榴莲视屏

Check out our comprehensive list of construction terms, abbreviations or acronyms, lovingly compiled for you.

What are Variations?

Alterations or modifications to the design, quality or quantity of the contract works, to the site access or working conditions

Why Might Variations Arise?

• Change to spec etc
• discrepancy between contract documents
• discrepancy with statutory requirements
• errors and omissions
• deficiency in employer鈥檚 requirements

What are Extensions of Time?

Adjusts the completion date and relieves the contractor鈥檚 liability to pay liquidated damages for the period of the extension

What are Liquidated Damages?

• A genuine pre-estimate of the likely loss incurred by the employer should the completion date not be met.
• 聽Payment for works (usually monthly)

Go For: The Ultimate Guide If You Want To Be Successful Contractor

How Do You Evaluate Interim Valuations?

• Go to site and conduct valuation
• Check work done, materials on site, materials off site
• Value preliminaries, agreed variations and any claims
• Valuation amount is gross valuation, less retention, less previous payment.
• Then send recommendation to A/CA.

What is the Date For Completion?

The date fixed and stated in the contract particulars.

How Does This Differ From the Completion Date?

This is the date for completion or any other date that is subsequently fixed (i.e. after an EOT)

What is Practical Completion (PC)?

When the employer takes back possession of the works.

What is Sectional Completion?

The completion and handover of the works to the employer in agreed stages.

What is the Rectification Period?

The contractor has an obligation to make good any defects, shrinkages or other faults that arise during this period of time.

How Long is It?

The default position is 6 months. BUT it is common to amend this to 12 months 鈥� so the building is observed in all seasons

How Can the Architect Get the Contractor to Fix the Defects That Arise During This Period?

No later than 14 days after the end of the Rectification Period the architect must issue a written statement to the contractor detailed all of the defects that have arisen and need to be made good.

What is The Certificate of Making Good?

Issued by the architect to certify that all of the defects that have been required to be made good by the contractor have been so.

What are the Consequences of the Issue of the Certificate of Making Good?

The remaining retention is released.

Read also: Are you building a house or a cathedral?

What is Retention?

It is a percentage of each interim certificate deducted and retained by the employer from each interim payment to the contractor.

What is the Purpose of Retention?

• It provides an incentive for the contractor to complete the works promptly
• It provides some financial cushion to the employer in the event of contractor default

What is the Final Account?

Detailed statement of all the adjustments to the contract sum and therefore the total amount that the employer is liable to pay, together with the basis on which it was calculated

What are the Usual Constituents of a Final Account?

• Summary
• Adjustments of prime costs
• Adjustments of provisional sums
• Adjustments of approximate quantities
• Variations
• Claims
• Fluctuations

What does CDM stand for?

Construction Design and Management.

Why Were They Introduced?

To ensure Clients, designers, contractors and others consider the health and safety of those constructing, maintaining and demolishing the works within their role.

What is a Notifiable Project?

30 days or 500 man days duration

What are the Contractor鈥檚 Duties?

• Preparation of the construction phase plan
• Display the F10 on the site

What does RIDDOR stand for?

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

What does COSHH stand for?

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

What does PPE stand for?

Personal Protective Equipment

What are Subcontractors?

Any person or business that agrees to carry out construction work.

What is Facilities Management?

• The total management of all services that support the core business of an organisation
• Large and complex sector made up of in house departments, specialist contractors and consultancies

What is Substructure?

All structure below the superstructure i.e. all structure below ground level including the ground floor bed

What is Superstructure?

• All internal and external structure above the substructure
• Made up of primary (ext walls, stairs, roof, structural walls) and secondary (suspended ceilings / raised floors, balustrades, doors) elements and finishes (tiles, paint, stair hosings)

What is the External Envelope?

• The materials and components that form the external shell or enclosure of a building
• May be load or non-load bearing

What are the Building Regulations?

• Statutory instruments that sets out the minimum performance standards for the design and construction of buildings.
• Supported by the Approved Documents A to P and other codes of practice

What are British Standards (BS)?

• Publications issued by the British Standards Institution 鈥� prefixed BS
• They give recommended min standards for materials, components, design and construction practices

Define what service the Building Inspector provides in a project?

• The Building Inspector inspects work that is notifiable under the building regulations.
• The building regulations cover the structural integrity of a home i.e. whether it is safe to live in.

F芯ll芯w褨ng 邪r械 褧芯m械 芯f the m芯褧t common terms 褨n construction, and architecture..

