India Real Estate Dictionary

A

1 terms

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Block

Construction

Also called: AAC Block, Aerocon Block

A light, factory-made building block with tiny air pockets, used to build walls. It is lighter than clay brick, speeds up work and insulates against heat, but it needs the right mortar and plaster to avoid cracks.

Example & agent tip

Example: A developer in Mohali chose AAC block walls for a 14-storey tower to cut the dead load on the frame and to finish floors faster.

Agent tip: Ask whether the builder used proper jointing mortar and a mesh at wall-to-column joints. Poor finishing is the usual cause of cracks in block walls.

B

5 terms

Bare Shell

Construction

A commercial space delivered with only the basic structure, without flooring, ceiling, partitions or finishes. The tenant does the fit-out.

Example & agent tip

Example: An office is leased as a bare shell. The tenant spends ₹1,200 per sq ft on interiors.

Agent tip: Compare fit-out cost and rent-free periods when you compare bare shell with ready offices.

Related: Warm Shell Office Space

Basement

Construction

The floor of a building that lies below ground. Approved use varies by state and authority, and often includes parking, storage and services.

Example & agent tip

Example: A project's basement is approved for parking only, but the builder tries to sell it as shops.

Agent tip: Check what the sanctioned plan allows in the basement, and whether the basement is counted in FAR.

Beam

Construction

A horizontal structural member that carries the loads of slabs and walls and transfers them to columns.

Example & agent tip

Example: Beams run along the edges of a slab and connect the columns of the building.

Agent tip: Cutting or altering beams during interior work can weaken the structure. Warn clients against it.

Bill of Quantities (BOQ)

Construction

Also called: BOQ

An itemised list of materials, labour and work quantities with rates, used to price a construction job and to compare contractor bids. It makes payment claims easier to check because each item has a measured quantity.

Example & agent tip

Example: A villa owner in Zirakpur got three BOQs from contractors and found one had left out the waterproofing line entirely.

Agent tip: When hiring a contractor, insist on a detailed BOQ. Vague lump-sum quotes are a common source of cost disputes.

Boundary Wall

Construction

A wall around the perimeter of a plot or project. Its position should match the legal boundary.

Example & agent tip

Example: A boundary wall built 1 foot over the neighbour's land leads to a dispute.

Agent tip: Verify the wall position through demarcation.

Related: Demarcation Plot Area

C

6 terms

Cantilever

Construction

A structural element, such as a balcony slab, that projects from a building without direct support at its outer end.

Example & agent tip

Example: Cantilevered balconies project from the main slab of the tower.

Agent tip: Do not allow additions or heavy loads on cantilevered balconies.

Related: Balcony Area Slab

Column

Construction

A vertical structural member that carries the building's load down to the foundation.

Example & agent tip

Example: A tower has columns in each floor that pass the load down to the piles.

Agent tip: Do not allow owners to remove or alter columns during interiors.

Concealed Wiring

Construction

Electrical wiring laid inside conduits buried within walls and ceilings before plastering, with only switches and sockets visible. It looks neat and is safer than open wiring, but repairs mean opening the wall.

Example & agent tip

Example: When a Zirakpur buyer asked for the wiring layout, the builder showed marked drawings of conduit routes so future drilling could avoid them.

Agent tip: Ask for as-built electrical drawings at possession. They help avoid drilling into live wires.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Construction

Also called: CPM

A scheduling technique that finds the chain of linked tasks that decides the shortest time to finish a project. A delay in any of those tasks delays the whole project, so they receive the closest attention.

Example & agent tip

Example: A tower's critical path ran through excavation, raft, structure and facade, so the manager added extra crews for the structure stage.

Agent tip: When a developer says possession is on track, ask what the critical activities are. It shows if they really have a schedule.

Cube Test

Construction

Also called: Concrete Cube Test, Compressive Strength Test

A strength test in which sample concrete cubes are cast during a pour, cured, and crushed in a machine at set ages, commonly 7 and 28 days. The results show whether the concrete reached the grade the design required.

Example & agent tip

Example: Each slab pour at a Mohali project was sampled, and the 28-day cube results were filed with the project engineer.

Agent tip: For a project you are selling, ask the developer for test records. Their existence signals a quality-conscious builder.

