Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Kansas General Building Contractor (A) Exam (ICC KGA, 2018 IBC)

Kansas · Pearson Vue

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

Passing score

75%

Exam time

240 min

Administered by

Pearson Vue

Format

Reference materials allowed

Kansas State Portion 90 questions

Permits and General Regulations 17 Q · 19%

Regulations and Job PlanningCode Definitions and TermsPermit application requirements and proceduresWork exempt from permit requirementsPermit validity, expiration, and revocationRequired inspections and inspection sequenceCertificate of occupancy requirements and issuanceBuilding official authority, duties, and powersViolations, stop work orders, and unsafe structuresBoard of appeals process and limitations

Building Planning and Life Safety 28 Q · 31%

Use & Occupancy & Types of ConstructionFire & Smoke Alarms & Fire Protection SystemsOccupancy Needs & Interior EnvironmentExiting & Means of EgressAccessibilityBuilding height and area limitations by occupancy and construction typeAllowable area increases for sprinkler systems and building frontageMezzanine area limits and openness requirementsOccupant load calculation and posting requirementsNumber and separation of exits and exit access doorwaysStairway design requirements including treads, risers, handrails, and guardsEmergency egress illumination and exit signs +1 more

Structural Systems 38 Q · 42%

Footings and FoundationsConcreteFloorsWall Framing and StairsRoof Ceiling Construction Roof AssemblyMasonryStructural loads and load combinations (dead, live, wind, seismic, snow)Lateral force-resisting systems and seismic design categoriesWood structural design methods (ASD, LRFD, conventional light-frame)Wood materials standards, grading, and preservative treatmentConcrete mix design, water-cement ratio, and durability requirementsConcrete reinforcement (rebar types, grades, placement, welded wire) +5 more

Building Envelope 7 Q · 8%

Interior FinishesGlass and GlazingExterior Finishes and Roof CoveringsExterior wall weather-resistive barriers and flashing requirementsFire classification of roof assemblies (Class A, B, C) and minimum requirements by construction typeRoof drainage systems, secondary overflow drains, and scuppersRoof covering installation requirements by material type (asphalt shingles, clay/concrete tile, metal panels, wood shakes/shingles, single-ply membranes)Combustible exterior wall coverings — area, height, and fire separation distance limitationsRooftop structures (penthouses, cooling towers, mechanical equipment screens)Gypsum board and plaster as exterior wall and interior finish substrate materialsSafety glazing hazardous locations and impact test requirements

Key Distinctions

Dwelling unitvsSleeping unit

A dwelling unit has complete independent living facilities including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking AND sanitation, while a sleeping unit may have provisions for living, eating and either sanitation or kitchen facilities, but not both.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Dwelling Unit' and 'Sleeping Unit'

BuildingvsStructure

A structure is 'that which is built or constructed,' while a building is any structure utilized or intended for supporting or sheltering an occupancy — support/shelter of an occupancy is the distinguishing element.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Building' and 'Structure'

Approved agencyvsApproved source

An approved agency is an established, recognized agency regularly engaged in conducting tests, furnishing inspection services or product certification and approved by the building official; an approved source is an independent person, firm or corporation approved by the building official, competent and experienced in applying engineering principles to materials, methods or systems analyses.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Approved Agency' (Book )

LabelvsMark

A label carries the manufacturer's name, the product's function AND performance characteristics plus the name/identification of an approved agency indicating a representative sample was tested and evaluated; a mark carries only the manufacturer's name and the product's function.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Label'

AdditionvsAlteration

An addition is an extension or increase in floor area, number of stories or height (raising a roof to increase height is an addition even with no added floor area); an alteration is any construction or renovation to an existing structure other than a repair or addition.

IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Addition'

Egress capacity factor for stairways (0.3 inch/occupant)vsEgress capacity factor for components other than stairways (0.2 inch/occupant)

Stairway capacity is the occupant load served × 0.3 inch per occupant (without sprinkler/emergency voice alarm reductions), while all other means of egress components use 0.2 inch per occupant.

IBC 2018 Section 1005.3.1

Fixed seating without dividing arms (18 inches)vsSeating booths (24 inches)

For fixed seating without dividing arms the occupant load is not less than one person per 18 inches of seating length, whereas booths are computed at one person per 24 inches of booth seat length measured at the backrest.

IBC 2018 Page 259

Sa limit with NFPA 13 sprinklers (three)vsSa limit with NFPA 13R sprinklers (four)

In the multistory allowable area equation, Sa (actual stories above grade plane) shall not exceed three for NFPA 13 sprinklered buildings, but the limit is four for buildings sprinklered under Section 903.3.1.2 (NFPA 13R), which itself is permitted in Group R up to four stories and 60 feet above grade plane.

IBC 2018 Section 506.2.3

Crane lateral force (20 percent)vsCrane longitudinal force (10 percent)

Lateral force on runway beams with electrically powered trolleys is 20 percent of the sum of the crane's rated capacity plus hoist and trolley weight, while longitudinal force (except bridge cranes with hand-geared bridges) is 10 percent of the maximum wheel loads; 25 percent is a vertical impact value.

