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Home Building Terms and Construction Definitions
Paul Lehmann's Home Building Dictionary
Saddle
Small roof built around the back of a chimney to divert water away from it. This term is sometimes used to describe the bottom plate of an exterior door opening. Also called a threshold.
Sanitary Sewer
Sewer system designed to handle waste water from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry drains but not for storm waters.
Schedule
A chart or table on the blueprints that lists the locations, quantities and sizes of windows, mirrors and doors.
Screed
Leveling off concrete to the correct elevation or using a small strip of wood to guide in plastering.
SEER
Stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating and is the universal rating system used for heat pumps.
Semi-Gloss
A term used to describe paint that has some luster in the finish but is not very glossy. This type of paint is most often used in bathrooms or kitchens.
Septic System
The system in place at an individual home that collects waste from the household pipes. Includes a septic tank that aids in biological digestion of waste and also a drain field that allows liquids to soak into the grond. The size of a septic system is often determined by the number of bedrooms a house has.
Service Equipment
Circuit breakers, switches, fuses and other gear included at the service entrance panel.
Sewage Ejector
A pump used to move waste water to the sanitary sewer lines. Needed in pipes that are situated below the level of the side sewer lines, often found in basements.
Sewer Lateral
Also known as side sewers, these lines connect the interior waste lines of a home to the main sanitary sewer lines.
Sewer Stub
The juncture along the main municipal system sewer line where the home's lines are attached.
Shear Block
Plywood that is attached, most often nailed, to short wall studs to prevent the wall from collapsing or sliding. This is most commonly done over doors or windows.
Shingles
Coverings for the roof, can be made of tile, slate, wood, asbestos, asphalt or other material.
Short Circuit
What happens when neutral wires and hot wires come in contact with each other. Fuses and circuit breakers are designed to protect against fires that can be caused by short circuits.
Shutter
Decorative frames, often in the shape of doors, that are placed on either side of a window. Although most do not, some shutters close for protection of the window.
Single Cylinder Deadbolt
A deadbolt lock placed on a door in which one side requires a key while the other can be opened using a lever.
Slab
For concrete, a slab can be any concrete paved surface such as a driveway, garage or basement floor. For doors, it refers to a door without any hinges or frame.
Sleeper
A wood board or beam placed in the concrete of a floor to fasten the subfloor to. Also used for support of the floor.
Slide Bolt
A lock installed either at the top of bottom (or both) of one of a set of double doors. This allows the doors to be locked into the frame as well as locked to each other.
Slump
A term used to describe the wetness of concrete. Concrete with a 3 inch slump will be dryer than concrete with a 5 inch slump.
Span
A term that describes the horizontal length of a piece of framing that carries weight without any other structural support.
Specifications
Used as a supplement to the blueprints, the specs include details such as materials, methods, model numbers, colors, allowances, etc.
Steel Inspection
Inspection of the concrete foundation wall, rebar, rebar nets, void material, beam pocket plates and basement window bucks. Done by a municipal engineer before concrete is poured into the foundation panels.
Stick Built
A term used to refer to a house that has been built without any prefabricated parts. Also known as a conventional building.
Stop Box
A cast iron pipe that is inserted vertically into the ground near the main water tap in the yard. A long pole with a special end can be inserted into the lid on this pipe to control the main water cut-off valve.
Stop Valve
A device placed in the water supply line that allows water to be shut off to one individual fixture/appliance without turning off the water supply to the whole house.
Storm Window
An extra window used as additional protection against cold weather. Usually placed on the outside of an exisiting one. Storm doors can also be installed and serve the same purpose.
Subfloor
Components such as the sill plate, floor joists and sheeting over which a finished floor will be laid.
Sump
A bucket or barrel located inside the home to collect excess ground waters from a perimeter drain system.
Sump Pump
A pump located in the sump pit of a home that pushes excess water to the outside of the home.
