Understanding Common Construction Terms

You have decided to do a kitchen renovation, a bathroom remodel or a whole home renovation your home to accommodate your lifestyle. You’ve done some research and called Deane Home Services to come look at your project. We schedule a site evaluation to meet with you and begin the conversation about your project. Because we sometimes forget that others don’t do this every day, we may begin using terminology that you don’t understand or aren’t clear about exactly what we are saying. Here is some common industry terminology that you might hear before or during the construction process. 

Common Terminology

• Renovation and remodel.  They are often used interchangeably but they are actually two different terms. A renovation is taking an existing space, leaving the layout and just upgrading the fixtures. An example of this would be a bathroom that transitions a tub into a shower, replaces the toilet and swaps out the vanity – all in the same location. A remodel involves reconfiguring an existing space. Imagine relocating the vanity, modifying the shower location and enclosing the toilet into a dedicated room with a door. Again, these are often used interchangeably.
• Change order. I have touched on this subject on another post and most people probably know what this means but a change order is a written document that addresses any changes to the project and the original contract. Change orders can be simple items like changing paint colors or complex items like deciding to remove a wall. There is another blog dedicated to change orders.
• Wall creep or project creep. When you renovate or remodel one room and decide that the adjacent rooms need to updated also. When you do a kitchen renovation and decide the dining and living room could use some new millwork, flooring and paint. From an investment standpoint you need to be prepared to either draw a line to minimize wall creep or make the investment decision to allow for some additional cost to enhance an entire space.
• Subcontractor. Also known as Trade Partners, these are the vendors that we work with that specialize in individual trades, such as plumbers, electricians or anyone outside of your team that does work on your project outside of our internal resources.  Again, there is a separate blog post about this.
• Design-Build. A company that can provide both the resources to design your space and then implement the design. Design can be done in-house or through a third-party trade partner. We then provide the resources to build the design.
• Designer. A designer would assist with selecting materials and fixtures that fit with your ideas and vision for your new space. All aspects of the remodel or renovation from flooring, tile and countertops, to lighting and cabinet layout and features. Deane Home Services has both in-house and third-party design assistance for all of your project requirements.
• Architect and engineer. If we are doing a remodel (reconfiguring a space) then you will most likely need an architect and an engineer. An architect would assist with the design and look of a remodel. Once the architect provides the drawings for the remodel, the engineer would be required to assess the structural integrity of the existing building and determine what would be needed to support the changes. An architect is usually utilized for home additions, reconfiguring interior walls, or building a separate structure such as a garage or deck. A simple remodel, such as just removing an interior, can often be handled by just an engineer. The engineer would provide drawings and engineer calculations (a document that outlines how structural elements were determined) that can be used in the permitting process.
• Project Manager. A project manager is an integral part of your project. Your PM is involved in every aspect of your project from material selection, material acquisition, scheduling and overseeing Trade Partners. This person is your main point of contact for the project. Whether you are doing a kitchen renovation, a bathroom remodel or a whole home renovation, your Project Manager will be the person with the most in-depth knowledge of your project.

These are just a few of the terms that you will hear during your project. I am sure that there will be others along the way. If you hear something you are unsure of, just ask and we will gladly outline what we are talking about. Sometimes we forget that others don’t do this every day and need some coaching to get through the process.