| abbrev |
define |
| AB | air brick |
| ABR | alternate bars reversed (reinforcement) |
| AC | alternating current or air conditioning |
| ACoP | approved code of practice |
| AIStructE | Associate of the Institution of Structural Engineers |
| ALT | alternate, alternately (reinforcement) |
| AMICE | Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers |
| AMIStructE | Associate Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers |
| BBA | British Board of Agrément |
| BCA | British Cement Association |
| BCO | building control officer |
| BCSA | British Constructional Steelwork Association |
| BCWS | boosted cold water service (services) |
| BH | bore hole or beam height (survey) |
| BHWS | boosted hot water service (services) |
| BIG | back inlet gully |
| BLK | blockwork |
| BM | bending moment or bench mark |
| BOQ | bill of quantities |
| BRW | brick retaining wall (survey) |
| BS | British Standard |
| BSI | British Standards Institution |
| BW | brick wall (survey) or builders’ work (services) |
| BWF | barbed wire fence (survey) |
| BWIC | builders’ work in connection with (services) |
| BWK | brickwork |
| C | cill height (survey) |
| CA | contract administrator |
| CAD | computer aided design |
| CAM | computer aided manufacture |
| CBF | close boarded fence (survey) |
| CBW | concrete block wall (survey) |
| CC | centre to centre |
| CDM | Construction (Design and Management) Regulations |
| CE | conformité européene |
| CEng | chartered engineer |
| CGI | corrugated galvanized iron |
| CH | ceiling height |
| CHS | circular hollow section |
| CI | cast iron |
| CIF | corrugated iron fence (survey) |
| CJ | construction joint |
| CL | cover level or centre line |
| CLF | chain link fence (survey) |
| CP | code of practice |
| CPF | concrete panel fence (survey) |
| CPS | concrete paving slabs (survey) |
| CR | crown height of arch (survey) |
| CRS | centres |
| CRW | concrete retaining wall (survey) |
| CS | Concrete Society |
| CV | commissioning valve (services) |
| CW | concrete wall (survey) |
| CWS | cold water service (services) |
| CWT | hundredweight |
| D | diameter |
| DC | drain cock (services) |
| DCV | double check valve (services) |
| DHW | domestic hot water |
| DL | dead load |
| DOV | drain off valve (services) |
| DP | down pipe |
| DPC | damp-proof course |
| DPDT | double pole double throw switch (electrical) |
| DPM | damp-proof membrane |
| DPST | double pole single throw switch (electrical) |
| DRG | drawing |
| DS | District Surveyor |
| DSSO | double switched socket outlet (electrical) |
| E: | |
| ECB | electricity control box |
| ECUK | Engineering Council United Kingdom |
| EL | existing level |
| EngTech | engineering technician |
| EPP | expanded polypropylene or environmentally preferred product |
| ERV | expansion relief valve (services) |
| FB | flower bed (survey) or from below (services) |
| FBTA | from below to above (services) |
| FC | flexible connection (services) |
| FF | far face (reinforcement) |
| FFL | finished floor level |
| FH | fire hydrant (survey) |
| FICE | Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers |
| FIStructE | Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers |
| FL | floor level |
| FoS | factor of safety |
| FS | full size or fused spur (electrical) |
| FSC | forest stewardship council (timber) |
| G | gully (survey) |
| G: | |
| GGBS | ground granulated blastfurnace slag |
| GS | general structural (timber) |
| H or HT | window head height (survey) |
| HAC | high alumina cement |
| HDF | high density fibreboard |
| HL | high level |
| HSFG | high strength friction grip (steel connection) |
| HT | high tensile |
| HWS | hot water service (services) |
| IC | inspection cover (survey) or inspection chamber |
| ICE | Institution of Civil Engineers |
| ID | inside diameter |
| IEng | incorporated engineer |
| IL | invert level |
