Understanding Construction Contracts

Learn Technical Terms

Before studying contracts or talking to professional designers, builders, or subcontractors, you may want to bone up on certain terms that are used widely in the construction industry. Here's a sampling:

Broom Clean
A legal term that specifies removal of all construction debris from the job site upon completion of the project, including sawdust, packing materials, and leftover construction materials.

Allowance
The standard amount (usually a middle-market figure) that a contractor includes in his or her cost estimate for items that are to be purchased directly by the homeowner (example: lighting fixture allowance).

Structural
A term used to identify any element that is load-bearing, such as a wall, column, or beam. (Some elements that appear to be structural may be decorative.)

Punch List
Items noted by a contractor during his or her final walk-through of the project that need attention before the job can be officially completed.

Rough-In
The first stage of installing a system, such as plumbing or electrical wiring, after rough carpentry is completed.

Trim-Out
The final stage of installing a system, after interior finishes are completed. Trim-out includes installing fixtures and fittings and mounting cover plates and decorative trim.

Wet Wall
The wall that houses the main water pipes and waste line for a home's plumbing system.