Definitions

Words have meanings, and more than one meaning is often associated with a particular word.   As the old saying goes, knowing is half the battle.   Below is a list of the common definition used fence by  Fence company in the Central Florida.    Knowing will prevent misconception and minimize disasters.   

A

 

    • Administrative Challenge: A formal process which allows a company or homeowner to challenge a municipality interpretation of a code.   They occur during the permitting or inspection process.
    • Aesthetic: The fence's connection with pure beauty or the sense of beauty as it relates to the overall architecture and landscape of a home.
    • Allowable Forms of CommunicationThe State of Florida recognized the following forms of communications:  Registered or certified mail, email, telephone, Fax, and text messages.  It should be noted, that registered certified request return-receipt mail is the preferred method of communication.
    • Arbor: A decorative structure which consists of two or four vertical up rights and some type of horizontal structure placed on top. Generally speaking, it can possess cross lattice on the side and horizontal structures on the top.
    • Architectural Drawing: A drawing created by an architect when the scope of the work mandates structural elements required by the building code.
    • Automatic Gate Operator: A device attached to a Gates which is activated by remote control access or key pad.   Opener can be required license electrician.

B

    • Backend: The process which includes all administrative needs of a project from signature to final walkthrough.
    • Bid Process: Refers to the natural process of estimating from the initial call to the point of signature.
    • Bonuses: When the services or product exceed far beyond what is expected, and minimal cost are less than anticipated.
    • Back Yard:  The area of a property that stretches from the back corners of a home and ends at the rear property line.

 

C

    • Cement Collar:  Five pounds of wet concrete placed at the base of a post in an upwards slope to prevent the rising or settling of that post during cold weather.
    • Competitive Bid:   When two or more companies are competing for the same job using the same specification.
    • The Contour of Ground:   The natural flow of land which includes slopes, dips, valleys,  and swales.
    • Core Drilling:  The process of drilling a hole through a hard surface such as concrete and pavers.
    • Custom Fence:  Taking materials and combining them in such a manner that it creates a fence that is aesthetically pleasing and unique.
    • Customer Service: The level of support a company provides to their customer base.
    • Conservation Easement:  A conservation easement is a perpetual, undivided interest in property that may be created in a variety of ways. It may be created through a voluntary, legal agreement between a private landowner and a government agency or a qualified non-profit group, and is designed to conserve open space, water recharge areas, environmentally sensitive lands, wildlife habitat or historic features on a specific parcel of land. (St Johns Water Management).

D

        • Drawing:  A picture that is sketched on paper and is normally considered a rough draft.

E

 

      • Easement:  An easement is a benefit based on land ownership, other than the sharing of profits, that gives someone the right to use or enjoyment of another person's land for a special purpose not inconsistent with the general property rights of the owner. Most common easements are utility easement and include drainage, a right of way, conservation, and buffer easements.
      • Educational Approach:   Less focus on sales and more focus on educating the consumers about products and services.
      • Estimate:  A formal written bid which covers the scope work and types of materials being used

F

      • Front Yard Set Back:  The distance all structures must set back from the front property line.
      • Free and Clear Property Line:   A line free of vegetation and obstruction at the point of installation.
      • Fence Contractor:  A person or company that has obtained a license from the local municipality for building fences.

G

      • Gate Area:  A break in the fence line which allows ingress and egress into an enclosed backyard. 
      • Gate Arm Operator:  An arm attached to a gate which can open electronically.
      • General Contractor:  A person that is certified by the stated to build particular structures.

H

      • Hammer Jack Drill:  A drill that vibrates as it drills.  Most commonly used when drilling though masonry.
      • Hard Digging Conditions:   Any conditions that prevent the timely digging of hole needed for posts.   Standard allotted time for most  fence companies is approximately 10 minutes per hole.
      • Heavy Vegetated Fence Line:  A fence line or property line that would take more then and hour to clean for two people clear.
      • Home Owner Associations:   A group of homes which are bound by deed restrictions and by-laws.
      • Hourly or In House Employee:  An individual who works directly for the company and who is paid hourly.

