T & G, tongue and groove- A joint made by a tongue (a rib on one edge of a board) that fits into a corresponding groove in the edge of another board to make a tight flush joint. Typically, the subfloor
plywood is T & G.
Tab - The exposed portion of strip shingles defined by cutouts.
Tail beam- A relatively short beam or joist supported in a wall on one end and by a header at the other.
Take off- The material necessary to complete a job.
Taping- The process of covering drywall joints with paper tape and joint compound.
T bar- Ribbed, "T" shaped bars with a flat metal plate at the bottom that are driven into the earth. Normally used chain link fence poles, and to mark locations of a water meter pit.
Teco- Metal straps that are nailed and secure the roof rafters and trusses to the top horizontal wall plate. Sometimes called a hurricane clip.
Tee- A "T" shaped plumbing fitting.
Tempered- Strengthened. Tempered glass will not shatter nor create shards, but will "pelletize" like an automobile window. Required in tub and shower enclosures and locations, entry door glass and sidelight
glass, and in a windows when the window sill is less than 16" to the floor.
Termites- Wood eating insects that superficially resemble ants in size and general appearance, and live in colonies.
Termite shield- A shield, usually of galvanized metal, placed in or on a foundation wall or around pipes to prevent the passage of termites.
Terra cotta- A ceramic material molded into masonry units.
Thermoply ™- Exterior laminated sheathing nailed to the exterior side of the exterior walls. Normally ¼ " thick, 4 X 8 or 4 x 10 sheets with an aluminumized surface.
Thermostat- A device which relegates the temperature of a room or building by switching heating or cooling equipment on or off.
Three-dimensional shingles- Laminated shingles. Shingles that have added dimensionality because of extra layers or tabs, giving a shake-like appearance. May also be called "architectural shingles".
Threshold- The bottom metal or wood plate of an exterior door frame. Generally they are adjustable to keep a tight fit with the door slab.
Time and materials contract- A construction contract which specifies a price for different elements of the work such as cost per hour of labor, overhead, profit, etc. A contract which may not have a maximum
price, or may state a 'price not to exceed'.
Tinner- Another name for the heating contractor.
Tip up- The downspout extension that directs water (from the home's gutter system) away from the home. They typically swing up when mowing the lawn, etc.
Title- Evidence (usually in the form of a certificate or deed) of a person's legal right to ownership of a property.
TJI or TJ- Manufactured structural building component resembling the letter "I". Used as floor joists and rafters. I-joists include two key parts: flanges and webs. The flange or from of the I joist may be
made of laminated veneer lumber or dimensional lumber, usually formed into a 1 ½" width. The web or center of the I-joist is commonly made of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Large holes can be cut in
the web to accommodate duct work and plumbing waste lines. I-joists are available in lengths up to 60'' long.
Toenailing- To drive a nail in at a slant. Method used to secure floor joists to the plate.
Top chord- The upper or top member of a truss.
Top plate- Top horizontal member of a frame wall supporting ceiling joists, rafters, or other members.
Transmitter (garage door)- The small, push button device that causes the garage door to open or close.
Trap- A plumbing fitting that holds water to prevent air, gas, and vermin from backing up into a fixture.
Tread- The walking surface board in a stairway on which the foot is placed.
Treated lumber- A wood product which has been impregnated with chemical pesticides such as CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) to reduce damage from wood rot or insects. Often used for the portions of a
structure which are likely to be in contact with soil and water. Wood may also be treated with a fire retardant.
Trim (plumbing, heating, electrical)- The work that the "mechanical" contractors perform to finish their respective aspects of work, and when the home is nearing completion and occupancy.
Trim- Interior- The finish materials in a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim) or at the floor and ceiling of rooms (baseboard, cornice, and other moldings). Also, the
physical work of installing interior doors and interior woodwork, to include all handrails, guardrails, stair way balustrades, mantles, light boxes, base, door casings, cabinets, countertops, shelves, window
sills and aprons, etc. Exterior- The finish materials on the exterior a building, such as moldings applied around openings (window trim, door trim), siding, windows, exterior doors, attic vents, crawl space
vents, shutters, etc. Also, the physical work of installing these materials
Trimmer- The vertical stud that supports a header at a door, window, or other opening.
Truss- An engineered and manufactured roof support member with "zig-zag" framing members. Does the same job as a rafter but is designed to have a longer span than a rafter.
Tub trap- Curved, "U" shaped section of a bath tub drain pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through tubs water drain.
Turnkey- A term used when the subcontractor provides all materials (and labor) for a job.
Turpentine- A petroleum, volatile oil used as a thinner in paints and as a solvent in varnishes

UL (Underwriters' Laboratories)- An independent testing agency that checks electrical devices and other components for possible safety hazards.
Undercoat- A coating applied prior to the finishing or top coats of a paint job. It may be the first of two or the second of three coats. Sometimes called the Prime coat.
Underground plumbing- The plumbing drain and waste lines that are installed beneath a basement floor.
Underlayment- A ¼" material placed over the subfloor plywood sheeting and under finish coverings, such as vinyl flooring, to provide a smooth, even surface. Also a secondary roofing layer that is waterproof
or water-resistant, installed on the roof deck and beneath shingles or other roof-finishing layer.
Union- A plumbing fitting that joins pipes end-to-end so they can be dismantled.
Utility easement- The area of the earth that has electric, gas, or telephone lines. These areas may be owned by the homeowner, but the utility company has the legal right to enter the area as necessary to repair or service the lines.

