the liquid back to the coil in the furnace.

A/C Disconnect - The main electrical ON -OFF switch near the A/C Condenser.

Allowance(s) - A sum of money set aside in the construction contract for items which have not been selected and specified in the construction contract. For example, selection of tile as a flooring may require an allowance for an underlayment material, or an electrical allowance which sets aside an amount of money to be spent on electrical fixtures.

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

Apron - A trim board that is installed beneath a window sill

Balusters - Vertical members in a railing used between a top rail and bottom rail or the stair treads. Sometimes referred to as 'pickets' or 'spindles'.

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

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.

Bearing header - (a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed in framing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening. (b) A wood lintel. (c) The horizontal structural member over an opening (for example over a door or window).

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

Bottom plate - The "2 by 4's or 6's" that lay on the subfloor upon which the vertical studs are installed. Also called the 'sole plate'.

Breaker panel - The electrical box that distributes electric power entering the home to each branch circuit (each plug and switch) and composed of circuit breakers.

Builder's Risk Insurance - Insurance coverage on a construction project during construction, including extended coverage that may be added for the contract for the customer's protections.  Many times buyers think this is the builder's cost, in fact it is insuring the buyer's interest during the construction process of a custom build.

Bull nose (drywall) - Rounded drywall corners.

CO - An abbreviation for "Certificate of Occupancy". This certificate is issued by the local municipality and is required before anyone can occupy and live within the home. It is issued only after the local municipality has made all inspections and all monies and fees have been paid.

Cantilever - An overhang. Where one floor extends beyond and over a foundation wall. For example at a fireplace location or bay window cantilever. Normally, not extending over 2 feet.

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

Chair rail - Interior trim material installed about 3 -4 feet up the wall, horizontally.

Circuit Breaker - A device which looks like a switch and is usually located inside the electrical breaker panel or circuit breaker box. It is designed to (1) shut of the power to portions or all of the house and (2) to limit the amount of power flowing through a circuit (measured in amperes). 110 volt household circuits require a fuse or circuit breaker with a rating of 15 or a maximum of 20 amps. 220 volt circuits may be designed for higher amperage loads e.g. a hot water heater may be designed for a 30 amp load and would therefore need a 30 amp fuse or breaker.

Clip ties - Sharp, cut metal wires that protrude out of a concrete foundation wall (that at one time held the foundation form panels in place).

Cold air return - The ductwork (and related grills) that carries room air back to the furnace for re -heating.

Collar - Preformed flange placed over a vent pipe to seal the roofing above the vent pipe opening. Also called a vent sleeve.

Collar beam - Nominal 1 - or 2 -inch -thick members connecting opposite roof rafters. They serve to stiffen the roof structure.

Column - A vertical structural compression member which supports loads.

Combustion air - The duct work installed to bring fresh, outside air to the furnace and/or hot water heater. Normally 2 separate supplies of air are brought in: One high and One low.

Combustion chamber - The part of a boiler, furnace or woodstove where the burn occurs; normally lined with firebrick or molded or sprayed insulation.

Cornice - Overhang of a pitched roof , usually consisting of a fascia board, a soffit and appropriate trim moldings

Cricket - A second roof built on top of the primary roof to increase the slope of the roof or valley. A saddle -shaped, peaked construction connecting a sloping roof with a chimney. Designed to encourage water drainage away from the chimney joint.

Crown molding - A molding used on cornice or wherever an interior angle is to be covered, especially at the roof and wall corner.

Dampproofing - The black, tar like waterproofing material applied to the exterior of a foundation wall.

Dormer - An opening in a sloping roof, the framing of which projects out to form a vertical wall suitable for windows or other openings.

Double hung window - A window with two vertically sliding sashes, both of which can move up and down

Dura board, dura rock - A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks. Sometimes called Wonder board

Electrical Rough - Work performed by the Electrical Contractor after the plumber and heating contractor are complete with their phase of work. Normally all electrical wires, and outlet, switch, and fixture boxes are installed (before insulation).