Curing

Construction

The process of keeping fresh concrete or plaster moist for some days after it is placed so it gains strength and does not crack. Poor curing weakens concrete even when the mix itself is good.

Example & agent tip

Example: In peak summer, a contractor in Jaipur skipped curing on a terrace slab, and fine surface cracks showed up within weeks.

Agent tip: During a site visit, look for ponding water or wet burlap on fresh slabs. If the surface is dry and white in summer, curing is probably being neglected.

D

3 terms

Damp Proof Course (DPC)

Construction

A layer of waterproof material placed above ground level in walls to stop moisture rising from the ground.

Example & agent tip

Example: A house without a proper DPC shows damp patches on the lower walls.

Agent tip: Look for damp marks on ground-floor walls during site visits.

Related: Plinth Waterproofing

Dampness (Seepage)

Construction

Also called: Seelan, Leakage

Unwanted moisture in walls, ceilings or floors, shown by peeling paint, stains or a musty smell. Causes include leaking pipes, rain entering through cracks, rising ground water and poor waterproofing.

Example & agent tip

Example: A top floor owner in Chandigarh saw ceiling stains after rain and later traced the water to a failed terrace waterproofing layer.

Agent tip: Visit during or just after rain before buying a resale flat. Seepage rarely shows in dry weather.

Defect Liability Period

Construction

A period after handover during which the promoter must fix structural and workmanship defects without charge. Under RERA it is five years from possession.

Legal basis: Section 14(3) of the RERA Act, 2016: defects must be rectified within 30 days of notice, failing which the allottee can claim compensation.

Example & agent tip

Example: Cracks appear in a wall three years after possession. The buyer gives notice and the builder must repair them.

Agent tip: Tell buyers to give written notice of defects within the period.

E

4 terms

Efflorescence

Construction

A white powdery deposit on walls or concrete caused by salts carried out by water as it dries. It signals moisture in the wall and, if it keeps coming back, points to a leak or poor damp proofing.

Example & agent tip

Example: A ground floor owner in Mohali saw white patches on the bedroom wall every monsoon, which turned out to be a leaking external pipe.

Agent tip: Treat white patches as a clue to find the water source, not just something to repaint.

Electricity Connection

Construction

The permanent power supply to a unit or building from the distribution company. A new flat needs sanctioned load and meter.

Example & agent tip

Example: A builder hands over with only a temporary construction connection, which has to be replaced.

Agent tip: Ask whether the connection is permanent and in the owner's name.

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)

Construction

Also called: ECBC, ECSBC

A code issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency that sets minimum energy performance standards for large commercial buildings, covering the envelope, lighting, air conditioning and power. BEE has since also issued an Energy Conservation and Sustainable Building Code (ECSBC 2024), so check which version your state applies. States adopt and notify the code for their own area.

Example & agent tip

Example: A mall planned in Lucknow chose glazing and lighting layouts to comply with the code before applying for sanction.

Agent tip: Check whether your state has notified the code and whether it applies to your project's connected load or built-up area.

Expansion Joint

Construction

A deliberate gap between two parts of a large building that lets them move with temperature changes or settlement without cracking. The gap is covered with a flexible cover or sealant, and it is often visible in long corridors and podium slabs.

Example & agent tip

Example: In a long mall in Ludhiana, a vertical gap running through all floors was an expansion joint, and the cover plates hid it in the corridor.

Agent tip: Do not fill or block expansion joints during interior work. They need to remain free to move.

Related: Podium Slab Waterproofing

F

6 terms

False Ceiling

Construction

Also called: Drop Ceiling

A secondary ceiling hung below the structural slab, usually from gypsum board, grid tiles or POP. It hides pipes and wiring, supports lights and helps with air-conditioning layouts. It reduces the clear height of the room.

Example & agent tip

Example: An office buyer in Mohali found that the false ceiling hid the sprinkler pipes and brought the room height down to just under three metres.

Agent tip: Check the minimum clear height after the false ceiling is installed. Low rooms feel cramped and may breach norms.

Flat Slab

Construction

A concrete floor slab that rests directly on columns without projecting beams below it. It gives a flat ceiling and easier services routing, but needs thicker slab sections around columns to handle punching forces.

Example & agent tip

Example: The basement parking of a Mohali mall used a flat slab so that ducts and sprinkler pipes could run freely under a smooth ceiling.

