Hi
Does anyone have a link to a website that lists all the little parts of a house and the materials used in its construction?
e.g. I don't know the difference between beams, rafters, joists, gables, eaves, soffits etc. etc so when I talk to builders I can communicate clearly what work I need doing?
Thanks,
Clive
I have a book, sadly packed for the house move, else I could tell you what it was called, along these lines;
Reminds me of a very old joke about an Irishman applying for a job on a building site who, amazingly, knew his Joist from his Girder, but it doesn't work very well in text.
There's a bit to go at here!
A lot of the terms vary regionally so your local builders may not understand rhones and dwangs for example.
There's a virtual cigar for anyone who can understand what was meant by "wee chuckies" on an estimate.
Owain
Indeed - excellent book. Also google 'illustrated glossary of construction terms'
The Harris Dictionary of Architecture & Construction is well worth downloading, then just search the pdf.
(25MB)
In message , snipped-for-privacy@gowanhill.com writes
Here in Aberdeenshire, chuckies are stones, usually granite, so wee chuckies would be little ones :-)
Chuckies as used to cover areas of garden, drives etc.
Lots of roof related ones defined here:
Some timber framing ones here:
Some joinery ones:
Is a "Wee Boar-hair" still a recognised unit?
Nope, but wee baw hairs are. as in "take a baw hair oaf that" i.e. it is SLIGHTLY oversize
Even finer is 'a midgie baw hair' (gnat ball[testicle] hair).
Both these are highly technical terms ;O)
Ah yes! a much loved old joke from the days when building sites were full of 'Paddys' before they took to banking and technology.
It was an over-educated Irish graduate iirc, or even an aspiring poet or playwrite, WBYeats on the building site sort of.
TW
Close.
Grit for pebble-dashing.
Nae cigar but you can hae a buttery.
Owain
Not sure I like the sound of this one!
Well, I've never heard that, but I'll ask a local builder friend :-)
Thank ye
Small stones. Most common sort would be on a path etc.
Grit is closer to sand than chuckies. The small stones used for the pebble dash could I suppose be called chuckies. But as 'News' said, they are more usually rough granite chippings rather than smooth pebbles.
That would be a rowie in chuckie land.
Yes and no. "Buttery" is a rowie's "Sunday name" when you're trying to be a wee bit posh. ;-)
Tim
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
I was going to say that, but I think rowie is pure Aberdeen. Here in the shire, buttery or butt'ry is more common.
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