jml
Property Services
Fact
File
Building Terms used in the
Property market in the UK
You
receive a builders estimate or surveyors report and if you
have never purchased, extended, built a property before, some
of the descriptions can be confusing. Listed below is an
alphabetical list used in the UK buildings industry. Some of
these of course will be found at the local DIY store when you
decide to carry out some improvements yourself.
Aggregate:
Pebbles, shingle, gravel etc. used in the manufacture of
concrete, and in the construction of "soakaways".
Airbrick:
Perforated brick used for ventilation, especially to floor
voids (beneath timber floors) and roof spaces.
Architrave:
Joinery moulding around window or doorway.
Asbestos:
Fibrous mineral used in the past for insulation. Can be
a health hazard specialist advice should be sought if asbestos
(especially blue asbestos) is found.
Asbestos
Cement: Cement with 10-15% asbestos fibre as
reinforcement. Fragile will not bear heavy weights. Hazardous
fibres may be released if cut or drilled.
Ashlar:
Finely dressed natural stone: the best grade of masonry.
Asphalt:
Black, tar-like substance, strongly adhesive and impervious to
moisture. Used on flat roofs and floors.
Barge
Board: (See Verge Board)
Balanced
Flue: Common metal device normally serving gas
appliances which allows air to be drawn to the appliance
whilst also allowing fumes to escape.
Beetle
Infestation: (Wood boring insects: woodworm) Larvae
of various species of beetle which tunnel into timber causing
damage. Specialist treatment normally required. Can also
affect furniture.
Benching:
Smoothly contoured concrete slope beside drainage channel
within an inspection chamber. Also known as Haunching.
Bitumen:
Black, sticky substance, related to asphalt. Used in sealants,
mineral felts and damp-proof courses.
Breeze
Block: Originally made from cinders
("breeze") the term now commonly used to refer to
various types of concrete and cement building blocks
Carbonation:
A natural process affecting the outer layer of concrete. Metal
reinforcement within that layer is liable to early corrosion,
with consequent fracturing of the concrete.
Cavity
Wall: Standard modern method of building external
walls of houses comprising two leaves of brick or blockwork
separated by a gap ("cavity") of about 50mm (2
inches).
Cavity
Wall Insulation: Filling of wall cavities by one of
various forms of insulation material - Beads: Polystyrene
beads pumped into the cavities. Will easily fall out if the
wall is broken open for any reason - Foam: Urea formaldehyde
form, mixed on site, and pumped into the cavities where it
sets. Can lead to problems of dampness and make replacement of
wall-ties more difficult - Rockwool: Inert mineral fibre
pumped into the cavity.
Cavity
Wall - Tie: Metal device bedded into the inner and
outer leaves of cavity walls to strengthen the wall. Failure
by corrosion can result in the wall becoming unstable
specialist replacement ties are then required.
Cesspool:
A simple method of drain comprising a holding tank that needs
frequent emptying. Not to be confused with Septic Tank.
Chipboard:
Also referred to as "particle board". Chips of wood
compressed and glued into sheet form. Cheap method of decking
to flat roofs, floors and (with Formica or melamine surface)
furniture, especially kitchen units.
Collar:
Horizontal timber member intended to restrain opposing
roof slopes. Absence, removal or weakening can lead to Roof
Spread.
Combination
Boiler: Modern form of gas boiler which activates
on demand. With this form of boiler there is no need for water
storage tanks, hot water cylinders etc and generally the
pressure is much better for showers.
Condensation:
Occurs when warm moist air meets a cold surface. The water in
the air then either settles as water droplets on the surface
(as it does on windows for example),or if the surface is
absorbent, it soaks into the surface. In the latter case
condensation is often not noticed unless or until mould
appears. (See also Ventilation)
Coping
/ Coping Stone: Usually stone or concrete, laid on
top of a wall as a decorative finish and to stop rainwater
soaking into the wall.
Corbell:
Projection of stone, brick, timber or metal jutting out from a
wall to support a weight.
Cornice:
Ornamental moulded projection around the top of a building or
around the wall of a room just below the ceiling.
Coving:
Curved junction between wall and ceiling or (rarely) between
ceiling and floor.
Dado
Rail: Wooden moulding fixed horizontally to a wall,
aprroximately 1 metre above the floor, originally intended to
protect the wall against damage by chair-backs now very much a
decorative feature.
Damp
Proof Course: (DPC) Course Layer of impervious
material (mineral felt, pvc etc) incorporated into a wall to
prevent dampness rising up the wall or lateral dampness around
windows, doors etc. Various proprietary methods are available
for damp proofing existing walls including
"electro-osmosis" and chemical injection.
