Glossary

The words that show up in quotes, permits and how-to guides, defined once so every page on the site means the same thing by them.

ALTA/NSPS survey: A boundary survey done to a national standard set by the American Land Title Association and NSPS, adding title research, easements, encroachments, improvements and zoning. Required by most commercial lenders and title insurers. Costs $2,000–$6,000 or more.
Arborist: A tree-care professional trained in the biology, health, and safe removal of trees. 'ISA Certified Arborist' is the recognized credential, issued by the International Society of Arboriculture after an exam and experience requirement.
Brush hog: A heavy rotary mower, usually towed behind a tractor, that cuts tall grass, weeds and light brush up to about an inch or two thick. The tool for maintaining pasture and keeping cleared land clear, not for clearing woods. Contractors charge $100–$300 an acre; rentals run $150–$300 a day.
Crane-assisted tree removal: Removing a tree by cutting it into sections that a crane lifts up and away, rather than felling it or lowering pieces on ropes. Used for very large trees, trees with no drop zone, or trees over structures. It adds $300–$1,500 to a job but is often faster and safer.
Crawl space encapsulation: Sealing a crawl space off from the ground and the outdoors: a heavy reinforced vapor barrier over the floor and up the walls, sealed foundation vents, insulated perimeter walls, and usually a dehumidifier. It turns a vented crawl space into a dry, semi-conditioned space. Costs $3,000–$15,000.
DBH (diameter at breast height): The standard way to measure a tree's trunk: its diameter at 4.5 feet above the ground. Tree-removal permits and price tiers are often set by DBH.
Drop zone: The area where a felled tree, or pieces of a tree being dismantled, will land. For a whole-tree felling it should be clear for at least one and a half times the tree's height in the fall direction, with nothing valuable within that radius on any side.
Easement: A legal right for someone else to use part of your land for a specific purpose — a utility line, drainage, access to a neighboring parcel — without owning it. Easements are shown on the plat and survey, run with the land through sales, and restrict what you can build in the strip they cover.
Forestry mulching: Clearing land with a tracked machine that grinds brush and trees up to 6–10 inches in diameter into mulch where they stand, in a single pass. No piling, burning or hauling; the mulch layer holds soil and slows regrowth. Usually the cheapest clearing method, at $500–$2,500 an acre.
Grout: The cement or epoxy filler packed into the joints between tiles after the adhesive cures. Unsanded grout is for joints under 1/8 inch (most backsplashes); sanded for wider joints. Cement grout needs sealing; epoxy doesn't but is harder to work with.
Grubbing: Removing stumps and roots from cleared land, usually with an excavator or a dozer fitted with a root rake, so the ground can be graded, built on or cultivated. The expensive second half of traditional land clearing: $1,500–$4,000 per acre on top of clearing.
Land disturbance permit: A county or city permit required before clearing, grading or excavating more than a threshold area — often one acre, sometimes as little as 5,000 sq ft — to control erosion and runoff. Usually needs an erosion-control plan and an inspection. $100–$500 for residential jobs.
Lippage: When adjacent tiles don't sit flush and one edge stands proud of its neighbor. The most visible flaw in a tile job, caused by an uneven wall, uneven adhesive, or tiles not pressed in consistently. Industry tolerance is about 1/32 inch for narrow joints.
Metes and bounds: A way of describing a parcel by walking its perimeter in words — from a known point, the bearing and distance of each line in turn until it closes. Used for land that was never platted, mostly older and rural parcels. Costlier to survey than a subdivision lot.
Mulching mower: A mower whose deck and blade are designed to chop clippings finely and drop them back into the lawn instead of discharging or bagging them. Mulched clippings return nitrogen to the soil and don't cause thatch.
Plat: A recorded map of a subdivision or parcel showing lot lines, dimensions, bearings, corner monuments, easements and streets. Filed with the county when land is divided; it's the drawing your deed's legal description refers to and the first thing to pull before looking for property pins.
R-value: A measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. Higher is better. Fiberglass batts run about R-3 per inch, rigid foam R-4 to R-6, closed-cell spray foam R-6 to R-7. Codes and DOE guidance specify a target R-value by climate zone and location in the house.
Rim joist: The outer band of framing that sits on top of the foundation wall and caps the ends of the floor joists. In a crawl space or basement it's a major source of air leakage and one of the cheapest places to insulate and seal.
Self-propelled mower: A walk-behind mower with a drive system that turns the wheels, so you steer rather than push. The standard choice for lots up to about a quarter acre; it costs $150–$250 more than a push mower and is worth it on any slope or lot over 1/8 acre.
String trimmer: A handheld tool that cuts grass with a spinning nylon line, used for edges, fence lines and around obstacles a mower can't reach. Also called a weed eater or weed whacker. Gas or battery, $100–$200.
Stump grinding: Using a machine with a spinning carbide wheel to chew a tree stump into chips, typically 6–12 inches below ground level. It's the usual way to get rid of a stump after tree removal, and it's almost always priced separately.
Survey monument: The physical marker a surveyor sets at a property corner — most often a capped iron rod or rebar driven flush with or just below the ground, sometimes an iron pipe, concrete post with a brass disk, or a nail in pavement. Commonly called a property pin. Disturbing one is illegal in most states.
Thinset mortar: A cement-based tile adhesive mixed from powder, used for glass, stone, large tiles, floors, wet areas and anywhere heat or moisture is a factor. Stronger and more moisture-resistant than premixed mastic, and the right choice whenever you're unsure.
Tile edge trim: The finished edge where a tiled surface ends against a painted wall or open space. Options are metal profile trim (Schluter and similar), bullnose tile with a rounded edge, or pencil liner tile. Without it, the raw cut edge and adhesive show. $2–$8 per linear foot.
Vapor barrier: A sheet of material, usually polyethylene plastic, that stops water vapor from moving through it. In a crawl space it goes over the dirt floor to keep soil moisture from evaporating into the space. 6-mil poly is the minimum; 12–20-mil reinforced liners are used for encapsulation.