Category Archives: Vocabulary

Balustrade

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vocabularyHave you ever played that game where a word is given and all of the players have to submit a definition?  The definition with the most votes wins.

About ten years ago a group of my friends played that game but with a dictionary. Until I looked it up today, azotemia‘s only meaning to me was the winning definition: the condition where food particles are inbetween your teeth, especially green, leafy vegetables. This quickly became the running joke in our circle of friends. Even today, without a second thought, we say, “You have azotemia,” and the recipient quickly checks their teeth.

Would you believe that the root of balustrade, baluster, comes from both the Italian and Greek words for the wild pomegranate flower?  The supports were often shaped much like this flower.  Here is the etymology according to the Online Etymology Dictionary: Continue reading →

What is a Girder?

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vocabularyThe more I come across construction jargon, the more baffled I become. In fact, while proofreading the last building survey I had to look up so many words that, in retrospect, I should have included a glossary.

A girder, not unlike a girdle, is a reinforcing agent; girdles are more uncomfortable, but I digress. The root of both, however, is gird. Merriam-Webster defines gird as:

(transitive verb) 1a : to encircle or bind with a flexible band (as a belt)

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction a girder is defined as follows: Continue reading →

Sleeper

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vocabularyNot to be confused with Sleepy, one of the Seven Dwarfs, or sleeper as in a dormant terrorist cell, the term “sleeper” is another piece of jargon tossed to and fro in conversation among the construction industry.

A statically determinate beam

A statically determinate beam, bending under an evenly distributed load. Image from Wikipedia

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction, a sleeper can be defined as:

A heavy beam or piece of timber laid on, or near the ground for receiving floor joists and to support the superstructure; also strips of wood laid over a rough concrete floor to which the finished wood floor is nailed.

This term can also refer to the wood beams used on roof structures to support and distribute the weight of HVAC units when factory curbs are not used.

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Transom

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vocabularyAccording to the Mean’s Illustrated Construction Dictonary, 1st Edition, Copyright 1985, a transom can be defined as:

A glazed or solid panel over a door or window, usually hinged and used for ventilation.  The transom and bar may be removed for passage of large objects.

Although this definition may bring to mind an image of a  stained-glass transom light in a Victorian home, they’re more common than you think.

Below you will find a recent photo of a modern application of a transom from our project for Poly-Tak Protection Systems, Inc.

polytak-transom

 

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What are As-Built Drawings?

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asbuiltHave you ever been introduced to someone but forgot their name?  You’re afraid to ask (again) because you’ve already used all of  your I-don’t-remember-your-name-cards so you just continue in the conversation hoping you don’t need that information. That can happen with construction jargon as well.

Terms are often casually thrown around while working with your real estate professional and contractor that may have you a bit perplexed.  One of those terms is “as-builts” which is short for as-built drawings.

These drawings differ from the city-stamped set and reflect the way your tenant improvements were actually built, as changes during the course of construction are inevitable.  Any reputable contractor will provide a set of as-builts once the job is complete to both the building owner and tenant.

These documents are useful when deciding if a building will meet your company’s needs during the leasing process. They’re also necessary when you partner with a design-build contractor to make improvements.

More of our vocabulary posts.