New Construction Home Terminology: A Glossary of Words for Homeowners

If you are buying a new home, you may wish to be familiar with new construction home terminology. Understanding interior design concepts, equipment, and construction processes can help you better communicate with builders, designers, and contractors. It will also enable you to make more informed decisions about the look and feel of your new home.

Following are several words you may hear as you are building a new home in Canton, Novi, or South Lyon with Singh.

Interior Design & New Construction Home Terminology

Alcove: An alcove is a recess in a wall or garden.

Art Deco: Art deco is a geometric style of home furnishings and architecture that was popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

Backsplash: Backsplash is a decorative panel that protects a wall. It is most often used in the kitchen and is usually found over an oven to protect the wall from heat and splashes.

Bohemian: Bohemian style features mismatched furniture and assorted patterns strategically designed to create a lively appeal.

Butler’s Pantry: A butler’s pantry is a room located between a kitchen and a dining room, often used for storage of high-end drinking glasses and serving dishes.

Casing: Casing refers to the frame around a door or window.

Drip Edge Flashing: Drip edge is metal flashing that diverts water into the roof’s gutter system. The word flashing refers to material such as aluminum or galvanized steel that is used over joints and in roof and wall construction for this purpose.

Footings: Footings are underground structures that support a house. They are made of concrete with rebar reinforcement that has been poured into an excavated trench. In addition to supporting the foundation of the house, footings prevent settling.

Joist: A joist is a wood or steel element that is placed horizontally and connected perpendicularly to beams. Joists are crucial components of a building, as they transfer the load from the beams to the vertical columns and studs.

Lattice: Lattice refers to crisscrossed material in a diagonal or square pattern.

Mid-Century Modern: This interior design style is reminiscent of the 1940s.

Moody: A moody interior design style incorporates dark colors and mixed textures.

Mudroom: A mudroom is a small entryway to a building or house, which is often used for footwear, outdoor wear, and laundry.

Niche: Niche is a recess in a wall that is often used to display decor.

Plot: A plot is a parcel of land.

Plot Plan/Site Plan: A plot plan is a diagram that details in exact measurements the architecture, engineering, and landscaping involved in an upcoming development or reconstruction project. It shows buildings, utilities, equipment, roads in relation to the plot, and any other relevant issues in the area.

Purchase Agreement: A purchase agreement is a legal document recording the final understanding of a purchaser who agrees to buy and a seller who agrees to sell a home under stated terms and conditions. The signing of a purchase agreement is one of the first steps in buying a new construction home with Singh.

Rafters: Rafters are a series of inclined wooden elements that form a roof.

Rebar: A rebar is a steel rod with ridges for use in reinforced concrete. It is short for reinforcing bar.

Sconce: Sconce is a light fixture on a wall, as opposed to in the ceiling or standing upright on the floor.

Sheathing: Sheathing is a protective casing or covering. Common structural sheathings include plywood, oriented strand board, wafer board, and exterior gypsum board. It’s often used as a base for the roof before asphalt shingles/standing seam metal roof installation.

Shiplap: Shiplaps are wooden boards or panels fixed onto the sides of barns, sheds, and homes as a design element. They feature horizontal or vertical lines and often are used alongside decorative molding.

Singh Advantage: Singh Advantage reflects the many benefits of buying a new home with Singh, as well as living at Waltonwood or renting a Singh apartment home. In regard to Singh Homes, the Singh Advantage offers several enhanced features for new construction homes, all included within the base price of the home. High-quality features ensure your family’s one-of-a-kind luxury lifestyle.

Spice Kitchen: A spice kitchen is a small, separate, contained kitchen used for cooking. It often has a separate ventilation system to keep scents from the main area of the house.

Tinted: Tinted paint features variations of a single color mixed with white.

Trusses: Trusses are objects such as beams that form a rigid framework.

Wainscoting: Wainscoting is a decorative panel used to accent, conceal, or protect a wall. It is typically made of wood, covers only the bottom half of a wall, and is topped with decorative trim.

Building a New Construction Home with Singh

If you are building a new construction home in Canton, South Lyon, or Novi with Singh, you will be able to follow the progress every step of the way. You will be involved in the project from the beginning to the end, ensuring that you have the home of your dreams.

For more information about building a new construction home or for interior design ideas, contact Singh Homes online.