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Home Building Terms and Construction Definitions
Paul Lehmann's Home Building Dictionary
Parapet
A wall placed at the edge of a roof as a preventative measure to keep people from falling off.
Particle Board
A substitute for plywood that is made of course sawdust, mixed with resin and pressed into sheets. This material is often used for closet shelving, floor underlayment and stair treads.
Percolation Test
Done by an engineer to test the soil of a building lot to see if it is capable of absorbing the liquid affluent from a septic system.
Permit
Authorization from a municipal government to perform building processes. There are many types of permits including zoning, demolition, grading, septic, building, electrical and plumbing.
Plot Plan
This plan is an overhead view of the home and its location on the lot. Includes any easements, property lines, set backs and legal descriptions of the home. This plan is provided by the surveyor.
Plumbing Rough
Work performed by the plumbing contractor after the heat rough is installed. This work includes installing all plastic ABS drain and waste lines, bath tubs, shower pans, copper water lines and gas piping to furnaces and fireplaces.
Plumbing Trim
Work performed by the plumbing contractor to prepare a house for final inspection. This work includes installing hot water heaters, sinks, toilets, connecting gas pipes to appliances, dishwashers, disposal and all other plumbing items.
Ply
The term used to describe the number of layers in any finished piece of material. Examples could be the layers in roofing felt, veneers in plywood, etc.
Poly Vinyl Chloride
Type of plastic pipe often used for water supply lines or waste pipes. Typically white or light gray in color.
Post and Beam
A building method that uses a few large posts and beams to support an entire structure. Unlike stud framing.
Preservative
A pesticide like substance that when applied to wood prevents the action of fungi, insects and other similar destructive agents for a certain period of time. Often this material is an arsenic derivative such as Chromated Copper Arsenate.
Pressure Relief Valve
PRVs can be found on hot water heaters and are designed to release any steam pressure from the tank to prevent explosions.
