Learning the Language of Building

If you spend any time on a construction site, you’re likely to hear words that sound like a foreign language. Worse yet, you may hear words that you thought you knew but which have some specialized meaning to the people around you.
Don’t worry! You aren’t really on another planet. Like any profession, the home building community has a language all its own. Because effective communication is a critical element in meeting clients’ expectations, it is a priority to help clients understand the building process. This includes some familiarity with the language of building. Here are several common building terms that, when understood, can help communicate effectively.
Cycle time is the number of days between the first day on the job site and a home’s completion. Builders work with their materials suppliers and subcontractors to determine a reliable cycle time so that our clients can move into their new home on time, as promised. Controlling cycle time also enables them to provide accurate estimates and helps stay within budget.
“Rough-in”: The “rough” stage of construction is the behind-the-wall structural and mechanical work, the parts you don’t see when the building is complete. That includes work such as framing the walls, pulling the wiring through the studs, and installing pipes and heating ducts. During this point of the construction process, they can “rough-in” a system or product that provides an upgraded or extra service, such as wiring for a high-speed Internet or digital cable network. Installing a system’s “backbone” during the rough-in stage of construction costs significantly less than installing it once the house is finished.
Staging: To help reduce costs, builders stage or organize and schedule the delivery of materials as they need them, rather than receiving a huge load all at once. Staging may also refer to the way they place loads of materials on the job site to make them more accessible to various workers. Both practices help to reduce waste and theft, save time, and keep better track of costs — all of which keeps budget and cycle time on track.
Lien Waivers are issued to builders by each of their materials suppliers and subcontractors for the work they perform on a house. <a href = “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lien_waivers”>*Lien Waivers* (also called lien releases) prove they have paid the agreed or negotiated costs of labor and materials in full. Lien releases also protect clients from any liability if suppliers or subcontractors claim that additional payment is due. This type of claim can prevent the closing of the homeowners’ loan, so there is a formal process to collect and verify lien releases before the close of escrow on a property.
Tape and texture: To create a finished wall, drywall contractors applies tape and texture to hide nail or screw heads and conceal the joints between panels of drywall or gypsum wallboard. The contractor uses a mud-like compound to fill and cover the nail heads and secure a fibrous tape that bridges the joints between adjacent drywall panels. The mud is allowed to dry and is then sanded smooth before applying paint, wallpaper, or other finishes. A quality tape and texture job ensures that cracks or nail heads won’t show through finished surfaces.

Content courtesy of Baldwin Homes, Inc.