Glossary of Home Remodeling Terms

Remodeling comes with its own vocabulary. This glossary explains the most common home remodeling terms you’ll hear during an Austin project, so you can follow your contractor and make confident decisions.

Common Home Remodeling Terms

  • ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit): a secondary dwelling on the same lot as a main home — detached cottage, garage apartment, or attached unit. See our Austin ADU rules.
  • Allowance: a budgeted dollar amount for a category (e.g., tile, fixtures) before final selections are made.
  • Change order: a documented change to the original scope, cost, or timeline after work begins.
  • Design-build: a delivery method where one firm handles both design and construction. See design-build vs. general contractor.
  • Draw / progress payment: a payment tied to a project milestone rather than paid all upfront.
  • Egress: a code-required exit (e.g., a bedroom window large enough to escape through).
  • FAR (Floor-to-Area Ratio): the ratio of building floor area to lot size; limits how much you can build.
  • Footprint: the ground-level outline of a structure.
  • Gut renovation: stripping a space (or home) down to the studs before rebuilding.
  • Impervious cover: the share of a lot covered by hard surfaces (roof, driveway, patio); Austin limits this.
  • Load-bearing wall: a wall that supports structural weight; removing it requires engineering and a beam.
  • Punch list: the final list of small items to complete or fix before project closeout.
  • Rough-in: the early-stage installation of plumbing, electrical, and HVAC before walls are closed.
  • Scope of work: the detailed description of everything a project includes (and excludes).
  • Semi-custom cabinets: stock cabinet lines with added size and finish options — a popular middle ground.
  • Subfloor: the structural layer beneath your finished flooring.
  • Substrate: the surface a material is installed over (e.g., backer board under tile).
  • Tear-out / demo: removal of existing materials before new work begins.
  • Universal design: design that’s accessible to people of all ages and abilities. See our aging-in-place guide.

More Remodeling Terms

  • Backer board: a cement-based panel installed behind tile in wet areas as a stable, water-resistant substrate.
  • Bump-out: a small addition that extends a room a few feet, often without a full foundation.
  • Cost-plus contract: pricing based on actual costs of materials and labor plus a contractor’s fee, versus a fixed bid.
  • Fixed-bid contract: a single agreed price for a defined scope of work.
  • Header: a structural beam over an opening (door, window) that carries the load above it.
  • Impervious cover: the share of your lot covered by hard surfaces; Austin caps it (driveways and patios count).
  • Lead time: the time between ordering a material and its delivery — a common source of delays.
  • Mockup / rendering: a visual preview of the finished design before construction.
  • Permit set: the drawings submitted to the city to obtain a building permit.
  • R-value: a measure of insulation’s resistance to heat flow — higher is better, important in the Texas heat.
  • Setback: the minimum required distance between a structure and the property line.
  • Square footage (conditioned): heated and cooled living space, which is what counts toward most size and cost figures.
  • Value engineering: adjusting materials or methods to hit a budget while preserving the design intent.

Have a Term We Didn’t Cover?

A good contractor will gladly explain anything you don’t understand. Austin Dream Remodeling believes in clear communication at every step. Call (512) 778-0791 or see our full remodeling resource library.