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C

Cable Buckles

Small straps that hold cables in close to a surface.

Cable Cores

The actual cables which conduct electricity or act as the earth for an electrical system. (Two-core or three core cable).

Cam Fastener

Allows sash windows to lock two sashes together.

Canted

Angled at the sides, as in a bay window.

Cap

A stone piece on top of a pier to protect it from weathering

Cape

Extension to the footpath to narrow the road width.

Capillarity

This refers to the absorption/desorption of water as liquid and is a function of pore structure. Capillarity can be altered by coatings and additives and many of these act as hydrophobic agents by blocking these larger pores, but still allowing the smaller pores to remain open. In this way the pore structure may be kept open for hygroscopic and vapour permeable transfer of moisture but closed to capillary transfer of moisture. On the other hand coatings and additives which physically block all sizes of pores in a material can close off all three modes of water transfer.

Capital

The sum borrowed in a mortgage.

Capital and Interest Mortgage

A repayment mortgage. Your monthly payments gradually pay off the money you've borrowed, and also cover interest on the amount outstanding.

Capped Rate

The mortgage interest rate will not exceed a specified value during a certain period of time, but it will fluctuate up and down below that level.

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Is a naturally occurring gas and one of the most abundant greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is also a by-product of industrial processes, burning fossil fuels and land use changes.

Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

The unit of measurement used to compare the relative climate impact of the different greenhouse gases. The CO2e quantity of any greenhouse gas is the amount of carbon dioxide that would produce the equivalent global warming potential.

Carbon footprint

A carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organisation, event or product. For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted.

Carbon neutral

Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered, avoided or offset.

Carbon offset

Carbon offsets are the 'currency' for offsetting. They are quantified in metric tonnes of CO2e reductions, i.e. one carbon offset equals one tonne of emissions reductions made through selected and verified carbon projects. Carbon offsets can be purchased on a voluntary basis or to meet regulatory requirements.

Carbon offset project

A third party verified project which utilises proven clean technologies including, hydropower, wind power and methane capture, to generate carbon offsets.

Carbon offset standard

A standard that helps to ensure that carbon offset projects meet certain quality requirements, such as additionality and third party verification. Several offset standards exist within the voluntary and compliance carbon markets and each has a different set of requirements depending on its focus and scope.

Carbon Neutral

When the net greenhouse gas emissions associated with an organisational unit, product, service or process are zero, through a combination of direct (internal) emission reducing actions and indirect (external) offsetting

Carbonation

A natural process affecting the outer layer of concrete. Metal reinforcement within that layer is liable to early corrosion, with consequent fracturing of the concrete.

Cartouche

A carved panel of stone or plaster.

Casement window

A window opening on side or top hinges.

Cash back

Money offered as an incentive to take a mortgage product.

CAT standard

A CAT mortgage is one that meets a number of government defined standards relating to Charges, Access and Terms. According to the Treasury, the objective of CAT standards is to 'prevent confusing marketing and hidden charges'. The Government is seeking to set out basic and transparent conditions for mortgage products

Catenary Support Wire

A wire supporting the load of an outside extension cable.

Caulking

When you seal joints with a flexible compound of sealant.

Caulking tool

A tool for filling material into gaps between materials such as plasterboard

Cavity wall A method of building external walls of houses using two leaves of brick or blockwork (with wall-ties between) separated by a gap (I. e. the 'cavity') of about 50mm (2 inches). The prevents rain etc on the external leaf from penetrating into the building.

Cavity wall insulation

A method of improving the thermal insulation of a wall by filling the wall cavities with one of various materials available to provide increased thermal insulation. For retrofits often foam or pellets are inserted through holes drilled in the external walls; for new builds, insulating boards are built in as the walls are constructed.

Cavity Wall – Tie

Metal device bedded into the inner and outer leaves of cavity walls to strengthen the wall. Failure by corrosion can result in the wall becoming unstable specialist replacement ties are then required.

Cellular Filler

For dealing with cracks and gaps prior to decorating.

Cement

A grey or white powdery material which is mixed with an aggregate and water to make mortar or concrete. A chemical reaction of the cement will cause the mixture to harden.

Cement Mortar

A mixture of water, lime, sand and cement, used for a variety of jobs.

Central Muntin

The centre timber in a panel door to allow panels to slot into place

Cesspit/ cesspool

A watertight chamber in which sewage effluent is collected and stored for subsequent emptying, usually a service provided by the Local Authority for which a charge is made. Sometimes an outlet is provided to allow soakage of liquids from the cesspit into surrounding ground. Not to be confused with Septic Tank.

Chain

If a buyer is dependent upon completion of the sale of his house before he can purchase his new property it may result in a chain of buyers and sellers and delay the sales process

Chamfered

An object with the edges of the front face angled back to give a sense of depth; e.g. on a door stile.

Channelled

Stucco or render grooved to look like stone masonry.

Chase in

To cut a groove in a wall to take a conduit, cable or pipe so that when the wall is 'made good', it is concealed.

CHP (Combined Heat and Power)

A CHP is a heating system which can also generate electricity

Circuit Breaker A device designed to cut off the power to a given electrical circuit. Now replaces fuses in many modern homes.

Cistern

The tank of water allowing the toilet to refresh with water.

Cleat

Cable fixing for phone wire.

