Kitchen Remodel Glossary
15 structural, electrical, plumbing and cabinetry terms on a kitchen remodel quote, explained in plain English.
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45 m² Exempted Rear Extension Limit
Under Class 1 of the Irish Planning and Development Regulations (S.I. No. 338 of 2026), a ground-floor rear house extension up to 45 m² needs no planning permission provided at least 25 m² of private rear garden remains.
Acrow Prop & Strongboy Needle Support
Adjustable tubular steel props with masonry head attachments used to carry the upstairs floor joists and rear wall masonry safely while a load-bearing wall is opened up for an RSJ steel beam.
BCAR & Certificate of Compliance
Structural sign-off by a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect confirming that a load-bearing wall removal or rear kitchen extension complies with Irish Building Regulations Part A (Structure) and Part L.
Consumer Unit RCBO & 32A/45A Radial Circuit
Dedicated heavy-duty cable run from the main fuse board required when upgrading from a gas hob or free-standing cooker to a high-output induction hob plus double electric ovens.
Core-Drilled 150mm External Duct
Diamond-cut circular hole through the external masonry wall fitted with a back-draught shutter and cowl so the cooker hood vents steam and grease directly outdoors rather than recirculating.
Damp-Proof Membrane (DPM) & Radon Barrier Lap
Heavy polyethylene moisture and gas membrane lapped and taped across the floor junction when knocking an old kitchen into a rear extension or laying new screed.
Fire-Rated Plasterboard Encasement (Part B)
Double-boarding an RSJ steel beam with 12.5mm fire-resistant pink plasterboard (or intumescent coating) and skim plaster so the structural steel achieves 30-minute fire resistance.
First-Fix Plumbing & Electrical Stage
The structural rough-in phase after rip-out and wall boarding is stripped, where new copper/PEX water feeds, 40mm waste pipes, island power conduits and extractor ducting are hidden inside walls and floors.
Padstone (Precast High-Strength Concrete)
Dense concrete spreader block (typically 440×215×140mm or engineered to specification) bedded into the masonry piers at either end of a structural opening to spread the point load of an RSJ steel beam.
Part L Thermal Upgrade (0.18 W/m²K Wall / 1.4 Glazing)
Irish Building Regulations requirement for new or rebuilt external kitchen walls to achieve U-values of 0.18 W/m²K and replacement patio doors or roof windows to reach 1.4 W/m²K or better.
RGII Registered Gas Installer Sign-Off
Legal requirement in Ireland whenever an existing gas hob, range cooker or kitchen gas boiler is capped off, relocated or reconnected during a kitchen remodel, certified with a Declaration of Conformance.
Rolled Steel Joist (RSJ / Universal Beam)
Structural steel H-beam or I-beam sized by a structural engineer and hoisted into place on concrete padstones to carry the upper wall when knocking a kitchen and dining room into one open-plan space.
Second-Fix Carpentry, Plumbing & Electrics
The final installation stage after plastering dries and cabinets and stone worktops are fitted: connecting the sink tap, waste trap, dishwasher, induction hob, ovens, pendant lights and skirting.
Self-Levelling Screed Compound
Fibre-reinforced latex cement compound poured 3mm–15mm thick across uneven concrete slabs after knocking two rooms together so large-format porcelain tiles or herringbone flooring lie dead flat.
Wet Underfloor Heating Manifold & 0.15 W/m²K Floor
Low-temperature warm-water pipe loops clipped to foil-faced floor insulation beneath kitchen screed, freeing wall space from radiators for extra tall larder cabinets and wide garden doors.
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