When most people picture a home under construction, they think of the visible parts like walls, windows, roofing, and finishes. But the elements that support the building are often hidden beneath or behind those surfaces, working in the background to keep the structure stable and secure.

If you’ve commissioned a new home, it helps to understand a few of the common structural terms you may come to hear during construction process. Things like footings, lintels, joists, cleats, and gussets all play different roles. Each contributes to how the building carries weight, transfers loads, and stays secure over time.

For readers who want to keep learning about materials, systems and specifications, these Australian building design and specification resources provide extra background without turning this article into a technical engineering guide.

Read more “Structural elements in construction: footings, lintels, joists, cleats and gussets”

In construction, RFI stands for Request for Information. It is a formal request for information during a project when something in the drawings, specifications, scope, or site conditions is unclear and needs to be confirmed before work can proceed.

Read more “What is an RFI in construction?”

In construction, ITP stands for Inspection and Test Plan.

It is a quality-control document that shows what needs to be inspected, tested, when those checks should happen, and who is responsible for them during the construction process. An ITP helps make sure the work is carried out in line with the project requirements, drawings, specifications, and relevant standards.

Read more “What does ITP stand for in construction?”

Cost plus is a construction pricing model where the owner pays the actual cost of delivering the project, plus an agreed builder’s fee or margin. Instead of agreeing on a fixed price at the start, the final contract value depends on what the work costs as the project progresses.

The “cost” part usually includes items such as labour, materials, subcontractors, and any other project expenses. The “plus” is the builder’s margin or management fee, which covers overhead and profit.

Read more “What is cost plus in construction?”

A Prime Cost (PC) item is an allowance in a building contract for an item that has not been selected when the contract price is prepared. It usually applies to the supply of a fixture or fitting excluding the labour to install it.

Common PC items include taps, toilets, basins, tiles, appliances, door hardware, and light fittings.

Read more “What is a Prime Cost item in construction?”

If you’ve ever heard the term “construction certificate”, it’s important to know that in Western Australia it usually isn’t a formal term used in the approvals process. In WA, the approval you typically need before building work starts is a building permit, and depending on the application pathway, that permit may need to be supported by a Certificate of Design Compliance (BA3) signed by a registered building surveyor.  

Read more “What is a construction certificate in Perth?”

Practical completion is the stage of a building project where the work is finished, and the building is ready to be used for its intended purpose, even if a few minor items still need to be completed or corrected.

HIA’s explanation of what practical completion means is useful background here, because the exact wording can depend on the contract and project type.

Read more “What is practical completion in construction?”

In construction, rendering or render is a protective and decorative coating applied to external walls, sometimes internal walls also. It’s typically a cement-based or acrylic-based material that is sprayed on, then finished to either a smooth, textured, or patterned look.

Read more “What is rendering in construction?”

In construction, a tender is a formal process where a client invites builders to submit a price and proposal to deliver a project. The submission itself is also commonly called “a tender.” Tendering is the structured way of asking:

-How much will this project cost?

-How long will it take?

-How will you deliver it?

For clients, tendering matters because it’s often the point where a project shifts from idea into real commitments around budget, scope, timeline, and risk.

Read more “What is a tender in construction?”

A construction loan is a type of finance package designed specifically for building or renovations. Unlike a standard home loan where the lender usually provides the full loan amount at settlement a construction loan is typically released in stages, as building work is completed. These staged releases are often called progress payments or progressive drawdowns.  

Read more “What is a construction loan?”