Agent tip: In a flat slab building, ask your interior designer before drilling or cutting the slab near columns.

Fly Ash Brick

Construction

Also called: Fly Ash Brick Masonry

A brick made from fly ash, a waste product of coal power plants, mixed with sand and cement or lime. It is uniform in size and uses less topsoil than burnt clay brick. Many states and green building rules encourage its use.

Example & agent tip

Example: A builder in Zirakpur used fly ash bricks for the partition walls and saved on plaster because the faces were even.

Agent tip: Check that the bricks are cured and not freshly cast. Wet, young bricks shrink and cause hairline cracks.

Formwork (Shuttering)

Construction

Also called: Shuttering, Centering

Temporary moulds, made of timber, steel or aluminium, into which wet concrete is poured to give columns, beams and slabs their shape. They are removed once the concrete has gained enough strength. Formwork type affects speed and surface finish.

Example & agent tip

Example: A developer in Greater Noida switched to aluminium formwork so that each floor of a tower could be cast in a few days.

Agent tip: Ask when formwork is removed. Stripping too early is a known cause of sagging slabs and cracks.

Foundation

Construction

The base of a building that transfers its weight to the soil. Type and depth depend on soil conditions, height and load.

Example & agent tip

Example: A tall tower on soft soil needs a deeper foundation than a two-storey house.

Agent tip: For plots with a history of waterlogging or filled land, ask for a soil test report.

Framed Structure

Construction

A building whose load is carried by a frame of beams and columns, with walls only as infill. Most modern apartments are framed structures.

Example & agent tip

Example: A 15-storey tower is a framed RCC structure.

Agent tip: Framed structures allow flexible layouts but not removal of structural elements.

G

2 terms

Green Building

Construction

A building designed to use less energy, water and materials. Ratings in India include IGBC, GRIHA and LEED.

Example & agent tip

Example: A project advertises an IGBC Gold rating for its energy and water systems.

Agent tip: Check that the rating is certified, not just claimed.

GRIHA Rating

Construction

Also called: Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment

A national rating system, run by the GRIHA Council with support from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, to judge how environmentally friendly a building is. Scores come from site planning, water, energy, waste and materials, and stars are awarded.

Example & agent tip

Example: A government campus in Madhya Pradesh earned a five-star GRIHA rating for its efficient design and on-site waste treatment.

Agent tip: GRIHA and IGBC are different systems. Do not treat their ratings as interchangeable when comparing projects.

H

2 terms

Honeycombing

Construction

A concrete defect where voids and exposed stones appear because the mix did not fill the formwork fully, often from poor compaction. It reduces strength and exposes steel to rust, so serious cases need repair.

Example & agent tip

Example: After the shuttering was removed, the engineer saw honeycombing at the base of a column and ordered it to be repaired with grout.

Agent tip: Visible honeycombing on columns or beams in a new building should be reported in writing and fixed under the defect liability clause.

HVAC

Construction

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning. It covers systems that control temperature, fresh air and humidity inside a building. In Indian offices and malls it often means central chillers, ducts and air handling units, with separate running costs.

Example & agent tip

Example: An IT office in Gurugram pays a monthly HVAC charge per square foot, billed by its landlord for central air conditioning.

Agent tip: Read whether HVAC charges are included in maintenance or billed separately. This can add noticeably to monthly costs.

I

1 terms

IGBC Rating

Construction

Also called: Indian Green Building Council Rating

A green building rating given by the Indian Green Building Council, part of the Confederation of Indian Industry. A project earns points for water, energy, materials, site and indoor quality, and receives a rating level such as certified, silver, gold or platinum, depending on the programme.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Hyderabad office park advertised an IGBC Gold rating after cutting water use and adding efficient lighting.

Agent tip: Ask for the certificate and check whether the rating is pre-certification (design stage) or final (after completion).

K

1 terms

Kacha Construction

Construction

Temporary construction using mud, bamboo, tin or thatch. Banks and authorities generally do not treat it as permanent housing.

Example & agent tip

Example: A tin-roof hut on rented land is kacha.

Agent tip: Kacha property is usually not eligible for home loans.

Related: Pucca Construction Home Loan

L

2 terms

Lintel

Construction

A horizontal beam placed over a door, window or other opening in a wall. It carries the weight of the masonry above and passes it to the sides of the opening. Most Indian homes use a small reinforced concrete lintel.

