Field Notes · Reference
The words you’ll hear.
22 terms that come up when you start planning a home, each defined in a sentence or two you can actually use. Where the meaning depends on local rules, the definition says so.
Planning and land
- Brief
- A written description of what a building needs to do: how the people using it live, what they need, what they would like, and what they are prepared to give up. A good brief ranks priorities so they can guide tradeoffs later. See what to know before designing a custom home.
- Feasibility study
- An early check of whether a project can work on a particular site, within local rules and within the budget, done before detailed design begins. It usually looks at allowable size, access, utilities and rough cost.
- Site analysis
- A study of a piece of land before design: sun path, slope, drainage, wind, views, vegetation, access and neighbors. It shows where a building could sit and what each position gains or loses.
- Topographic survey
- A measured drawing of a site's levels, boundaries and existing features, such as trees, structures and utilities, prepared by a licensed surveyor. Design on a sloping or complex site usually starts from one.
- Geotechnical report
- An engineer's assessment of the soil and ground conditions under a proposed building. Its findings can change foundation design, drainage and sometimes where the building should go.
- Easement
- A legal right for someone else to use part of a property for a specific purpose, such as access or utility lines. Easements can limit where you build, and they are confirmed through title and legal review.
Design stages
- Concept design
- The stage where several genuinely different directions are explored through sketches, diagrams and models, then compared against the brief until one is chosen. Decisions here have the largest effect on cost and how a home feels.
- Design development
- The stage that turns a chosen concept into a resolved design: structure, systems, window positions, materials and key details are worked out and coordinated with engineers.
- Construction documents
- The detailed drawings and specifications a builder prices from and builds to. They describe the design precisely enough to be constructed.
- Submittal
- Information a builder or supplier sends for review during construction, such as product data, samples or shop drawings, so the design team can confirm it matches the design intent.
Money and approvals
- Zoning
- Local rules that control how land may be used and how much can be built on it, including height, coverage and use. Zoning varies by jurisdiction and is confirmed with the local planning department.
- Setback
- The minimum distance a building must sit from a property line, street or feature such as a waterway, set by local rules. Setbacks shape the buildable area of a lot.
- Contingency
- Money set aside in a project budget for costs that cannot be predicted, such as hidden conditions found during a renovation. It is part of a realistic budget, not a sign of poor planning.
- Total project budget
- Everything a project will cost, not only construction: design and engineering fees, surveys, permits and connection fees, landscaping, furniture, temporary housing if needed, and contingency.
- Permit drawings
- The drawings and specifications submitted to the local authority for approval to build. Requirements differ between jurisdictions and project types.
Light, layout and materials
- Interior architecture
- Design of the permanent parts of an interior: how space is divided, built-in cabinetry, lighting, surfaces and details. It sits between designing a building and furnishing it. See interior architecture.
- Circulation
- The routes people take through a building: halls, stairs, doorways and paths through open rooms. Good circulation goes unnoticed. Poor circulation creates dead ends and rooms you can only reach through other rooms.
- Orientation
- The direction a building and its rooms face relative to the sun, wind and views. Orientation largely decides when each room gets daylight and how much heat it gains.
- Clerestory window
- A window set high in a wall, above eye level. It brings daylight deep into a room while keeping privacy and leaving wall space below.
- Thermal mass
- Heavy materials such as stone, masonry or concrete that absorb heat and release it slowly. In climates with large day and night temperature swings it can even out indoor temperatures. Its value on a specific site is best checked with an energy consultant.
- Weathering steel
- Steel alloyed to form a stable, rust-colored surface layer that protects it from further corrosion. It suits some climates better than others, and runoff while the layer forms can stain nearby surfaces. See the materials that make a home timeless.
- Patina
- The change in a material's surface through age and exposure, such as timber turning silver or copper turning brown and then green. Choosing materials with a patina you will enjoy is a key part of designing a home that ages well.
General definitions for orientation, not legal or professional advice. Rules and terminology vary by jurisdiction.