A-frame design- An interior style that features a steeply peaked roofline and a ceiling that is open to the top rafters.

Access- Any means by which a person can enter a property.

Accessibility- The degree to which a building or site allows access to people with disabilities.

Acre- A measurement of land equal to 43,560 square feet.

Active solar system- A system that utilizes electric pumps or fans to transfer solar energy for storage or direct use.

Actual age- The number of years a structure has been standing.

Amperage- The strength of an electrical current.

Anchor bolt- A large steel bolt anchored in concrete and attached to a building to prevent the structure from moving.

Arbor- An area shaded by trees, shrubs or vines on a latticework structure.

Back fill- Soil used to solidify the foundation of a structure.

Balloon-frame construction- A type of framing used in two-story homes in which studs extend from the ground to the ceiling of the second floor.

Balustrade- Railing held up by a set of posts on a porch or stairway.

Baseboard- Any board or molding found at the bottom of an interior wall.

Bearing wall- A wall that supports its own weight in addition to other parts of a structure.

Betterment- An improvement that increases a property's value as opposed to repairs that maintain the value.

Boundary- The dividing line between two adjacent properties.

Braced framing- A construction method in two-story homes in which the frame is reinforced with posts and braces.

Builder upgrades- Extra house features or better finishing materials that a builder offers.

Building code- A comprehensive set of laws that controls the construction or remodeling of a home or other structure.

Building line or setback- Guidelines that limit how close an owner can build to the street or an adjacent property.

Building permit- A permit issued by a local government agency that allows the construction of home or renovation of a house.

Built-ins- Appliances or other items that are framed into a home or permanently attached.

Cantilever- A projecting structure supported on one end, such as a balcony.

Cathedral ceiling- A high open ceiling formed by finishing exposed roof rafters.

Caulk- An acrylic or silicon sealant used to fill cracks, crevices and holes in a home.

Central air conditioning- A device that generates cold air through an outside unit that is connected to ductwork inside the house.

Chair railing- Decorative trim installed on a wall about 32 inches above the floor, which protects against scuffs from furniture.

Circuit breaker- An electric fuse that activates or deactivates a circuit.

Combination door- An outer door with interchangeable screen and glass panels.

Common area- An area inside a housing development that is owned by all residents.

Construction documents- Drawings and specifications from an architect that provide detailed requirements for the construction of a project.

Contemporary style- A design that features streamlined shapes, large unadorned windows and industrial materials.

Contractor- The individual who contracts for the construction of a home or project.

Corrective work- Necessary or desired repairs to remedy problems uncovered by a home or specialized inspection.

Crawl space- The space between the ground and the first floor of a home, usually no higher than four feet.

Curtain wall- An exterior wall that encloses a yard or other area but does not provide any structural support to a home.

Custom builder- A builder who constructs a home or building based on plans created by the owner.

Deadbolt lock- Locks that require a key to open from the outside and a turn button from the inside.

Deck- A roofless, floored area that adjoins a house.

Design/build- A project in which the owner contracts directly with an individual or company to perform design and construction.

Dimension plans- Plans which show the layout of a house but are less detailed than full blueprints.

Distressed property- Property that is in poor physical or financial condition.

Drywall - A construction material composed of gypsum or plaster wrapped in paper and produced in large sheets that can be nailed to wall studs.

Elevations- The exterior view of a home design that shows the position of the house relative to the grade of the land.

Excavation- The process of clearing trees, removing topsoil and grading land before the foundation is laid.

Feng shui- An ancient Chinese belief that the physical characteristics of a house and the positioning of the home will affect the fortunes of the owner.

Filled land- An area where the ground has been raised by adding dirt, gravel or other fill material.

Fixture- Personal property permanently attached to a house, such as drapery rods, toilets, built-in bookcases or a furnace.

Foundation- The support structure of a house.

Framing- The construction of the skeletal framework of a house.

Furnace- An enclosed heating device powered by coal, oil, propane or natural gas.