Example & agent tip

Example: A homeowner in Panchkula noticed a diagonal crack above a window and found the lintel was too short and had too little bearing on the wall.

Agent tip: Hairline cracks over openings are common, but wide or growing cracks near a lintel deserve a structural engineer's visit.

Load-Bearing Structure

Construction

A building in which walls carry the load, common in older and low-rise construction. Removing walls can be unsafe.

Example & agent tip

Example: A century-old house with thick brick walls is load-bearing.

Agent tip: Check structural safety carefully before renovating an old load-bearing building.

M

4 terms

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing)

Construction

Also called: Building Services

The group of building services that make a structure usable: air conditioning, ventilation, lifts, wiring, power backup, water supply, drainage and fire fighting. Good MEP design is planned with the architecture, not added afterwards.

Example & agent tip

Example: A hospital developer in Mohali engaged an MEP consultant at design stage to route ducts and pipes without clashing with the structure.

Agent tip: For commercial purchases, ask for the MEP load details such as power per square foot and cooling capacity.

Mezzanine

Construction

An intermediate floor between two main floors, usually partial. It is common in shops and showrooms.

Example & agent tip

Example: A showroom adds a mezzanine floor for storage and office.

Agent tip: Check whether a mezzanine is approved and counted in the area.

Modular Kitchen

Construction

A kitchen fitted with factory-made cabinets, drawers and fittings that are assembled on site in standard sizes. It is quicker to install than carpenter-built work and easier to change, and usually costs more per running foot.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Panchkula flat was handed over with only a kitchen platform, and the owner then installed a modular kitchen with a chimney and hob.

Agent tip: Confirm in the agreement whether the kitchen is a platform with sink only or a full modular unit.

Monolithic Construction

Construction

A method where walls, slabs and beams are cast together in one operation using system formwork, usually aluminium. It produces smooth, strong walls and fast cycles, but later changes to walls are hard because the walls are structural.

Example & agent tip

Example: An affordable housing scheme near Lucknow was built with monolithic walls, so buyers were told not to hack or remove any wall.

Agent tip: Warn buyers that interior walls in monolithic buildings often cannot be altered, which limits renovation plans.

P

12 terms

Parapet

Construction

A low wall along the edge of a terrace or balcony for safety.

Example & agent tip

Example: A terrace parapet of 3 feet is required by building rules in many cities.

Agent tip: Check the parapet height for safety on terraces and balconies.

Related: Terrace Area Balcony Area

Parking

Construction

Space for vehicles in a building or colony. It may be open, covered, stilt, basement or mechanical, and may be free or sold separately.

Legal basis: Under the RERA Act, open parking is part of the common areas (Section 2(n)). A garage, meaning a covered space with walls on three sides, is defined in Section 2(y). Check your state's rules and the agreement.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer pays ₹3 lakh for a covered slot that the agreement shows as part of the common area.

Agent tip: Read the parking terms in the agreement before the booking amount is paid, and note whether the slot is numbered and in the sale deed.

Related: Stilt Basement Common Area

Pile Foundation

Construction

A deep foundation made of long columns driven or bored into the ground to reach firm soil or rock. It is used for tall buildings and weak soils.

Example & agent tip

Example: A tower near a river uses bored piles that reach a hard layer 25 metres below.

Agent tip: Piling for tall towers is a normal sign of careful design. It is not a defect.

Related: Foundation Raft Foundation

Plastering

Construction

Also called: Plaster, Lipai

A coat of cement or gypsum mortar applied over masonry or concrete to give a smooth, even surface for paint. It also protects brickwork from weather. Typical work involves a rough coat first and a finishing coat afterwards.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Mohali tapped a freshly plastered wall and heard a hollow sound, which showed the plaster had not bonded to the wall.

Agent tip: Tap along walls at the time of snagging. A hollow sound points to loose plaster that will crack later.

Plinth

Construction

The portion of a building between the ground and the floor level. Plinth height protects the building from flooding and dampness.

Example & agent tip

Example: A house is built with a plinth 2 feet above the road so water does not enter in monsoon.

Agent tip: Check the plinth level in flood-prone areas.

