Resources · Glossary
Construction Glossary
In Plain English
The words contractors, architects, and building managers use, explained the way we’d explain them on a walkthrough: what it means, why it matters for your project, and what to watch for.
C
- CommercialCertificate of Insurance (COI)A certificate of insurance is a one-page document from a contractor’s insurer that proves the contractor carries specific coverage, such as general liability and workers’ compensation.Read more
- Permits & ContractsChange OrderA change order is a written amendment to a construction contract that changes the scope, price, or schedule after the contract is signed.Read more
- ResidentialCurbless ShowerA curbless shower is a shower with no curb or step at the entry: the bathroom floor continues straight into the shower and slopes gently to the drain.Read more
G
- Chicago BuildingsGreystoneA greystone is a Chicago house or two-flat with a front facade of carved Bedford limestone, built mostly between the 1890s and 1920s.Read more
- ResidentialGut RehabA gut rehab is a renovation where the interior of a building is stripped down to the structure (studs, joists, and exterior walls) and rebuilt with new systems and finishes.Read more
L
- Permits & ContractsLien WaiverA lien waiver is a document in which a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier confirms they have been paid and gives up the right to file a lien on the property for that amount.Read more
- ResidentialLoad-Bearing WallA load-bearing wall is a wall that carries weight from the structure above it (floors, roof, or other walls) down to the foundation.Read more
M
- Trades & MaterialsMetal Stud FramingMetal stud framing uses light-gauge galvanized steel studs and tracks instead of wood to build interior walls, mostly in commercial spaces.Read more
- Trades & MaterialsMillworkMillwork is any wood product made in a mill or shop for a building’s interior, such as trim, moldings, doors, paneling, built-ins, and custom cabinetry.Read more
T
- CommercialTenant Improvement (TI)A tenant improvement is the construction work done inside a leased commercial space to fit it to a specific tenant: new walls, finishes, lighting, and fixtures.Read more
- CommercialTI AllowanceA TI allowance is money a landlord agrees to contribute toward building out a tenant’s space, usually stated as a dollar amount per square foot in the lease.Read more
- Chicago BuildingsTwo-FlatA two-flat is a two-story residential building with one full-floor apartment on each level, one of the most common building types in Chicago.Read more
We add new terms regularly. Heard a word on a bid or a walkthrough that isn’t here? Send it to us and we’ll explain it.
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