Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Commercial Exam

Arkansas  ·  PSI Services Contractor

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
30
Passing score
70%
Exam time
75 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed

Arkansas State Portion 30 questions

Sitework 3 Q · 10%
Concrete 3 Q · 10%
Masonry 3 Q · 10%
Metals 3 Q · 10%
Cold-formed steel wall framing member materials, dimensions, and corrosion protection requirementsCold-formed steel stud sizing, thickness selection, and minimum grade requirementsCold-formed steel wall-to-foundation and wall-to-floor connection detailsCold-formed steel header types, spans, and king/jack stud requirementsCold-formed steel web hole limitations, reinforcing, and patchingStructural steel identification, protection, and painting requirements per AISC 360Open-web steel joist and joist girder design, certification, and placement requirementsMetal tie specifications for galvanized steel straps and top plate framing connections
Carpentry 3 Q · 10%
Thermal and Moisture 3 Q · 10%
Doors and Windows 3 Q · 10%
Drywall and Finishes 3 Q · 10%
OSHA Safety 3 Q · 10%
General Code, Plan Reading and Estimating 3 Q · 10%

Key Distinctions

International Building Code scopevsInternational Residential Code scope (IBC 101.2 Exception)

Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses (each unit from foundation to roof with a separate means of egress) not more than three stories above grade plane, plus accessory structures not more than three stories, may be built under the IRC instead of the building code.

IBC 2015 Chapter 1 — Section 101.2 Scope
Cold-formed steel floor joist bearing at exterior wall supportvsCold-formed steel floor joist bearing at interior wall support

Bearing support length shall be not less than 1-1/2 inches at exterior wall supports but not less than 3-1/2 inches at interior wall supports.

IRC 2015 Section R505.3.2
Habitable room natural light (aggregate glazing area)vsHabitable room natural ventilation (openable area)

Glazing area shall be not less than 8 percent of floor area, while the openable area for natural ventilation shall be not less than 4 percent of floor area.

IRC 2015 Section R303.1
70 percent web-hole limit (IRC R603.2.6.3, load-bearing CFS wall stud)vs65 percent figure (IRC R603.2.6.2, reinforcing gable endwall stud holes)

The 70-percent-of-flat-web-width trigger for replacing or engineering a framing member applies to load-bearing cold-formed steel studs, while the 65-percent figure belongs to reinforcing gable endwall stud holes.

IRC 2015 Section R603.2.6.3
Vented crawl space without ground vapor retardervsVented crawl space with approved Class I vapor retarder

Minimum net ventilation opening area is 1 square foot per 150 square feet of under-floor area without a retarder, but may be reduced to 1/1,500 of the under-floor area where an approved Class I vapor retarder covers the ground.

IRC Section R408.2
Concrete exposure Class F3 (freeze-thaw with frequent water plus deicing chemicals)vsConcrete exposure Class W1 (in contact with water, low permeability required) and Class S2 (sulfate 1,500-10,000 ppm)

F3 permits a maximum w/cm of 0.40 with minimum 5,000 psi; W1 permits a maximum w/cm of 0.50 with minimum 4,000 psi; S2 permits a maximum w/cm of 0.45 with minimum 4,500 psi.

Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (4th ed.), Page 24 (Table 2.5)
Plasticity index criterion for expansive soilvsExpansion index criterion for expansive soil

Under IBC 1803.5.3 the plasticity index must be not less than 15 (ASTM D4318), while 20 is the expansion index threshold under Item 4 and 10 percent is the passing-sieve/particle-size criterion.

IBC 2015 Chapter 18 — Section 1803.5.3 Expansive Soil
AISC 360vsAISC 341

AISC 360 governs design, fabrication and erection of structural steel elements generally, while AISC 341 governs seismic design and detailing of structures assigned to Seismic Design Category D, E or F.

IBC 2015 Section 2205.1
ICC 400vsAISC 360 / AISI S100 / AWC WFCM

ICC 400 is the standard for design and construction of log structures; AISC 360 applies to structural steel, AISI S100 to cold-formed steel, and AWC WFCM is a separate permitted method for wood-frame construction.

