Residential New Home Construction Glossary

House Building Glossary - V

Valley - The V-shaped area of a roof where two sloping roofs meet; water drains off the roof at the valleys

Valley Flashing - Sheet metal that lays in the V-shaped area of a roof valley.

Valuation - An inspection carried out for the benefit of the mortgage lender to ascertain if a property is a good security for a loan.

Valuation Fee - The fee paid by the prospective borrower for the lender'inspection of the property; normally paid upon loan application.

Vapor Barrier - A building product installed on exterior walls and ceilings under the drywall and on the warm side of the insulation; used to retard the movement of water vapor into walls and prevent condensation within them; normally, polyethylene plastic sheeting is used.

Variable Rate - An interest rate that will vary over the term of the loan.

Varnish - A thickened preparation of drying oil or drying oil and resin suitable for spreading on surfaces to form continuous, transparent coatings, or for mixing with pigments to make enamels.

Vehicle - The liquid portion of a finishing material; it consists of the binder (nonvolatile) and volatile thinners.

Veneer - Extremely thin sheets of wood. Also a thin slice of wood or brick or stone covering a framed wall.

Vent - A pipe or duct which allows the flow of air and gasses to the outside; also, another word for the moving glass part of a window sash, i.e. window vent.

Vermiculite - A mineral used as bulk insulation and also as aggregate in insulating and acoustical plaster and in insulating concrete floors.

Veterans Administration (VA) - A federal agency that insures mortgage loans with very liberal down payment requirements for honorably discharged veterans and their surviving spouses

Visqueen - A four or six millimeter plastic sheeting.

Void - Cardboard rectangular boxes that are installed between the earth (between caissons) and the concrete foundation wall. Used when expansive soils are present.

Volatile Thinner - A liquid that evaporates readily and is used to thin or reduce the consistency of finishes without altering the relative volumes of pigment and nonvolatile vehicles.

Voltage - A measure of electrical potential; most homes are wired with 110 and 220 volt lines, with the 110-volt power used for lighting and most of the other circuits, and the 220-volt power used for the kitchen range, hot water heater and dryer.