Do you ever feel like the professional contractors you are working with speak a different language? That’s probably because you aren’t familiar with the renovation and repair lingo. Luckily, we’ve rounded up a list of the most popular terms you should know before taking on any home improvement project:
The Difference Between the Three R’s
In school, the three r’s are reading, writing and arithmetic, but in home improvement, the three r’s refer to renovation, remodel and restoration. Although many homeowners use these three words interchangeably, they couldn’t be further from each other. A renovation means you are updating something in your home that is old and outdated. This could include changing the countertops or cabinets in your kitchen, or swapping out an old appliance for a new, sleek model.
A restoration, on the other hand, means you are bringing something back to what it was before you made any changes. For example, if you have painted over hardwood floors, you could restore these by removing the paint and refinishing the wood.
Finally, a remodel means you are changing the function of some part of your house. For example, if you are turning a guest bedroom into a home gym, this is a remodel since you are changing the purpose of the room.
R&R
No, this doesn’t mean rest and relaxation! When you’re doing a remodel or renovation on your home, contractors will often list “R&R” on your invoices. This means “remove and replace” as in removing an appliance to replace it with a new one. This is a common expense for home improvement projects, so this is one term you should definitely be familiar with.
Studs
Are you planning on hanging up a heavy piece of art? Or perhaps you want to mount your flat screen TV on the wall? Your contractor may have mentioned he needs to find the studs to do so. Studs are the vertical and horizontal wooden beams that make up the basic wood frame of your home. They sit directly behind the dry wall, so when you hang something heavy, you will need to find the studs so you can make sure you are attaching the item to these for support.
Load-Bearing Walls
Are you planning on merging two rooms together to create one giant master suite? One of the first things your contractor needs to check is whether the wall you have to tear down is a load-bearing wall. If it is, you can’t tear it down—that is, unless you want the structure of your home to be compromised. Load-bearing walls do just as their name suggests—they bear the load of the house, supporting the weight of the floors and structure above them. If you are doing any renovations on your own, make sure you do not mess with load-bearing walls!
For more advice on real estate and home improvement projects, talk to the pros. Contact our team of real estate experts at Coast 2 Coast Realty who have years of experience working with both buyers and sellers in the Tampa area.