16 on center (16.o.c.): width between wall studs, in inches. Studs are installed 16 inches from the center of one stud to the center of another.
Aerator: the round screen screwed on the tip of a sink faucet that mixes air and water to create a smooth flow of water.
Anchor bolts: bolts used to secure a wooden sill plate to concrete, masonry floor, or wall; used in tornado, earthquake, and hurricane areas.
Backing: lumber installed between wall studs to give additional support for drywall or an interior trim-related item, such as handrail brackets, cabinets, and towel bars. This allows items to be screwed and mounted into solid wood rather than drywall, which may allow the item to break loose from the wall.
Back fill: dirt used to fill in around the foundation and footings, often the same dirt that was dug out.
Backset: the distance between the center of the hole for a door lock or cylinder to the edge of the door.
Backsplash: a wall covering, usually stone or tile, located on the wall area behind and above a countertop, a bathroom vanity, a bathtub, or any other area where water could splash onto the wall. Also protects walls from cooking splatters.
Ball catch: a type of hardware used to keep a door closed; a spring-loaded ball fits into a hole on the door or frame.
Balusters: the vertical posts in a railing; sometimes referred to as pickets or spindles.
Balustrade: the railing, posts, and balusters along the edge of a stairway or balcony.
Base or baseboard: a trim board placed along the wall where the wall and floor meet.
Base shoe: see Shoe mold.
Batch feed disposal: a type of disposal that uses a special stopper placed over the opening to the disposal, which you turn to activate the disposal motor.
Beadboard: a type of board that can be used as a wainscot, applied to an entire wall, applied to ceilings, and applied to cabinet doors. It has one or more half-round beads milled into the finished surface.
Bearing wall: a wall in a home that carries a substantial weight from the roof above or floor above. Not all walls in a home are load bearing. Also called a load-bearing wall.
Bifold door: doors that are hinged in the middle for opening in smaller areas, often an alternative to standard swing doors. Most common use is for closet doors.
Bi-pass doors: doors that slide by each other and are commonly used as closet doors. Also called sliding doors.
Blueprints: a type of copying most often used for architectural drawings. Blueprints are used by contractors and workers to guide them in the building process. The blueprints include floor plans, elevations, site plan, foundation and wall section plans, plumbing plans, electrical plans, HVAC plans, and construction details.
Bore: the diameter of the hole drilled in a door for a knob, lever, or dead bolt.
Breaker panel: the electrical box that distributes electric power entering the home to each outlet and switch. Sometimes called the fuse box or circuit breakers.
Building code: standards for the level of safety in buildings, used by builders, architects, engineers, and inspectors. In some municipalities, the building code is law.
Building permit: written authorization by a municipality such as a city or county, giving permission to the builder to construct or remodel a building or home.
Bull nose: a rounded edge or corner, as on a counter edge or drywall corner.
By-fold doors: see Bifold doors.
By-pass doors: see Bi-pass doors.
C.O.: see Certificate of Occupancy.
Can light: see Recessed can light.
Cantilever: where the area of the home extends beyond and over a foundation wall. Examples of items placed on a cantilevered area are a bathtub, fireplace, or bay window. The area does not normally extend over two feet.
Casement window: a window that swings open like a door, with hinges on one side.
Casing: wood or stone trim that is installed around the opening of a door or window.
Caulking: a flexible material used to seal a crack or gap between two surfaces to prevent moisture from entering, such as between pieces of siding on the exterior of a home or corners in a tub wall.
Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.): a certificate issued by a municipality granting approval for the home to be occupied. The home must pass final inspection by the code department before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued. Also called Use and Occupancy Certificate.
Chair rail: interior trim usually installed 24 inches to 48 inches from the floor; provides accent to a room while protecting the walls from scuffs or dents from the back of chairs.
Chalk line: a line made by snapping a string or cord that is dusted with chalk, used for alignment during construction. Chalk can be blue, red, or black.
Change order document: spells out modifications to the plans, specifications, or the price of the construction contract.
Chase: a boxed-in vertical shaft in the framing that allows for mechanical equipment to run vertically. A flue would be located in a chase.
Chimney cap: the cover over the top of a chimney. These can be copper and very decorative, or be a plain and functional cap made of other metals, or even be faux stone made of concrete.
CMU foundations: stands for concrete masonry unit, often cinder block, which is used to build the foundation of a home.