| INTER | intermediate switch (electrical) |
| IRF | iron railing fence (survey) |
| IStructE | Institution of Structural Engineers |
| IV | isolating valve (services) |
| IWF | interwoven fence (survey) |
| JCB | J C Bamford – manufacturer of wheeled excavators |
| JCT | Joint Contracts Tribunal |
| kg | kilogramme |
| kN | kiloNewton |
| L | light (survey) |
| LA | local authority |
| LL | live load |
| LOLER | Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 |
| LP | lamp post (survey) |
| LSL | laminated strand lumber |
| LSV | lockshield valve (services) |
| m | metre |
| MC | mass concrete or moderately conservative |
| MCW | mains cold water (services) |
| MDF | medium density fibreboard |
| MH | manhole |
| MHSW | Management of health and Safety at Work Regulations |
| MICE | Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers |
| MIStructE | Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers |
| mm | millimetre |
| MMMF | man made mineral fibres |
| MS | mild steel |
| N | Newton |
| NASC | National Access and Scaffolding Confederation |
| NF | near face (reinforcement) |
| NRV | non return valve (services) |
| NTS | not to scale |
| Ø | diameter |
| O: | |
| OD | outside diameter or Ordnance datum |
| OH | over head |
| OPC | ordinary Portland cement |
| P | post |
| PALF | palisade fence (survey) |
| PC | precast concrete |
| PCC | Portland cement concrete |
| PF | picket fence (survey) |
| PFA | pulverised fuel ash |
| PFC | parallel flange channel |
| PKT | pocket (RC) |
| PL or PLT | plate (steel connection) |
| PPE | personal protective equipment, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations |
| PRF | post and rail fence (survey) |
| PWD | Permanent Works Designer |
| PWF | post and wire fence (survey) |
| QS | quantity surveyor |
| R | render (survey) |
| RAD | radiator |
| RC | reinforced concrete |
| RE | rodding eye (survey) |
| RHPC | rapid hardening Portland cement |
| RHS | rectangular hollow section |
| RIBA | Royal Institute of British Architects |
| RICS | Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors |
| RMC | ready-mixed concrete |
| RSA | rolled steel angle |
| RSJ | rolled steel joist |
| RWP | rain water pipe |
| S: | |
| SC | stop cock |
| SE | structural engineer |
| SHS | square hollow section |
| SI | Systeme Internationale |
| SL | soffite level or sky light or sill level |
| SOL | setting-out line |
| SOP | setting-out point |
| SP | soil pipe (services); arch springer height (survey) |
| SPDT | single pole double throw switch (electrical) |
| SPS | stone paving slabs (survey) |
| SPST | single pole single throw switch (electrical) |
| SRC | sulphate resisting cement |
| SS | stainless steel or simply supported or special structural (timber) |
| SSL | structural slab level |
| SSSO | single switched socket outlet (electrical) |
| STG | staggered (RC) |
| STR | strainer (services) |
| SV | safety valve (services) |
| SVP | soil and vent pipe |
| SW | stone wall (survey) |
| T&G | tongued and grooved |
| TA | to above (services) |
| TBM | temporary bench mark |
| TIStructE | Technician of the Institution of Structural Engineers |
| TMICE | Technician Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers |
| TOB | top of beam |
| TOC | top of concrete |
| TOS | top of steel |
| TOW | top of wall |
| TP | town planning or trial pit |
| TPO | tree preservation order |
| TPRV | temperature/pressure relief valve (services) |
| TWC | temporary works coordinator |
| TWS | temporary works supervisor |
| U/S | underside |
| UB | universal beam |
| UC | universal column |
| UF | urea formaldehyde |
| UNO | unless noted otherwise |
| UTL | unable to lift (survey) |
| V | vent (survey) |
| VP | vent pipe (survey) |
| W | window (survey) |
| WAHR | Work at Height Regulations |
| WL | water level (survey) |
| WMF | wire mesh fence (survey) |
| WPF | wooden panel fence (survey) |