Glossary home
Calorifier
Apparatus for heating water in a tank, the source of heat being a coil of heated pipes immersed in the water.
Carpenter
A person skilled in woodwork - as opposed to a joiner a carpenter would be the trade responsible for hanging doors, architrave, skirtings, ironmongery etc
Cased pile
A concrete pile cast into a steel casing in the ground.
Cast iron
Castings made from iron with 2-4 percent carbon content.
Cement
A compound of lime ground to powder which when mixed with water hardens rapidly. Used for binding together aggregates in concrete and sand in mortar.
Circular saw
A power driven saw in which a circular disc with a toothed edge is rotated at high speed.
Civil engineer
A person qualified to design, construct, and maintain public works, such as roads, bridges, harbours etc.
Cladding
The material used for the outside facing of a building.
Cleat
In making formwork, a square piece of wood placed at intervals underneath an un- supported joint to prevent differential movement across the joint - usually held in place by wood screws.
Commissioning
The testing and verification of the electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems.
Commercial / domestic let property insurance
Commercial / domestic let property insurance is a policy designed to meet the insurance needs of both commercial and residential property owners
Commercial van insurance
Commercial van insurance is a British legal requirement for all vans used for commercial purposes. Commercial purposes in this case is defined by any activity that should end with financial gain, such as taxiing, or transporting goods / tools to a job. Constructaquote.com offers highly competitive commercial van insurance quotes.
Commercial vehicle
Refers to any vehicle that is primarily used for the continuance of enterprise. For example a plumber using his van to transport materials would class his vehicle as a commercial vehicle.
Common wall
Same as party wall.
Composite construction
A construction technique whereby two different but connected materials act together compositely to resist loads - a concrete slab on a steel beam will act compositely if stud bolts placed on the top flange of the beam project into the slab to effect bonding between the two materials - concrete poured over metal decking will act compositely if the concrete bonds properly to the metal.
Compound walling
Walls laid in two or more skins of different materials.
Compressed air
Air at a higher pressure than atmospheric pressure: used as a source of power for machines.
Compression
A structural member is said to be in compression if the forces acting upon it tend to cause shortening of the particles in a member.
Compressive stress
Stress caused by compressive forces.
Compriband
Bitumen-impregnated polyurethane foam sealing strip.
Concrete
A mixture of water, sand, gravel and Portland cement which hardens to a stone like mass.
Concrete footing
Generally, the wide, lower part of a foundation wall that spreads the weight of the building over a larger area. Its width and thickness vary according to weight of building and type of soil on which building is erected.
Concrete nail
A specially hardened steel nail that can be driven into concrete or masonry.
Concrete pump
A lorry mounted distribution unit. Hydraulically driven and fed with concrete from a hopper on the lorry. The advantages of using a concrete pump are that it assists crane utilisation and can deliver concrete to its point at high speed and reach distances of upto .5 Km and reach heights of upto 50 metres.
Condensation
Anything that has condensed from a vapour especially on a window.
Conductance
The ability of a system to conduct electricity, measured by the ratio of the current flowing through the system to the potential difference across it; the reciprocal of resistance.
Construction/project management
A contract in which the main contractors chief function is not as a builder but as a manager of work packages carried out by trade contractors - the construction manager also acts as an advisor to the architect, structural engineer and other consultants - a construction manager is appointed early and is mainly concerned with programming and co-ordination, having no say in the choice of trade contractors nor the right to do the work directly - clients can expect greater security than with a design and build contract - management contracting has a reputation for causing confrontation between members of the building team.
Contractor liability insurance
Contractor liability insurance refers to a policy that includes both public liability insurance and employer's liability insurance. Constructaquote.com offers fantastic rates on
contractor liability insurance quotes.
Contractors all risks
Contractors all risks is an insurance policy that provides insurance cover for everything belonging to or hired by the policyholder on any building site within the territorial limits of the policy. Contractors all risks is favoured by the construction industry and insurance companies alike as it is easier to group all construction items with an insurable interest and charge one premium. Constructaquote.com offers unbeatable rates on
contractors all risks insurance quotes.
Contract bond
A guarantee by a bonding company to an owner that a contract will be fulfilled regardless of the lack of performance on the part of the contractor. Insurance can be obtained for this but not through ourselves.
Contract completion date
The date by which the contractor is contractually obliged to complete and handover the works.
Contract sum
The contract sum is stated in the employer/contractor agreement and, including authorised adjustments thereto, is the total amount payable by the employer to the contractor for the performance of the works under the contract documents.
Contraction joint
Also known as a shrinkage joint, a break in a structure made to allow for the drying and temperature shrinkages of concrete or masonry - the joint prevents cracking at undesirable places.
Courier
A
courier is a person or company employed to deliver goods, mail or messages. They differentiate from usual delivery services in speed, security and tracking. Couriers tend to be more expensive than usual delivery services.
Courtesy car
Some insurance policies offer a vehicle that an insured person can used whilst their insurance claim is being processed or their vehicle is being repaired
Cowboy
Not to be confused with a cowhand associated with the wild west - in Britain a cowboy is a dodgy builder who carries out bodge work and charges extortionate fees.
Cowl
A covering fixed over chimney or vent and revolving with the wind to improve ventilation.
Crowbar
A heavy iron lever with one pointed end, and one forged into a wedge shape.
Crown
The top part of an arch including the keystone.
Culvert
A drain or covered channel that crosses under a road, railway etc - also a channel for an electric cable.
Cutwater
The wedged shaped end of a bridge, constructed to break the current of water.