Columns: vertical supports for the home made of steel, concrete blocks, brick, or treated wood. Some columns are decorative and offer no support.
Compressor: part of the air conditioning or heat pump systems; sits outside the home with a large fan as the main component.
Concrete test: a test done at the job site on the concrete that is ready to be poured. Concrete strength differs depending on the application which is spelled out by a structural engineer. The concrete test is done to ensure the correct strength of concrete that is specified is delivered.
Conductor head: an architectural accent that is part of a roof gutter system, located where the gutter meets the downspout. The conductor head is larger than the downspout; it catches the water and leads it into the downspout. It is not required for the gutters/downspouts to be operational. Also known as a leader box.
Construction fee: fee paid to builder, either as a percentage of job costs or a flat fee.
Construction manager: also known as the site supervisor; an individual who works for the builder to supervise day-to-day operations at the building site.
Construction protection: Plastic, paper, or other materials placed to prevent scratches, dents, nicks, and breakage to finished items during construction.
Construction soft costs: anything that is not tangible, such as a building permit, soil test, survey tests, structural engineer reports, and so on.
Contingencies: money built into the builder’s quote to pay for mistakes that will appear on the punch list.
Covenants: restrictions and rules placed on homes and property uses, specifically found in homeowner associations.
Crown molding: used where the ceiling and wall meet; design and thickness can vary to suit the homeowner’s taste.
Damper: a metal cover inside a fireplace chimney that is opened when a fire is burning to allow smoke to escape up the chimney. It is closed when the fireplace is not in use.
Dead bolt: a security lock usually installed on exterior entry doors that can be unlocked with a key on one side and a lever on the other, or a key on both sides. See also Double cylinder dead bolt and Single cylinder dead bolt.
Dedicated circuit: an electrical circuit that is dedicated to serve only one appliance or a series of smoke detectors.
Desuperheater: a mechanical device that uses the leftover heat from a geothermal system to heat a domestic hot water tank.
Distressed: a technique used on wood floors, wood beams, wood headers, and wood columns to give the wood an old, worn look. Can be done by beating heavy chains against the wood to create nicks, gouges, and other imperfections.
Doorjamb: the millwork or stone that surrounds the open area in which a door opens or closes. There are two upright pieces called side jambs and a horizontal piece called a header.
Doorstop: the wooden vertical stile that protrudes out from the door casing, which stops the door when it is in the closed position, or a piece of hardware that is installed in the wall, baseboard, door, or floor to stop the door from hitting a wall when fully opened.
Dormers: structural element extending out from a roof, usually with a window, giving head room to an attic area, giving light to an attic area, or creating a skylight in a room. The attic area may or may not be a finished room.
Double cylinder dead bolt: a dead bolt lock that is keyed on both sides. See also Dead bolt.
Double glass: window or door in which two panes of glass are used with a sealed air space between. Also called double pane or insulating glass.
Double-hung window: a window consisting of two sashes with an upper and lower half that can be slid up and down.
Downspout: attached to the roof gutter and empties water away from the home.
Dragging: A form of faux paint, in which a wide brush is dragged through a wet glaze on the wall with the brush bristles slightly bent.
Drawings: the original architecture plans or blueprints.
Dry in: to install black roofing felt on the roof so that the area below the roof will be kept dry when rain hits the roof.
Drywall: see Sheetrock.
Ducts: a pipe, usually made of metal, used to carry heated or cooled air to the vents throughout the house.
Due diligence: the research and analysis of a piece of property or condominium done by the prospective buyer and realtor before a final decision is made on whether to purchase the property.
Dummy door: a door, usually a closet door, that uses a ball catch at the top of the door to secure the door in the closed position. The doorknob does not turn or have any type of locking mechanism, and is used only as a grip to pull open the door.
Duplex outlet: the standard electrical outlet used in a home. (Two separate plugs can be plugged in, hence the term “duplex.”)
Dutch door: a door that is split horizontally, giving the option of opening half of the door while the other half is closed or opening the entire door as one unit.
Eaves: the part of the roof that overhangs the outside wall of a home.
Egress: exit. Municipal codes require an egress window in every bedroom and basement. The minimum opening width is 20 inches and the minimum opening height is 24 inches, with the open area measuring a minimum of 5.7 square feet.
Electrical rough-in: work done by electrical contractor after the framing members are in place. The rough-in work includes running the electrical wires throughout the home and into mounted boxes to hold outlets and light switches and into mounted can light supports.