Fuse- A device that allows power to be channeled into a home.

General contractor- The person who hires all of the subcontractors and suppliers for a project.

Grade level- The flat or sloping surface upon which a house is built.

Header- Crossbeams above windows and doors.

Heat pump- An electric cooling and heating system.

Home warranty- A type of insurance that covers repairs to certain parts of a house and some fixtures.

House wrap- A polyethylene barrier wrapped around a house to save energy.

Insulation- Materials including cellulose, glass fiber, rock wool, polystyrene, urethane foam and vermiculite that slow heat loss.

Joist- A floor or ceiling support member supported by foundation walls, piers or beams. Subflooring is connected to floor joists.

Kit home- A structure that contains prefabricated components and is put together by a contractor.

Landscape- A home's surroundings can range from a shrub-studded emerald lawn to native plants. It is a major component of curb appeal.

Lintel- A horizontal piece over a door or window that carries the weight of the structure above it.

Load-bearing wall- A wall that supports not only its own weight, but the weight of other parts of a home. Also called a bearing wall.

Loft- A living space not partitioned into rooms or a small space built above a larger room.

Main water shut-off valve- The primary valve that halts the flow of water from the water meter into a home.

Masonry- The brick or stone work on a building.

Mechanical systems- A home's plumbing, wiring, heating and cooling systems.

Move-in condition- A house that is ready for a new occupant.

Nail pops- Nails in load-bearing parts of new homes that pop out slightly because of settling of the structure.

Open space- Undeveloped land or common areas in a planned community reserved for parks, walking paths or other natural uses.

Panel- A section or division of a wall, ceiling or a flat piece of building material that forms the part of the surface of a wall, door or cabinet.

Patent defect- A visible deficiency in a piece of property, such as a cracked basement slab or a sagging porch.

Personal property- Any moveable property in a house such as furniture or appliances.

Pest-control inspection- A common pest-control inspection is a termite inspection, which is required in some states.

Porch- The structure can be a simple covered entrance to a home or a fully enclosed room on the outside of a residence.

Privacy fence- A structure erected between two pieces of property.

Production home- Homes that are mass-produced by one builder in a project.

Project budget- A fiscal outline that includes the construction budget and all costs for land, furniture, equipment, financing, professional services, contingencies and owner-furnished goods and services.

R-value- A construction term that refers to the resistance of to heat loss. The higher the R-value, the slower the rate of heat loss.

Rafter- Rafters form the slope of a pitched roof and are analogous to floor joists.

Real property- Land and any permanent fixtures on it, including buildings, trees and minerals.

Rough-in- The installation of plumbing, electrical and other mechanical systems.

Schematic designs- Renderings of floor plans and the exterior of a house.

Semi-custom home- The buyer of a semi-custom home is free to make some design changes but not to the home's structural plan.

Shingles- Thin, wedge-shaped pieces of wood or flat rectangular pieces of slate, mineral fiber, glass fiber or composition asphalt installed on a roof to prevent water seepage.

Soils test- A test of the subsoil to ensure that foundations can be safely constructed.

Specifications- The written requirements for materials, equipment, construction systems and standards.

Square footage- The number of square feet of livable space in a home or building.

Steel framing- A construction method used by commercial and residential builders.

Studs- The upright pieces of lumber or steel in a wall to which siding, drywall or other coverings are attached.

Sub-flooring- The sheathing, usually made of plywood, placed on top of floor joists and covered by flooring.

Subcontractor- Specialty construction companies hired by the general contractor to perform certain tasks.

Subdivision- The process in which the owner of a large piece of property divides it into smaller parcels.

Tear-down condition- A house that requires the entire interior to be rebuilt.

Trim work- The finishing of doors, doorways, window frames and floors.

Underlayment- A layer of wood between the subfloor and the floor.

Upgrades- Options than the standard carpeting, lighting, finish carpentry and other amenities offered to all buyers in a new-home project.