Here's a glossary of common British construction terms, grouped by category for easy reference.
Building Elements
| Term |
Meaning |
| Footings |
Concrete base supporting foundations. |
| Foundations |
Structural base of a building. |
| Oversite |
Concrete slab laid over the ground. |
| DPC (Damp Proof Course) |
Waterproof barrier preventing rising damp. |
| DPM (Damp Proof Membrane) |
Plastic membrane beneath floors preventing moisture ingress. |
| Cavity Wall |
Two masonry walls separated by an air gap. |
| Leaf |
One layer of a cavity wall (inner or outer). |
| Lintel |
Beam supporting masonry above openings. |
| Joist |
Horizontal timber or steel supporting floors or ceilings. |
| Rafter |
Sloping roof member supporting the roof covering. |
| Truss |
Prefabricated roof framework. |
| Ridge |
Highest horizontal point of a roof. |
| Verge |
Edge of a roof where it meets a gable. |
| Eaves |
Lower edge of a roof. |
| Fascia |
Board fixed to rafter ends supporting gutters. |
| Soffit |
Underside of roof overhang. |
| Gable |
Triangular wall beneath roof ends. |
| Party Wall |
Shared wall between adjoining properties. |
| Screed |
Smooth cement layer over concrete floors. |
| Render |
External cement or lime finish. |
| Skirting |
Internal board covering wall-floor junction. |
| Architrave |
Trim around doors and windows. |
Site Preparation
| Term |
Meaning |
| Setting Out |
Marking the building position on site. |
| Reduced Level (RL) |
Height relative to a fixed datum. |
| Datum |
Reference point for levels. |
| Cut |
Excavation below existing ground level. |
| Fill |
Material used to raise ground level. |
| Hardcore |
Crushed stone beneath slabs. |
| Blinding |
Fine material placed over hardcore. |
| Formation |
Finished excavation level before construction. |
Concrete & Groundworks
| Term |
Meaning |
| Reinforcement (Rebar) |
Steel bars within concrete. |
| Mesh |
Welded steel reinforcement. |
| Shuttering |
Temporary mould for concrete. |
| Formwork |
Another term for shuttering. |
| Pour |
Placing fresh concrete. |
| Curing |
Maintaining moisture for concrete strength. |
| Expansion Joint |
Joint allowing movement. |
| Construction Joint |
Planned break between concrete pours. |
Brickwork & Masonry
| Term |
Meaning |
| Stretcher Bond |
Common brick-laying pattern. |
| Flemish Bond |
Alternating headers and stretchers. |
| English Bond |
Alternate courses of headers and stretchers. |
| Perpend |
Vertical mortar joint. |
| Bed Joint |
Horizontal mortar joint. |
| Pointing |
Finishing exposed mortar joints. |
| Weep Hole |
Opening allowing moisture drainage. |
Carpentry
| Term |
Meaning |
| First Fix |
Structural carpentry before plastering. |
| Second Fix |
Finishing carpentry after plastering. |
| Noggin |
Short timber between studs or joists. |
| Stud Wall |
Timber or metal partition wall. |
| Sole Plate |
Bottom timber of a stud wall. |
| Head Plate |
Top timber of a stud wall. |
| Trimmer |
Supporting joist around an opening. |
Roofing
| Term |
Meaning |
| Battens |
Timber strips supporting roof tiles. |
| Underlay |
Waterproof membrane beneath roof covering. |
| Flashing |
Waterproof seal around roof penetrations. |
| Valley |
Internal roof angle. |
| Hip |
External roof angle. |
| Dormer |
Roof projection containing a window. |
Finishes
| Term |
Meaning |
| Plasterboard |
Dry lining board. |
| Drylining |
Installing plasterboard without wet plaster. |
| Skim Coat |
Thin finish coat of plaster. |
| Coving |
Decorative moulding at wall-ceiling junction. |
| Emulsion |
Water-based wall paint. |
| Primer |
First preparation coat. |
| Undercoat |
Intermediate paint layer. |
| Topcoat |
Final finish coat. |
Services (MEP)
| Term |
Meaning |
| First Fix Services |
Pipes and cables installed before finishes. |
| Second Fix Services |
Final fittings (switches, taps, radiators). |
| Consumer Unit |
Electrical distribution board (fuse box). |
| RCD |
Residual Current Device for electrical safety. |
| Soil Stack |
Vertical waste pipe. |
| SVP |
Soil Vent Pipe. |
| Manifold |
Distribution point for water or heating. |
Health & Safety
| Term |
Meaning |
| RAMS |
Risk Assessments and Method Statements. |
| PPE |
Personal Protective Equipment. |
| CDM |
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. |
| Toolbox Talk |
Short safety briefing. |
| Permit to Work |
Formal authorisation for hazardous work. |
| COSHH |
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. |
| Edge Protection |
Guardrails preventing falls. |
| Scaffold Tag |
Inspection status of scaffolding. |
Contracts & Project Management
| Term |
Meaning |
| Snagging |
Identifying defects before handover. |
| Practical Completion |
Stage when works are substantially complete. |
| Defects Liability Period |
Time for rectifying defects after completion. |
| Variation |
Change to the agreed scope of work. |
| BOQ |
Bill of Quantities. |
| Tender |
Formal bid to undertake work. |
| RFI |
Request for Information. |
| NCR |
Non-Conformance Report. |
| As-Built Drawings |
Drawings showing completed construction. |
Common British Site Slang
| Term |
Meaning |
| Spark |
Electrician. |
| Chippy |
Carpenter or joiner. |
| Brickie |
Bricklayer. |
| Groundworker |
Operative carrying out excavation and foundation work. |
| Labourer |
General site worker. |
| Gaffer |
Site manager or supervisor. |
| Mate |
Assistant to a tradesperson. |
| Plant |
Construction machinery and equipment. |
| Grab Wagon |
Lorry with a hydraulic loading arm. |
| Telehandler |
Rough-terrain telescopic forklift. |
| Dumper |
Site dump truck. |
| Genie |
Mobile elevated work platform (MEWP), often used generically. |
| Hoarding |
Temporary site boundary fencing or panels. |
| Welfare |
Site cabins providing toilets, canteen and rest facilities. |
| Snag List |
List of defects requiring rectification. |