Plinth Beam

Construction

Also called: Tie Beam

A horizontal reinforced concrete beam cast at plinth level, just above the foundation, that ties the columns or walls together. It spreads loads evenly and stops the wall base from cracking if the ground settles unevenly.

Example & agent tip

Example: At a Kharar villa site, the engineer had the plinth beam cast around the whole footprint before any brickwork began above ground.

Agent tip: When visiting a site under construction, ask to see photos of the plinth beam steel before it was concreted. It is hidden forever afterwards.

Related: Plinth Foundation Beam

Podium

Construction

A raised platform or lower floors of a tower, often used for parking and amenities, on which residential towers rise.

Example & agent tip

Example: A project has a 4-level podium for parking with gardens and a pool at the top.

Agent tip: Ask how podium parking is allotted and if the podium area is included in the price.

Related: Stilt Basement Amenities

Post-Tensioned Slab

Construction

Also called: PT Slab

A concrete slab reinforced with steel cables that are tensioned after the concrete hardens. This allows thinner slabs and longer spans, useful for car parks and offices, but cutting or drilling it without a plan can damage the tensioned cables.

Example & agent tip

Example: A commercial tower in Gurugram used post-tensioned slabs to get column-free floor plates for its office tenants.

Agent tip: Never core or drill into such slabs without the structural consultant's approval and a cable layout drawing.

Power Backup (DG Set)

Construction

Also called: Generator Set, Diesel Generator Backup

An alternate electricity supply, usually a diesel generator, that starts when grid power fails. Housing projects offer backup for lifts, lights and common areas, and sometimes a limited load for each flat, often billed separately.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Kharar society offered 2 kW backup per flat, with charges billed per kVA on the monthly maintenance invoice.

Agent tip: Check the backup load per flat and the billing basis. Many buyers assume full backup and find only partial cover.

Precast Construction

Construction

A method where building components such as slabs, columns, beams or wall panels are cast in a factory and lifted into place on site. It improves quality and speed but needs good transport, cranes and well designed joints.

Example & agent tip

Example: A warehouse developer near Sonipat used precast columns and roof beams to finish the structure before the monsoon.

Agent tip: Precast is common for warehouses and affordable housing. Ask how the joints between elements are made and waterproofed.

Project Management Consultant (PMC)

Construction

Also called: PMC

A firm hired by a developer or owner to plan, supervise and control a construction project on their behalf, handling schedule, cost, quality and contractor coordination. It is separate from the architect and the builder.

Example & agent tip

Example: A large township in Mohali hired a PMC to track contractor progress and report monthly to the promoter.

Agent tip: A named PMC is a good sign for a large project. Ask who it is and how often it reports.

Pucca Construction

Construction

Permanent construction of durable material such as brick, stone or concrete, with a solid roof.

Example & agent tip

Example: A concrete-roof house of brick and cement counts as pucca.

Agent tip: Banks usually finance pucca construction only.

Related: Kacha Construction Home Loan

R

7 terms

Raft Foundation

Construction

A thick concrete slab that spreads the building load over its whole base area. It is used where soil is weak or loads are heavy.

Example & agent tip

Example: A basement parking level sits on a raft foundation that spreads the weight of the tower.

Agent tip: Raft foundations are common in basement projects. Ask for the structural drawings if you doubt the design.

Rainwater Harvesting

Construction

Collecting and storing rainwater for use or to recharge groundwater. Many cities require it in new buildings.

Example & agent tip

Example: A society collects roof water into a recharge pit.

Agent tip: Many local rules require rainwater harvesting in sanctioned plans.

Related: Green Building Sanctioned Plan

RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete)

Construction

Concrete strengthened with steel bars, used for foundations, columns, beams and slabs in most Indian buildings. It combines the compressive strength of concrete with the tensile strength of steel.

Example & agent tip

Example: A 12-storey apartment building uses an RCC frame, with brick or block walls filling the gaps.

Agent tip: Ask about the structural design and the engineer in charge. These details matter more than the marketing words.

Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC)

Construction

Also called: RMC

Concrete prepared at a central batching plant to a specified strength and delivered to the site in transit mixers. Quality is easier to control than with hand mixing on site, and it suits large pours for slabs and columns.

Example & agent tip

Example: For a slab pour at a Sector 80 project, six transit mixers arrived in sequence so the pour was continuous and no cold joints formed.