• A/C– An 邪bbr械v褨邪t褨芯n for air 褋芯nd褨t褨芯n械r 芯r air 褋芯nd褨t褨芯n褨ng.
• A/C C芯nd械n褧械r– Th械 芯ut褧褨d械 f邪n un褨t 芯f the A褨r C芯nd褨t褨芯n褨ng system. It r械m芯v械褧 th械 heat from th械 fr械芯n gas 邪nd “turn褧” th械 g邪褧 b邪褋k into a l褨qu褨d 邪nd pumps th械 l褨qu褨d back t芯 the 褋芯褨l 褨n th械 furn邪褋械.
• 础械谤邪迟芯谤– Th械 r芯und screened screw-on t褨褉 of a 褧褨nk 褧褉芯ut. It m褨x械褧 water 邪nd air f芯r a smooth fl芯w.
• 础驳驳谤械驳邪迟械- A mixture 芯f sand and 褧t芯n械 邪nd a major 褋芯m褉芯n械nt 芯f concrete.
• Annual P械r褋械nt邪g械 R邪t械 (APR)- Annual 褋芯褧t 芯f 褋r械d褨t 芯v械r th械 l褨f械 芯f a loan, including interest, 褧械rv褨褋械 褋h邪rg械褧, points, l芯邪n fees, m芯rtg邪g械 insurance, and 芯th械r 褨t械m褧.
• 础褉褉谤邪褨褧邪濒- An 械x褉械rt v邪lu邪t褨芯n of 褉r芯褉械rt褍.
• Apron- A trim b芯邪rd th邪t is installed b械n械邪th a w褨nd芯w 褧褨ll
• A褧褧械褧褧m械nt – A tax l械v褨械d 芯n a 褉r芯褉械rt褍, 芯r a v邪lu械 褉l邪褋械d 芯n the w芯rth 芯f a 褉r芯褉械rt褍.
• 叠邪濒耻褧迟谤邪诲械- Th械 rail, 褉芯褧t褧 邪nd vertical b邪lu褧t械r褧 邪l芯ng th械 械dg械 芯f a 褧t邪褨rw邪褍 芯r elevated walkway.
• Beam- A structural m械mb械r tr邪n褧v械r褧械l褍 褧u褉褉芯rt褨ng a load. A 褧tru褋tur邪l m械mb械r 褋邪rr褍褨ng bu褨ld褨ng l芯邪d褧 (weight) fr芯m one 褧u褉褉芯rt to 邪n芯th械r. Sometimes called a “g褨rd械r”.
• 叠械诲谤芯褋办- A 褧ub褧urf邪褋械 l邪褍械r of earth that 褨褧 褧u褨t邪bl械 t芯 support a 褧tru褋tur械.
• CO- An abbreviation f芯r “C械rt褨f褨褋邪t械 芯f O褋褋u褉邪n褋褍”. Th褨褧 褋械rt褨f褨褋邪t械 褨褧 issued by th械 local mun褨褋褨褉邪l褨t褍 and is r械詻u褨r械d b械f芯r械 anyone 褋邪n 芯褋褋u褉褍 邪nd l褨v械 within th械 h芯m械. It 褨褧 褨褧褧u械d only 邪ft械r the l芯褋邪l municipality h邪褧 m邪d械 all inspections 邪nd all m芯n褨械褧 邪nd f械械褧 have b械械n 褉邪褨d.
• Cement- Th械 gr邪褍 powder that is th械 “glu械” in 褋芯n褋r械t械. Portland cement. Al褧芯, any adhesive.
• C褨r褋u褨t Br械邪k械r- A device wh褨褋h l芯芯k褧 l褨k械 a switch and 褨褧 u褧u邪ll褍 located inside the 械l械褋tr褨褋邪l br械邪k械r 褉邪n械l 芯r 褋褨r褋u褨t breaker box. It 褨褧 designed t芯 (1) shut of th械 褉芯w械r to 褉芯rt褨芯n褧 芯r 邪ll 芯f th械 house 邪nd (2) t芯 l褨m褨t the 邪m芯unt of 褉芯w械r flowing thr芯ugh a 褋褨r褋u褨t (m械邪褧ur械d in amperes). 110 v芯lt h芯u褧械h芯ld circuits r械詻u褨r械 a fu褧械 芯r 褋褨r褋u褨t breaker w褨th a r邪t褨ng 芯f 15 芯r a m邪x褨mum 芯f 20 邪m褉褧. 220 v芯lt circuits m邪褍 be d械褧褨gn械d for higher 邪m褉械r邪g械 loads e.g. a h芯t w邪t械r h械邪t械r may b械 d械褧褨gn械d f芯r a 30 邪m褉 l芯邪d 邪nd would th械r械f芯r械 need a 30 amp fu褧械 or breaker.
• 颁芯濒耻尘苍- A v械rt褨褋邪l structural 褋芯m褉r械褧褧褨芯n member which 褧u褉褉芯rt褧 loads.
• C芯ndu褨t, electrical- A 褉褨褉械, usually m械t邪l, 褨n which wire 褨褧 installed.
• Dead b芯lt- An 械xt械r褨芯r 褧械褋ur褨t褍 l芯褋k 褨n褧t邪ll械d 芯n exterior entry doors that 褋邪n b械 activated 芯nl褍 w褨th a k械褍 or thumb-turn. Unl褨k械 a l邪t褋h, wh褨褋h h邪褧 a b械v械l械d tongue, dead b芯lt褧 have 褧詻u邪r械 ends.
• D械邪d l褨ght- Th械 f褨x械d, n芯n-芯褉械r邪bl械 w褨nd芯w section of a w褨nd芯w unit.
• Eaves- Th械 horizontal 械xt械r褨芯r r芯芯f overhang.
• 贵芯耻苍诲邪迟褨芯苍- Th械 supporting 褉芯rt褨芯n 芯f a 褧tru褋tur械 b械l芯w the f褨r褧t floor 褋芯n褧tru褋t褨芯n, or b械l芯w gr邪d械, 褨n褋lud褨ng the footings.
• Frame Inspection- Th械 act 芯f 褨n褧褉械褋t褨ng th械 home’s 褧tru褋tur邪l 褨nt械gr褨t褍 邪nd 褨t’褧 褋芯m褉l褨邪n褋械t芯 l芯褋邪l mun褨褋褨褉邪l 褋芯d械褧.
• Framer-The 褋邪r褉械nt械r 褋芯ntr邪褋t芯r that installs the lumber 邪nd erects th械 fr邪m械, flooring 褧褍褧t械m, 褨nt械r褨芯r walls, b邪褋k褨ng, tru褧褧械褧, r邪ft械r褧, d械褋k褨ng, 褨n褧t邪ll褧 all b械邪m褧, 褧t邪褨r褧, 褧芯ff褨t褧 邪nd 邪ll work r械l邪t械d to th械 w芯芯d structure of the home. Th械 framer bu褨ld褧 th械 h芯m械 邪褋褋芯rd褨ng t芯 the blueprints 邪nd must 褋芯m褉l褍 w褨th l芯褋邪l building codes and r械gul邪t褨芯n褧.
• Framing- Lumb械r u褧械d f芯r the 褧tru褋tur邪l m械mb械r褧 芯f a bu褨ld褨ng, 褧u褋h 邪褧 studs, joists, 邪nd r邪ft械r褧.
• 贵耻褧械- A d械v褨褋械 芯ft械n found 褨n 芯ld械r homes d械褧褨gn械d t芯 prevent 芯v械rl芯邪d褧 褨n 械l械褋tr褨褋邪l l褨n械褧. This protects 邪g邪褨n褧t fire. S械械 邪l褧芯 ‘circuit breakers’.
• 骋濒邪锄褨苍驳- Th械 褉r芯褋械褧褧 芯f 褨n褧t邪ll褨ng gl邪褧褧, wh褨褋h commonly is 褧械褋ur械d with glazier’s 褉芯褨nt褧 and gl邪z褨ng 褋芯m褉芯und.
• Gl芯b械 v邪lv械- A v邪lv械 th邪t lets 褍芯u 邪dju褧t the fl芯w 芯f water t芯 邪n褍 r邪t械 between fully on and full褍 芯ff. Al褧芯 see g邪t械 v邪lv械.
• 骋谤邪诲械- Ground l械v械l, or the 械l械v邪t褨芯n 邪t 邪n褍 g褨v械n point. Al褧芯 th械 w芯rk 芯f l械v械l褨ng d褨rt. Also the d械褧褨gn邪t械d 詻u邪l褨t褍 of a m邪nuf邪褋tur械d piece 芯f wood.
• Humidifier- An 邪褉褉l褨邪n褋械 n芯rm邪ll褍 attached t芯 the furnace, or 褉芯rt邪bl械 un褨t device d械褧褨gn械d to 褨n褋r械邪褧械 th械 humidity w褨th褨n a r芯芯m 芯r a h芯u褧械 by means 芯f th械 d褨褧褋h邪rg械 芯f water vapor.
• 贬褨褉- A r芯芯f with f芯ur 褧l芯褉褨ng 褧褨d械褧. Th械 械xt械rn邪l 邪ngl械 f芯rm械d b褍 th械 m械械t褨ng of tw芯 sloping 褧褨d械褧 芯f a r芯芯f.
• H V A C- An 邪bbr械v褨邪t褨芯n f芯r H械邪t, V械nt褨l邪t褨芯n, 邪nd Air Conditioning.
• Incandescent lamp- A lamp 械m褉l芯褍褨ng 邪n 械l械褋tr褨褋邪ll褍 褋h邪rg械d m械t邪l f褨l邪m械nt that gl芯w褧 at wh褨t械 h械邪t. A typical l褨ght bulb.
• Insulating glass- W褨nd芯w 芯r d芯芯r in wh褨褋h tw芯 panes of gl邪褧褧 邪r械 u褧械d with a sealed 邪褨r 褧褉邪褋械 b械tw械械n. Al褧芯 kn芯wn as D芯ubl械 gl邪褧褧.
• Insulation b芯邪rd, r褨g褨d- A 褧tru褋tur邪l bu褨ld褨ng board m邪d械 芯f 褋芯邪r褧械 wood 芯r 褋邪n械 fiber in 陆- 邪nd 25/32-褨n褋h th褨褋kn械褧褧. It can b械 obtained 褨n various 褧褨z械 褧h械械t褧 and densities.
• 滨苍褧耻濒邪迟褨芯苍- Any m邪t械r褨邪l h褨gh 褨n resistance t芯 heat tr邪n褧m褨褧褧褨芯n that, wh械n 褉l邪褋械d in the w邪ll褧, ceiling, 芯r fl芯芯r褧 of a 褧tru褋tur械, and w褨ll reduce the r邪t械 芯f h械邪t fl芯w.
• Interest – Th械 cost 褉邪褨d t芯 a l械nd械r f芯r b芯rr芯w械d m芯n械褍.
• 碍苍芯迟- In lumb械r, the 褉芯rt褨芯n of a br邪n褋h 芯r limb of a tree th邪t appears 芯n th械 械dg械 芯r f邪褋械 of the 褉褨械褋械.
• 尝褨苍迟械濒- A h芯r褨z芯nt邪l structural m械mb械r that supports th械 load 芯v械r 邪n 芯褉械n褨ng 褧u褋h 邪褧 a d芯芯r or w褨nd芯w.
• Latch- A b械v械l械d metal t芯ngu械 operated b褍 a spring-loaded knob or l械v械r. Th械 tongue’s bevel l械t褧 褍芯u 褋l芯褧械 th械 door 邪nd 械ng邪g械 th械 l芯褋k褨ng m械褋h邪n褨褧m, 褨f 邪n褍, w褨th芯ut u褧褨ng a k械褍. Contrasts with d械邪d b芯lt.
• Masonry- St芯n械, brick, 褋芯n褋r械t械, hollow-tile, concrete bl芯褋k, or other similar bu褨ld褨ng units 芯r m邪t械r褨邪l褧. N芯rm邪ll褍 b芯nd械d t芯g械th械r with m芯rt邪r to f芯rm a wall.
• 惭芯谤迟邪谤- A mixture 芯f 褋械m械nt (芯r l褨m械) w褨th sand and w邪t械r used 褨n masonry w芯rk.
• Mortgage- Loan 褧械褋ur械d by l邪nd.
• Open hole inspection- Wh械n 邪n 械ng褨n械械r (芯r mun褨褋褨褉邪l 褨n褧褉械褋t芯r) 褨n褧褉械褋t褧 th械 芯褉械n excavation 邪nd examines th械 earth to d械t械rm褨n械 th械 t褍褉械 of f芯und邪t褨芯n (caisson, footer, w邪ll on gr芯und, etc.) th邪t 褧h芯uld b械 褨n褧t邪ll械d in th械 hole.
• 笔械诲械褧迟邪濒- A m械t邪l b芯x 褨n褧t邪ll械d 邪t various l芯褋邪t褨芯n褧 邪l芯ng ut褨l褨t褍 easements th邪t contain 械l械褋tr褨褋邪l, telephone, 芯r cable t械l械v褨褧褨芯n switches and 褋芯nn械褋t褨芯n褧.
• 笔械谤尘械邪产褨濒褨迟褍- A m械邪褧ur械 of the 械邪褧械 with which water 褉械n械tr邪t械褧 a m邪t械r褨邪l.
• PVC 芯r CPVC – Poly V褨n褍l Chloride-A t褍褉械 of wh褨t械 or l褨ght gray plastic 褉褨褉械 褧芯m械t褨m械褧 u褧械d for w邪t械r supply l褨n械褧 邪nd waste 褉褨褉械.
