Variance

Related terms

• Setback

  The minimum required distance between a structure and the property line, street, or other features. Setbacks constrain where additions, d…

• Zoning

  Local laws governing how land may be used and what can be built where, including size, height, and setback limits. Additions and footprin…

• Veneer

  A thin layer of a finish material bonded to a cheaper substrate — wood veneer on cabinet panels, stone or brick veneer on walls — deliver…

• Vapor Barrier

  A material that limits moisture diffusion through an assembly to control condensation. Correct placement is climate-dependent — wrong-sid…

• VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)

  Gases emitted by some paints, finishes, and adhesives that affect indoor air quality. Low- and zero-VOC products are widely available and…

• Value Engineering

  Reviewing the design to find lower-cost ways to achieve the same function and quality — substituting materials or methods to bring a proj…

• Takeoff

  The process of measuring quantities of materials and labor from the drawings to build an estimate. Accurate takeoffs are the foundation o…

• Superintendent

  The on-site supervisor who runs the field operation — directing crews, sequencing trades, and enforcing safety and quality at the job site.