Core terms

Setback

Core terms · definition

The minimum required distance between a structure and the property line, street, or other features. Setbacks constrain where additions, decks, and detached structures can be placed.

Source: Cornell Law LII — Setback

  • Sheathing

    The structural panel layer (plywood or OSB) attached to studs or rafters that braces the frame and provides a base for siding, roofing, o…

  • Section (Drawing)

    A drawing showing the structure as if sliced vertically, revealing how floors, walls, and roof assemble and stack — used to communicate c…

  • Slab

    A poured concrete floor or foundation surface. Moving plumbing in a slab-on-grade home means saw-cutting and patching concrete — a signif…

  • Sealant

    A material applied to a surface or joint to block the passage of water, air, or stains. Stone counters, grout, and exterior penetrations…

  • Stop-Work Order

    An official order halting construction, usually for working without a permit or a code/safety violation. Work cannot resume until the iss…

  • Scope of Work

    The detailed written description of exactly what the contractor will and will not do on the project. The single most important document f…

  • Stud

    A vertical framing member in a wall (typically 2x4 or 2x6) spaced 16 or 24 inches on center, forming the structure to which sheathing and…

  • Scaffold

    A temporary elevated work platform system. Proper scaffolding is a regulated safety item on multi-story exterior and high-ceiling interio…

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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