Deathwatch
Beetle: (Xestobium Refovillosum) Serious
insect pest in structural timbers, usually affects old
hardwoods with fungal decay already present.
Double
Glazing: A method of thermal insulation usually
either: Sealed unit: Two panes of glass fixed and hermetically
sealed together; or Secondary: In effect a second
"window" placed inside the original window.
Downpipes:
Drainage pipes from guttering.
Dry
Rot:(Serpula Lacrymans.) A fungus that attacks
structural and joinery timbers, often with devastating
results. Can flourish in moist, unventilated areas. Not to be
confused with wet rot.
Eaves:
The overhanging edge of a roof.
Efflorescence:
Salts crystallised on the surface of a wall as a result of
moisture evaporation.
Engineering
Brick: Particularly strong and dense type of brick,
sometimes used as damp-proof course.
Fibreboard:
Cheap, lightweight board material of little strength, used in
ceilings or as insulation to attics.
Flashing:
Building technique used to prevent leakage at a roof joint.
Normally metal (lead, zinc, copper) but can be cement, felt or
proprietary material.
Flaunching:
Contoured cement around the base of chimney pots, to
secure the pot and to throw off rain.
Flue:
A smoke duct in a chimney, or a proprietary pipe serving a
heat-producing appliance such as a central heating boiler.
Flue
Lining: Metal (usually stainless steel) tube within
a flue essential for high output gas appliances such as
boilers. May also be manufactured from clay and built into the
flue.
Foundations:
Normally concrete, laid underground as a structural base to a
wall - in older buildings may be brick or stone.
Frog:
A depression imprinted in the upper surface of a brick, to
save clay, reduce weight and increase the strength of the
wall. Bricks should always be laid frog uppermost.
Fused
Spur: Power socket that does not have a plug going
into it, instead the cable from an appliance like a fridge,
radiator, burglar alarm etc and has a fuse socket built into
it.
Gable:
Upper section of a wall, usually triangular in shape,
at either end of a ridged roof. - Gable end.
Gang:
Referred to for 13amp power pints 1 gang = 1 single socket 2
gang = 1 double socket.
Ground
Heave: Swelling of clay sub-soil due to absorption
of moisture: can cause an upward movement in foundations.
Gully:
An opening into a drain, normally at ground level, placed to
receive water etc. from downpipes and wastepipes. Haunching: See
Benching.It is also a term used to describe the support to
a drain underground.
Hip:
The external junction between two intersecting roof
slopes.
Inspection
Chamber: Commonly called a man hole. Access point
to a drain comprising a chamber (of brick, concrete or
plastic) with the drainage channel at its base and a removable
cover at ground level.
Jamb:
Side part of a doorway or window.
Joist:
Horizontal structural timber used in flat roof, ceiling
and floor construction. Occasionally also metal.
Landslip:
Downhill movement of unstable earth, clay, rock etc. often
following prolonged heavy rain or coastal erosion, but
sometimes due entirely to sub-soil having little cohesive
integrity.
Lath:
Thin strip of wood used in the fixing of roof tiles or
slates, or as a backing to plaster. Lath and plaster walls
were very common in houses from late 1800,s to 1950's
Lintel:
Horizontal structural beam of timber, stone, steel or concrete
placed over window or door openings.
LPG:
Liquid Petroleum Gas or Propane. Available to serve gas
appliances in areas without mains gas. Requires a storage
tank.
Man
Hole: - See Inspection Chamber
Mortar:
Mixture of sand, cement, lime and water, used to join stones
or bricks.
Mullion:
Vertical bar dividing individual lights in a window.
Newel:
Stout post supporting a staircase handrail at top and
bottom. Also, the central pillar of a winding or spiral
staircase.
Oversite:
Rough concrete below timber ground floors: the level of the
oversite should be above external ground level.
Parapet:
Low wall along the edge of a flat roof, balcony etc.
Pier:
A vertical column of brickwork or other material, used to
strengthen the wall or to support a weight.
Plasterboard:
Stiff "sandwich" of plaster between coarse paper.
Now in widespread use for ceilings and walls.
Pointing:
Smooth outer edge of mortar joint between bricks, stones
etc.
Powder
Post Beetle: (Bostrychidae or Lyctidae family of
beetles) A relatively uncommon pest that can, if
untreated, cause widespread damage to structural timbers.
Purlin:
Horizontal beam in a roof upon which rafters rest. Quoin: The
external angle of a building; or, specifically, bricks or
stone blocks forming that angle.
