Silly Construction Terms
I thought it would be fun to take a break from serious informational articles to break down some of our industry’s goofiest terms and slogans. Most of these are real slang used in the construction trade and a few are some popular tongue-in-cheek definitions in the construction world.
Pork Chops is not what your carpenter is having for dinner!
Pork Chops
Our silly industry slang for the corners where a rake and fascia at the roofline meet and there is a triangular trim at the corner of the roof of the house. It’s a silly expression, but it’s handy that this part has a name!
“Rough in”
Sounds bad – no one wants someone “roughing” their house, and it sounds awfully approximate! It just means carpentry and mechanical work that is installed before the walls are closed up. Actually the “rough” work has to be very carefully measured. Sometimes you’ll see a contractor say “rough and finish a bathroom”
Doghouse
A dormer on a house with the traditional Snoopy doghouse shape
Doghouse
A dormer on a house with the traditional Snoopy doghouse shape
Jumping Jack
A gas powered soil and aggregate compactor that bounces for compaction. If you’ve watched one in inexperienced hands the name will seem very appropriate!
Dum-Dum
Not an insult for your electrician – if he says “Go get the Dum-Dum” he is referring to a grey conduit sealer used to close up penetrations for electrical services and wires not a bozo employee.
Your builder may have a great smile, but if he tells you this on the job—it’s not good!
Smile
(overloaded beam) Unfortunately when the builder tells you your beam has a “smile” it’s not happy. It means the middle bows down. Ironically, a “frown” is better since it is arced upward and forces of time would tend to straighten the beam’s “frown”
Hickey
We’re not being fresh! It’s a handy electrical fitting for hanging pendants and chandeliers that allows the wire to properly enter the electrical box inside the canopy.
Crown
Nothing to do with royalty! Framing lumber does not come perfectly straight, so the lumber is supposed to be installed with the “crown” or curve upwards so that over time it settles into straight. If installed with the curve down it will be crooked to begin with and likely bow more over time.
Redhead
Electricians slang for the BX bushing that protects the wires entering the armor. Can be installed by folks of any hair color including bald guys like me!
Wood Stretcher
The tool we use when the carpenter cuts it 1 inch too short. (Haha, we wish)
Sky Hook
A handy piece of equipment we all wish we had to hold up heavy items while we are working with them.
Striped Paint
The paint we ask the helper to get out of the van on his first day.
“Don’t leave another thing unfinished or I’ll see you in the ring!”
Punch List
A list of unfinished or items needing attention at the end of a project for the builder to resolve. In the old days this list was presented as a card where each item was hole punched upon completion – so back then the name actually made sense.
“Bang ‘em over the head with extras”
A business model used by unscrupulous contractors to come in with a low price and make up the deficit by springing lots of overpriced extras on the client during the project. Sketchy and vague, or better yet – nonexistent blueprints are this guy’s best ally.
“Dan in a Van” or “Chuck in a Truck”
A one man company or sometimes with a helper. A solid notch up from the painter who has a skill saw, a roller and a disposable brush in the back of his 1995 Toyota Camry.
Taillight Warranty
The warranty on the work expires when you see the taillights of the contractor after he drives away having picked up the final check.
Unlicensed Contractor
Someone who thinks they can save their customer money by staying under the radar with supposedly lower overhead than law abiding contractors.
Contractor special
A bathroom exhaust fan that instead of venting outside, is vented into the attic with no duct or a 4” flex duct flapping around like a tentacle in your attic.
“Can’t see it from my house—looks level to me!”
“Can’t see it from my house”
A refrain of shabby carpenters who figure their work is okay because the error can’t be seen from their house. Hopefully the customer doesn’t notice it until the warranty is expired. (see below- taillight warranty)
Bugs
The UL approved fittings to connect the service entry cables for your electrical service to the power company’s overhead wires. And you thought bugs in your house was a bad thing!
Home Run
Sounds like baseball, but it means a circuit or low voltage wire that goes back to the main panel – a dedicated circuit or line.
Expensive
Cheap work that needs to be redone
Products that no matter how cheap they are, do not work
Construction Business Life Cycle
Start small / grow big / lose shirt / shrink back to small business
Duct tape and Bubble gum
The solution to most emergency repairs
Duct tape and baling twine
The solution to nearly all farm repairs.
Looks level to me!”
“Builder Grade”
Refers to a product that looks nice but is super cheap, since most new construction or “spec” builds carry a 1 year warranty.
Design-Build
Design first, then build. A contractor desperate to start won’t need any design plans – he has another approach:
Build-Design
Start building, designing as you go to expedite the project, redoing the things you built as needed as the design takes shape so it takes twice as long and costs way more.
90% Done
Usually means 40-60% done
Rat’s nest
Not actually related to rodents - An overloaded and messy, usually uncovered electrical box
Home Depot
A place a good builder tries to avoid where they sell “Expensive” (see above definition) products. If he sees anyone he knows there, he must duck behind a corner display to hide.
Filter
A part that needs to be regularly changed or cleaned that no one does.