IBC 2015 Section 2302.1
Exterior type wood structural panelsvsExposure 1 type wood structural panels

Panels permanently exposed in outdoor applications shall be exterior type; the only exception is roof sheathing exposed to the outdoors on the underside, which is permitted to be Exposure 1 type.

IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.5
Rafters framed to a ridge boardvsRafters framed directly opposite each other

Rafters framed to a ridge board shall be offset not more than 1-1/2 inches from each other; otherwise they must be framed directly opposite each other with a gusset plate used as a tie.

IRC 2015 Section R802.3
Emergency action plan for employers with more than 10 employeesvsEmergency action plan for employers with 10 or fewer employees

For employers with 10 or fewer employees the plan may be communicated orally and no written plan need be maintained.

OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)
Structural concrete in Group R-2/R-3 not more than three stories above grade planevsNonstructural concrete assigned freeze-thaw exposure Class F0

Basement walls, foundation walls and exterior walls exposed to weather in those R-2/R-3 buildings require f'c not less than 3,000 psi, while nonstructural concrete in Class F0 requires a minimum f'c of 2,500 psi.

IBC 2015 Section 1904.1
Gypsum board joint and fastener treatment required in fire-resistance-rated assembliesvsTreatment omitted

Fire-resistance-rated assemblies must have joints and fasteners treated, except where the gypsum board receives a decorative finish such as wood paneling, battens or acoustical finishes equivalent to joint treatment.

IBC 2015 Section 2508.5

Key Terms

Competent person (OSHA 1926.32(f)) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.32(f), Page 31
One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous to employees and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Expansive soil (IBC 1803.5.3) IBC 2015 Chapter 18 — Section 1803.5.3 Expansive Soil
Soil that meets all four listed provisions, the first being a plasticity index of 15 or greater determined in accordance with ASTM D4318.
Lateral sliding resistance limit for cohesive soils (IBC 1806.3.2) IBC 2015 Chapter 18 — Section 1806.3.2 Lateral Sliding Resistance Limit
For clay, sandy clay, silty clay, clayey silt, silt and sandy silt the lateral sliding resistance is computed from cohesion times contact area and shall in no case exceed one-half the dead load.
Draftstop (IRC R302.12) IRC 2015 Section R302.12
A barrier required in combustible construction where usable space exists both above and below a floor-ceiling assembly, installed so the concealed space area does not exceed 1,000 square feet and is divided into approximately equal areas.
Hazardous location — glazing adjacent to a door (IBC 2406.4.2) IBC 2015 Section 2406.4.2
An individual fixed or operable panel whose nearest vertical edge is within a 24-inch arc of either vertical edge of a door in the closed position with the bottom exposed edge of the glazing less than 60 inches above the walking surface.
Decorative glazing exception (IBC 2406.4.1) IBC 2015 Section 2406.4.1
Glazing in doors is a hazardous location requiring safety glazing, but Exception 2 exempts decorative glazing.
Skylight curb mounting (IBC 2405.4) IBC 2015 Section 2405.4
Skylights set at an angle of less than 45 degrees from the horizontal plane shall be mounted not less than 4 inches above the plane of the roof on a curb constructed as required for the frame.
End-jointed lumber (IBC 2303.1.1.2) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.1.2
Approved end-jointed lumber is permitted to be used interchangeably with solid-sawn members of the same species and grade, and must bear the 'Heat Resistant Adhesive' or 'HRA' designation when used in a fire-resistance-rated assembly.
Quality mark on preservative-treated wood (IBC 2303.1.9.1) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.9.1
The mark must include, among other items, the type of preservative used and the minimum preservative retention in pcf.
Moisture content of preservative-treated wood in enclosed locations (IBC 2303.1.9.2) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.9.2
Where used in enclosed locations where drying in service cannot readily occur, such wood shall be at a moisture content of 19 percent or less before being covered with insulation, interior wall finish, floor covering or other materials.
Sawn lumber grading (IBC 2303.1.1) IBC 2015 Section 2303.1.1
Sawn lumber used for load-supporting purposes shall be identified by the grade mark of a grading or inspection agency approved by an accreditation body complying with DOC PS 20 or equivalent, and grading practices and identification shall comply with rules of an agency approved under DOC PS 20 procedures.
Open-web steel joists and joist girders (IBC 2207.1) IBC 2015 Section 2207.1
Their design, manufacture and use shall be in accordance with either SJI 100 or SJI 200, as applicable.
Insulating concrete form (ICF) material (IBC 1903.4) IBC 2015 Section 1903.4
Material used for forming flat concrete walls that shall conform to ASTM E2634.
Masonry design standards (IBC 2101.2) IBC 2015 Section 2101.2
Masonry shall comply with TMS 402, TMS 403 or TMS 404 as well as the applicable requirements of Chapter 21.
Masonry quality assurance program (IBC 2105.1) IBC 2015 Section 2105.1
A program used to ensure that the constructed masonry is in compliance with the approved construction documents.
Projecting masonry or molded cornices (IBC 2104.1.2) IBC 2015 Section 2104.1.2
Unless structural support and anchorage resist the overturning moment, their center of gravity shall lie within the middle one-third of the supporting wall.
Frost-protected shallow foundation (IRC R403.3) IRC Section R403.3
For buildings where the monthly mean temperature is maintained at not less than 64°F, footings need not extend below the frost line where protected by insulation per Figure R403.3(1) and Table R403.3(1); this method shall not be used for unheated spaces.
Mass timber interior exit and elevator hoistway enclosures (IBC 602.4) IBC 2015 Section 602.4
In Type IV-A, IV-B and IV-C buildings with occupied floors more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department access, such mass timber enclosures are permitted up to and including 12 stories or 180 feet above grade plane when protected per Section 602.4.1.2; above 180 feet they must be noncombustible.
Construction documents for structural concrete (IBC 1901.5, Item 1) IBC 2015 Section 1901.5
They shall include the specified compressive strength of concrete at the stated ages or stages of construction for which each concrete element is designed.
Permissible noise exposure (OSHA 1926.52, Table D-2) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.52, Table D-2, Page 36
The permissible noise exposure for an 8-hour duration is 90 dBA slow response.

