Glossary Of Terms
The world of property surveying can appear quite daunting if unfamiliar to it and brings with it many specialised terms and phrases, that might be unclear to someone new to this area.
This handy glossary has been compiled to help make sense of all the terms and is also available in an Adobe Acrobat downloadable version.
To download the complete PDF, please click on the glossary image or click here.
AIR BRICK
Ventilated brick allowing airflow to cavities or sub floor voids.
BARGE BOARD
Fascia for a gable end.
BELLDRIP
Flared section at bottom of a rendered wall which allows rainwater to drip off slightly away from the base of the main walls.
CAVITY WALL
Outer and inner brick or blockwork skins with a space in between, the two skins connected at intervals with metal wall ties.
CEILING JOIST
Structural member usually laid horizontally which supports the ceiling and/or floor above.
DAMP-PROOF COURSE
A damp proof course is a horizontal layer of impervious material incorporated into the walls near ground level so as to prevent ground moisture from rising into the brickwork.
DAMP-PROOF MEMBRANE
A horizontal usually plastic layer built into solid concrete floors to prevent ground moisture rising up into the property.
DOWNPIPE
Vertical pipe usually taking surface water drain from roofs to surface water drainage.
EAVES
The rafter ends where they overhang the main walls.
FASCIA
Finishing detail to the front Face of the ratter ends - often the gutters are fixed to fascia.
FLASHING
Weatherproofing detail between two abutments, for example a chimney and pitched roof or a lean-to roof and a vertical wall.
FLOOR JOISTS
Structural members supporting the floors above and often ceilings below.
FLYING FREEHOLD
Situation where one property ownership is above another.
FOUL DRAIN
Below ground drain taking away foul waste from the property to the main sewer or septic tank / cesspit.
FOUNDATION
Solid construction below the ground to support the main walls of the property.
GABLE UPSTAND
Wall on a gable end that extends up above the line of the roof.
GANG-NAILED TRUSS
Manufactured off site these structural roofing trusses are nailed together with plates at their junctions and are supplied to site already made up [also known as a factory-made truss).
GULLEY
A gulley is a drain for surface or foul water incorporating a trap to catch debris in order that it can be easily cleaned out.
HIPPY ROOF
A roof with four pitches - front to back and side to side. A cropped hip is where the side to side pitch is smaller than the front to back.
HIP TILE
Tile provided at the junction between the hip and the roof pitch.
HOPPER HEAD
Used to catch usually surface water where two or more pipes converge on one.
INSPECTION CHAMBER
Access to the drains for the purposes of rodding them through and clearing any blockages (also known as a man-hole).
LINING FELT
Felt lining that is provided over roof structure but under roof tiles or slates to catch any water that may be blown under the main roof covering.
PURLIN
Structural roof member which supports ratters usually at their mid point.
RAFTER
Structural member supporting main roof - usually at an angle forming a pitched roof.
ROOF PLATE
Timber plate that sits on top of wall and provides the fixing junction to the wall and the rafter feet.
SOFFIT
Finishing detail laid underneath the rafter ends between the fascia and the wall of the property. Often ventilated in pitched roofs.
SOIL & VENT PIPE
Foul waste is carried to the drains via this pipe which is usually vented up through the property and well away from window opening.
SOLID WALL
A wall of solid brickwork usually 9 inches (one brick thick) with no cavity.
SURFACE WATER DRAIN
Drain taking surface water waste from either drives or roofs usually to soakaways.
VALLEY
Junction between two roof pitches.
VALLEY GUTTER
Gutter formed between two sections of pitched roof.
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