Electrical Trim - Work performed by the electrical contractor when the house is nearing completion. The electrician installs all plugs, switches, light fixtures, smoke detectors, appliance "pig tails", bath ventilation fans, wires the furnace, and "makes up" the electric house panel. The electrician does all work necessary to get the home ready for and to pass the municipal electrical final inspection

Elevation sheet - The page on the blue prints that depicts the house or room as if a vertical plane were passed through the structure.

Equity - The "valuation" that you own in your home, i.e. the property value less the mortgage loan outstanding.  Many times its down payment, plus market appreciation.

Escrow - The handling of funds or documents by a third party on behalf of the buyer and/or seller.

Escutcheon - An ornamental plate that fits around a pipe extending through a wall or floor to hide the cut out hole

Evaporator coil - The part of a cooling system that absorbs heat from air in your home. Also see condensing unit.

Expansion joint - Fibrous material (@1/2" thick) installed in and around a concrete slab to permit it to move up and down (seasonally) along the non -moving foundation wall.

Fascia - Horizontal boards attached to rafter/truss ends at the eaves and along gables. Roof drain gutters are attached to the fascia.

Finger joint - A manufacturing process of interlocking two shorter pieces of wood end to end to create a longer piece of dimensional lumber or molding. Often used in jambs and casings and are normally painted (instead of stained).

Fire block - Short horizontal members sometimes nailed between studs, usually about halfway up a wall. See also 'Fire stop'.

Fire brick - Brick made of refractory ceramic material which will resist high temperatures. Used in a fireplace and boiler.

Fireplace chase flashing pan - A large sheet of metal that is installed around and perpendicular to the fireplace flue pipe. It's purpose is to confine and limit the spread of fire and smoke to a small area.

Flue - Large pipe through which fumes escape from a gas water heater, furnace, or fireplace. Normally these flue pipes are double walled, galvanized sheet metal pipe and sometimes referred to as a "B Vent". Fireplace flue pipes are normally triple walled. In addition, nothing combustible shall be within one inch from the flue pipe.

Flue collar - Round metal ring which fits around the heat flue pipe after the pipe passes out of the roof.

Flue damper - An automatic door located in the flue that closes it off when the burner turns off; purpose is to reduce heat loss up the flue from the still -warm furnace or boiler.

Flue lining - 2 -foot lengths, fire clay or terra -cotta pipe (round or square) and usually madein all ordinary flue sizes. Used for the inner lining of chimneys with the brick or masonry work done around the outside. Flue linings in chimneys runs from one foot below the flue connection to the top of the chimney.

Fly rafters - End rafters of the gable overhang supported by roof sheathing and lookouts.

Footer, footing - Continuous 8" or 10" thick concrete pad installed before and supports the foundation wall or monopost.

Forced air heating - A common form of heating with natural gas, propane, oil or electricity as a fuel. Air is heated in the furnace and distributed through a set of metal ducts to various areas of the house.

Form - Temporary structure erected to contain concrete during placing and initial hardening.

Foundation - The supporting portion of a structure below the first floor construction, or below grade, including the footings.

Foundation ties - Metal wires that hold the foundation wall panels and rebar in place during the concrete pour.

Foundation waterproofing - High -quality below -grade moisture protection. Used for below -grade exterior concrete and masonry wall damp -proofing to seal out moisture and prevent corrosion. Normally looks like black tar.

Frame Inspection - The act of inspecting the home's structural integrity and it's complianceto local municipal codes.

Framer -The carpenter contractor that installs the lumber and erects the frame, flooring system, interior walls, backing, trusses, rafters, decking, installs all beams, stairs, soffits and all work related to the wood structure of the home. The framer builds the home according to the blueprints and must comply with local building codes and regulations.

Framing - Lumber used for the structural members of a building, such as studs, joists, and rafters.

Frieze - In house construction a horizontal member connecting the top of the siding with the soffit of the cornice.

Frost lid - Round metal lid that is installed on a water meter pit.

Frost line - The depth of frost penetration in soil and/or the depth at which the earth will freeze and swell. This depth varies in different parts of the country.

