Terms Used in Home Improvements, Home Construction, and Home Remodeling.
For Our Client’s Convenience.
Terms used in Aging in Place & Special Needs Remodeling, Basement Remodeling A Brand New Look at an Old Option, Design and Build Home Remodeling, Foundation Service, Green Building & Sustainability, Kitchen And Bath Remodeling, Structural Repair, Total Home Remodeling, and Egress Windows.
A/C
An abbreviation for air conditioner or air conditioning.
A/C Condenser
The outer fan device of the Air Conditioning system. It removes the heat from the R32 gas and “turns” the gas back into a liquid and pumps the liquid back to the coil in the furnace.
Acoustics
Do you hear what I hear? In construction, acoustical materials are used to keep down noise within a room or to prevent it from passing through walls.
Activity
The smallest work unit within a project; is the basic building block of a project.
ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act gives civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.
Addendum
(Addenda) Written information adding to, clarifying, or modifying the bidding documents. An addendum is generally issued by the owner to the contractor during the bidding process and as such, addenda are intended to become part of the contract documents when the construction contract is executed.
Agent
One authorized by a client (principal) to act in his/her stead or behalf and owes the client a “fiduciary duty” (Trust). Example: Construction Manager for fee but classified as an independent contractor for tax purposes. A construction manager for a fee does not have any financial responsibility whereas a construction manager at risk does have financial risk similar to a general contractor.
Aggregate
A mixture of sand and stone and a major component of concrete.
Agreement
An arrangement between the parties regarding a method of action.
Allowance(s)
A sum of money set aside in the construction contract for items that have not been selected and specified in the construction contract. For example, the selection of tile as flooring may require an allowance for an underlayment material or an electrical allowance which sets aside an amount of money to be spent on electrical fixtures.
