P
Padding- A material
installed under carpet to add foot comfort, isolate
sound, and to prolong carpet life.
Pad
out, pack out- To shim out or add strips of wood
to a wall or ceiling in order that the finished ceiling/wall
will appear correct.
Paint- A combination of pigments with suitable thinners or
oils to provide decorative and protective coatings.
Can be oil based or latex water based.
Pallets- Wooden platforms used for storing and shipping material.
Forklifts and hand trucks are used to move these wooden
platforms around.
Panel- A thin flat piece of wood, plywood, or similar material,
framed by stiles and rails as in a door (or cabinet
door), or fitted into grooves of thicker material with
molded edges for decorative wall treatment.
Paper,
building- A general term for papers, felts, and
similar sheet materials used in buildings without reference
to their properties or uses. Generally comes in long
rolls.
Parapet- A wall placed at the edge of a roof to prevent people
from falling off.
Parting
stop or strip- A small wood piece used in the
side and head jambs of double hung windows to separate
the upper sash from the lower sash.
Particle
board- Plywood substitute made of course sawdust
that is mixed with resin and pressed into sheets. Used
for closet shelving, floor underlayment, stair treads,
etc.
Partition- A wall that subdivides spaces within any story of a
building or room.
Paver,
paving- Materials—commonly masonry—laid
down to make a firm, even surface.
Payment
schedule- A pre-agreed upon schedule of payments
to a contractor usually based upon the amount of work
completed. Such a schedule may include a deposit prior
to the start of work. There may also be a temporary
'retainer' (5-10% of the total cost of the job) at the
end of the contract for correcting any small items which
have not been completed or repaired.
Pedestal- A metal box installed at various locations along utility
easements that contain electrical, telephone, or cable
television switches and connections.
Penalty
clause - A provision in a contract that provides
for a reduction in the amount otherwise payable under
a contract to a contractor as a penalty for failure
to meet deadlines or for failure of the project to meet
contract specifications.
Penny- As applied to nails, it originally indicated the price
per hundred. The term now series as a measure of nail
length and is abbreviated by the letter "d".
Normally, 16d (16 "penny") nails are used
for framing
Percolation
test or perc. test- Tests that a soil engineer
performs on earth to determine the feasibility of installing
a leech field type sewer system on a lot. A test to
determine if the soil on a proposed building lot is
capable of absorbing the liquid affluent from a septic
system.
Performance
bond- An amount of money (usually 10% of the
total price of a job) that a contractor must put on
deposit with a governmental agency as an insurance policy
that guarantees the contractors' proper and timely completion
of a project or job.
Perimeter
drain- 3" or 4" perforated plastic
pipe that goes around the perimeter (either inside or
outside) of a foundation wall (before backfill) and
collects and diverts ground water away from the foundation.
Generally, it is "daylighted" into a sump
pit inside the home, and a sump pump is sometimes inserted
into the pit to discharge any accumulation of water.
Permeability- A measure of the ease with which water penetrates a
material.
Permit
- A governmental municipal authorization to perform
a building process as in:
·
Zoning\Use permit - Authorization to use a property
for a specific use e.g. a garage, a single family residence
etc.
·
Demolition permit - Authorization to tear down
and remove an existing structure.
·
Grading
permit - Authorization to change the contour
of the land.
·
Septic
permit - A health department authorization to
build or modify a septic system.
·
Building
permit - Authorization to build or modify a structure.
·
Electrical
permit - A separate permit required for most
electrical work.
·
Plumbing
permit - A separate permit required for new plumbing
and larger modifications of existing plumbing systems.
Pigtails,
electrical- The electric cord that the electrician
provides and installs on an appliance such as a garbage
disposal, dishwasher, or range hood.
Pier-
A column of masonry, usually rectangular in horizontal
cross section, used to support other structural members.
Also see Caisson.
Pigment- A powdered solid used in paint or enamel to give it
a color.
Pilot
hole- A small-diameter, pre-drilled hole that
guides a nail or screw.
Pilot
light- A small, continuous flame (in a hot water
heater, boiler, or furnace) that ignites gas or oil
burners when needed.
Pitch- The incline slope of a roof or the ratio of the
total rise to the total width of a house, i.e., a 6-foot
rise and 24-foot width is a one-fourth pitch roof. Roof
slope is expressed in the inches of rise, per foot of
horizontal run.