I

      • Independent Contractor:  An individual or corporation that completes contract work for another corporation.
      • Installation Schedule:  An approximate time frame provide by a company which reflects a date of installation.  The exact date of installation is dependent on facture such as weather, product availability, and work load.
      • Installer:  A individual who installs and preforms services.

J

K

L

      • Land Survey: An legal document which show a top view of the house and it's positioning to the property line.
      • Land Use Attorney: An Attorney that specialize in the manner in which a particular property can be used or not used.  They handle matters such as administrative appeals and modification, variances, and adverse possession claims.
      • Level:   Possessing flat or even surface without slope.
      • Leverage Post Ratio minimum:  A simple formula which determines the minimum amount of leverage a post needs with stand external forces both below and above the ground.
      • Liability: Any and all claim that may arise from the installation of a product.
      • Liability Insurance:  Insurance that covers a company should they cause damage a property during installation.

M

      • Manufacture and Supplier:   A company that supplies material to another for purpose of installation.
      • Municipality:  A government municipality such as a city or county.

N

      • Neighbor Letters:  Letters sent to adjoining properties prior to installation."
      • Normal Working Hours:   Most common working hours are 9 am - 5 pm.
      • Notice of Commencement:  A notarized document that is required to be filed with the Clerk of the Courts prior to beginning any home improvement project over $2500.00.

O

      • Obstacle:  Anything that prevents something from occurring in a timely manner.
      • On Center:   The measurement from the center of one post to the next.
      • On-site Dumpster:  A container that construction debris or removal thrown in and hauled away.

P

      • Pay Per Foot:   A method of paying professional installers
      • Pergola: is a structure forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or seating area  and consist of vertical posts that usually support cross-beams.
      • Permit Application:  The paperwork which a municipality requires in order to submit a permit for review.
      • Plate Mounting:   A method of securing post to a deck or concrete.
      • Plumb: Exactly vertical and perpendicular.
      • Pool Code:  The minimum safety requirements as it relates to fence functioning as a barrier.
      • Plot plan:  An overhead view plan that shows the location of the home on the lot. Includes all easements, property lines, set backs, and legal descriptions of the home. Provided by the surveyor.

Q

      • Post: Any structure that supports the main structure above.
      • Post Depth:  The amount post that is buried in the ground.
      • Property Line Dispute:   When a property owner object to exact location of line.
      • Property Lines:  Establish line which separates one property from another.
      • Property Pins:  Iron rebar stakes buried under ground where the property changes angles. Most property have four.
      • Punch list:  A list of discrepancies that need to be corrected by the contractor

R

      • Reinforced Fence:  A fence that possess a 66% height to leverage post ratio with staggered runners or welded
      • Reverse Corner Lot:  A corner house who's back yard about the side yard of another home.
      • Side Yard Set Back:   The distance between the side yard property line and the house.

S

      • Site Plan:   A drawing or overview of the work as it relates to the positioning of the house in relation to the property line.
      • Standard Fence:    Any fence  built to a minimum standard.
      • Stretch:  A segment line of fence within a contract.
      • String Line:   A line that is used during fence installation for the purpose of fence installation.  String lines can either run with the contour of the land or level.
      • String, stringer- A timber or other support used horizontally.
      • Structure:  And thing that is constructed on a property that is not removal without the use of tools.
      • Sub-Contracting:  A business practice of have independent contractor complete contracted scope of works.

T

      • Trellis: an architectural structure made from an open framework or lattice or intersecting pieces of wood or metal that is made to support climbing plants.

U

      • Utility Locates:  A state locating service which locates underground utilities prior to excavations. It's the law.

 

V

      • Variance:   A special permit filed with the municipality which overwrites and existing code allowing the project to occur.
      • Vinyl Fence:  A fence constructed of Poly Vinyl Chloride.

W

      • Walk Through:   A final inspections where representative or owner walks the completed project with a customer.
      • Wood Fence:  A fence constructed of wood.
      • Workman Comp Exempt:  A card filled with the state exempting a corporations officer from workman's compensation laws.
      • Worker’s Compensation:  A type of insurance that covers employees should they get injured during the performance of their duties.

X

Y

Z

    • Zoning: A agency within a municipality specifies or limits the use of a property .