Agent tip: Ask the builder whether RMC is used for structural elements and whether cube test results are kept for each pour.

Retaining Wall

Construction

A wall built to hold back soil at a different level, common on sloping sites and in hill areas.

Example & agent tip

Example: A hillside plot needs a retaining wall to hold the road and the building.

Agent tip: Check its design and approvals on sloping land.

Related: Foundation Boundary Wall

Retention Money

Construction

Also called: Retention

A percentage of each contractor payment held back by the owner until the work is finished or the defect period ends. It protects the owner if the contractor leaves defects or does not complete the job.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Sector 70 builder released the held-back amount to a facade contractor only after a year of defect-free performance.

Agent tip: If you are hiring a contractor for your own home, agree on retention money in the work order. It gives leverage to get defects fixed.

Rooftop Solar PV

Construction

Solar photovoltaic panels fitted on a building's roof to produce electricity. Housing societies use them for common-area loads, and many states offer net metering, which credits surplus power sent to the grid against the electricity bill.

Example & agent tip

Example: A Panchkula housing society installed rooftop panels that power the lifts and corridor lights during the day.

Agent tip: Check net metering rules with the local distribution company before promising savings to a buyer.

S

11 terms

Seismic Zone

Construction

A classification of India by earthquake risk in the Bureau of Indian Standards building code. Higher zones need stronger structural design. A new 2025 code that added a Zone VI was withdrawn in March 2026, so the 2016 map with zones II to V applies again.

Example & agent tip

Example: Many Himalayan towns and the north-east fall in the higher-risk zones. Their buildings need stronger structural design.

Agent tip: Ask about earthquake-resistant design for buildings in high-risk zones.

Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)

Construction

A facility that treats a building's wastewater for reuse in gardens and flushing. Larger projects are often required to have one.

Example & agent tip

Example: A 500-flat society runs an STP and uses treated water for landscaping.

Agent tip: Ask about STP capacity and operation. Poorly run plants lead to complaints.

Shear Wall

Construction

A reinforced concrete wall designed to resist lateral forces from earthquakes and wind. It is common in high-rise buildings.

Example & agent tip

Example: A tall tower in a high seismic zone has shear walls around its lift core.

Agent tip: Never advise breaking a shear wall during renovation.

Site Handover Checklist

Construction

A list used at possession to record the condition of a flat or building: walls, floors, doors, fittings, services and meter readings. Signing it with noted defects creates a record that the builder must fix them.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer in Zirakpur listed fourteen defects on the checklist before taking keys, and the builder fixed them within a month.

Agent tip: Never sign a clean handover note while defects are visible. Write each defect down with a date and photo.

Slab

Construction

A flat horizontal concrete element that forms floors and roofs, supported by beams and columns.

Example & agent tip

Example: Pouring the 8th floor slab is a milestone in a construction-linked payment plan.

Agent tip: Learn to read stage names such as plinth, slab, brickwork and finishing in a payment schedule.

Snagging

Construction

Inspection of a finished unit before possession to list defects such as cracks, leaks, wrong fittings and poor paint, which the builder must fix.

Example & agent tip

Example: A buyer walks through a flat with a snag list of 28 items before accepting possession.

Agent tip: Encourage buyers to snag with a checklist and record items in writing at handover.

Soil Investigation Report

Construction

Also called: Soil Test Report, Geotechnical Report

A report based on boring and testing the ground at a site to learn soil layers, water table and bearing capacity. The structural engineer uses it to choose the type and depth of foundation.

Example & agent tip

Example: Before designing a basement for a Kharar project, the consultant bored several holes and found a high water table.

Agent tip: For a plot where you plan to build, spend on a soil test first. It may change the cost of foundations significantly.

Spalling

Construction

Flaking or chipping of the concrete cover, often exposing rusted reinforcement bars. It is usually caused by steel corrosion expanding inside the concrete after water or salt reaches it, and is common in older buildings and balconies.

Example & agent tip

Example: A 30-year-old building in Panchkula showed pieces of balcony slab falling away, with rusted bars visible underneath.

Agent tip: In older resale buildings, check balcony undersides and ceilings for rust stains. Spalling means repair costs for the society.

Specifications

Construction

The written description of materials, fittings and finishes promised in a unit, such as flooring type, kitchen fittings and electrical points.

