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Contractor language, translated
Contractors talk in shorthand — this glossary translates the 31 terms you'll meet most in quotes and contracts, grouped by trade. Definitions explain what's being said, not what to choose. Words like underlayment mean different materials in different trades; check the tag on each term. This is a reading aid, not advice on your project — the $75 written opinion is where your specifics get answered.
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Kitchen & Bath
The allowance, rough-in, and wet-area words that decide what a remodel really costs.
- Allowance
- A placeholder amount inside a quote for an item you haven't picked yet (e.g. tile, fixtures). The quote assumes you'll spend up to that figure; anything beyond it costs extra.
- GroutKitchen & BathFlooring
- The filler between tiles. Quotes may specify cement-based or epoxy grout.
- P-trapPlumbing
- The curved pipe section under sinks and drains that holds water to block sewer gases from entering the home.
- Rough-inPlumbingKitchen & Bath
- The first phase of plumbing or electrical work: pipes and wires run before walls close, with no fixtures installed yet.
- Shutoff valvePlumbing
- A valve that stops water flow to a fixture or section of pipe. Quotes may list adding accessible shutoffs.
- Waterproofing membraneKitchen & Bath
- A water-resistant layer applied behind tile in showers and wet areas, beneath the surface you see.
Roofing & Gutters
The layers-above-your-head words: what sheds water, what backs it up, and how roof area gets measured.
Underlayment also means the layer under finished floors — same word, different material.
- Drip edgeRoofing & Gutters
- Metal flashing along roof edges that directs water into the gutters and away from the underlying structure.
- FasciaExterior & SidingRoofing & Gutters
- The flat board covering the ends of roof rafters, behind the gutter. Gutter and eave quotes often mention it.
- FlashingRoofing & GuttersExterior & Siding
- Thin metal (sometimes membrane) installed where surfaces meet — chimneys, walls, valleys — to route water away from seams.
- Square (roofing)Roofing & Gutters
- A unit of roof area equal to 100 square feet. Roofing material quantities are often stated in squares.
- UnderlaymentRoofing & GuttersFlooring
- A layer installed beneath the visible surface: beneath shingles on a roof, or beneath finished flooring. Different trades mean different materials by this word.
HVAC
The sizing and efficiency words that tell you whether two systems are actually comparable.
- Condensate lineHVACPlumbing
- The drain pipe that carries moisture collected by an air conditioner or high-efficiency furnace. Quotes may list running, rerouting, or adding one.
- SEER2 ratingHVAC
- The current efficiency rating system for air conditioners and heat pumps. Higher numbers mean more cooling per unit of electricity under test conditions.
- TonnageHVAC
- A unit of cooling capacity (one ton equals 12,000 BTU per hour). It describes system size, not weight.
General / all trades
Words every trade uses: contracts, codes, permits, structure, and finishing.
- AFCI breakerElectrical
- A circuit breaker designed to detect dangerous arcing in wiring. You'll see it listed on panel or rewiring quotes.
- CasingFinish Carpentry
- The trim around doors and windows. Quotes list it by material and profile.
- Change order
- A written amendment to a signed contract describing extra or changed work. It typically adds cost, time, or both.
- Code minimum
- The lowest standard your local building code allows. Meeting code means legal; it doesn't necessarily mean best practice.
- Dedicated circuitElectrical
- A circuit serving a single appliance or outlet, required for equipment that draws significant power.
- FootingFoundations & Masonry
- The widened base below a foundation wall or column that spreads the structure's weight onto the soil.
- French drainFoundations & Masonry
- A gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that collects and redirects groundwater away from a foundation.
- GFCI outletElectrical
- An outlet that shuts off power when it detects current leaking to ground. Standard in kitchens, baths, garages, and outdoors.
- House wrapExterior & Siding
- A breathable sheet installed over exterior sheathing and under siding to resist water while letting vapor escape.
- Load-bearing wallFraming
- A wall that carries weight from above (floors, roof) down to the foundation. Removing or opening one requires structural support.
- Miter jointFinish Carpentry
- A joint where two trim pieces meet at an angle, typically 45 degrees, common in casing and crown molding.
- Panel (breaker panel)Electrical
- The box housing your home's circuit breakers. Quotes reference it when circuits are added, moved, or upgraded.
- Permit
- Official approval from your local building department to perform regulated work. Some trades and project types require one; some don't.
- Punch list
- The list of small unfinished or fix-up items reviewed at the end of a project before final sign-off.
- SpanFraming
- The distance a beam, joist, or rafter covers between supports. Longer spans need larger or stronger members.
- StudFraming
- A vertical framing member inside a wall. Quotes mention studs when walls are opened, moved, or repaired.
- SubfloorFlooringFraming
- The structural layer beneath your finished floor. Flooring quotes may list repairing or replacing sections of it.