Core terms

Grading

Core terms · definition

Shaping the ground around a structure so water drains away from the foundation. Poor grading is a leading cause of basement and crawl-space water problems.

Source: DOE Building America Solution Center — Final Grade Slopes Away From Foundation

Where this comes up

  • Foundation

    The structure (slab, crawl space, or basement) that transfers the building's load to the ground. Foundation condition underlies the feasi…

  • Grout

    The material that fills and seals joints between tiles. Sanded, unsanded, and epoxy grouts differ in durability and stain resistance — ep…

  • General Contractor (GC)

    The party responsible for the overall project — scheduling, hiring and managing subcontractors, pulling permits, and delivering the finis…

  • Hard Costs

    The tangible construction costs — labor, materials, equipment — as opposed to soft costs like design fees, permits, and financing. Hard c…

  • Furring

    Thin strips fastened to a wall or ceiling to create a level, plumb nailing surface or an air gap before finish material is applied — comm…

  • Hazard

    A condition or activity with potential to cause harm — electrical, structural, dust, fall, or material (lead, asbestos). Identifying haza…

  • Framing

    The skeleton of wood or steel members — studs, joists, rafters, beams — that gives a structure its shape and carries its loads before fin…

  • Header

    A horizontal structural member spanning the top of an opening (door, window, cased opening) that transfers the load above around the open…

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

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