Essential Jargon When Employing a Tradesperson

Many people who employ the services of a tradesman spend much of their time nodding in agreement with phrases or words they don't really understand. Numerous surveys have been carried out in the UK asking householders whether they fully understand exactly what their tradesman is referring to when discussing a job on their home. Around one third of people say they have little idea on the specifics of the job and they don't feel confident about building, plumbing, electrics or joinery to fully negotiate and discuss the task with their tradesman. Many tradesmen are aware of this and therefore they'll use it for their own advantage. It's very easy to feel overwhelmed when a professional is speaking to you in terms only they seem to understand, so the trick is to either educate yourself as much as possible, or get a reputable tradesman who will speak to you in plain English.

Tips on Understanding Jargon

One of the first things you should always do when you're dealing with any tradesman is to ensure that you ask for all the information in plain English. No genuine tradesman will try and confuse you with jargon if they want your business. They'll explain everything to you in an easy to understand way and will expand on anything you're not clear on. Also, when you get an estimate or a quote from a tradesman, ensure that you understand everything that's listed on that piece of paper. There's no point in agreeing that you want to 'kango' your floor when you have no idea this means taking an electric jackhammer to it to break it up. Below are some of the common words that tradesmen will use, learning them can save you a lot of money and potentially a lot of stress further down the line.

Tradesmen Terms for you to Learn

• Architrave - Mouldings around doors or windows.
• Barge Board - Board fitted onto the edge of tiles following the slope of a the roof.
• Batten - Timber strips where roof tiles are fitted.
• Blown/Live - When plaster loses it's bond with the wall and needs replaced.
• Bond - A bond is a way of arranging bricks to ensure the brickwork is stable.
• Corbelling - Successive projecting courses of brickwork.
• Damp Proof Course - A membrane laid about two brick courses above ground level. This helps to prevent damp from rising.
• Distribution Board - A board that is assembled which contains switches or protective devices such as fuses circuit-breakers.
• Drip - Groove or moulding in an external sill that prevents water getting back in.
• Efflorescence - Powdery white salts that appear on the surface of brickwork.
• Estimate - A informed guess at the cost of the work. A rough price.
• First Fix - Where your joiner, electrician and plumber finish their jobs before plastering
• Flashing - Used to deflect water between roof and wall. Normally metal sheet.
• Header Tank - A small cistern that drives water to your central heating system.
• In situ - Working on something where it is presently located, rather than taking it offsite.
• Knotting - Varnishing wood to stabilise any knots in it.
• Lintel - Timber, steel or concrete beams that are used to support a wall.
• Making Good - Finishing off the job to a satisfactory standard.
• Muck - Bricklayers term for mortar.
• Nogging - Stiffeners made from wood that are inserted between the joists.
• Quote - A fixed price quote for the work that needs carried out. This is binding.
• Render - Sand-cement coating for the external walls of a house.
• Ring Main - Power circuit for sockets.
• Riser - The vertical water pipe from the mains, or an upright part of a stair.
• Sarking Felt - The waterproof felt that goes under roof tiles.
• Screed - A layer of concrete that is used to smooth down a surface before being finished.
• Skim - Finishing coat of plaster.
• Soffit - Visible underside of a projecting surface.
• Spoil - Material dug out whilst excavation is taking place.
• TRV - Thermostatic radiator valve.