Glossary of Surveying 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. |
| 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” (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. |
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. |