If you aren’t a construction industry professional, the terms used on building sites might sound like a foreign language. Builders and building designers have their own insider dictionary of acronyms, slang, and industry-specific terms. A good builder should use layman’s terms when communicating with clients who aren’t in the building industry, but being familiar some of these terms will help you understand your plans and what is happening on your project.
Below is a list of some commonly used building industry terms and acronyms. Keep in mind that these terms can sometimes vary in use from country to country, state to state, and even from one builder to another.
An adjustable strut used to provide temporary support to a beam, framing, or other building element.
Australian Height Datum. Official national vertical datum for Australia. The benchmark used by surveyors for height measurements.
Asset Protection Zone. A buffer zone between a bushfire hazard and a building or structure. To make a very long explanation short, it’s not usually acceptable to build a house in an Asset Protection Zone. Check out the NSW RFS website for all the details.
Trim installed around windows and doors.
A window that is hinged at the top, opening outwards from the bottom. Visit our friends at Wideline Windows for more details on the full range of windows options available.
Partially backfilled trench with orange tape to warn future homeowners of electrical buried beneath
Soil, fill, aggregate, or other suitable material placed into an excavation. Most commonly, backfilling will take place after pipes or conduits are laid in a trench. Backfill is also placed behind retaining walls.
A textured finish applied to brickwork or masonry, so the surface has an interesting and unique texture. This finish is then painted. The texture of the underlying brick or masonry may show through slightly. “Bagging” was traditionally done with a hessian bag, but these days we use acrylic bag and paint applied with a mitt to provide a stronger bond to the brickwork.
Custom balustrade protects against falls from this balcony.
Balustrade is the framework of uprights (balusters) and handrails (bannisters) that form a protective barrier around open staircases, decks, balconies, and other locations where falls are a risk.
Colorbond Barge Board and Barge Cap
The same profile as a fascia board, along the visible sloping edge of a roof. A barge capping covers the join between the bargeboard and the outer edge of the roof.
Most builders enjoy a good pancake or chocolate cake, but that’s not the batter we’re talking about! In construction terms, a batter is a wall or earthworks with a receding slope. Most commonly, we use batters (steep slopes) to transition between two different levels on a site.
A long, slim piece of timber or metal used to fix linings, claddings or roofing materials to frames.
A bearer is part of an under floor support structure. A bearer is usually a large beam supported by a wall or piers. Joists (smaller structural supports) sit on top of bearers. The floor is then fixed to the joists. A structure constructed in this manner is often referred to as being “bearer and joist”.
A LVL bearer sitting atop a brick pier, supporting Smart Joists
A horizontal member at the bottom of a structural wall, usually made from 90mm framing.
A box gutter is different to the more common gutters visible around the outside of a roof. A box gutter is usually concealed between roofs, behind parapet walls, or in a valley between a roof and a wall. Box gutters are a location of very high risk, as any leaks or blockages are likely to cause water to enter the structure. In areas of high rainfall, like Coffs Harbour, they are particularly risky. For that reason, we prefer not to use them at all in our projects.
Brace Ply resists racking forces to keep frames square
Thin plywood sheets used to brace framework against racking forces, which try to push a frame out of square.
A small strip of metal used at regular intervals to link together the internal and external sections of a wall. Brick ties may link together a timber frame with a brick veneer, or each brick wall in double brick construction.
A commonly used type of wall construction consisting of an internal timber or steel structural frame, with the external part of the wall constructed of a single layer of non-load bearing bricks.
The technical bible for the construction industry. A uniform set of technical provisions for the design, construction and performance of buildings throughout Australia. This is the standard to which your new home must be built.
A boxed in section, lower than the surrounding ceiling, used to conceal services (such as air conditioning ducts or plumbing pipes) or neatly finish above cabinets. Bulkheads are also sometimes used where ceiling heights transition from one level to another.
External covering of walls. Usually made from timber or fibre cement. We offer a range of cladding options from CSR, James Hardie, and Weathertex.
A sealed network of pipes that allows stormwater pipes to run underground, but discharge water above ground. If the inlet height is above the outlet height, gravity will push water through the pipes and out. A charged system allows us to run water from roof gutters into a water tank with most of the pipes hidden underground.
Common brick (left) will be rendered. Face brick (right) is the finished product
Less attractive bricks that will not be visible in the finished dwelling. Commons are often used in subfloors, or in applications where the bricks will later be rendered, painted, or otherwise finished in such a way that the brick is not visible. Common bricks are still suitable for structural purposes, but may be a mix of different colours and styles, and may include bricks with minor visual deficiencies (such as small chips or scrapes).
