It took me until my 3rd year of architecture school to learn what I am going to tell you today. It was in Materials and Methods class at NDSU that Professor Martens explained to us the cardinal sins of construction terms. He said, “It’s not mason-a-ry, it’s masonry. It’s not cement, it’s concrete. It’s not a pillar, it’s a column. If you say it or write it incorrectly in class or on your work, it’s wrong”. It was that straightforward talk that set me on the right path of not sounding like an idiot when I spoke with contractors.
I am offering this advice to you not so you won’t sound like and idiot but so you will properly understand your architect, builder or designer when you have a meeting. If you happen to hear them say it wrong, you can correct them and really impress them.
For the record, here are a few general terms that would come in handy during a site visit or a design review meeting.
- Cement – it’s actually only an ingredient in concrete, the product that is poured for your foundation walls, sidewalks and driveway. Call it a “concrete” sidewalk.
- Grade – on a site visit, it refers the lay of the land, the rolling of the hills. Up in Fargo-Moorhead, we don’t have to worry too much about that changing a whole lot. We only need to worry when it’s not sloped away from the house enough and water runs back against the foundation.
- Pillar – while not technically the wrong term, it’s not widely used any more. Say “column” and you will sound more fashionable.
- Cantilever – more commonly referred to as a “bump-out”. Technically, it’s a floor or walking surface that seems to hang out over the wall edge. The farther you cantilever something, the stronger the structure that supports it has to be or it will fall off your house.
- Dormer – better than “those pokey pointy things on a roof with windows”. A dormer is a projection from a roof that typically allows a window to be installed within the roof space. See next item…
- Gable – a type of roof form that typically looks like a triangle – the top of the wall is cut at the top like a triangle
- Hip – a type of roof form where all sides of the roof edge are flat and not pitched. Looks a lot like a pyramid or a series of these arranged together.
- Shed – a type of roof form that is typically low slope (not steeply pitched) and often found on a dormer or porch or bump-out. It gets its name because it…wait for it…sheds water.
- Fascia – (FAY-sha) is the vertical part of the edge of the roof, often the same color as the trim of the home. The gutters attach to this.
- Soffit – it’s the horizontal, flat part that returns the fascia back to the house.
- Egress – the term used to identify doors and more specifically windows that are appropriately located and sized to meet code – so someone can safely exit them.
I could really go on and on…but that would be overwhelming and boring. These first few terms should help you for now. I dare you to use them in everyday conversation!
fromhollysperspective 