Renovation contractors glossary

Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when choosing a renovation contractor provider in Greater Toronto Area.

What are permit drawings?: Permit drawings are technical plans and specifications prepared by architects, engineers, or designers and submitted to municipal authorities like the City of Toronto to demonstrate a renovation project meets building codes and obtain a building permit.
What is a backwater valve?: A backwater valve is a one-way device installed in a home's sewer line that blocks sewage from reversing back into the house when municipal sewers overflow or back up.
What is a floating floor?: A floating floor is a floor system where planks or boards interlock and rest on underlayment without being glued or nailed to the subfloor.
What is a Level 5 drywall finish?: Level 5 is the highest drywall finish standard, where all joints, fasteners, and surface imperfections are covered with joint compound, sanded smooth, and ready for primer and paint without texture application.
What is a load-bearing wall?: A load-bearing wall supports the weight of the roof, upper floors, or other structural components above it, as opposed to a partition wall that simply divides space.
What is a rim joist?: A rim joist is the structural member that forms the outer edge of a floor system, connecting floor joists to the house frame or foundation at the perimeter.
What is a Schluter strip?: A metal or PVC edge profile and transition strip made by Schluter Systems that finishes exposed tile edges and creates waterproof seals between different floor levels or surfaces, particularly in bathrooms and showers.
What is a skim coat?: A skim coat is a thin layer of joint compound (drywall mud) spread over drywall, plaster, or existing imperfect surfaces to create a smooth, paintable finish.
What is a subfloor?: A subfloor is the structural layer installed directly over floor joists or a concrete slab that provides a base for finish flooring material like hardwood, tile, or laminate.
What is a sump pump?: A sump pump is an electric pump installed in a sump pit that automatically removes groundwater and surface water from beneath a foundation to prevent basement flooding.
What is a vapour barrier?: A vapour barrier is a low-permeability material installed in wall, basement, or roof assemblies to block moisture from passing through the structure and into insulation or living spaces.
What is an egress window?: An egress window is a building-code-required window sized to permit emergency exit from a room, typically measured by minimum opening dimensions and used in bedrooms to satisfy life-safety requirements.
What is an engineered floor joist?: Engineered floor joists are factory-manufactured beams made from veneer, plywood, or oriented strand board bonded to solid flanges, designed to span greater distances than traditional dimensional lumber while supporting the same loads.
What is bench footing?: Bench footing is a basement lowering technique where excavation leaves a step or ledge of undisturbed soil against the foundation wall, rather than digging out the entire soil volume beneath the footing.
What is cement board (backer board)?: Cement board is a rigid, water-resistant panel made of cement and fiberglass mesh used as a substrate behind tile in wet areas to protect framing from moisture.
What is crown moulding?: Crown moulding is ornamental trim installed at the junction between a wall and ceiling to create a finished, architectural detail.
What is engineered hardwood?: Engineered hardwood consists of a plywood or high-density core bonded to a top layer of real hardwood veneer, offering greater dimensional stability than solid hardwood.
What is grout haze?: Grout haze is a thin, cloudy residue film that forms on tile surfaces after grout has been applied and begins to set, caused by dried grout particles and cement dust left on the tile face.
What is luxury vinyl plank (LVP)?: Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a waterproof flooring product made of multiple vinyl layers that replicates the appearance of wood or stone and is installed as interlocking planks.
What is popcorn ceiling removal?: Popcorn ceiling removal is the process of scraping away textured, bumpy ceiling finish (also called stipple or drop ceiling texture) and replacing it with smooth drywall or other finishes. Older popcorn ceilings may contain asbestos and require professional testing before disturbance.
What is shiplap?: Shiplap is wood board paneling with rabbeted edges that overlap horizontally to create a flush, linear finish, commonly used for interior accent walls and exterior weatherproofing.
What is underpinning?: Underpinning is the process of extending foundation footings deeper into the soil to lower a basement floor and increase structural support capacity, typically used when deepening basements or addressing settlement issues.
What is wainscoting?: Wainscoting is wood paneling installed on the lower third or half of an interior wall, used for both aesthetic and protective purposes.
What is weeping tile?: Weeping tile is a perforated plastic or clay pipe laid around the foundation footing to collect and redirect groundwater away from the basement.