Formulas to Know

Minimum aggregate glazing area for natural light in habitable rooms (IRC R303.1)Glazing area = floor area x 8% (not less than); worked example: 300 sq ft x 0.08 = 24 sq ft. Openable area for natural ventilation = floor area x 4% (not less than); 300 sq ft x 0.04 = 12 sq ft.
Crawl space ventilation opening net area (IRC R408.2)Net vent area = 1 sq ft per 150 sq ft of under-floor area (minimum); reduced to 1/1,500 of under-floor area where an approved Class I vapor retarder covers the ground.
Lateral sliding resistance for cohesive soils (IBC 1806.3.2)Resistance = cohesion x contact area, but shall in no case exceed 1/2 x dead load.
Cripple wall bracing length (IRC R602.10.11)Required bracing length = tabulated length required for the wall above x 1.15; any adjustment for omitting gypsum wall board on the inside face is taken in addition to this 1.15 increase.
Trigger to replace or engineer a load-bearing cold-formed steel stud with a web hole (IRC R603.2.6.3)Replace or design per accepted engineering practice where hole depth across the web exceeds 70% of the flat width of the web, or hole length exceeds 10 inches or the web depth, whichever is greater.
Draftstop spacing by concealed area (IRC R302.12)Concealed space area shall not exceed 1,000 sq ft, divided into approximately equal areas.
Foundation drain pipe slope (Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, Ch. 4 Moisture Control)Slope pipe to the outlet or drywell at 1/8 in. per foot (10 mm/m).
Minimum toilet facilities by crew size (OSHA 1926.51(c)(1), Table D-1)20 or fewer employees = 1 facility (minimum).
Prescriptive footing size for one story of light-frame construction (Table 4.1 / IBC Table 1809.7)Minimum width = 12 in. (300 mm); minimum thickness = 6 in. (150 mm).
Formwork share of concrete structure costFormwork = 35 to 60 percent of the total cost of a concrete structure; lateral form pressure is governed by concrete temperature, rate of placement, and weight of concrete.
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