Electrical trim-out: installation of all outlets, light switches, face plates, light fixtures, smoke detectors, appliance “pigtails,” bath ventilation fans, and other items by the electrical contractor.
Elevations (elevation drawings): straight-on views of either the exterior walls or selected interior walls. The drawings illustrate the locations of doors, windows, and built-ins, and the positions of electrical devices. They also give detailed information about wall finishes and decorative details.
Escutcheon: an ornamental plate that fits around the doorknob. Can also be used to hide extra holes in the door.
Espagnolette: a long vertically hung bolt, with a handle fixed at a convenient height for securing a door or casement at top and bottom.
Extras: see Change order document.
Face plates: the plate that covers light switches, outlets, cable connectors, and telephone jacks.
Faux paint: uses a variety of techniques to apply paint and glaze to a wall. See also Dragging, Rag rolling, Sponging, and Stippling.
Field changes: alterations made to a home on the construction site that differ from the blueprints. Also called a change order document.
Field measure: to take measurement (cabinets, countertops, stairs, shower doors, and so forth) in the home being built instead of using the blueprints.
Finial: an ornamental piece of hardware placed on a high point of a building.
Flashing: sheet metal strips installed around chimneys, where roof lines meet, and around skylights, vents, doors, and windows to prevent water infiltration.
Flatwork: concrete used on flat surfaces such as floors, basements, sidewalks, driveway, patios, and so forth.
Floor plan drawings: Drawings illustrating the size and location of all rooms and spaces in a home and designating the locations of built-ins, plumbing fixtures, closets, hallways, stairways, and fireplaces.
Floor register: a vent used to cover the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) source coming out of the floor.
Flown topography: a photo used for topography taken above the land from a helicopter or an airplane. Not as reliable as shot topography.
Flue: a large pipe through which gas flows until emitted into the atmosphere. Normally double walled, galvanized sheet metal pipe, while fireplace flue pipes are normally triple walled.
Footings: the wide part of a foundation located beneath the foundation walls, designed to spread the weight of a house over a larger surface area of soil. Typically 18 inches to 24 inches wide, but can vary depending on the soil-bearing capacity.
Forced air heating: air that is heated in a furnace and distributed through ducts to various areas of the house. Common fuels for heating with forced air heat are natural gas, propane, oil, and electricity.
Foundation: the supporting portion of a home located below the first floor construction, or below grade.
Foundation forms: an area built with rebar and lumber to create a particular form for the foundation, into which concrete is poured.
Foundation plan drawings: drawings that establish the locations for the footings and the foundation, and basement if one exists.
Four-receptacle outlet: an outlet with four places to plug in a cord.
Four-way light switch: similar to a three-way light switch except with three separate switch locations instead of two. Refers to the four ways the switches can be operated: off from all switches, on from switch A, on from switch B, and on from switch C.
Framer: the subcontractor who installs the lumber and erects the frame, flooring system, interior walls, backing, door and window frames, trusses, rafters, and decking; and installs all beams, stairs, soffits and all work related to the wood structure of the home. The framer must adhere to local municipal building codes and regulations.
Framing: lumber or steel, such as studs, joists, beams, and rafters, used for erecting the structural members of a home.
Frost-proof hose bib: a hose bib that will not freeze.
Furdown: a ceiling or part of a ceiling that is lower than the primary ceiling, often made to enclose ducts or pipe that cannot be installed in the ceiling framing spaces and must be installed below the standard ceiling level. Also the rectangular finished structure above kitchen cabinets. Also called furred ceiling and drop ceiling.
Furniture plan: a floor plan showing the placement of furniture to scale.
Ganged switches: more than one light switch lined up next to each other.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): an ultrasensitive plug designed to shut off all electric current when it comes in contact with water. Used in bathrooms, kitchens, exterior waterproof outlets, garage outlets, and wet areas.
Grout: A wet mixture of cement, sand, and water that is applied in masonry or ceramic crevices to seal cracks between the different pieces. Commonly used with stone or tile pieces, and comes in different colors.
Halogen strips: a strip of lights that is sold by the foot and can be cut to any length. Halogen bulbs insert into the strip. Often used for under-cabinet lighting and above-cabinet lighting. If used for above-cabinet lighting, caution needs to be taken if objects are placed above the cabinet, as the lights become hot.
Hand-scraped: after floors are installed, a scraping tool is run over the floors either with the grain or against the grain (each creates a different look). Deep scraping gives a rougher look.