Furring strips - Strips of wood, often 1 X 2 and used to shim out and provide a level fastening surface for a wall or ceiling.

GF C I, or G F I - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter - an ultra sensitive plug designed to shut off all electric current. Used in bathrooms, kitchens, exterior waterproof outlets, garage outlets, and "wet areas". Has a small reset button on the plug.

Gable - The end, upper, triangular area of a home, beneath the roof.

Gang nail plate - A steel plate attached to both sides at each joint of a truss. Sometimes called a fishplate or gussett.

Gate valve - A valve that lets you completely stop—but not modulate—the flow within a pipe.

Girder - A large or principal beam of wood or steel used to support concentrated loads at isolated points along its length.

Glazing - The process of installing glass, which commonly is secured with glazier's points and glazing compound.

Glued Laminated Beam (Glulam) - A structural beam composed of wood laminations or lams. The lams are pressure bonded with adhesives to attain a typical thickness of 1 ½" . (It looks like 5 or more 2 X 4's are glued together).

Grade - Ground level, or the elevation at any given point. Also the work of leveling dirt. Also the designated quality of a manufactured piece of wood.

Grade beam - A foundation wall that is poured @ level with or just below the grade of theearth. An example is the area where the 8' or 16' overhead garage door "block out" is located, or a lower (walk out basement) foundation wall is poured

Ground - Refers to electricity's habit of seeking the shortest route to earth. Neutral wires carry it there in all circuits. An additional grounding wire or the sheathing of the metal -clad cable or conduit—protects against shock if the neutral leg is interrupted.

Ground fault - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI, GFI) - an ultra sensitive plug designed to shut off all electric current. Used in bathrooms, kitchens, exterior waterproof outlets, garage outlets, and "wet areas". Has a small reset button on the plug.

Gusset - A flat wood, plywood, or similar type member used to provide a connection at the intersection of wood members. Most commonly used at joints of wood trusses. They are fastened by nails, screws, bolts, or adhesives.

Gutter - A shallow channel or conduit of metal or wood set below and along the (fascia) eaves of a house to catch and carry off rainwater from the roof.

Gyp board - Drywall. Wall board or gypsum - A panel (normally 4' X 8', 10', 12', or 16')made with a core of Gypsum (chalk -like) rock, which covers interior walls and ceilings.

Gypsum plaster - Gypsum formulated to be used with the addition of sand and water for base -coat plaster.

Header - (a) A beam placed perpendicular to joists and to which joists are nailed inframing for a chimney, stairway, or other opening. (b) A wood lintel. (c) The horizontal structural member over an opening (for example over a door or window).

Heating load - The amount of heating required to keep a building at a specified temperature during the winter, usually 65° F, regardless of outside temperature.

Heat Rough - Work performed by the Heating Contractor after the stairs and interior walls are built. This includes installing all duct work and flue pipes. Sometimes, the furnace and fireplaces are installed at this stage of construction.

Heat Trim - Work done by the Heating Contractor to get the home ready for the municipal Final Heat Inspection. This includes venting the hot water heater, installing all vent grills, registers, air conditioning services, turning on the furnace, installing thermostats, venting ranges and hoods, and all other heat related work.

Hip - A roof with four sloping sides. The external angle formed by the meeting of two sloping sides of a roof.

Hip roof - A roof that rises by inclined planes from all four sides of a building.

Home run (electrical) - The electrical cable that carries power from the main circuit breaker panel to the first electrical box, plug, or switch in the circuit; also common in cable runs.

H V A C - An abbreviation for Heat, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

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.

I -joist - Manufactured structural building component resembling the letter "I". Used as floor joists and rafters. I -joists include two key parts: flanges and webs. The flange of the I joist may be made of laminated veneer lumber or dimensional lumber, usually formed into a 1 ½" width. The web or center of the I -joist is commonly made of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Large holes can be cut in the web to accommodate duct work and plumbing waste lines. I -joists are available in lengths up to 60 feet long

Joist - Wooden 2 X 8's, 10's, or 12's that run parallel to one another and support a floor or ceiling, and supported in turn by larger beams, girders, or bearing walls.

