Every trade has its jargon. Remodeling has more than most — because it borrows from construction, design, accounting, and project management all at once. This glossary is a working reference for the terms that come up most often, written in plain language by working remodelers.
"Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code." The US carrier framework for business SMS compliance. Any business sending SMS from a 10-digit number must be registered. MY LAURA handles this at the platform level so you don't have to.
A line item in an estimate that represents an amount the client has budgeted for a selection they haven't made yet — for example, "$4,000 tile allowance." If the actual tile costs more than the allowance, it's a change order. If it costs less, the difference credits the client or stays as a contingency.
"Accounts Receivable" (money clients owe you) and "Accounts Payable" (money you owe vendors and trade partners). Every contractor needs to know both numbers every week.
A signed document that modifies the scope, price, or schedule of an existing project. In MY LAURA, change orders live on the job — signed, dated, tied back to the project. See the Job Costing feature page.
The structure your accounting system uses to categorize income and expenses. For remodelers, a well-structured COA separates revenue by project type, costs by trade, and overhead clearly. Getting this right makes profitability reporting actually useful.
The plan for when and how much you'll invoice the client across the life of a project. Typical remodeling draw: deposit at signing, draw at rough-in, draw at drywall, draw at cabinets, final at completion. Draws help cash flow but have to match progress or you're asking for a dispute.
"Employer Identification Number." The IRS-issued tax ID for your business. Required for A2P SMS registration, QuickBooks setup, and most business banking.
The line items in an estimate that cover overhead and project management rather than specific trade work — supervisor time, dumpster rental, permits, portable toilet, etc. Usually 8–15% of total project cost.
A standards-based calendar feed format (RFC 5545) that any calendar app can subscribe to — Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, Fantastical. MY LAURA publishes iCal feeds for every trade partner and client so their calendars update automatically when schedules change.
A legal document signed by a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier waiving their right to file a mechanic's lien on a property in exchange for payment. Required in some states and on some projects. Managing lien waivers is a common pain point; several competitors (Beam, Houzz Pro) have dedicated features for it.
The amount added to your cost to arrive at the price you charge the client. If a cabinet costs you $4,000 and you charge the client $5,000, your markup is $1,000 (25% on cost, or 20% on price depending on how you calculate it). What the client sees on the estimate is the price, not the math behind it.
A logical grouping of work within a project. A kitchen remodel's phases might be: Demolition, Rough-in, Drywall, Cabinetry, Countertops, Tile, Finish. Phases help with scheduling, billing (draw schedule), and trade coordination.
The list of small items to complete at the end of a project — touch-up paint, a missing cabinet pull, a caulk line that needs redoing. The difference between a good contractor and a great one is often punch list discipline.
A formal document you send to a vendor or supplier ordering materials. Unlike an informal email, a PO creates a record of what was ordered, from whom, for what price, and for which project. See the Job Costing feature page.
Intuit's cloud-based accounting software. Comes in tiers: Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, Advanced. Each tier has its own feature set — class tracking and QuickBooks-side projects only appear at Plus and above, which is worth knowing when picking a plan.
In Arizona, the state body that licenses and regulates contractors. Other states have their own equivalents. Working with an ROC-licensed contractor is a consumer protection signal; Alpha Remodelers is ROC-licensed.
What the contractor has agreed to do on a project. "In scope" means it's included in the contract and the estimate. "Out of scope" means it's not — and if the client wants it, that's a change order.
"Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business" and "Veteran-Owned Small Business." Federal certifications that allow veteran-owned contractors to pursue government set-aside work. MY LAURA is built inside a veteran-owned shop; see Our Story.
A subcontractor you work with on projects — tile, cabinets, electrical, plumbing, etc. "Trade partner" instead of "sub" reflects the working relationship with specialists you rely on repeatedly, not one-off vendors.
Missing a term you want defined? Email laura@getmylaura.com and we'll add it. The glossary grows based on what real contractors ask about.