The moisture content at which wood neither gains nor loses moisture when surrounded by air at a specified relative humidity and temperature.

The state of being equally balanced.

The "valuation" that you own in your home, i.e. the property value less the mortgage loan outstanding.

A class of synthetic thermosetting resins derived from certain special types of organic chemicals.

A clear finish having excellent adhesion qualities, abrasion and chemical resistance, and water resistance.

An assembly drawing showing where each structural steel member is located on the building frame.

A continuous moving stair used to move people up and down between floors.

The process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of natural elements, such as water and wind. Also referred to as Weathering.

The handling of funds or documents by a third party on behalf of the buyer and/or seller.

An ornamental plate that fits around a pipe extending through a wall or floor to hide the cut out hole

The part of a cooling system that absorbs heat from air in your home. Also see condensing unit.

That part of a refrigerating system in which the refrigerant is evaporated, allowing it to absorb heat from the contactin heat source.

Having green leaves throughout the year, as opposed to deciduous.

The process of calculating the cost of a project. This can be a formal and exact process or a quick and imprecise process.

The digging or removal of earth.

Earth that swells and contracts depending on the amount of water that is present. ("Betonite" is an expansive soil).

Clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dried.

A method of finishing concrete which washes the cement/sand mixture off the top layer of the aggregate - usually gravel. Often used in driveways, patios and other exterior surfaces. A finished concrete surface in which a coarse aggregate is exposed to view.

- The amount of labor, materials, and other costs that a contractor anticipates for a project as summarized in the contractor's bid proposal for the project.

Fibrous material (@1/2" thick) installed in and around a concrete slab to permit it to move up and down (seasonally) along the non-moving foundation wall. A joint used to separate two parts of a building to allow expansion and contraction movement of the parts.