Joist hanger - A metal "U" shaped item used to support the end of a floor joist and attached with hardened nails to another bearing joist or beam.

Leach field - A method used to treat/dispose of sewage in rural areas not accessible to a municipal sewer system.  Sewage is permitted to be filtered and eventually discharged into a section of the lot called a leach field. Leach field can be many designs, traditional sand and stone, elgin system, etc.

 Lintel - A horizontal structural member that supports the load over an opening such as a door or window.

Load bearing wall - Includes all exterior walls and any interior wall that is aligned above a support beam or girder. Normally, any wall that has a double horizontal top plate.

Masonry - Stone, brick, concrete, hollow -tile, concrete block, or other similar building units or materials. Normally bonded together with mortar to form a wall.

Microlam - A manufactured structural wood beam. It is constructed of pressure and adhesive bonded wood strands of wood. They have a higher strength rating than solid sawn lumber. Normally comes in l ½" thickness' and 9 ½", 11 ½" and 14" widths

Miter joint - The joint of two pieces at an angle that bisects the joining angle. For example, the miter joint at the side and head casing at a door opening is made at a 45° angle. Mortise - A slot cut into a board, plank, or timber, usually edgewise, to receive the tenon (or tongue) of another board, plank, or timber to form a joint.

Mudsill - Bottom horizontal member of an exterior wall frame which rests on top a foundation, sometimes called sill plate. Also sole plate, bottom member of interior wall frame.

Mullion - A vertical divider in the frame between windows, doors, or other openings.

Muntin - A small member which divides the glass or openings of sash or doors.

Newel post - The large starting post to which the end of a stair guard railing or balustrade is fastened.

Nonbearing wall - A wall supporting no load other than its own weight.

Nosing - The projecting edge of a molding or drip or the front edge of a stair tread.

O C - On Center - The measurement of spacing for studs, rafters, and joists in a building from the center of one member to the center of the next.

Oriented Strand Board or OSB - A manufactured 4' X 8' wood panel made out of 1" - 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood.

Overhang - Outward projecting eave -soffit area of a roof; the part of the roof that hangs out or over the outside wall. See also Cornice.

Pedestal - A metal box installed at various locations along utility easements that contain electrical, telephone, or cable television switches and connections

Percolation test or perc. test - Tests that a soil engineer performs on earth to determine the feasibility of installing a leech field type sewer system on a lot. A test to determine if the soil on a proposed building lot is capable of absorbing the liquid affluent from a septic system.

Perimeter drain - 3" or 4" perforated plastic pipe that goes around the perimeter (either inside or outside) of a foundation wall (before backfill) and collects and diverts ground water away from the foundation. Generally, it is "daylighted" into a sump pit inside the home, and a sump pump is sometimes inserted into the pit to discharge any accumulation of water.

Pitch - The incline slope of a roof or the ratio of the total rise to the total width of a house, i.e., a 6 -foot rise and 24 -foot width is a one -fourth pitch roof. Roof slope is expressed in the inches of rise, per foot of horizontal run.

Plate -  Normally a 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 that lays horizontally within a framed structure, such as:

Plenum - The main hot -air supply duct leading from a furnace.

Plot plan - An overhead view plan that shows the location of the home on the lot. Includes all easements, property lines, set backs, and legal descriptions of the home. Provided by the surveyor.

Plumb - Exactly vertical and perpendicular.

Plumbing rough - Work performed by the plumbing contractor after the Rough Heat is installed. This work includes installing all plastic ABS drain and waste lines, copper water lines, bath tubs, shower pans, and gas piping to furnaces and fireplaces. Lead solder should not be used on copper piping.

Plumbing stack - A plumbing vent pipe that penetrates the roof.

Plumbing trim - Work performed by the plumbing contractor to get the home ready for a final plumbing inspection. Includes installing all toilets (water closets), hot water heaters, sinks, connecting all gas pipe to appliances, disposal, dishwasher, and all plumbing items.

