Glossary of terms

Our jargon buster will help you understand some of the technical terms you may come across in your report.

To help you, below is a glossary of terms from A – Z:.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W XYZ

Aboriculturalist

A professional in the cultivation, management and study of individual trees.

Back to top

Agent

One who acts for, or in the place of, another; one entrusted with the business of another.

Back to top

Aggregate

Broken stone, gravel or sand used with cement to form concrete.

Back to top

Agricultural Tie

A planning restriction that limits the occupation of a property to those employed, or last employed, in agricultural work or other similar work.

Back to top

ADR

Alternative Dispute Resolution. The voluntary participation in a non-litigation procedure. It’s designed to encourage the settlement of a dispute through the promotion of a constructive dialogue between the parties.

Back to top

Airbrick

A perforated brick built into a wall for the purpose of providing air ventilation.

Back to top

APR

Annual Percentage Rate. This figure is the interest rate for the whole year, rather than just a monthly/fee rate, as applied on, for example, a mortgage.

Back to top

Architect

A person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings.

Back to top

Architrave

A moulding around a doorway or window opening. It usually covers the joints between the frame and the wall finish, and covers any shrinkage gaps.

Back to top

Asbestos

A naturally occurring group of materials widely used in insulation until the mid 1980’s. They are now known to cause cancer, unless managed with care.

Back to top

Asphalt

Black, tar-like substance, designed to be impervious to moisture.

Back to top

AVM

A type of valuation model. The name given to a method that can provide property valuations using mathematical modelling, combined with a database.

Back to top

Balanced Flue

Common metal device used in gas or oil burning appliances.

Back to top

Baluster

A post or vertical pillar, supporting a hand rail or parapet rail.

Back to top

Bedding/Bed Joint

A layer (usually concrete or mortar) providing continuous support to such items as bricks and piping.

Back to top

Beetle Infestation

When the larvae of beetles have tunnelled into timber, causing damage.

Back to top

Bond

The regular arrangements of bricks or stones in a wall so that the units can be joined together.

Back to top

Borehole

A shaft drilled into the ground, either for abstraction or to get soil or rock samples.

Back to top

Brick Bond

The arrangement of bricks to ensure a wall’s stability.

Back to top

Breeze Block

The term used to refer to various types of concrete and cement building blocks.

Back to top

Bridging

A term used in dampness investigations, where moisture bypasses an otherwise effective damp-proof course.

Back to top

Bund

A wall around a tank or other similar structure, designed to keep the contents of the tank inside, in the event of spillage.

Back to top

Carbonation

A natural process affecting the outer layer of concrete.

Back to top

Casement Window

A window made up of hinged, pivoted or fixed sashes.

Back to top

Cavity Wall

External walls of houses made up of two leaves of brick or blockwork, separated by a gap.

Back to top

Cavity Wall Insulation

The filling of wall cavities by one or various forms of insulation.

Back to top

Cavity Wall-Tie

A twisted piece of metal, bedded into the inner and outer leaves of cavity walls, to strengthen the wall.

Back to top

Cesspool

A simple method of foul drainage, using a holding tank that will need regular draining.

Back to top

Chipboard

Chips of wood compressed and glued into a sheet form. It’s a cheap method of decking to flat roofs, floors and furniture.

Back to top

Cleaning Eye

An opening in a drain or ventilation pipe, covered by a plate. Removal of the plate allows the drain to be rodded to clear blockages.

Back to top

Cob

Walling of naturally dried earth or clay, compressed into blocks.

Back to top

Collar Beam

A horizontal tie beam of a roof, joined to opposing rafters at a level above that of the wall plates.

Back to top

Collar

Horizontal timber designed to restrain opposing roof slopes.

Back to top

Combination Boiler

A gas boiler that activates on demand. No need for water storage tanks or cylinders.

Back to top

Combined Sewers

Sewers that carry both sewage and surface water.

Back to top

Common Areas

A phrase referring to the areas of a property available for use by any of the occupiers (for example, communal grounds).

Back to top

Commonhold Land

A form of freehold land.

Back to top

Concrete

A mixture of coarse, medium and fine aggregates with cement and water.

Back to top

Condensation

The changing of water vapour to liquid water.

Back to top

Conflict of Interest

Where an estate agent or other professional adviser acts for clients who have competing interests.

Back to top

Conservation Area

An area designed to preserve or enhance its architectural or historical significance, through planning controls.

Back to top

Conveyancer

A legal professional who specialises in the legal aspect of buying and selling property.

Back to top

Coping/Coping Stone

Stone or concrete laid on top of a wall, designed to stop water soaking into the wall.

Back to top

Corbel

Projection of a material (eg stone or brick) jutting from a wall to support a weight above it.

Back to top

Cornice

A large moulding at the junction between an inside wall and a ceiling.

Back to top

Covenant

A legally binding agreement, used to require a property owner to do, or not do, something in relation to the property.

Back to top

Coving

Curved junction between wall and ceiling.

Back to top

Creep

Gradual deformation of an object under load.

Back to top

Curtilage

The land within which the building is set and which belongs to it.

