CONSTRUCTION DICTIONARY

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CABINIT SOFFITS:
A boxed-in framework found above the upper cabinets found in kitchens.

CALIFORNIA BUNGALOW:
Compact, early twentieth-century single-storey house.

CALIFORNIA RANCH:
One-storey house, in a post-Second-World-War style, known for its ground hugging design and low, pitched roof.

CANTILEVER:
A structural system that overhangs the load bearing support it is built on. This allows a load to be placed in a location that does not have some form of support directly beneath it, such as an overhanging deck in the rear yard of a home.

CAP BLOCK (cored):
A hollow concrete block, usually 8"x8"x16" with a solid top surface but hollow dome-shaped cavities that reduce the weight of the block.

CAP BLOCK (solid):
A solid concrete block, usually 4"x8"x16" used for capping walls. Also employed to stop termite penetration below grade level.

CAPE COD COLONIAL:
A one-storey house, compact in design and in an early-American style. Symmetrical layout with a central entrance. Steep, gable-type roof, usually shingled, with a low central chimney.

CARRIAGE HOME:
Houses, freeholds or condominiums that are joined by garages or carports. Builders may also/instead join basement foundation walls below ground so that link homes appear to be detached. Carriage homes are built to avoid larger lot requirements for fully detached homes. Also referred to as a "link home".

CASEMENT FRAMES & SASH (window):
A wooden or metal frame enclosing a sash (window) which is hinged on the vertical edge to allow it to be opened.

CASEMENT WINDOW:
A window that is hinged on its side.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT:
Value enhancing work carried out on a capital property.

CASING:
Molding of different widths and thicknesses used as trim around window and door openings at the jambs.

CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY:
Document issued by the local municipality indicating that a new dwelling is suitable for occupation. Generally confirms that the dwelling complies with local building, safety and health by-laws.

CHALK LINE:
A string that has been covered with chalk dust (commonly blue) that is stretched taut over an object or surface and snapped with the fingers so that it leaves a straight line on the object.

CHECKING:
Small fissures or cracks that appear over time in many exterior paint surfaces. These fissures may eventually penetrate right through to the actual material causing damage to the underlying material.

CLEAR SPAN:
The actual unsupported span between two support points.

CLUSTER HOUSING:
Development design which places attached dwellings in close proximity to each other, with nearby open spaces set out for common use of the dwelling owners.

COLLAR BEAM:
A horizontal beam that connects two opposite roof rafters in the upper third of the rafter triangle.

COLUMN:
A load bearing support post made of wood, steel or masonry.

CONDENSATION:
Condensation in a building refers to the beads or drops of water (or frost in colder climates) that form on the inside of the exterior covering of a building. This occurs when warm moist air from the interior of the building touches a surface that is cooler and the moisture then condenses on the cooler surface.

CONSTRUCTION LOAN:
A structured, short-term loan to a builder or developer to allow for the development of land. Funds are advanced at certain stages of the development project to pay for specific expenses, fees or costs.

CONVENTIONAL ROOF FRAMING:
The building of a roof frame one piece at a time, as opposed to using pre-fabricated roof members that are assembled on-site.

COPED JOINT:
A cut on the end of a piece of molding which joins it to the face contour of another piece of molding it butts perpendicularly to at an internal corner.

CORBEL OUT:
A way of building out one or more courses of brick or stone masonry from the vertical face of a wall. Often used to support timbers. Chimneys are often corbeled in order to angle the firebox to the smaller chimney-sized opening or to give the top of the chimney an interesting shape.

CORNER BEAD:
A long strip of formed sheet metal that is attached to outside corners of drywall or plaster walls and later feathered over with plaster in order to reinforce the corner.

CORNER BRACES:
Long diagonal braces placed at the corner of frame walls in order to stiffen and strengthen the wall.

CORNICE:
Any decorative molding or overhang located at the junction of a wall and a ceiling or roof.

CORRIDOR KITCHEN:
A kitchen style where the cabinets are located on opposite walls and traffic patterns run between them. Also referred to as a galley kitchen.

COST ESTIMATING:
Predicting the total cost of a construction project by estimating, in advance, the actual costs of all elements in the project, including legal fees, labour, permits, materials etc.

COST PLUS CONTRACT:
An agreement with a contractor or builder which sets the contractor's compensation for the project as a percentage of the total cost of all labour and materials.

COUNTER FLASHING:
Sheet metal or other material used around chimneys above the roofline to prevent moisture entry into the structure.

COURSE:
A single layer or row of any material such as bricks, blocks and shingles.

COVE MOULDING:
A wood strip having a curved concave face used as a trim to finish interior corners.

CRAWL SPACE:
A shallow space located below the floor a building, usually enclosed by foundation walls. Sometimes referring to a low space between floors.

CRIPPLE STUD:
Any stud that is less than full length. Often refers to the studs found below a window opening.

CROOKED BOARD:
Any board curved lengthwise along its edge.

CROSS BRIDGING:
Diagonal bracing between adjacent floor joists, usually placed near the center of the joist span to stiffen the floor and prevent the joists from twisting.

CROWN:
Any board or plank that has been placed with the convex edge or side up.

CROWN MOLDING:
A convex strip of wood or other material (molding) used on an inside corner (cornice) to cover the corner joint formed where a wall meets a ceiling or roof.

CRUSHED STONE:
Stone or gravel that has been crushed and sorted into uniform sizes.

CUBIC YARD:
A standard measurement used to measure volumes of materials such as concrete or gravel. One cubic yard consists of a volume of material that occupies a cube that measures 3x3x3 feet (27 cubic feet).

CUPOLA:
A hip or gable roofed ventilator with four sides that sits on the ridge of a roof.

CUPPED BOARD: As opposed to a bowed board.
In reference to a board that is warped or curved across its width. As opposed to a bowed board where the curve runs lengthwise along the flat side of the board. See a "BOWED BOARD".

CURTAIN WALL:
A non-load bearing wall that separates interior spaces from the outside.

CUSTOM BUILDER:
A builder or developer who specializes in creating homes to the specifications and requirements of individual land owners.

CUT-IN-BRACE:
A diagonal brace that helps stiffen a wall, but has been recessed into the studs so that it is flush with the finished surface.