Plumbing waste line - Plastic pipe used to collect and drain sewage waste.

Point load - A point where a bearing/structural weight is concentrated and transferred to the foundation.

Post -and -beam - A basic building method that uses just a few hefty posts and beams to support an entire structure. Contrasts with stud framing.

Power vent - A vent that includes a fan to speed up air flow.  Often installed on roofs.

Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) - A device mounted on a hot water heater or boiler which is designed to release any high steam pressure in the tank to prevent tank explosions.

Pressure -treated wood - Lumber that has been saturated with a preservative.

Primer - The first, base coat of paint when a paint job consists of two or more coats. A first coating formulated to seal raw surfaces and holding succeeding finish coats.

Punch list - A list of discrepancies that need to be corrected by the contractor.

Radiant heating - A method of heating, usually consisting of a forced hot water system with pipes placed in the floor, wall, or ceiling. Also electrically heated panels.

Radon - A naturally -occurring, heavier than air, radioactive gas common in many parts of the country.  Radon gas exposure is associated with lung cancer. Mitigation measures may involve crawl space and basement venting and various forms of vapor barriers.

Radon system - A ventilation system beneath the floor of a basement and/or structural wood floor and designed to fan exhaust radon gas to the outside of the home

Rafter - Lumber used to support the roof sheeting and roof loads. Generally, 2 X 10's and 2 X 12's are used. The rafters of a flat roof are sometimes called roof joists.

Rafter, hip - A rafter that forms the intersection of an external roof angle.

Rafter, valley - A rafter that forms the intersection of an internal roof angle. The valley rafter is normally made of double 2 -inch -thick members.

Rail - Cross members of panel doors or of a sash. Also, a wall or open balustrade placed at the edge of a staircase, walkway bridge, or elevated surface to prevent people from falling off.  Any relatively lightweight horizontal element, especially those found in fences (split rail).

Railroad tie - Black, tar and preservative impregnated, 6" X 8" and 6' -8' long wooden timber that was used to hold railroad track in place. Normally used as a member of a retaining wall.

Rake - Slope or slanted.

Rake fascia - The vertical face of the sloping end of a roof eave.

Rake siding - The practice of installing lap siding diagonally

Rebar, reinforcing bar -Ribbed steel bars installed in foundation concrete walls, footers, and poured in place concrete structures designed to strengthen concrete. Comes in various thickness' and strength grade.

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.

Ridge - The horizontal line at the junction of the top edges of two sloping roof surfaces.

Ridge board - The board placed on the ridge of the roof onto which the upper ends of other rafters are fastened.

Ridge shingles - Shingles used to cover the ridge board.

Rise - The vertical distance from the eaves line to the ridge. Also the vertical distance from stair tread to stair tread (and not to exceed 7 ½").

Riser - Each of the vertical boards closing the spaces between the treads of stairways.

Riser and panel - The exterior vertical pipe (riser) and metal electric box (panel) the electrician provides and installs at the "Rough Electric" stage

Roof sheathing or sheeting - The wood panels or sheet material fastened to the roof rafters or trusses on which the shingle or other roof covering is laid.

Roof valley - The "V" created where two sloping roofs meet.

Rough opening - The horizontal and vertical measurement of a window or door opening before drywall or siding is installed.

Rough sill - The framing member at the bottom of a rough opening for a window. It is attached to the cripple studs below the rough opening.

Roughing -in - The initial stage of a plumbing, electrical, heating, carpentry, and/or other project, when all components that won't be seen after the second finishing phase are assembled. See also Heat Rough, Plumbing Rough, and Electrical Rough

Saddle - A small second roof built behind the back side of a fireplace chimney to divert water around the chimney. Also, the plate at the bottom of some—usually exterior—door openings. Sometimes called a threshold.

Septic system - An on site waste water treatment system. It usually has a septic tank which promotes the biological digestion of the waste, and a drain field which is designed to let the left over liquid soak into the ground. Septic systems and permits are usually sized by the number of bedrooms in a house.

