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Renovating properties in Brittany for more than 10 years

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Some useful Building Terms in English and French

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W 
A    
air vent trou nm
alarm bell sonnerie d’alarme nf
angle grinder meuleuse nf
arch voute nf
architrave baguette nf
asbestos amiente nm
awl poincon nm
axe hache nf
     
B    
bandsaw scie sans fin nf
base assise nf
batten liteau nf
beam poutre nf
bearer support nm
belt sander ponceuse a bande nf
bevel biseau nm
bitumen bitume nm
blade lame nf
blow lamp chalumeau nm
boiler chaudière nf
bolt boulon nm
bore vriller vt
bore hole trou de sondage nm
bow/bay window oriel nf
brace vilebrequin nm
brace/prop jambe de force nf
bracket tasseau nm
bradawl poincon nm
brick brique nf
broken lintel linteau brisé nm
brush (paint) pinceau nm
building bâtiment  nm
building site chantier nm
     
C    
casement window fenetre a battants nf
ceiling plafond nm
cesspool fosse d’aisance nf
chipboard panneau de particles  
clay roof tile tuile terre cuite nf
collapsed roof toit effondré nm
concrete béton nm
cork tile carreau de liege nm
countersink fraise nf
crack fissure nf
cupboard(built in) placard nm
custom made fait sur commande adj
cut out decouper nm
     
D    
dairy laiterie nf
damp humidite nf
damp proof course couche isolante nf
day-work travail a la journee nm
de-humidifier deshumidificateur nm
discount escompte nm
DIY bricolage nm
dog-kennel niche à chien nf
door handle poignee de porte nf
door knob bouton de porte nm
dormer window lucarne nf
double glazing double vitrage nf
dovecote pigeonnier nm
downpipe tuyeau de descente nm
draught-excluder bourrelet nm
dry-rot carie seche nf
duct conduit nm
     
E    
eaves avant toit nmpl
estimate devis nm
     
F    
false ceiling faux plafond nf
fanlight imposte nf
fence  clôture nf
fencing wire mesh grillage  nm
fibre glass(insulation) laine de verre nf
fire extinguisher extincteur nm
fire-guard garde-feu nm
fire proof ininflammable adj
firewood bois de chauffage nm
first floor premier etage nm
fit out amenager vt
fix pose vt
fixed price prix fixe nm
flammable inflammable adj
floor plancher nm
floorboard planche nf
flue conduit de cheminee nm
flush(toilet) chasse d’eau nf
foundations fondations nf
frame (door or window) chambranle nm
freeze up se prendre en glace vt
french window porte-fenetre nf
frost stat thermostat a gel nm
fuel gauge jauge a fuel nf
fuse fusible nm
fuse box coupe circuit nm
     
G    
gable end pignon nm
glass cutter diamant nm
glass door porte vitre nf
gloss (paint) brillant adj
granite granit nm
ground floor rez de chaussee nm
gutter gouttiere nf
     
H    
hacksaw scie a metaux nf
hammer marteau nm
handle poignee nf
handrail main courante nf
handyman bricoleur nm
hard water eau dure nf
hardboard carton-cuire nm
hardcore (rubble) blocaille nf
hardware (building) quincaillerie nf
hardwood (red) bois exotique nm
headroom hauteur libre nf
hedge haie nf
hen-house poulailler nm
hinge gond nm
hire location nf
hose-pipe tuyau d’arrosage nm
hot plate (hob) plaque chauffante nf
hut cabane nf
     
I    
immersion heater cumulus electrique nm
(more commonly) ballon nm
in stock disponible adj
invoice facture nf
iron(material) fer nm
iron(cast) fonte nf
ironmongery quincaillerie nf
     
J    
jig saw scie sauteuse nf
joinery menuiserie nf
joist solive nf
junction box(electrical) boite de derivation nf
     
K    
key Clef  
keyhole trou de serrure nm
     
L    
ladder échelle nf
lag envelopper vt
lamb-shelter abri pour agneaux nm
lampholder douille nf
lampshade abat-jour nm
landing palier nm
latch loquet nm
lawn pelouse nf
lawn-mower tondeuse nf
leak fuite nm
lean-to appentis nm
lease bail nm
letter box boite aux lettres nf
level a niveau nm
level (tool) niveau nm
(not) level bancal adj
lever levier nm
light bulb ampoule nf
lighting eclairage nm
lime chaux nf
limestone calcaire nm
linseed oil (bats!) huile de lin nf
lintel linteau nm
lock serrure nf
loft grenier nm
     
M    
Mains (sewers) tout a l’egout nm
mains (water) eau de la ville nf
maintenance l’entretien nm
manhole trou de visite nm
manhole cover plaque d’egout nf
masonry paint peinture crepi nf
meter(elec or water etc) compteur nm
methylated spirit alcool a bruler nm
mildew moisissure nf
mildewy/musty moisi adj
mortar mortier nm
mould moisi nm
mouse souris nf
mouse-trap tapette nf
mullion meneau nm
     
