Plenum- The main hot-air supply duct leading from a furnace.

Plot plan- An overhead view plan that shows the location of the home on the lot. Includes all easements, property lines, set backs, and legal descriptions of the home. Provided by the surveyor.

Plough, plow- To cut a lengthwise groove in a board or plank. An exterior handrail normally has a ploughed groove for hand gripping purposes

Plumb- Exactly vertical and perpendicular.

Plumb bob- A lead weight attached to a string. It is the tool used in determining plumb.

Plumbing boots- Metal saddles used to strengthen a bearing wall/vertical stud(s) where a plumbing drain line has been cut through and installed.

Plumbing ground- The plumbing drain and waste lines that are installed beneath a basement floor.

Plumbing jacks- Sleeves that fit around drain and waste vent pipes at, and are nailed to, the roof sheeting.

Plumbing stack- A plumbing vent pipe that penetrates the roof.

Plumbing waste line- Plastic pipe used to collect and drain sewage waste.

Ply- A term to denote the number of layers of roofing felt, veneer in plywood, or layers in built-up materials, in any finished piece of such material.

Point load- A point where a bearing/structural weight is concentrated and transferred to the foundation.

Portland cement- Cement made by heating clay and crushed limestone into a brick and then grinding to a pulverized powder state.

Post- A vertical framing member usually designed to carry a beam. Often a 4 x 4, a 6 x 6, or a metal pipe with a flat plate on top and bottom.

Post-and-beam- A basic building method that uses just a few hefty posts and beams to support an entire structure. Contrasts with stud framing.

Power vent- A vent that includes a fan to speed up air flow.  Often installed on roofs.

Pressure-treated wood- Lumber that has been saturated with a preservative.

P trap- Curved, U section of drain pipe that holds a water seal to prevent sewer gasses from entering the home through a fixtures water drain.

Pump mix- Special concrete that will be used in a concrete pump. Generally, the mix has smaller rock aggregate than regular mix.

Punch list- A list of discrepancies that need to be corrected by the contractor.

Punch out- To inspect and make a discrepancy list.

Putty- A type of dough used in sealing glass in the sash, filling small holes and crevices in wood, and for similar purposes.

PVC or CPVC - Poly Vinyl Chloride-A type of white or light gray plastic pipe sometimes used for water supply lines and waste pipe.

Quarry tile- A man-made or machine-made clay tile used to finish a floor or wall. Generally 6 X  6  X 1/4 thick .

Quarter round- A small trim molding that has the cross section of a quarter circle.
 

Single hung window - A window with one vertically sliding sash or window vent.

Skylight - A more or less horizontal window located on the roof of a building.

Slab, concrete - Concrete pavement, i.e. driveways, garages, and basement floors.

Slab, door - A rectangular door without hinges or frame.

Slab on grade - A type of foundation with a concrete floor which is placed directly on the soil. The edge of the slab is usually thicker and acts as the footing for the walls.

Slag - Concrete cement that sometimes covers the vertical face of the foundation void material.

Space heat - Heat supplied to the living space, for example, to a room or the living area of a building.

Spacing - The distance between individual members or shingles in building construction.

Span - The clear distance that a framing member carries a load without support between structural supports. The horizontal distance from eaves to eaves.

Spec home - A house built before it is sold. The builder speculates that he can sell it at a profit.

Specifications or Specs - A narrative list of materials, methods, model numbers, colors, allowances, and other details which supplement the information contained in the blue prints. 

Splash block - Portable concrete (or vinyl) channel generally placed beneath an exterior sill cock (water faucet) or downspout in order to receive roof drainage from downspouts and to divert it away from the building.

Square - A unit of measure-100 square feet-usually applied to roofing and siding material. Also, a situation that exists when two elements are at right angles to each other. Also a tool for checking this.

Square-tab shingles - Shingles on which tabs are all the same size and exposure.

Squeegie - Fine pea gravel used to grade a floor (normally before concrete is placed).

Stack (trusses) - To position trusses on the walls in their correct location.

Starter strip - Asphalt roofing applied at the eaves that provides protection by filling in the spaces under the cutouts and joints of the first course of shingles.

Stair carriage or stringer - Supporting member for stair treads. Usually a 2 X 12 inch plank notched to receive the treads; sometimes called a rough horse.

Stair landing - A platform between flights of stairs or at the termination of a flight of stairs. Often used when stairs change direction. Normally no less than 3 ft. X 3 ft. square.

Stair rise - The vertical distance from stair tread to stair tread (and not to exceed 7 ½).
 
Stick built - A house built without prefabricated parts. Also called conventional building.

Stile - An upright framing member in a panel door.

Stool - The flat molding fitted over the window sill between jambs and contacting the bottom rail of the lower sash.  Also another name for toilet.

Stop box - Normally a cast iron pipe with a lid (@ 5 in diameter) that is placed vertically into the ground, situated near the water tap in the yard, and where a water cut-off valve to the home is located (underground). 

Stops - Moldings along the inner edges of a door or window frame. Also valves used to shut off water to a fixture.

Stop valve - A device installed in a water supply line, usually near a fixture, that permits an individual to shut off the water supply to one fixture without interrupting service to the rest of the system.

Storm sewer - A sewer system designed to collect storm water and is separated from the waste water system.

Story - That part of a building between any floor or between the floor and roof.

Strike - The plate on a door frame that engages a latch or dead bolt.

String, stringer - A timber or other support for cross members in floors or ceilings. In stairs, the supporting member for stair treads. Usually a 2 X 12 inch plank notched to receive the treads

Strip flooring - Wood flooring consisting of narrow, matched strips.

Structural floor - A framed lumber floor that is installed as a basement floor instead of concrete. This is done on very expansive soils.

Stub, stubbed - To push through.

Stucco - Refers to an outside plaster finish made with Portland cement as its base.

Stud - A vertical wood framing member, also referred to as a wall stud, attached to the horizontal sole plate below and the top plate above. Normally 2 X 4s or 2 X 6s, 8 long (sometimes 92 5/8). One of a series of wood or metal vertical structural members placed as supporting elements in walls and partitions.

Stud framing - A building method that distributes structural loads to each of a series of relatively lightweight studs. Contrasts with post-and-beam.

Stud shoe - A metal, structural bracket that reinforces a vertical stud. Used on an outside bearing wall where holes are drilled to accommodate a plumbing waste line.

Subfloor - The framing components of a floor to include the sill plate, floor joists, and deck sheeting over which a finish floor is to be laid.

Sump - Pit or large plastic bucket/barrel inside the home designed to collect ground water from a perimeter drain system.

Sump pump - A submersible pump in a sump pit that pumps any excess ground water to the outside of the home.

Suspended ceiling - A ceiling system supported by hanging it from the overhead structural framing.

Sway brace - Metal straps or wood blocks installed diagonally on the inside of a wall from bottom to top plate, to prevent the wall from twisting, racking, or falling over domino fashion.