Terms & Definitions
Cupola - A quadrilateral or dome-shaped ornamental structure on a home’s roof. It can be glazed or often louvered.
Dormer - A structural element with a gable or hipped roof that projects from a main, sloping roof and contains a window. Often a continuation of a wall, breaking the main eave line, adding light or square footage to a floor plan.
Eave - The edge of a roof that projects beyond the face of a wall providing protection from the elements.
Fascia - A finish board used at the ends of roof rafters and is part of the eave.
Gable Roof - A pitched roof with two sloping planes that meet at a ridge to form an inverted "V" shape. The gable roof is one of the most popular roof styles in American house plans.
Gambrel Roof - A gambrel roof is a ridged roof with two slopes on either side, the lower slope having a steeper pitch than the upper. It is typical of the Dutch Colonial style home plan and frequently referred to as a "barn style" roof.
Hipped Roof - A roof comprised of four or more sloping sides that start at the same eave line.
Overhang - Part of the roof that hangs over the wall.
Rake - Refers to the slope of the roof at the end of a gable, where the outside part of the overhang forms an upside down V.
Soffit - The underside of the roof overhang or porch ceiling that covers the rafter bottoms. This horizontal surface usually has vents to allow air into the attic.
Cased Opening - A doorway with no door, shown on the blueprint with two parallel dashed lines.
Cathedral Ceiling - A ceiling in a home plan that symmetrically projects upward in an inverted "V" shape, similar to that of a church.
Corbel - Projecting stone or brick in succession, commonly seen at the top of masonry chimneys or used as support under balconies.
Fixed Windows - These windows cannot be opened.
Keystone - The center, triangular - often elaborated—masonry stone in an arch or lintel over a window or door on the façade of a home plan.
Lintel - A load-bearing beam which spans the opening of a door or window.
Portico - A roofed entry surrounded by columns or walls and included in many traditional house plans.
Quoins - Finished stone or brick at the corners of a stone or brick home.
Transom Window - A window located above a door or window. Customarily seen as rectangular or arched. In modern home plans, the transom is typically a decorative element, but may be operable for ventilation in some cases.
Tray Ceiling - A style of ceiling constructed with four or more sides angling upward to a higher, flat ceiling. This style resembles an upside-down tray and is commonly seen in breakfast areas, dining rooms and bedrooms.
Dormer - A structural element with a gable or hipped roof that projects from a main, sloping roof and contains a window. Often a continuation of a wall, breaking the main eave line, adding light or square footage to a floor plan.
Eave - The edge of a roof that projects beyond the face of a wall providing protection from the elements.
Fascia - A finish board used at the ends of roof rafters and is part of the eave.
Gable Roof - A pitched roof with two sloping planes that meet at a ridge to form an inverted "V" shape. The gable roof is one of the most popular roof styles in American house plans.
Gambrel Roof - A gambrel roof is a ridged roof with two slopes on either side, the lower slope having a steeper pitch than the upper. It is typical of the Dutch Colonial style home plan and frequently referred to as a "barn style" roof.
Hipped Roof - A roof comprised of four or more sloping sides that start at the same eave line.
Overhang - Part of the roof that hangs over the wall.
Rake - Refers to the slope of the roof at the end of a gable, where the outside part of the overhang forms an upside down V.
Soffit - The underside of the roof overhang or porch ceiling that covers the rafter bottoms. This horizontal surface usually has vents to allow air into the attic.
Cased Opening - A doorway with no door, shown on the blueprint with two parallel dashed lines.
Cathedral Ceiling - A ceiling in a home plan that symmetrically projects upward in an inverted "V" shape, similar to that of a church.
Corbel - Projecting stone or brick in succession, commonly seen at the top of masonry chimneys or used as support under balconies.
Fixed Windows - These windows cannot be opened.
Keystone - The center, triangular - often elaborated—masonry stone in an arch or lintel over a window or door on the façade of a home plan.
Lintel - A load-bearing beam which spans the opening of a door or window.
Portico - A roofed entry surrounded by columns or walls and included in many traditional house plans.
Quoins - Finished stone or brick at the corners of a stone or brick home.
Transom Window - A window located above a door or window. Customarily seen as rectangular or arched. In modern home plans, the transom is typically a decorative element, but may be operable for ventilation in some cases.
Tray Ceiling - A style of ceiling constructed with four or more sides angling upward to a higher, flat ceiling. This style resembles an upside-down tray and is commonly seen in breakfast areas, dining rooms and bedrooms.