Real Estate Glossary
Our glossary is the largest dictionary of real estate and construction terms on the Internet with almost 10,000 definitions.
- Bas Relief
- Sculpture with figures carved in a flat surface that project slightly, in a three dimensional manner, from the surrounding area.
- Basalt
- Dark, tough fine-grained to dense, extrusive volcanic rock, which commonly occurs in sheetlike lava flows.
- Bascule
- Device balance so that when one end is lowered, the other is raised. Hinged cantilever balance by a weight.
- Base
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- Lowest part, bottom or first layer of a structure.
- Chemicals with low PH that react with acids to form salts.
- Base Cabinet
- Cabinets that are mounted or rest on the floor.
- Base Coat
- When multiples covering are planned, the first coat is the base coat.
- Base Course
- The bottom-most or first course in masonry.
- Base Leg
- Horizontal run length of a rafter.
- Base Level
- The level below which dry lands cannot be eroded.
- Base Loan Amount
- The total amount used to figure loan payments. If closing costs are financed, they are added to the base loan amount.
- Base Material
- Usually either gravel, concrete or asphalt, it is used in paving to compensate for ground movement, to provide drainage and to support the pavers. Material to form a place for welding, cutting or soldering to be performed.
- Base Metal
- Non-precious or structurally inferior metal. Metal to form a place for welding or brazing to be performed.
- Base Molding
- Wood strip trim on the top of a baseboard, where it meets the wall.
- Base Ply
- Initial layer in a multi-layer system of the type of built-up roofing or a first layer of wallboard in a multi-ply construction.
- Base Rent
- Monthly fixed rental payment.
- Base Shoe
- Wood strip (molding) at the bottom of a baseboard to cover the gap between the baseboard and the floor, especially useful with an uneven floor.
- Baseboard
- Molding at the bottom of an interior wall, where the floor meets the wall.
- Baseboard Electric Heat
- Centrally controlled heating unit, installed along the floor.
- Baseline
- Reference line established for measurement taking. Horizontal line measured with special accuracy for survey with triangulation.
- Basement
- Below ground level area of a home or structure.
- Basin
- Wide, round shallow container for holding water. A sink or washbowl. Alternately, a depression in the dirt.
- Basin Wrench
- Wrench with a long handle that allows the jaws to reach and tighten nuts to fasten faucets to an already installed sink.
- Basis
- Value that is the starting point in computing gain or loss, depletion, amortization and depreciation.
- Basis Point
- Unit of measure for the change in interest rates. One basis point equates to one percent of one percent, 0.01.
- Basket Grip
- Gripping mechanism in a cylindrical shape that slides over the end of a wire and holds it firmly in place while connecting to a fish tape. The wire is then pulled by the fish tape.
- Basket Pattern
- Masonry pattern of brick which gives the appearance of a woven basket by laying alternate sets of brick vertically, horizontally, vertically, horizontally, etc.
- Basket Strainer
- Basket-shaped strainer with holes and a slot that fits into the sink drain to allow water to run out but to catch food prior to entering the drain.
- Bastard File
- Coarse-toothed flat file which is used to remove a lot of stock but does not give a fine finish and requires a follow up with a finer toothed file.
- Bat
- Piece of brick with one end intact, which is used to fill in a section where only a partial brick will fit.
- Batch
- Amount of material mixed at one time; quantity of anything made in one operation. Grouping of a number of things or people.
- Batch Plant
- Production plant for large quantities of concrete.
- Bath
- Water or liquid used for washing a person or item.
- Bath, Receptor
- Small, low tub fashioned to be used as a tub for a child or a shower base.
- Bathroom
- Room with a bathtub, shower, toilet and sink. A half bath has only a toilet and sink.
- Bathroom Accessories
- Items manufactured for us in a bathroom, such as soap dishes, towel racks, etc.
- Bathtub
- Large plumbing fixture used for bathing an entire body.
- Bathtub, Recessed
- Tub that is enclosed on three sides by walls.
- Batt
- Piece of insulation that is pre-cut to fit between framing members.
- Batten
- Narrow strips of board used to hide joints between panels. In roofing, strips of wood used as the base for slate, clay tiles or wood shingles. For plastering, used as lath.
- Batten Plate Structural
- Steel plate, which is fastened to another member to add stiffness and strength.
- Batter
- Type of wall that is purposely built to slope on the outside even though it is straight on the inside. Also, masonry that slopes back in courses and is the reverse of a corbel.
- Batter Board
- Horizontal board nailed to posts set at the corners of an excavation to indicate the level wanted; fastening posts for stretched strings to indicate the outlines of foundation walls.
- Batter Brace
- Angled support that is close to the end of a truss.
- Battery
- Connected group of cells or a singular cell storing an electrical charge and capable of furnishing current. Alternately, a group of similar things arranged, connected or used together.
- Battery of Fixtures
- Plumbing fixtures all discharging into a common waste line.
- Battleships
- Metal strips that are used to fasten electrical switches and receptacles in old work where there is no other hardware to keep the box from falling out of the wall. Battleships are technically known as Madison clips but have a profile that resembles a battleship.
- Batts
- Precut lengths (four or eight feet) of insulation consisting of a filler of mineral wool or fiberglass and facings, one of which is a vapor barrier and flanges for nailing to the framing members such as studs or ceiling beams.
- Bauhaus Style
- Houses in this German style of architecture had no decoration and were smooth white blocks constructed of steel, reinforced concrete with integral walls of glass.
- Bay
- Space formed by the opening between two walls or columns.
- Bay Window
- Window, divided into three sections, that curves outward in an arc, extending the window area out from the wall, so that it gives a room a larger appearance. Since they are supported from the wall or floor and usually don't extend to the roof line, they need their own roof projection from the wall. Ready made bay windows come in pre-assembled components that are easily installed into a wall opening. Also called a bow window.
- Bay Window, Angle
- Multiple windows arrange to project from a wall.
- Baywood
- Mexican mahogany.
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