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Home Owners Building Terms
Home Owners Building Terms
Home Owners Building Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mortgagee |
The lender who makes the mortgage loan. |
| 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. |
| Muriatic acid |
Commonly used as a brick cleaner after masonry work is completed. |
| Mushroom |
The unacceptable occurrence when the top of a caisson concrete pier spreads out and hardens to become wider than the foundation wall thickness. |
| Nail inspection |
An inspection made by a municipal building inspector after the drywall material is hung with nails and screws (and before taping). |
| Natural finish |
A transparent finish which does not seriously alter the original color or grain of the natural wood. Natural finishes are usually provided by sealers, oils, varnishes, water repellent preservatives, and other similar materials. |
| NEC (National Electrical Code) |
A set of rules governing safe wiring methods. Local codes which are backed by law may differ from the NEC in some ways. |
| Neutral wire |
Usually color-coded white, this carries electricity from an outlet back to the service panel. Also see hot wire and ground. |
| 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. |
| Notch |
A crosswise groove at the end of a board. |
| Note |
A formal document showing the existence of a debt and stating the terms of repayment. |
| Nozzle |
The part of a heating system that sprays the fuel of fuel-air mixture into the combustion chamber. |
| 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. |
| Oakum |
Loose hemp or jute fiber that's impregnated with tar or pitch and used to caulk large seams or for packing plumbing pipe joints |
| Open hole inspection |
When an engineer (or municipal inspector) inspects the open excavation and examines the earth to determine the type of foundation (caisson, footer, wall on ground, etc.) that should be installed in the hole. |
| 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. |
| Outrigger |
An extension of a rafter beyond the wall line. Usually a smaller member nailed to a larger rafter to form a cornice or roof overhang. |
| Outside corner |
The point at which two walls form an external angle, one you usually can walk around. |
| Overhang |
Outward projecting eave-soffit area of a roof. This is he part of the roof that hangs out or over the outside wall. See also Cornice. |
| P trap |
Curved, "U" section of drain pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through a fixtures water drain. |
| Pad out, pack out |
To shim out or add strips of wood to a wall or ceiling in order that the finished ceiling/wall will appear correct. |
| Padding |
A material installed under carpet to add foot comfort, isolate sound, and to prolong carpet life. |
| Paint |
A combination of pigments with suitable thinners or oils to provide decorative and protective coatings. Can be oil based or latex water based. |
| Pallets |
Wooden platforms used for storing and shipping material. Forklifts and hand trucks are used to move these wooden platforms around. |
| Panel |
A thin flat piece of wood, plywood, or similar material, framed by stiles and rails as in a door (or cabinet door), or fitted into grooves of thicker material with molded edges for decorative wall treatment. |
| Paper, building |
A general term for papers, felts, and similar sheet materials used in buildings without reference to their properties or uses. Generally comes in long rolls. |
| Parapet |
A wall placed at the edge of a roof to prevent people from falling off. |
| Particle board |
Plywood substitute made of course sawdust that is mixed with resin and pressed into sheets. Used for closet shelving, floor underlayment, stair treads, etc. |
| Parting stop or strip |
A small wood piece used in the side and head jambs of double hung windows to separate the upper sash from the lower sash. |
| Partition |
A wall that subdivides spaces within any story of a building or room. |
| Paver |
Masonry material that is laid down to make a firm, even surface. |
| Paver, paving |
Materials commonly masonry laid down to make a firm and even surface. |
| Payment schedule |
A pre-agreed upon schedule of payments to a contractor usually based upon the amount of work completed. Such a schedule may include a deposit prior to the start of work. There may also be a temporary 'retainer' (5-10% of the total cost of the job) at the end of the contract for correcting any small items which have not been completed or repaired. |
| Pedestal |
A metal box installed at various locations along utility easements that contain electrical, telephone, or cable television switches and connections. |
| Penalty clause |
A provision in a contract that provides for a reduction in the amount otherwise payable under a contract to a contractor as a penalty for failure to meet deadlines or for failure of the project to meet contract specifications. |
| Penny |
A term applied to nails. Originally indicated the price per hundred. The term now series as a measure of nail length and is abbreviated by the letter d. Normally, 16d (16 penny) nails are used for framing. |
| 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. |
| Performance bond |
An amount of money (usually 10% of the total price of a job) that a contractor must put on deposit with a governmental agency as an insurance policy that guarantees the contractors' proper and timely completion of a project or job. |
| 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. |
| Permeability |
A measure of the ease with which water penetrates a material. |
| Permit |
A governmental municipal authorization to perform a building process as in: ZoningUse permit - Authorization to use a property for a specific use e.g. a garage, a single family residence etc. Demolition permit - Authorization to tear down and remove an existing structure. Grading permit - Authorization to change the contour of the land. Septic permit - A health department authorization to build or modify a septic system. Building permit - Authorization to build or modify a structure. Electrical permit - A separate permit required for most electrical. Plumbing permit - A separate permit required for new plumbing and larger modifications of existing plumbing systems. |
| Pier |
A column of masonry, usually rectangular in horizontal cross section, used to support other structural members. Also see Caisson. |
| Pigment |
A powdered solid used in paint or enamel to give it a color. |
| Pigtails, electrical |
The electric cord that the electrician provides and installs on an appliance such as a garbage disposal, dishwasher, or range hood. |
| Pilot hole |
A small-diameter, pre-drilled hole that guides a nail or screw. |
