Buck
Framing around an opening in a wall; it would be referred to as a door buck if it was around the door.

Budgeting
Estimation of all income and expenses for an accounting period or financial forecasting, planning, and controlling.

Budget Mortgage
Mortgage which involves monthly payments for property taxes and insurance in addition to principal and interest.

Buff
To shine a surface.

Buffer Strip or Zone
A piece of land separating two or more properties from each other.

Buildability
Whether or not a home or other structure can be constructed on a piece of land.

Builder Breakdown Method
Complete estimate of all costs in construction, including but not limited to land acquisition, material, labor and preparation.

Builder Upgrades
Better material or extras that are offered by the builder to the purchaser.

Builder Warranty
Limited-time warranty (one or two years) against defect, which is offered by builders to new home buyers.

Builder's Hardware
Hardware used in the construction of a building.

Builder's Level
Instrument made of a telescope and bubble level, which is mounted on a tripod base. The bubble level is used to level the device and the telescope is used to establish work lines and elevation points and measure horizontal angles using a horizontal vernier scale.

Building
A structure that is built with walls and a roof, such as a house, office, etc. Building Code Laws that control the construction or remodeling of homes or other structures.

Building Capitalization Rate
Rate of return of capital invested in building improvements.

Building Code
Laws that control the construction or remodeling of homes or other structures. Municipal or state ordinance which is enforceable under the police powers of the state and locality controlling alterations, construction methods and materials, size and setback requirements, use, and occupancy of all structures. Building codes have specific regulations covering all aspects of construction and are designed to maximize the health and welfare of the residents.

Building Construction
Methods and materials used in fabricating a building.

Building Density
Concentration (amount) of buildings in a given geographic area.

Building Drain
Main drainage system in a building.

Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS)
Criterion used to measure the annual utilization of energy by a building.

Building Inspector
An employee of a city or county who enforces building codes and ensures that construction is being performed correctly.

Building Life
Estimated useful life of a building.

Building Line or Setback
Guidelines limiting distance from the street or adjacent property a home or structure can be erected. Line established by a building or zoning code beyond which a building structure may not extend. Alternately, The outer edge of the rafter plate.

Building Loan Agreement
Loan agreement where a lender gives money to a builder at varying stags of construction and is also referred to as a construction loan.

Building Moratorium
An enforced halt to construction, used to slow the rate of development in a town.

Building Paper
Thick, water-resistant paper, serving as insulation to water proof, dust proof or wind proof various points in a house, commonly under siding, between subfloors, beneath roofing, behind paneling and on finish floors.

Building Permit
Permit, issued by local government, allowing construction or renovation of a house or other structure.

Building Residual Technique
Appraisal method for determining a building's value on the basis of the residual building income after adjusting for land value.

Building Restrictions
Regulations limiting the type of use allowed on a piece of property.

Building Setback
Municipal ordinance stating the distance from a curb or property line where a building can be located.

Building Sewer
Sewer, which belongs to the building where it is installed but discharges into the public sewer. Also known as a building sewer.

Building Storm Drain
Drain for runoff such as rainwater.

Building Storm Sewer
Line connecting a building storm drain to a disposal point, which is usually the public storm sewer.

Building Trades
Skilled and semi-skilled workers, such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc. involved in the construction industry.

Building Trap
A water seal trap that services the cumulative drain lines coming from a building, to the main sewer line.

Buildup
Any increase in thickness.

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

Built-up
Made of many parts.

Built-up Beam
Two or more pieces of lumber, which may consist of many lengths, fastened together to add strength in a horizontal structure member. If the grains are alternated so that they don't all go in the same direction, a glue-laminated wood beam becomes very stable because of elimination of weak spots.

Built-up Column
Two or more pieces of lumber that are fastened together to add strength to a vertical structure.

Built-up Door Stile
Narrow strips of wood connected to make the vertical part of a door frame.

Built-up Roof
Roof composed of multiple layers of asphalt felt laminated with coal tar, pitch or asphalt with a top layer of crushed slag or gravel. Normally issued on flat roofs or those with very slight slope.

Bulb
Spherically shaped item.

Bulkhead
1. Retaining wall designed to stop water from the ocean or another body of water.
2. Roof structure over a stairway
3. An inclined door that allows entry to a basement.
4. A masonry partition that contains newly poured concrete from flowing into another part.
5. Structural wall.

Bulk Unit Weight
Weight of concrete aggregate that fills a 1 cubic foot container.

Bulldozer
Piece of heavy construction equipment consisting of a tractor-like machinery, which moves on treads and has an adjustable, front-mounted scraper blade which moves the dirt by pushing it in front of the machine and is used to smooth and level a building site.

Bull Float
Flat, long handled device that is used to smooth wet concrete.

Bull Header
Masonry unit that ties rows of masonry together.

Bull Pin
Tapered steel fastener that aligns holes in a structural member.

Bullet Loan
Intermediate debt (5 to 10 years) without periodic payments but with the entire amount (balloon payment) due at the maturity date.

Bullnose
Having a rounded edge.

Bullnose Plane
Tool for shaving wood surfaces smooth, which has a blade close to the front end so that it can get into corners.

Bullnose Tile
Tile that has one edge rounded and is used as an edge.

Bumper
Device that absorbs shock between two objects, such as vehicles. Normally made of a resilient material, which moves easily or, alternately, have hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders that permit it to move when hit.

Bumper Strips
Timber wood situated on the exteriors of a loading deck to protect it from damage resulting when trucks load or unload.

Bumping
Using a hammer to shape or remove dents from sheet metal.

Bumping Hammer
A hammer that shapes or removes dents from sheet metal.