PITI
- Principal, interest, taxes and insurance (the
four major components of monthly housing payments).
Plan
view- Drawing of a structure with the view from
overhead, looking down.
Plate- Normally a 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 that lays horizontally within
a framed structure, such as:
Sill
plate- A horizontal member anchored to a concrete
or masonry wall.
Sole
plate- Bottom horizontal member of a frame wall.
Top
plate- Top horizontal member of a frame wall
supporting ceiling joists, rafters, or other members.
Plan
view- Drawing of a structure with the view from
overhead, looking down.
Plenum- The main hot-air supply duct leading from a furnace.
Plot
plan- An overhead view plan that shows the location
of the home on the lot. Includes all easements, property
lines, set backs, and legal descriptions of the home.
Provided by the surveyor.
Plough,
plow- To cut a lengthwise groove in a board or
plank. An exterior handrail normally has a ploughed
groove for hand gripping purposes
Plumb- Exactly vertical and perpendicular.
Plumb
bob- A lead weight attached to a string. It is
the tool used in determining plumb.
Plumbing
boots- Metal saddles used to strengthen a bearing
wall/vertical stud(s) where a plumbing drain line has
been cut through and installed.
Plumbing
ground- The plumbing drain and waste lines that
are installed beneath a basement floor.
Plumbing
jacks- Sleeves that fit around drain and waste
vent pipes at, and are nailed to, the roof sheeting.
Plumbing
rough- Work performed by the plumbing contractor
after the Rough Heat is installed. This work includes
installing all plastic ABS drain and waste lines, copper
water lines, bath tubs, shower pans, and gas piping
to furnaces and fireplaces. Lead solder should not be
used on copper piping.
Plumbing
stack- A plumbing vent pipe that penetrates the
roof.
Plumbing
trim- Work performed by the plumbing contractor
to get the home ready for a final plumbing inspection.
Includes installing all toilets (water closets), hot
water heaters, sinks, connecting all gas pipe to appliances,
disposal, dishwasher, and all plumbing items.
Plumbing
waste line- Plastic pipe used to collect and
drain sewage waste.
Ply- A term to denote the number of layers of roofing felt,
veneer in plywood, or layers in built-up materials,
in any finished piece of such material.
Plywood- A panel (normally 4' X 8') of wood made of three or
more layers of veneer, compressed and joined with glue,
and usually laid with the grain of adjoining plies at
right angles to give the sheet strength.
Point
load- A point where a bearing/structural weight
is concentrated and transferred to the foundation.
Portland
cement- Cement made by heating clay and crushed
limestone into a brick and then grinding to a pulverized
powder state.
Post- A vertical framing member usually designed to carry
a beam. Often a 4" x 4", a 6" x 6",
or a metal pipe with a flat plate on top and bottom.
Post-and-beam- A basic building method that uses just a few hefty posts
and beams to support an entire structure. Contrasts
with stud framing.
Power
vent- A vent that includes a fan to speed up
air flow. Often installed on roofs.
Premium- Amount payable on a loan.
Preservative-.
Any pesticide substance that, for a reasonable length
of time, will prevent the action of wood-destroying
fungi, insect borers, and similar destructive agents
when the wood has been properly coated or impregnated
with it. Normally an arsenic derivative. Chromated Copper
Arsenate (CCA) is an example.
Pressure
Relief Valve (PRV)- A device mounted on a hot
water heater or boiler which is designed to release
any high steam pressure in the tank to prevent tank
explosions.
Pressure-treated
wood- Lumber that has been saturated with a preservative.
Primer- The first, base coat of paint when a paint job
consists of two or more coats. A first coating formulated
to seal raw surfaces and holding succeeding finish coats.
Principal- The original amount of the loan, the capital.
Property
survey- A survey to determine the boundaries
of your property. The cost depends on the complexity
of the survey.
P
trap- Curved, "U" section of drain
pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses
from entering the home through a fixtures water drain.
Pump
mix- Special concrete that will be used in a
concrete pump. Generally, the mix has smaller rock aggregate
than regular mix.
Punch
list- A list of discrepancies that need to be
corrected by the contractor.
Punch
out- To inspect and make a discrepancy list.
Putty- A type of dough used in sealing glass in the sash, filling
small holes and crevices in wood, and for similar purposes.
PVC
or CPVC - Poly Vinyl Chloride-A type of white
or light gray plastic pipe sometimes used for water
supply lines and waste pipe.