Service entrance panel - Main power cabinet where electricity enters a home wiring system.

Service equipment - Main control gear at the service entrance, such as circuit breakers, switches, and fuses.

Service lateral - Underground power supply line.

Setback Thermostat - A thermostat with a clock which can be programmed to come on or go off at various temperatures and at different times of the day/week. Usually used as the heating or cooling system thermostat.

Shake - A wood roofing material, normally cedar or redwood. Produced by splitting a block of the wood along the grain line. Modern shakes are sometimes machine sawn on one side. See shingle.

Shed roof - A roof containing only one sloping plane.

Sheet metal work - All components of a house employing sheet metal, such as flashing, gutters, and downspouts.

Sheet metal duct work - The heating system. Usually round or rectangular metal pipes and sheet metal (for Return Air) and installed for distributing warm (or cold) air from the furnace to rooms in the home.

Sheet rock - Drywall -Wall board or gypsum - A manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and encased in a thin cardboard. Usually 1/2" thick and 4' x 8' or 4' x 12' in size. The 'joint compound'. 'Green board' type drywall has a greater resistance to moisture than regular (white) plasterboard and is used in bathrooms and other "wet areas".

Shim - A small piece of scrap lumber or shingle, usually wedge shaped, which when forced behind a furring strip or framing member forces it into position. Also used when installing doors and placed between the door jamb legs and 2 X 4 door trimmers. Metal shims are wafer  1 1/2" X 2" sheet metal of various thickness' used to fill gaps in wood framing members, especially at bearing point locations.

Shingles - Roof covering of asphalt. asbestos, wood, tile, slate, or other material cut to stock lengths, widths, and thickness'.

Shingles, siding - Various kinds of shingles, used over sheathing for exterior wall covering of a structure.

Sill - (1) The 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 wood plate framing member that lays flat against and bolted to the foundation wall (with anchor bolts) and upon which the floor joists are installed. Normally the sill plate is treated lumber. (2) The member forming the lower side of an opening, as a door sill or window sill.

Sill cock - An exterior water faucet (hose bib).

Sill plate (mudsill) - Bottom horizontal member of an exterior wall frame which rests on top a foundation, sometimes called mudsill. Also sole plate, bottom member of an interior wall frame.

Sill seal - Fiberglass or foam insulation installed between the foundation wall and sill (wood) plate. Designed to seal any cracks or gaps.

Soffit - The area below the eaves and overhangs. The underside where the roof overhangs the walls. Usually the underside of an overhanging cornice.

Sonotube - Round, large cardboard tubes designed to hold wet concrete in place until it hardens.

Span - The clear distance that a framing member carries a load without support between structural supports. The horizontal distance from eaves to eaves.

Spec home - A house built before it is sold. The builder speculates that he can sell it at a profit.

Specifications or Specs - A narrative list of materials, methods, model numbers, colors, allowances, and other details which supplement the information contained in the blue prints. Written elaboration in specific detail about construction materials and methods. Written to supplement working drawings.

Splash block - Portable concrete (or vinyl) channel generally placed beneath an exterior sill cock (water faucet) or downspout in order to receive roof drainage from downspouts and to divert it away from the building.

Square - A unit of measure -100 square feet -usually applied to roofing and siding material. Also, a situation that exists when two elements are at right angles to each other. Also a tool for checking this.

Stair rise - The vertical distance from stair tread to stair tread (and not to exceed 7 ½").

Static vent - A vent that does not include a fan.

Stick built - A house built without prefabricated parts. Also called conventional building.

Stile - An upright framing member in a panel door.

Stool - The flat molding fitted over the window sill between jambs and contacting the bottom rail of the lower sash.  Also another name for toilet.

Strike - The plate on a door frame that engages a latch or dead bolt.

String, stringer - A timber or other support for cross members in floors or ceilings. In stairs, the supporting member for stair treads. Usually a 2 X 12 inch plank notched to receive the treads

Strip flooring - Wood flooring consisting of narrow, matched strips.