Rafter:
A sloping roof beam, usually timber, forming the carcass of a
roof. Random Rubble: Primitive method of stone wall
construction with no attempt at bonding or coursing.
Rendering:
Vertical covering of a wall either plaster (internally) or
cement (externally), sometimes with pebbledash, stucco or
Tyrolean textured finish.
Reveals:
The side faces of a window or door opening. Ridge: The apex of
a roof.
Riser:
The vertical part of a step or stair.
Rising
Damp: Moisture soaking up a wall from below ground,
by capillary action causing rot in timbers, plaster decay,
decoration failure etc.
Roof
Spread: Outward bowing of a wall caused by the
thrust of a badly restrained roof carcass (see Collar).
Screed:
Final, smooth finish of a solid floor, usually cement,
concrete or asphalt.
Septic
Tank: Tank Drain installation whereby sewage
decomposes through bacteriological action, which can be slowed
down or stopped altogether by the use of chemicals such as
bleach, biological washing powders etc. Not to be confused
with Cesspool.
Settlement:
General disturbance in a structure showing as
distortion in walls etc., possibly a result of major
structural failure, very dry weather conditions etc. Sometimes
of little current significance. (See also Subsidence)
Shakes:
Naturally occurring cracks in timber; in building
timbers, shakes can appear quite dramatic, but strength is not
always impaired.
Shingles:
Small rectangular slabs of wood used on roofs instead of
tiles, slates etc.
Soakaway:
Arrangement for disposal of rainwater, utilising graded
aggregate laid below ground.
Soaker:
Sheet metal (usually lead, copper or zinc) at the junction of
a roof with a vertical surface of a chimneystack, adjoining
wall etc. Associated with flashings that should overlay
soakers.
Soffit:
The under-surface of eaves, balcony, arch etc. Solid
Fuel: Heating fuel, normally coal, coke or one of a variety of
proprietary fuels.
Spandrel:
Space above and to the sides of an arch; also the space below
a staircase.
Stud
Partition: Lightweight, sometimes non-load bearing
wall construction comprising a framework of timber faced with
plaster, plasterboard or other finish.
Subsidence:
Ground movement, generally downward, possible a result
of mining activities or clay shrinkage.
Sub-soil:
Soil lying immediately below the topsoil, upon which
foundations usually bear.
Sulphate
Attack: Chemical reaction activated by water,
between tricalcium aluminate and soluble sulphates. Can cause
deterioration in brick walls and concrete floors.
Tie
Bar: Heavy metal bar passing through a wall, or
walls, to brace a structure suffering from structural
instability.
Torching:
Mortar applied on the underside of roof tiles or slates to
help prevent moisture penetration. Not necessary when a roof
is underdrawn with felt.
Transom:
Horizontal part of a step or stair.
Tread:
The horizontal part of a step or stair.
Trussed
Rafters: Method of roof construction utilising
prefabricated triangular framework of timbers. Now widely used
in domestic construction.
Underpinning:
Method strengthening weak foundations whereby a new,
stronger foundation is placed beneath the original.
Valley
Gutter: Horizontal or sloping gutter, usually
lead-or-tile-lined, at the internal intersection between two
roof slopes.
Ventilation:
Necessary in all buildings to disperse moisture resulting from
bathing, cooking, breathing etc. and to assist in prevention
of condensation. Floors -necessary to avoid rot, especially
Dry Rot; achieved by airbricks near to ground level. Roofs -
necessary to disperse condensation within roof spaces;
achieved either by airbricks in gables or ducts at the eaves. (see
Condensation)
Verge:
The edge of a roof, especially over a gable.
Verge
Board: Timber, sometimes decorative plastic
material, placed at the verge of a roof: also known as
bargeboard.
Wainscot:
Wood panelling or boarding on the lower part of an internal
wall.
Wall
Plate: Timber placed at the eaves of a roof, to
take the weight of the roof timbers.
Wastepipe:
Drainage pipe for baths, basins, wc's.
Wet
Rot: (Coniophora Puteana) Decay of timber due to
damp conditions. Not to be confused with the more serious Dry
Rot.
Woodworm:
Colloquial term for beetle infestation: usually intended to
mean Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium Punctatum): by
far the most frequently encountered insect attack in
structural and joinery timbers.
The
above has been compiled to assist people with rental terminology.
We advise that this information is for guidance only and cannot
be relied on for accuracy and that you should consult a qualified
legal representative if you require full explanation. © jml
Property Services June 2005
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