N    
nail clou nm
non-slip antiderapant adj
notch entaille nf
     
O    
off-peak (electric) heures creuses adj
outhouse dépendance nf
overflow (an) tuyeau d’ecoulement nm
overflow (to) deborder vi
overhang surplomb nm
     
P    
padlock cadenzas nm
partition wall cloison nf
party wall mur mitoyen nm
patio terrasse nf
paving dallage nm
paving stone pave nm
pelmet lambrequin nm
pickaxe pioche nf
pigsty porcherie, loge à porcs nf
pipe tuyeau nm
pipeline canalisation nf
plane rabot nm
plank planche nf
plaster platre nm
plaster block carreau de platre nm
plasterboard placoplatre nm
pliers pinces nfpl
plug (electric) fiche nf
plumb-line fil a plomb nm
plumbing plomberie nf
plywood contre-plaque nm
point(brickwork) jointoyer vt
porch porche nm
post (fence) poteau nm
preservative agent de conservation nm
price list tarif nm
prime (wood) appreter vt
prop support nm
purlin panne nf
putty mastic nm
     
Q    
quarry carrière nf
quote fixer un prix vt
     
R    
rafter chevron nm
rawlplug cheville nf
receipt recu nm
recess recoin nm
reinforced concrete beton arme nm
removal demenagement nm
render enduit nm
repair reperation nf
residence demeure nf
restoration restauration nf
restore restaurer vt
ridge faite nm
rising damp infiltration nf
rockery jardin de rocaille nm
roof toit nm
roof structure comble nm
roof truss armature a toit nf
roofing felt feutre a toit nm
room piece nf
rot pourriture nf
rough sketch ebauche nf
router defonceuse nf
rubbish (building) detritus nm
rubble gravats nmpl
rust rouille nf
     
S    
sand sable nm
sand paper papier de verre nm
sandblast sablager vt
sander ponceuse nf
sandstone grès nm
saw scie nf
scaffold échafaudage nm
screed chape nf
screw vis nf
screw to visser vt
screwdriver tournevis nm
semi-detached jumelee adj
septic tank fosse septique nf
service hatch passé-plat nm
set-square equerre a dessin nf
sewage eaux d’egout nfpl
sewer egout nm
sharp trenchant adj
shelf étagère nf
shingle (roofing) bardeau nm
shre up etayer vt
short-circuit court-circuit nm
shovel pelle nf
shower tray bac de douche nm
shutter volet nm
shutter (slatted) persienne nf
sill (door) seuil nm
sink (kitchen) evier nm
sink (bathroom) lavabo nm
skip benne nf
skirting board plinthe nf
slate ardoise nf
sliding door porte coulissante nf
soak away puits perdu nm
socket (light) douille nf
socket(electric) prise nf
soil pipe tuyau d’egout nm
solder soudure nf
sound proof insonore adj
spiral staircase escalier spiral nm
spirit level niveau a bulle nm
spotlight projecteur nm
spray gun pistolet nm
spring (water) source nf
square carré nm
square meter metre carré nm
stable(horse) ecurie nf
stainless steel inox nm
staple agrafe nf
steel acier nm
step ladder escabeau nm
stone pierre nf
stop cock robinet de fermature nm
store-house entrepôt nm
storey etage nm
subsidence affaissement nm
supplier fournisseur nm
swing door porte va et vient nf
switch(one way) interrupteur nm
switch(two way) va et vient nm
     
T    
tank (heating oil) reservoir de fioul nm
tank (water) citerne nf
tap robinet nm
tar goudron nm
tarpaulin bache nf
tenon saw scie a tenon nf
thatch chaume nm
tile(floor) carreau nm
tile(wall) faience nf
tile(roof) tuile nf
time-switch minuterie nf
transom traverse nf
trellis-work treillage nm
trowel truelle nf
     
U    
unblock degager vt
under floor heating chauffage sous sol nm
undercoat sous-couche nf
unfurnished non meuble adj
uninhabited inhabite adj
     
V    
valve soupape nf
VAT TVA nm
Veneer placage nm
     
W    
Wall mur nm
Wall lamp appliqué nf
Washer rondelle nf
Waste disposal unit broyeur a ordures nm
Water heater chauffe eau nm
Water main conduite principale nf
Water softener adoucisseur d’eau nm
Waterproof impermeable adj
Watertight etanche adj
Waterseal (silicone) hydrofuge nf
Wedge coin nm
Well puits nm
well-cover couverture/chape de puits nf
Wheelbarrow brouette nf
Width largeur nf
Window sill rebord nm
Woodburning stove poele nm
Woodwork boiserie nf
Workshop atelier nm
Worm eaten vermoulu adj
Wrought iron fer forge nm


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