Homeownership is one of the biggest investments you can ever make in your life. It takes a lot of sacrifice, money, and other resources to get a house and convert it into a home. In addition, it comes with a lot of responsibilities.
You will need to take care of the house as well as other bills. You might be faced with utility bills as well as renovation bills. However, before you embark on your next renovation project, do you know all the construction terms that you need to know?
Well, the truth is that you can pay someone who understands these terms for you. This person can take care of everything for you easily. However, things can be much better if you understand all the terms without asking anyone else.
Here are some of the construction terms you should know before embarking on your next home renovation project;
Blueprints
Blueprints can be defined as the technical drawings produced by designers and/or architects with the plan for the renovation project. They show different things such as the progress the project will follow including materials needed, dimensions, and fasteners to use.
Change of Footprint
A footprint can be defined as the entire dimensions of your house as it currently is. This includes things like porches and attached garages. Change of footprint, on the other hand, shows how the current dimensions will be changed during the renovation project.
RFI (Request For Information)
RFI is a process of communication management that asks for information related to the renovation project from the very first design to all the specifications of the project.
The role of the Request for Information process is to ensure that all decisions made for the renovation project are clear. This helps in the elimination of any issues that might arise at different stages in the course of the project.
Building Inspector
A building inspector is a person sent by your region’s office of the building inspector and tasked with providing you with building permits.
The inspector is also tasked with inspecting the progress of your renovation project and reviewing the blueprints discussed above. This is important in making sure that your project meets all set requirements.
Design Build
Design build can be defined as a home construction or remodeling company that is tasked with handling all the renovation design work. This might include things such as creating design drawings and even taking care of home renovations.
A design build, architect, and builder are all different but co-relate. Working with a design build is important for homeowners who want to have one company handle everything in their renovation project.
Demolition
Demolition is the process of knocking parts or the entire building out and removing old walls, wall coverings, materials, and any other old items. This is among the very first steps that take place during a home renovation project. It not only opens up but also clears the way for the renovation process to begin.
General Contractor
This is one of the most important people in your home renovation project. General contractors are tasked with inspecting and taking care of the day-to-day renovation work.
In most areas, a general contractor has to be licensed, insured, or bonded. This is the person you need to ask any questions that you might have.
HVAC
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) is a contractor who is tasked with handling the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for your renovation project.
Subcontractor
A subcontractor is a contractor who specializes in something and is hired by the general contractor. They are tasked with taking care of certain parts of your renovation project.
The most common subcontractors are hired to take care of things such as plumbing and electronics. They are experts in these fields and general contractors understand their importance.
Millwork
Millwork is used to refer to any feature in your home that makes use of milled woodwork. This might include things like flooring, interior doors, casings, and many others.
A home renovation project is not a small project. You need to make sure that you understand all the terms discussed above to ensure a smooth project.