Hardware: accessories for the home such as doorknobs, towel bars, toilet paper holder, and cabinet and drawer knobs and pulls. Hardware is installed by the interior trim carpenter as the house nears completion.
Header: the horizontal structure member located over the opening of a doorway or window.
Hearth: the fireproof area directly in front of a fireplace. Usually made of fireproof materials such as brick, tile, or stone.
Heat pump: a mechanical device that moves heat from a cool space into a warm space during the heating season, and moves heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors in the cooling season.
Hollow-core door: a door whose interior is mostly hollow.
Honed: super fine finish on stone such as granite, but not as fine as a polished finish. A honed finish is dull.
Hose bib: a water faucet whose nozzle is threaded to connect to a hose.
House wrap: an energy-saving air barrier made from polyethylene fibers that is wrapped around a house during construction. House wrap is an insulator keeping air from penetrating the walls.
Humidifier: a mechanical device that increases the humidity within a room or house through the discharge of water vapor.
Hydronic heat: transfers heated water through tubing in floors, walls, and ceilings so that the heated water will radiate heat throughout a home.
Insulating glass: two panes of glass, with a sealed air space between them, used in windows or doors. Also known as double glass.
Joist: a horizontal framing member; a board that measures 2 by 8 inches, 2 by 10 inches, or 2 by 12 inches, and runs parallel to other joists and supports a floor or ceiling.
Keeper: the metal latch plate in the door frame that the plunger of a doorknob latches. Also called a strike plate.
Keyway: the actual key cylinder that is inserted into the doorknob.
Landing: see Stair landing.
Latch: the beveled metal tongue that is spring-loaded and sticks out of a doorknob or lever that allows you to close the door without engaging the locking mechanism or using a key.
Leader box: see Conductor head.
Level: A tool to measure true horizontal or vertical.
Lightweight concrete: a lighter strength concrete, such as concrete over the radiant heated water tubes used in the radiant heat floor.
Load-bearing wall: a wall in a home that carries a substantial weight from the roof above or floor above. Not all walls in a home are load bearing. Also called a bearing wall.
Louver: a vented opening on a door or window covered with sloping slats to prevent rain and other elements of weather from entering. A louver allows some daylight to enter through a door or window.
Millwork: all building materials made of finished wood that have been manufactured in millwork plants, including doors, windows and door frames, blinds, mantels, panel work, stairway, components, moldings, and interior trim. Does not include flooring, ceiling, or siding.
Miscellaneous concrete: random uses of concrete in a home building project, such as an area to stack wood and a dog pen.
Molding: a wood strip that may have an engraved, decorative surface used for a decorative finish around doors and windows, and for other applications.
Mullion: the vertical divider between windows or doors.
Muntin: a small piece that divides the glass on doors or windows to create window panes.
National Electric Code (NEC): a standard for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment.
NEC: see National Electric Code.
Overhang: see Eaves.
Owner representative: an individual hired by the homeowners to represent them during the building process to ensure work is done properly and on time.
Painted design or landscape: landscape or other scene painted onto a wall.
Parquet floor: hardwood blocks glued individually to a subfloor. Designs include basket weave, diagonal basket weave, brick pattern, single herringbone, and double herringbone.
Passage door: a door in a home that does not lock. Usually a hallway door you would pass through, hence the name “passage.”
Pavers: stone, brick, or slab used to pave an area such as a driveway, sidewalk, or patio.
Pinnacle: a vertical architectural ornament of a cone or pyramid shape; larger than a finial and smaller than a spire.
Plinth block: an optional block of wood or stone located at the corner of a doorway where the baseboard and door framing meet.
Plot plan: an overhead view plan that shows the location of the home on the parcel of land. Shows the setbacks and property lines and includes all easements and legal descriptions.
Plumb: exactly vertical and perpendicular, such as a wall. Placing a level on the area in the vertical plane will tell you if it is plumb.
Plumbing fixtures: plumbing equipment such as a sink, toilet, bidet, and shower/bath units.
Pocket door: an interior door that slides into a pocket in the wall.
Porte cochere: roofed structure extending from the entrance or side of a home or building over the adjacent driveway, protecting those getting in or out of vehicles from the weather.
Primer: a coating that is applied to prepare the surface for an even application of paint.
Privacy door: uses a lockset without a key so a door can be locked from inside the room, usually a bedroom, bathroom, or powder room.