Back to top

Dado 

Panelling, usually made of timber, extending from floor level part way up an internal wall.

Back to top

DPC

Damp-Proof Course. Layers of impervious material built into a wall to prevent dampness rising up the wall or around windows and doors.

Back to top

Defect

An imperfection that impairs worth or use.

Back to top

Delamination

The breakdown of a material by separation of the layers that it’s made up of.

Back to top

Desktop Valuation

A valuation of property using archives or websites but without an inspection of the property.

Back to top

Dew Point

The temperature at which moisture in the air begins to evaporate.

Back to top

Discharge Consent

Consent granted by the Environment Agency to discharge into watercourses, subject to conditions.

Back to top

Distribution Board

A unit containing switches, circuit breakers etc. It protects the electrical circuits within a property.

Back to top

District Plan

A Local Development Plan prepared by a District Council.

Back to top

Down Valuation

When a valuer acting for a lender believes the property is worth less than the agreed or stated price or value.

Back to top

Drive By Valuation

A valuation of a property based on external inspection from publicly accessible areas.

Back to top

Dry Rot

A serious form of fungus which attacks structural and joinery timbers.

Back to top

Easement

A legally enforceable property right, held by one person as owner of one area of land over another area of land.

Back to top

Efflorescence

Powdery white salts crystallised on a surface, as a result of moisture evaporation.

Back to top

Engineering Brick

Strong, dense type of brick, often used as damp-course in older buildings.

Back to top

EPC

Energy Performance Certificate. A mandatory report giving information on the energy efficiency of a property.

Back to top

Fibreboard

Cheap, lightweight board material of little strength, used in ceilings or as insulation in attics.

Back to top

Flashing

Building technique to prevent leakage from a roof joint.

Back to top

Flaunching

A cement mortar weathering on top of a chimney stack surrounding the base of the chimney pots, to throw off rain.

Back to top

Flue Lining

Metal tube within a flue.

Back to top

Flying freehold

Exists when one part of a property extends over, or under, a neighbouring property. It can cause legal complications.

Back to top

Frog

An indentation in the top of the brick to reduce its weight.

Back to top

GEA

Gross External Area.

Back to top

Ground Heave

Swelling of clay sub-soil due to the presence of moisture. It can cause movement in the foundations.

Back to top

Gulley

An opening into which rain and waste water are collected before entering the drain.

Back to top

Hardcore

Broken bricks or stone which if consolidated can be used as a base for concrete, for example, floor or drive.

Back to top

Herringbone Strutting

A zigzag pattern of timber, fixed between joists to give additional support.

Back to top

Hipped Roof

A pitched roof whose ends are also pitched.

Back to top

Honeycomb Wall

A sleeper wall built with holes for ventilation over its whole area.

Back to top

In Situ

Work done in the position where it’s finally required.

Back to top

Interstitial Condensation

Condensation occurring within the thickness of a building element, for example, between materials and finishes.

Back to top

Key

The roughness of a surface which provides a bond for any application of paint, plaster etc.

Back to top

Landslip

Downhill movement of unstable earth following prolonged heavy rain or coastal erosion.

Back to top

Mortar

Mixture of sand, cement and water to join stones or bricks.

Back to top

Mullion

Vertical bar dividing individual lights in a window.

Back to top

Mundic

A term that covers a range of potential housing problems that may occur from the use of reactive aggregates in concrete. Largely confined to Cornwall and South Devon.

Back to top

NHBC

National House-Building Council. Commonly used for New Build Guarantees.

Back to top

Peppercorn Ground Rent

A nominal sum usually paid annually, based on a historic legal agreement.

Back to top

Purlin

Horizontal beam in a roof upon which rafters rest.

Back to top

Retention

The ability of a lender to hold back part of a mortgage loan until certain conditions are met – usually the completion of significant repairs.

Back to top

Rendering

Covering finish to the surface of a wall.

Back to top

RICS

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Back to top

Ridge

The highest part of a roof.

Back to top

Rising Damp

Moisture soaking up a wall from below ground, by capillary action, which can cause rot and damage to plasterwork.

Back to top

Roof Spread

Outward bowing of a wall caused by the thrust of a badly restrained roof framework.

Back to top

Settlement

All properties settle in varying degrees. It can show as cracking or distortion in the walls.

Back to top

Soil Pipe

A vertical pipe moves sewage to the drains.

Back to top

Stud Partition

Lightweight wall.

Back to top

Sulphate Attack

Chemical reaction, activated by water, which can cause deterioration in brick walls and concrete floors.

Back to top

Structural Engineer

Professional who advises on structural defects of property.

Back to top

Surveyor

A Chartered Surveyor who is a member of RICS.

Back to top

Structural Movement

A defect in a property when the structure has moved or distorted in some way.

Back to top

Trussed Rafters

Method of roof construction.

Back to top

Underpinning

Method of strengthening weak foundations by placing a stronger foundation underneath the original.

Back to top

Ventilation

Necessary in all buildings to disperse moisture and prevent condensation.

Back to top

Wet Rot

Decay of timber due to damp conditions.

Back to top