Example & agent tip

Example: The agreement lists vitrified tiles, branded sanitaryware and modular switches.

Agent tip: Make sure specifications appear in the agreement for sale, not only in the brochure.

Related: Agreement for Sale Snagging

Stilt

Construction

The ground floor of a building left open or used for parking, with columns supporting the floors above. It is common in north Indian cities.

Example & agent tip

Example: A builder floor has a stilt level for parking and four residential floors above.

Agent tip: Check whether stilt parking is sold or free, and whether it counts as a floor.

Related: Basement Parking Podium

Structural Stability Certificate

Construction

A certificate from a licensed structural engineer confirming that a building is structurally safe. It is needed for approvals, occupancy and old buildings.

Example & agent tip

Example: A society asks for a structural audit and certificate for a 35-year-old building.

Agent tip: For old buildings ask for a recent structural audit before you advise a purchase.

T

2 terms

TMT Bar

Construction

Also called: Thermo-Mechanically Treated Bar, Saria

A thermo-mechanically treated steel bar with ribs, used as the reinforcement inside concrete. It has a hard outer layer and a softer core, so it is strong yet bends without snapping. Bars come in standard grades and diameters.

Example & agent tip

Example: A site engineer in Panchkula rejected a truck of bars because the mill test certificate did not match the stamp rolled onto the bars.

Agent tip: Buyers cannot test steel, but you can ask whether mill certificates and third-party tests are maintained for each lot.

Turnkey

Construction

A project or fit-out delivered ready for use, so the buyer can move in without further work.

Example & agent tip

Example: A turnkey office comes with furniture and wiring.

Agent tip: Compare what is included, as turnkey offers differ.

Related: Bare Shell Specifications

V

1 terms

Vitrified Tiles

Construction

Dense, low-porosity floor tiles made by firing clay and minerals at high temperature, so they absorb little water. They are popular for homes because they resist stains and scratches. Types include polished, glazed and double-charged.

Example & agent tip

Example: A builder's specification sheet in Chandigarh listed 600 by 600 mm vitrified tiles for the living room and anti-skid tiles for the bathrooms.

Agent tip: Compare the brand and size in the agreement's specifications with what is actually laid. Substitutions are common.

W

2 terms

Warm Shell

Construction

A commercial space with basic services such as flooring, ceiling and air-conditioning ducts in place, but without full interiors.

Example & agent tip

Example: A warm-shell office needs lighter fit-out than a bare shell.

Agent tip: Clarify what is included in a warm-shell lease.

Related: Bare Shell Office Space

Waterproofing

Construction

Treatment applied to roofs, terraces, bathrooms and basements to stop water seeping into the structure.

Example & agent tip

Example: Seepage on a top-floor flat's ceiling leads to a dispute with the builder over poor waterproofing.

Agent tip: Check the waterproofing warranty. Water damage is among the most common post-possession complaints.

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Block

Bare Shell

Basement

Beam

Bill of Quantities (BOQ)

Boundary Wall

Cantilever

Column

Concealed Wiring

Critical Path Method (CPM)

Cube Test

Curing

Damp Proof Course (DPC)

Dampness (Seepage)

Defect Liability Period

Efflorescence

Electricity Connection

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)

Expansion Joint

False Ceiling

Flat Slab

Fly Ash Brick

Formwork (Shuttering)

Foundation

Framed Structure

Green Building

GRIHA Rating

Honeycombing

HVAC

IGBC Rating

Kacha Construction

Lintel

Load-Bearing Structure

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing)

Mezzanine

Modular Kitchen

Monolithic Construction

Parapet

Parking

Pile Foundation

Plastering

Plinth

Plinth Beam

Podium

Post-Tensioned Slab

Power Backup (DG Set)

Precast Construction

Project Management Consultant (PMC)

Pucca Construction

Raft Foundation

Rainwater Harvesting

RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete)

Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC)

Retaining Wall

Retention Money

Rooftop Solar PV

Seismic Zone

Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)

Shear Wall

Site Handover Checklist

Slab

Snagging

Soil Investigation Report

Spalling

Specifications

Stilt

Structural Stability Certificate

TMT Bar

Turnkey

Vitrified Tiles

Warm Shell

Waterproofing

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