Cement powder is mixed with aggregate, sand, and water to create concrete. When combined with steel reinforcement, concrete is widely used as a durable and dependable material for foundations, slabs, driveways, and many other uses. Cement is an incredibly adaptable material, used extensively in industrial, civil, commercial, and residential construction. It can be left rough and industrial, or polished to a high shine, and used in both brutalist architecture and sleek modern buildings.
Electrical and data conduit installed in a trench, ready for backfill
Pipe or casing used to protect electrical or communication cables.
A CC is required before building work starts. A CC is issued by an accredited private certifier or a consent authority. The purpose of the Certificate is to ensure that the work will comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA), that the design and construction work is consistent with the development consent, and any conditions of development consent that must be complied with before a construction certificate is issued have been met.
A plaster moulding used to conceal the join between wall and ceiling sheeting
The process of drying and strengthening concrete. Sometimes additives or particular processes are used to accelerate or slow the curing process to ensure that a concrete slab or wall meets the required standard for strength.
A method used to level a sloping building site. Excess material is cut from the high side of the site, and used to fill in the low side to create a flat building pad.
The physical forces a structure is designed to withstand. Our designers and engineers ensure that each dwelling, and the structural members used in each dwelling, are properly designed to withstand any conditions they will experience.
The vertical and horizontal pieces forming the sides and top of a door or wall opening frame. Our friends at Hume Doors have a useful glossary of “door jargon“.
A pipe used to convey water from a roof to a stormwater system, water tank, or other drainage system. We generally use durable PVC for downpipes so the whole stormwater system can be sealed (charged) to convey water to a water tank.
A building designer. A design professional skilled to create plans and blueprints. Our draftie, Dave, has 15 years experience designing homes for Coffs Harbour’s challenging conditions.
There’s a technical definition of eaves in the National Construction Code (“lower edge of a pitched roof or edge of a flat roof”), but we’re trying to keep this simple! Usually when we refer to eaves we are talking about the part of the roof that overhangs the walls. Eaves are important to protect a home from rain and sun.
A flexible joint used in construction to allow materials to expand due to changes in moisture content or temperature. Expansion joints are often used in brickwork, flooring, plaster, and concrete.
Unlike common brick (see above), face brickwork is the finished product, intended to be visible. Face bricks are high quality, laid with neat joints and careful accuracy to ensure an attractive appearance.
A wide board of timber or metal attached to the end of roof rafters, providing a neat finish and a place to attach guttering. We use fascia made from Colorbond steel, which will last for many decades, and comes in a wide range of colours.
One of the final stages of construction, where final fittings are installed, including light fixtures, door handles and locks, basins, taps, sinks, toilets, shower screens, mirrors, etc.
Stage of construction after the plasterboard is installed and set. Fix out includes installation of skirting boards and architrave, doors, and carpenter-made shelves. Cabinetry is generally installed at this stage as well.
A strip of material (often metal of some sort) to divert water. Flashings are commonly used above windows and doors, or in areas where roofing directly meets wall materials. Careful flashing is vital to ensure a house is dry and durable.
Concrete footings to support a retaining wall and subfloor
The foundations of a structure transfer the loads from above into the soil below. The type of foundation used for a house will depend on the specific design, soil type, slope of the land, wind rating, and many other factors.
The part of the foundation that actually transmits the load into the soil. Footings are often concrete, but may be made of different materials in specific circumstances.
The team at Balance provides expert assistance at every stage of the residential construction process, from initial feasibility analyses to final touch-ups. Our in-house design team has produced a portfolio of exceptional new home designs, and we also offer custom design services using state-of-the-art design software (including 3D renderings you can view on your smartphone or VR glasses!).
We have solutions for steep sites, beachfront lots, and unusually-shaped blocks. We take care of Council paperwork and approvals, and provide professional interior design advice to ensure your home is stylish and practical.
Seeking a construction partner for your next investment project? Balance are the Coffs Coast experts in townhouse and boutique developments, with multiple successful projects delivered over recent years, producing excellent returns for our clients.
We offer a unique service to investors, with our ability to handle every stage of your development, from early concept plans through to completion. We provide excellent value, and can even put you in touch with quality local real estate agents to help sell or rent your new development.
We also offer turnkey development solutions so investors can start earning a return sooner with less hassle.
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A home designed to meet your specific needs may be much more affordable than you realise! At Balance, our pricing is transparent and we’ll happily tailor our designs to meet your budget and the family’s needs.
You’ve got nothing to lose – visit our display home, or give us a call today on 1300 056 298 to arrange a free consultation.