P trap: a pipe shaped like a broken P used in drains. The pipe holds water to prevent sewer gases and fumes from entering the home through the drain.
Puck lights: approximately the size and shape of a hockey puck, these round light fixtures can be mounted under the upper cabinets. There should be one puck light per 8 to 12 inches of cabinet length.
Punch list: a list of items that are either missing, defective, poorly installed, and so forth, that need to be corrected by the contractor before the walk-through. During the walk-through, a new punch list is created with the homeowner.
Punch out: same as Punch list.
Quarter round: see Shoe mold.
Radiant heat: a method of heating using either water or electricity in pipes that are placed in the floors, walls, ceiling, or other surface.
Radon: a colorless gas formed from radioactive decay of radium in the earth, which can seep into a home and cause health problems. A radon detector can be installed to alert the homeowner if radon gas is present.
Rag rolling: A form of faux paint similar to sponging, using a bunched-up rag pressed against the wall.
Rail: the cross members of a door, cabinet door, or window.
Rebar: ribbed steel bars used to strengthen concrete in foundations, walls, and other concrete structures. Rebar comes in various thicknesses and strength grades.
Recessed can light: ceiling lights that are flush with the ceiling.
Recirculation water pump: a pump on the water heater to keep hot water continuously flowing in the hot water line. It provides instant hot water when the faucet is turned on.
Redline: blueprints marked in red pencil that reflect changes to the plans.
Reflected ceiling plan drawings: drawings of a room shown as if you were looking down from the ceiling, showing light fixtures, ceiling patterns, or any item suspended from the ceiling.
Retaining wall: a wall-type structure built to hold back a slope and prevent erosion.
Ridge board: a board at the top of the roof that runs horizontally above the rafters.
Roof panel: usually copper, used to form the roof over a bay or bowed window.
Rope lights: a strip of lights that resembles a rope. Often used inside a cabinet with a glass cabinet door, underneath an upper cabinet, on top of an upper cabinet, on staircases, or to light the toe kick.
Rosette: a plain or decorative plate or trim piece placed behind the knob, pull, or handle of a drawer or cabinet pull. Usually round and may have scalloped edges.
Roughing-in: the initial stage of installing plumbing, electrical, heating, carpentry, or other materials. These materials are not hooked up to operate until the trim stage.
Sash: the framed area around a window pane.
Saw blade cut: a technique in which the surface of wood flooring shows the circular patterns of the saw used to cut the wood.
Schedules: the detailed specifications on the architectural plans listing finishes, materials, and products.
Setback: the distance a home must be located from the front, back, or side property lines, usually set by zoning laws or building codes and by homeowner associations.
Sheathing: a structural wood covering, such as plywood, that is the first layer of outer wall covering used on studs, floor joists, and rafters/trusses.
Sheetrock: a manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and nailed or screwed to studs to create walls and ceilings. Sheetrock comes in sheets that are usually 1.2 inch thick and 4 by 8 feet or 4 by 12 feet. Also called drywall, plasterboard, or gypsum.
Shingles: Roof covering to prevent water seepage. Materials are made of asphalt, asbestos, wood, tile, slate, or other material.
Shoe mold: molding used where the floor and baseboard meet. A carpet strip or quarter round may also be used here.
Shot topography: topography shot by a surveyor on the ground using survey equipment. More accurate than flown topography.
Sight line: what one sees when standing in any location of a home.
Single cylinder dead bolt: a lock where a key is needed on the exterior of a door and a turn lever on the inside.
Site plan drawings: plans that show the locations of a home on a lot. Also identifies property lines and the location of utilities, and shows the driveway and other paved areas plus instructions for grading the land.
Skip trowel: a technique using a watered-down mixture of joint compound that is applied to a wall or ceiling. The trowel is gently dragged across the mixture that has been applied to the wall, leaving some of the mixture on the wall.
Slab: flat, sometimes ribbed, reinforced concrete building element that provides a base for the floor or roofing materials.
Sleeves: pipes installed under a driveway, side walk, or other type of surface before concrete is poured or pavers are laid, so that in the future, sprinkler system pipes or low voltage wiring can be run through the pipe. Usually PVC pipes are used.
Sliding door: see Bi-pass door.
Soffit: the underside of the roof overhang on the outside of the home, usually with vents to allow air into the attic.
Soundboard: a special board applied to studs under drywall, used to reduce sound transmission through the wall.