Structural floor - A framed lumber floor that is installed as a basement floor instead of concrete. This is done on very expansive soils.

Stub, stubbed - To push through.

Stud - A vertical wood framing member, also referred to as a wall stud, attached to the horizontal sole plate below and the top plate above. Normally 2 X 4's or 2 X 6's, 8' long (sometimes 92 5/8"). One of a series of wood or metal vertical structural members placed as supporting elements in walls and partitions.

Stud framing - A building method that distributes structural loads to each of a series of relatively lightweight studs. Contrasts with post -and -beam.

Stud shoe - A metal, structural bracket that reinforces a vertical stud. Used on an outside bearing wall where holes are drilled to accommodate a plumbing waste line.

Subfloor - The framing components of a floor to include the sill plate, floor joists, and deck sheeting over which a finish floor is to be laid.

Sump - Pit or large plastic bucket/barrel inside the home designed to collect ground water from a perimeter drain system.

Sump pump - A submersible pump in a sump pit that pumps any excess ground water to the outside of the home.

Suspended ceiling - A ceiling system supported by hanging it from the overhead structural framing.

Sway brace - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over "domino" fashion.

T & G, tongue and groove - A joint made by a tongue (a rib on one edge of a board) that fits into a corresponding groove in the edge of another board to make a tight flush joint. Typically, the subfloor plywood is T & G.

Top plate - Top horizontal member of a frame wall supporting ceiling joists, rafters, or other members.

Transmitter (garage door) - The small, push button device that causes the garage door to open or close.

Trap - A plumbing fitting that holds water to prevent air, gas, and vermin from backing up into a fixture.

Tread - The walking surface board in a stairway on which the foot is placed.

Treated lumber - A wood product which has been impregnated with chemical pesticides such as CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) to reduce damage from wood rot or insects. Often used for the portions of a structure which are likely to be in contact with soil and water. Wood may also be treated with a fire retardant.

Trim (plumbing, heating, electrical) - The work that the "mechanical" contractors perform to finish their respective aspects of work, and when the home is nearing completion and occupancy.

Trim - Interior - The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings). Also, the physical work of installing interior doors and interior woodwork, to include all handrails, guardrails, stair way balustrades, mantles, light boxes, base, door casings, cabinets, countertops, shelves, window sills and aprons, etc. Exterior - The finish materials on the exterior a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim), siding, windows, exterior doors, attic vents, crawl space vents, shutters, etc. Also, the physical work of installing these materials

Trimmer - The vertical stud that supports a header at a door, window, or other opening.

Truss - An engineered and manufactured roof support member with "zig -zag" framing members. Does the same job as a rafter but is designed to have a longer span than a rafter.

Underlayment - "material placed over the subfloor plywood sheeting and under finish coverings, such as vinyl flooring, to provide a smooth, even surface. Also a secondary roofing layer that is waterproof or water -resistant, installed on the roof deck and beneath shingles or other roof -finishing layer.

Utility easement - The area of the earth that has electric, gas, or telephone lines. These areas may be owned by the homeowner, but the utility company has the legal right to enter the area as necessary to repair or service the lines.

Vapor barrier - A building product installed on exterior walls and ceilings under the drywall and on the warm side of the insulation. It is used to retard the movement of water vapor into walls and prevent condensation within them. Normally, polyethylene plastic sheeting is used.

Wafer board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1" - 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing.

Walk -Through - A final inspection of a home before "Closing" to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.

Waste pipe and vent - Plumbing plastic pipe that carries waste water to the municipal sewage system.

Water board - Water resistant drywall to be used in tub and shower locations. Normally green or blue colored

Water closet - Another name for toilet.

Water -repellent preservative - A liquid applied to wood to give the wood water repellant properties

Water table - The location of the underground water, and the vertical distance from the surface of the earth to this underground water.

Whole house fan - A fan designed to move air through and out of a home and normally installed in the ceiling.

Wind bracing - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over "domino" fashion.

Wonderboard ™ - A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks.