| Vocabulary |
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| Definition |
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| Atrium |
Open court or garden within a building |
| Attic |
The space between the roof and the ceiling of a house |
| Balcony |
Porch that is suspended from the upper level of a structure |
| Baseboard |
The finish board covering the interior wall where the wall and the floor meet |
| Bay Window |
A window projecting out from the wall to form a recess in the room |
| Beam |
A horizontal structural member that carries a load |
| Bracing |
Framing members attached at an angle to make walls more rigid |
| Building Envelope |
The area in which a structure may be placed on a piece of property, usually determined by the setbacks |
| Change Orders |
Requests for alterations or modifications in a building under construction |
| Building Codes |
Laws that ensure that minimum building standards are met which provide safety for the public |
| Column |
Vertical supporting member |
| Contour Lines |
On maps or Site Plans showing terrain, lines connect points at the same elevation |
| Dead Load |
Weight of a building materials and permanently installed components ona structure |
| Deck |
Open, elevated platform attached to a house that makes outdoor living spaces more usuable |
| Dormer |
Structure projecting from a sloping roof to accomodate a window, commonly used with 1-1/2 story houses |
| Double Header |
Two or more timbers joined together for added strength (ex. Girder) |
| Easements |
Right-of-ways across private land, such as utility lines |
| Eave |
Part of a roof that projects over the outer wall |
| Elevations |
Drawings that reveal the vertical dimensions, building materials, and the over all design of the structure. |
| Facade |
Exterior face of a building |
| Fascia |
Vertical board nailed to the ends of the rafters or roof truss at the eave line |
| Fixtures |
Permanent items connected to plumbing, such as a lavatory, water closet, bathtub, or shower |
| Flashing |
Covering used over a roof joint to provide complete waterproofing, most commonly a thin sheet of metal around a chimney. |
| Floor Plans |
Drawing showing locations, sizes,materials, and components contained in the interior design of a house. |
| Flue |
Opening ina chimney through which the smoke passes |
| Footings |
Base of a foundation wall that evenly distributes the weight into the soil |
| Foundation |
Lowest structural component of a building upon which all other memebrs rest |
| Sills |
Wood members that are fastened to the top of foundation walls as a base for attaching the flooring system |
| Foyer |
Inside entrance area at the front of the house |
| Gable |
The triangular end of an exterior wall just above the eaves |
| Gable Roof |
Most common roof type due to it's adaptability, slope in two directions |
| Ground Line |
Reference point on an elevation drawing representing ground level |
| Gutter |
A trough for carrying water off the roof |
| Half-Bath |
Bathroom that contains only a lavatory and a water closet |
| Header |
One or more pieces of lumber supporting ends of joists |
| Hip Roof |
Roof with four sloping sides |
| Jamb |
Sides of a doorway or window opening |
| Joist |
Horizontal structural member that supports a floor or ceiling |
| Lanai |
Covered exterior patio or walkway, Hawaiian word for "porch" |
| Landings |
Points at which stairs change directions |
| Cripple |
Studs that are less than full length that commonly are used above and below window openings |
| Trimmers |
Vertical members added to each side of the window fram to support the header |
| Lavatory |
Bathroom washbasin or sink |
| Live Load |
Force on a building that includes the weight of all non-permanent movable objects, such as people, furniture, snow and wind. |
| Masonry |
Stone, brick, tiles, or concrete |
| Mortar |
Mixture of cement, sand, and water; used to bond bricks and stone. |
| Mortar joint |
commonly 3/8", but no more than 1/2" |
| Overhang |
Portion of a roof that projects beyond the outer walls |
| Partition |
Non-Load bearing wall that separates a living space into rooms |
| Patio |
Open area adjacent or directly accessible to the house, commonly used for entertaining |
| Pitch |
Angle between a roofs surface and the horizontal plane, ratio of the rise to run |
| Plat |
Map or chart of an area showing boundaries of lots and other parcels of property |
| Plot Plan |
Used to show the size and shape of a piece of property, location and size of buildings, walks, drives, pools, etc. |
| Porch |
Covered platform leading into the entrance of a building and which may be enclosed by glass, screens, posts, and railings |
| Rafter |
A structural member used to frame a roof |
| Ridge Line |
Line formed by the roof on an elevation drawing |
| Riser |
Vertical part of a stair - Max. 8" |
| Schedule |
Detailed lists that contain needed information, such as size and type of windows and doors |
| Setbacks |
Minimum distances that structures must be located from adjacent property lines as stated in the zoning laws |
| Slab Foundation |
Foundation made of reinforced concrete poured as a single slab or in several sections, usually 4"-6" thick reinforced with wire mesh |
| Soffit |
Underside of an overhang, such as the edge of a roof. Generally has attic ventilation installed underneath. |
| Span |
Full distance between outer walls supporting the roof |
| Slope |
Ratio of the rise to the run of a roof |
| Stress |
Any force acting upon a part or member of a structure |
| Stud |
Upright beam in framework of a building, usually called a "2X4" and spaced at 16" from center to center |
| Survey |
Drawing showing the exact size, shape, and levels of a piece of property. A legal document that establishes property rights |
| T-Foundations |
Combinations of footingsand foundation walls that form an inverted-T |
| Truss |
Prefabricated, triangular shaped unit used to support roof loads over a long span |
| Veranda |
Large porch extending around several sides of the home |
| Water Closet |
Toliet fixture |
| Work triangle |
Area connecting the three main centers of a kitchen |
| 3 Main Centers of a Kitchen |
Cleaning, Cooking, and Storage |
| Zoning Ordinance |
Law or regulation defining the type of structure that can be built in a certain area in order to provide safety and convienence for the public |
| 3 Main Zones in most areas |
Residential, Commercial, Industrial |