Spire: tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, usually larger than a finial.
Sponging: A form of faux paint that involves dipping a sponge and pressing it against the wall.
Stair landing: a platform between flights of stairs, usually no less than 3 feet by 3 feet square. It can serve as a resting place, a place to change the direction of the staircase, or the end or beginning of the staircase.
Stair rise: the vertical distance between each step, not to exceed 7½ inches.
Stair riser: the vertical area at the back of each step on a staircase.
Stenciled floors: various designs or borders copied directly onto an installed wood floor, using different applications of stain colors or sometimes paint.
Stile: a vertical framing member in a panel door or cabinet door.
Stippling: A form of faux paint, in which a brush dipped into paint is dabbed against the wall, with the bristles of the brush slightly bending.
Stone cap: a fabricated piece of stone glued onto the flat edge of stone. Can be a decorative cap on the top of the pieces such as a stone backsplash, the top of a stone chair rail, or the top of a stone baseboard.
Stop order: a formal, written notification to a builder to discontinue some or all work on a project. The reasons to issue a stop order could be safety violations, defective materials, poor workmanship, or cancellation of the contract.
Strike plate: the plate on a door frame where the latch or dead bolt strikes.
Stucco: a durable material made mostly of Portland cement, sand, and lime, which is applied in several layers to an exterior wall while wet.
Tap fee: fees charged for hooking up utilities to be used on the construction site.
Three-way light switch: allows you to turn a light on or off, or turn the power to an outlet on or off, from a light switch located in two locations. Three-way refers to the three ways the switches can be operated: off from both switches, on from one switch, and on from the other switch.
Threshold: the bottom metal or wood plate located across the floor of an exterior door frame. Generally, they are adjustable to keep a tight fit with the door slab so air, moisture, or bugs cannot enter the home.
Toe kick: the area between the bottom of a cabinet and the floor. The toe kick usually extends 2 to 3 inches out from the cabinet and 3 to 4 inches up from the floor. It allows your toes to fit slightly under the cabinet so that you can be closer to the counter when working on the countertop.
Touch pads or touch monitor: a security system control pad used to activate or deactivate the system by touching buttons on the pad or monitor.
Transom: a window above a door. These can be used on interior doors or exterior doors.
Tread: the flat surface or stair step on a stairway on which the foot is placed.
Trim (plumbing, heating, electrical): the final work done by mechanical contractors to finish their areas of work. This would include installing the plumbing fixtures and HVAC vents and putting on face plates.
Truss: a framing member that is engineered to support the roof. The truss does the same job as a pair of rafters but is designed to have a longer span.
Tub deck: the surface around a tub that is built into a platform.
Tub skirt: if a tub is built into a platform, the tub skirt is the vertical side of the deck. If you have a jetted tub, you will need to be able to remove the skirt in order to reach the motor for servicing.
Vapor barrier: first layer of an outer material used to prevent or retard the movement of water vapor, the absorption of moisture, and to prevent condensation in your home.
Veranda: a roofed porch with open walls attached to a residential structure usually surrounded by railing.
Wainscot: material applied to the lower portion of a wall, usually made of wood panels, beadboard, stone, or tile.
Walk-through: a final inspection of a home, usually with the homeowner, builder, and realtor, done before the “closing” to identify and document problems that need to be corrected. A punch list is created during the walk-through.
Warranty: guarantee for any manufactured product such as a roof or an appliance, or for labor on a job.
Warranty reserve: funds designated for completing the one-year warranty list.
Water board: water-resistant sheetrock used in a shower, tub area, dog wash area, or any other area whose walls will be sprayed or splashed with water. Usually green or blue colored.
Water closet: a closet-sized area with a door in a bathroom or powder room where a toilet is located.
Water tap: the point where the water line coming from your home connects to the main municipal water system.
Weatherproof receptacle cover: a cover placed over any exterior electrical receptacle to prevent water from reaching the receptacle. These are required by the municipal codes.
Window treatment: covering used on windows to protect the occupant’s privacy, such as curtains, shades, and shutters. Can also be used to protect possessions in the home from sunlight.
Zone: for construction, an area served by one heating or cooling loop. For landscaping, the area of the lawn that will be watered from a sprinkler system.
Zoning: a governmental directive that limits the use of a property, such as single family use, high rise, residential use, industrial use, and so on. May limit the size of your structure, and the location of the structure on the property. Also see Building codes.