Earnest
Money |
A sum paid to the seller to show
that a potential purchaser is serious about buying. |
Earthquake
Strap |
A metal strap used to secure gas
hot water heaters to the framing or foundation of a house. Intended
to reduce the chances of having the water heater fall over in
an earthquake and causing a gas leak. |
Easement |
A formal contract which allows a
party to use another party's property for a specific purpose.
e.g. A sewer easement might allow one party to run a sewer line
through a neighbors property. |
Eaves |
The horizontal exterior roof overhang. |
Egress |
A means of exiting the home. An egress window
is required in every bedroom and basement. Normally a 4' X 4'
window is the minimum size required |
Elbow (ell) |
A plumbing or electrical fitting that lets you
change directions in runs of pipe or conduit. |
Electric
lateral |
The trench or area in the yard where the electric
service line (from a transformer or pedestal) is located, or
the work of installing the electric service to a home. |
Electric
resistance coils |
Metal wires that heat up when electric current
passes through them and are used in baseboard heaters and electric
water heaters. |
Electrical
entrance package |
The entry point of the electrical power including:
(1) the 'strike' or location where the overhead or underground
electrical lines connect to the house, (2) The meter which measures
how much power is used and (3) The 'panel' or 'circuit breaker
box ' (or 'fuse box') where the power can be shut off and where
overload devices such a fuses or circuit breakers and located. |
Electrical
Rough |
Work performed by the Electrical Contractor after
the plumber and heating contractor are complete with their phase
of work. Normally all electrical wires, and outlet, switch,
and fixture boxes are installed (before insulation). |
Electrical
Trim |
Work performed by the electrical contractor when
the house is nearing completion. The electrician installs all
plugs, switches, light fixtures, smoke detectors, appliance
"pig tails", bath ventilation fans, wires the furnace,
and "makes up" the electric house panel. The electrician
does all work necessary to get the home ready for and to pass
the municipal electrical final inspection |
Elevation
sheet |
The page on the blue prints that depicts the
house or room as if a vertical plane were passed through the
structure. |
Equity |
The "valuation" that you own in your
home, i.e. the property value less the mortgage loan outstanding. |
Escrow |
The handling of funds or documents by a third
party on behalf of the buyer and/or seller. |
Estimate |
The amount of labor, materials, and other costs
that a contractor anticipates for a project as summarized in
the contractor's bid proposal for the project. |
Escutcheon |
An ornamental plate that fits around a pipe extending
through a wall or floor to hide the cut out hole |
Estimating |
The process of calculating the cost of a project.
This can be a formal and exact process or a quick and imprecise
process. |
Evaporator
coil |
The part of a cooling system that absorbs heat
from air in your home. Also see condensing unit. |
Expansion
joint |
Fibrous material (@1/2" thick) installed
in and around a concrete slab to permit it to move up and down
(seasonally) along the non-moving foundation wall. |
Expansive
soils |
Earth that swells and contracts depending
on the amount of water that is present. ("Betonite"
is an expansive soil). |
Exposed
aggregate finish |
A method of finishing concrete which washes the
cement/sand mixture off the top layer of the aggregate - usually
gravel. Often used in driveways, patios and other exterior surfaces. |
Extras |
Additional work requested of a contractor, not
included in the original plan, which will be billed separately
and will not alter the original contract amount, but increase
the cost of building the home. |
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