Code calculator tools

A suite of tool made available for use by the service provider to enable assessors to calculate the performance levels and credits for award under the various issues

Code for Sustainable Homes

See CSH

Collateral/Security

The property, which the lender can sell to repay the loan if the borrower does not keep up the mortgage payments.

Collar

· Horizontal timber member intended to restrain opposing roof slopes. Absence, removal or weakening can lead to Roof Spread.

· In pipes refers to the wider end of a pipe into which another pipe fits.

Combination Boiler

Modern form of gas boiler which activates on demand. With this form of boiler there is no need for water storage tanks, hot water cylinders etc and generally the pressure is much better for showers.

Combined Heat and Power

See CHP

Community Energy Fund

A fund that will sponsor projects included in a list prescribed by the Local Planning Authority. It would be set up under a series of Nationally-agreed operational and financial rules. It would be able to accumulate Allowable Solutions payments to enable the funding of larger projects, and would be able to pool funds with other Community Energy Funds to deliver ‘larger than local’ projects. These funding bodies would be aiming to secure additional investment funds from senior debt providers.

Completion

The finalising of the sale when all the monies are passed over and the buyer has legal right to the property.

Condensation

Air has only a limited capacity to store humidity at any given temperature. The absolute amount of the humidity which can be absorbed at the most is dependent mainly on the air temperature – warm air can hold more humidity than cold air. Air saturated with water vapour has a relative air humidity of 100 %. If air is cooled down, the relative humidity increases. When relative humidity reaches 100 % this leads to the formation of condensate (rain and condensation are two forms of condensate).

Conditions of sale

The rights and duties of the buyer and seller.

Conductance: Thermal conductance (C-value)

Thermal conductance (C-value) is the property relating to one m2 of a physical body. For a single layer it is the conductivity divided by thickness of the material - λ / b.9 Unit: W (m2K)-1

Conductivity: Thermal conductivity

Thermal conductivity (λ), also called k-value is a material property, regardless of its shape or size. It is by „spread“ of molecular movement10 and it is measured as heat flow density [W m-2] in a 1 m thick body of the material with 10 K temperature difference between the two surfaces. Unit: W (mK)-1.

Consumer Unit

The source of power for a home`s electrical system.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance is insurance that pays for damage to, or loss of, an individual’s personal possessions whilst they are located within that individual’s home.

Contract

Entered into by the seller and buyer of a property which only becomes binding on exchange of contracts, i.e. when both parties have signed the contract and the purchaser has handed over the agreed deposit to the solicitor.

Contract race

When two parties have made an offer on the same house. The vendor will sell to the first party to exchange contracts

Contributions

Amounts of money placed into a fund.

Convection

"Mass transfer" from a solid body to a fluid (e.g. air) or vice-versa. Convection in a building are commonly called draughts. It causes damage to the building fabric due to the resulting interstitial condensation that occurs: Air that was heated by warm components in the dwelling such as radiators is driven into the colder environment within the building fabric and condenses there. Convection leads also to great heat (energy) loss – also in summer when a place is cooled.

Conveyancer

A legal expert who deals with the conveyancing of land

Conveyancing

The legal transfer of a property from one owner to another.

Coping/ coping stone

A sloping or curved, overhanging section of stone on top of a wall or parapet designed to protect the masonry from rain water.

Corbel

A projecting piece of timber, stone or brick supporting an overhanging structure, such as an arch or balcony.

Corbelling

The projection of masonry formed by building successive courses outwards by a small amount to form small steps with each additional course.

Cornice

A decorative mould applied to parapets and pediments.

Counter-bore

To insert a suitable screw into a surface so that its head does not protrude above that surface. This is achieved by using screws in a hole 'counterbored' with a flat bottomed cutter. If the counterbore is deep enough, it may be plugged with a piece of doweling to fully hide the screw head.

Counter-sink

To insert a suitable screw into a surface so that its head does not protrude above that surface. This is achieved by using counter sink screws in a hole 'countersunk' with a conical-shaped cutter.

Course

A row of bricks, concrete blocks, etc in a wall etc.

Covenant

A restriction or condition affecting the property, which must be complied with.

Credit reference agency

An organisation that keeps details of individuals and their credit histories. Lenders will check with a credit reference agency to see if someone applying for a mortgage has any known credit problems.

Credit scoring

A quantitative approach used to measure and evaluate the creditworthiness of a loan applicant. A measure of profitability, solvency, management ability and liquidity are commonly included in a credit scoring model.

Crenellation(s)

A parapet that has been built in the form of castle battlement.

Crow-stepped gable

A gable with stepped sides like a stair case.

CSH (Code for Sustainable Homes)

Government owned environmental assessment method for certifying and rating new homes in England. It was launched in December 2006. The CSH gives an indication of the overall sustainability of a dwelling. CSH differs from SAP Calculations by taking into account the type of materials used, water consumption and higher levels of building practice etc.

CSH service provider

An organisation offering part or all of the CSH services including: assessor training; registration & monitoring; quality assurance of assessments; certification; investigation and resolution of complaints; and maintenance of records. (BRE Global, 2007)

CSH system

A web based tool allowing assessors to complete and process registrations and reports, and request the issue of certificates for individual dwellings at DS and PCS

Cupola

A domed structure on the roof.

Current Account Mortgage (Offset Mortgage)

A linked mortgage account and current account. Any positive balance in the current account is deducted from the mortgage balance reducing the amount you owe. This is called offsetting and will reduce the interest charged on your mortgage.

Curtilage

The area within the boundaries of a property surrounding the main building.