Valley- The "V" shaped area of a roof where two sloping roofs meet. Water drains off the roof at the valleys.
Valley flashing- Sheet metal that lays in the "V" area of a roof valley.
Valuation- An inspection carried out for the benefit of the mortgage lender to ascertain if a property is a good security for a loan.
Valuation fee- Th fee paid by the prospective borrower for the lender's inspection of the property. Normally paid upon loan application.
Vapor barrier- A building product installed on exterior walls and ceilings under the drywall and on the warm side of the insulation. It is used to retard the movement of water vapor into walls and prevent
condensation within them. Normally, polyethylene plastic sheeting is used.
Variable rate- An interest rate that will vary over the term of the loan.
Veneer- Extremely thin sheets of wood. Also a thin slice of wood or brick or stone covering a framed wall.
Vent- A pipe or duct which allows the flow of air and gasses to the outside. Also, another word for the moving glass part of a window sash, i.e. window vent.
Vermiculite- A mineral used as bulk insulation and also as aggregate in insulating and acoustical plaster and in insulating concrete floors.
Veterans Administration (VA)- A federal agency that insures mortgage loans with very liberal down payment requirements for honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses.
Visqueen- A 4 mil or 6 mil plastic sheeting.
Void- Cardboard rectangular boxes that are installed between the earth (between caissons) and the concrete foundation wall. Used when expansive soils are present.
Voltage- A measure of electrical potential. Most homes are wired with 110 and 220 volt lines. The 110 volt power is used for lighting and most of the other circuits. The 220 volt power is usually used for
the kitchen range, hot water heater and dryer.

Wafer board - A manufactured wood panel made out of 1"- 2" wood chips and glue. Often used as a substitute for plywood in the exterior wall and roof sheathing.
Walk-Through- A final inspection of a home before "Closing" to look for and document problems that need to be corrected.
Wall out- When a painter pray paints the interior of a home.
Warping- Any distortion in a material.
Warranty- In construction there are two general types of warranties. One is provided by the manufacturer of a product such as roofing material or an appliance. The second is a warranty for the labor. For
example, a roofing contract may include a 20 year material warranty and a 5 year labor warranty. Many new homebuilders provide a one year warranty. Any major issue found during the first year should be
communicated to the builder immediately. Small items can be saved up and presented to the builder for correction periodically through the first year after closing.
Waste pipe and vent- Plumbing plastic pipe that carries waste water to the municipal sewage system.
Water board- Water resistant drywall to be used in tub and shower locations. Normally green or blue colored
Water closet- Another name for toilet.
Water meter pit (or vault)- The box /cast iron bonnet and concrete rings that contains the water meter.
Water-repellent preservative- A liquid applied to wood to give the wood water repellant properties
Water table- The location of the underground water, and the vertical distance from the surface of the earth to this underground water.
Water tap- The connection point where the home water line connects to the main municipal water system.
W C- An abbreviation for water closet (toilet).
Weatherization- Work on a building exterior in order to reduce energy consumption for heating or cooling. Work involving adding insulation, installing storm windows and doors, caulking cracks and putting on
weather-stripping.
Weatherstrip- Narrow sections of thin metal or other material installed to prevent the infiltration of air and moisture around windows and doors.
Weep holes- Small holes in storm window frames that allow moisture to escape.
Whole house fan - A fan designed to move air through and out of a home and normally installed in the ceiling.
Wind bracing - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over "domino" fashion.
Window buck - Square or rectangular box that is installed within a concrete foundation or block wall. A window will eventually be installed in this "buck" during the siding stage of construction
Window frame - The stationary part of a window unit; window sash fits into the window frame.
Window sash - The operating or movable part of a window; the sash is made of window panes and their border.
Wire nut - A plastic device used to connect bare wires together.
Wonderboard ™ - A panel made out of concrete and fiberglass usually used as a ceramic tile backing material. Commonly used on bathtub decks.
Wrapped drywall- Areas that get complete drywall covering, as in the doorway openings of bifold and bipass closet doors.

Y - A "Y" shaped plumbing fitting.
Yard of concrete - One cubic yard of concrete is 3' X 3' X 3' in volume, or 27 cubic feet. One cubic yard of concrete will pour 80 square feet of 3 ½" sidewalk or basement/garage floor.
Yoke - The location where a home's water meter is sometimes installed between two copper pipes, and located in the water meter pit in the yard.

Z-bar flashing - Bent, galvanized metal flashing that's installed above a horizontal trim board of an exterior window, door, or brick run. It prevents water from getting behind the trim/brick and into the home.
Zone - The section of a building that is served by one heating or cooling loop because it has noticeably distinct heating or cooling needs. Also, the section of property that will be watered from a lawn sprinkler system.
Zone valve - A device, usually placed near the heater or cooler, which controls the flow of water or steam to parts of the building; it is controlled by a zone thermostat.
Zoning - A governmental process and specification which limits the use of a property e.g. single family use, high rise residential use, industrial use, etc. Zoning laws may limit where you can locate a structure. Also see building codes.