A Brief Glossary of Essential Remodeling Terms

If you’re planning to remodel your home in McKinney, TX, or the surrounding areas, you’ll certainly start by determining the general scope of your project and finding the most reliable design-build contractors to carry it out for you. 

However, you should be aware that, even if you’re an avid DIYer, it could be the first time for you to come across some terms while communicating with your remodelers and setting up all the details. Keep reading to learn the most common remodeling terms and stay in tune with your contractors throughout the project.

What are the most common remodeling terms?

This glossary of the terminology used in architecture, remodeling, construction industries, and interior design will help you understand the language of designers and remodelers:

• AC – an abbreviation for air conditioner, but also for alternating current – the standard current for homes.
• AC condenser – the outside unit of an air conditioner, featuring a fan which cools the freon gas and turns it into a liquid.
• Anchor bolts – galvanized, heavy bolts that keep the wooden sill plate attached to the concrete foundation.
• ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act, which determines building design accessibility guidelines 
• Addition – new square footage or rooms you add to a home.
• ADU – abbreviation for accessory dwelling unit, which is an additional residence legally incorporated into a home of a single family; also known as mother-in-law apartment.
• Aggregate – crushed rock, sand or gravel that is mixed into concrete to create a strong foundation.
• Area wells – the concrete or metal that retains the earth to create a space for basement windows.
• Asbestos – a dangerous carcinogen which used to be extensively used for fireproofing, as well as other industrial applications; contractors must take precautions not to disturb materials that contain this mineral when remodeling an older home.
• Barge – a large rafter placed horizontally in a home’s roof to support shorter rafters.
• Batt – an insulation material, typically cotton, fiberglass, or rockwool, placed between wall studs.
• Bearing wall – a wall inside a building that supports the weight of the above floors or the roof.
• Blown-in insulation – insulation that is placed using a blower system; it’s typically used for attics, and for walls where placing batts is difficult or impossible.
• Caulk – a material for gap filling; it can be hard or flexible, painted, waterproof, or mold-resistant.
• Cosmetic upgrade – a project where you renew paint and other surfaces, but don’t change room layout or appliance positions.
• Curb appeal – hardscaping, softscaping, the front door, and any other elements that make your home attractive, looking from the outside.
• DADU – abbreviation for detached accessory dwelling unit, which is a small building on the same lot with a single-family home, also called a backyard studio, a backyard cottage, or a carriage house.
• Design build – a remodeling approach that puts both construction and design under one roof; instead of two different companies, you have one single company responsible for successfully carrying out an entire project.
• Trim – the completion of contractor’s work by adding finishing touches including shelves, guard rails, interior doors, and moldings.

Where in McKinney, TX can I hire reputable design-build contractors?

If you’d like to make your home even more appealing by adding an amazing media room, modify it to better fit your pets or make the environment safer for your kids, Elite Remodeling is your go-to team. 

We take a detail-oriented approach and use top-of-the-line tools and equipment to ensure we meet the needs and special requirements of every single client. Whether you need us in McKinney or any other nearby community, all you need to do is give us a call!