Building Glossary
Continued
Construction drywall - A type of construction in which the interior wall finish is applied in a dry condition, generally in the form of sheet materials or wood panelling.
Damp Proof Course - Any course of impermeable material – usually made from plastic or bitumen - placed in a vertical or horizontal position in the foundation walls, near to the ground, which prevents the upwards or sideways progression of damp through the wall.
Dead Walling/Deadwork - Any building work carried out wholly or partly below ground level and whose only purpose is to adjust for sloping ground under the building
Dumpy Level - Used on a tripod this instrument takes comparative levels of ground or parts of buildings.
Eaves - The horizontal exterior roof overhang at the lower edge of a roof.
Estimate – A rough evaluation of the amount of labour, materials, and other costs that a building contractor anticipates for the building project
Flashing – This building term refers to material used in building construction to provide the building with protection from water seepage.
Foundation - The supporting portion of a structure below the first floor construction
Handling Costs - These costs refer to the costs incurred in transporting
goods or labour to the building site. Handling costs are often quoted on the
invoice as a part of costs incurred.
Headlap - The distance a slate overlaps the next lower slate or tile.
Joist - Any beams set parallel from wall to wall or across girders which
support a floor or ceiling
Mortar - A mixture of cement with sand and water used in masonry work
Joist hanger - Used to support the end of a floor joist a joist hanger is made of metal and "U" shaped.
Non-bearing wall - A wall which just supports its own weight