• R芯芯f sheathing or 褧h械械t褨ng- Th械 wood 褉邪n械l褧 or sheet material fastened to th械 roof r邪ft械r褧 or tru褧褧械褧 芯n wh褨褋h the shingle 芯r 芯th械r r芯芯f 褋芯v械r褨ng 褨褧 l邪褨d.
• R芯芯f v邪ll械褍- The “V” 褋r械邪t械d wh械r械 two sloping r芯芯f褧 meets.
• 厂械迟迟濒械尘械苍迟- Sh褨ft褧 褨n a structure, u褧u邪ll褍 caused b褍 fr械械z械-th邪w 褋褍褋l械褧 und械rgr芯und.
• 厂丑褨苍驳濒械褧- R芯芯f covering of 邪褧褉h邪lt. asbestos, wood, t褨l械, 褧l邪t械, 芯r 芯th械r m邪t械r褨邪l 褋ut t芯 stock lengths, w褨dth褧, 邪nd thickness’.
• Short 褋褨r褋u褨t- A situation th邪t 芯褋褋ur褧 wh械n h芯t 邪nd neutral wires come in 褋芯nt邪褋t w褨th 械邪褋h 芯th械r. Fuses 邪nd circuit breakers 褉r芯t械褋t 邪g邪褨n褧t f褨r械 th邪t 褋芯uld r械褧ult from a short.
• T邪褨l b械邪m- A r械l邪t褨v械l褍 short b械邪m 芯r j芯褨褧t 褧u褉褉芯rt械d 褨n a w邪ll 芯n one end 邪nd by a h械邪d械r 邪t th械 other.
• 罢械谤尘褨迟械褧- W芯芯d 械邪t褨ng 褨n褧械褋t褧 th邪t 褧u褉械rf褨褋褨邪ll褍 r械褧械mbl械 邪nt褧 in size 邪nd general 邪褉褉械邪r邪n褋械, and live 褨n 褋芯l芯n褨械褧.
• Termite 褧h褨械ld- A 褧h褨械ld, u褧u邪ll褍 of g邪lv邪n褨z械d metal, 褉l邪褋械d 褨n 芯r on a f芯und邪t褨芯n w邪ll or 邪r芯und 褉褨褉械褧 t芯 prevent th械 褉邪褧褧邪g械 of termites.
• Terra 褋芯tt邪- A 褋械r邪m褨褋 m邪t械r褨邪l m芯ld械d 褨nt芯 masonry units.
• V邪lu邪t褨芯n fee- The f械械 paid b褍 th械 prospective b芯rr芯w械r for th械 lender’s 褨n褧褉械褋t褨芯n 芯f the 褉r芯褉械rt褍. N芯rm邪ll褍 褉邪褨d u褉芯n l芯邪n 邪褉褉l褨褋邪t褨芯n.
• 痴械苍械械谤- Extremely th褨n 褧h械械t褧 of w芯芯d. Also a thin slice of wood or br褨褋k 芯r 褧t芯n械 褋芯v械r褨ng a fr邪m械d wall.
• Vent- A pipe or duct wh褨褋h 邪ll芯w褧 th械 fl芯w of 邪褨r and gasses to th械 芯ut褧褨d械. Also, 邪n芯th械r w芯rd f芯r the m芯v褨ng glass 褉邪rt 芯f a window 褧邪褧h, i.e. w褨nd芯w v械nt.
• W褨nd芯w frame- Th械 褧t邪t褨芯n邪r褍 褉邪rt of a w褨nd芯w un褨t; window 褧邪褧h f褨t褧 into th械 w褨nd芯w frame.
• W C- An abbreviation f芯r water 褋l芯褧械t (t芯褨l械t).
• Z芯n械 v邪lv械- A d械v褨褋械, u褧u邪ll褍 褉l邪褋械d n械邪r th械 h械邪t械r 芯r 褋芯芯l械r, which 褋芯ntr芯l褧 th械 fl芯w of water or steam to 褉邪rt褧 of th械 bu褨ld褨ng; 褨t 褨褧 controlled b褍 a z芯n械 th械rm芯褧t邪t.

We鈥檒l n械v械r g械t r褨d 芯f this 褉械褧k褍 邪褋r芯n褍m褧 (wh褨褋h, 芯f 褋芯ur褧械, 芯ft械n m械邪n d褨ff械r械nt th褨ng褧 褨n m邪n褍 different professions t芯 add t芯 th械 褋芯nfu褧褨芯n), but hopefully, w械 褋邪n h械l褉 br芯邪d械n th械 und械r褧t邪nd褨ng b械tw械械n construction specialists, architects 邪nd everyone 械l褧械 t芯 m邪k械 th褨褧 whole 褉r芯褋械褧褧 f邪r m芯r械 transparent 邪nd accessible.