Core terms

Project Manager (PM)

Core terms · definition

The person who plans, coordinates, and oversees the project day to day — schedule, budget, subs, and communication with the owner. On smaller jobs the GC and PM may be the same person.

Source: U.S. BLS — Construction Managers

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  • Primer

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  • Retainage

    A percentage of each payment (often 5–10%) the owner withholds until the project is satisfactorily completed, providing leverage to ensur…

  • Plywood

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  • RFI (Request for Information)

    A formal written question from the builder to the designer or owner to clarify drawings or specs before proceeding. RFIs create a paper t…

  • Plumber

    A licensed tradesperson who installs and repairs water supply, drain-waste-vent, and gas piping to code. Relocating fixtures or running n…

  • Rough Opening

    The framed gap left in a wall to receive a window, door, or unit, sized slightly larger than the product to allow shimming and squaring d…

  • Permit

    Official jurisdiction authorization to perform regulated work, triggering required inspections. Unpermitted remodels can force teardown,…

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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