IBC 2018 Section 1607.14.3

Natural ventilation openings (4 percent)vsNatural light glazing (8 percent)

Openable area of openings to the outdoors must be not less than 4 percent of the floor area ventilated (Section 1202.5.1), whereas the 8 percent figure applies to natural light glazing (Section 1204.2) and to openings between an interior room and an adjoining room.

IBC 2018 Section 1202.5.1

Wood shakes minimum slope (4:12)vsWood shingles minimum slope (3:12)

Wood shakes shall only be used on slopes of not less than 4 units vertical in 12 horizontal, which is steeper than wood shingles (3:12) and clay/concrete tile (2½:12).

IBC 2018 Section 1507.9.2

General guard opening limit (4-inch sphere)vsTriangular stair opening limit (6-inch sphere)

Guards generally shall not allow passage of a 4-inch-diameter sphere, but the triangular openings at the open side of a stair formed by riser, tread and bottom rail shall not allow passage of a 6-inch-diameter sphere (Exception 2).

IBC 2018 Section 1015.4

Key Terms

Agricultural building IBC 2018 Section 202

A structure designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other horticultural products, which shall not be a place of human habitation, a place of employment where agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged, nor a place used by the public.

Height, building IBC 2018 Section 202

The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface.

Area, building IBC 2018 Section 202

The area included within surrounding exterior walls, or exterior walls and fire walls, exclusive of vent shafts and courts.

High-rise building IBC 2018 Section 202

A building with an occupied floor located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

Townhouse IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Townhouse'

A single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of three or more attached units in which each unit extends from the foundation to roof and with open space on at least two sides; the definition sets no maximum number of units and no fire-wall rating.

Existing building IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Existing Building'

A building erected prior to the date of adoption of the appropriate code, or one for which a legal building permit has been issued.

Change of occupancy IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Change of Occupancy'

A change of occupancy classification, a change from one group to another group within an occupancy classification, or any change in use within a group for which there is a change in application of code requirements (a change of ownership alone is not).

Labeled IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Labeled'

Equipment, materials or products to which a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory or approved agency has been affixed, where that organization maintains periodic inspection of production; 'listed' means included in a published list and 'approved' means acceptable to the building official.

Mark IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Mark'

An identification applied by the manufacturer indicating the name of the manufacturer and the function of the product or material.

Label IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Label'

An identification applied on a product by the manufacturer containing the manufacturer's name, the function and performance characteristics of the product, and the name and identification of an approved agency indicating that a representative sample was tested and evaluated by that agency.

Approved agency IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Approved Agency' (Book )

An established and recognized agency regularly engaged in conducting tests, furnishing inspection services or furnishing product certification, that has been approved by the building official.

Approved source IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Approved Source'

An independent person, firm or corporation, approved by the building official, who is competent and experienced in the application of engineering principles to materials, methods or systems analyses.

Approved fabricator IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), Section 202 — 'Approved Fabricator' (Book )

An established and qualified person, firm or corporation approved by the building official pursuant to Chapter 17 (Special Inspections and Tests).

Facility IBC 2018 Chapter 2 (Definitions), 'Facility'

All or any portion of buildings, structures, site improvements, elements and pedestrian or vehicular routes located on a site.

Type III construction IBC 2018 Section 602.3

Construction in which the exterior walls are of noncombustible materials and the interior building elements are of any material permitted by the code.

Laitance Concrete Manual (2015 IBC / ACI 318-14), Pages 342 and 348 (Chapter 17, Sections 17.1 and 17.2)

A weak sand-cement wearing surface formed when excess water and fines are brought to the top by working the surface while bleed water is present, which later dusts under traffic.

Formulas to Know

Means of egress capacity — stairways

Required stair width = occupant load served × 0.3 inch per occupant (factor without sprinkler/emergency voice alarm reductions)

Means of egress capacity — components other than stairwaysRequired width = occupant load served × 0.2 inch (5.1 mm) per occupant

Allowable area, single-occupancy building with one story above grade plane (Equation 5-1)

Aa = At + (NS × If), where NS is the tabular allowable area factor from Table 506.2 for a nonsprinklered building (used even if the building is sprinklered) and the sprinklered factor S1 is used only as At

Frontage increase factor (Equation 5-5)

If = [F/P – 0.25] W/30; permitted only where not less than 25 percent of the building perimeter is on a public way or open space

Allowable stress design wind speed (Equation 16-33)Vasd = V × √0.6 (example from Table 1609.3.1: V = 130 mph gives Vasd = 101 mph)

Design spectral response accelerations (Equations 16-38 and 16-39)SDS = 2/3 × SMS; SD1 = 2/3 × SM1

Minimum living room area of an efficiency living unit

Not less than 220 sq ft, plus 100 sq ft for each occupant in excess of two (worked example: 3 occupants = 220 + 100 = 320 sq ft)

Water-cement ratio converted to gallons per bag (worked example)W/C = 0.44 lb water per lb cement × 94 lb/bag = 41.4 lb water; 41.4 ÷ 8.33 lb/gal ≈ 5 gallons per bag

Horizontal forces on crane runway beams

Lateral force (electrically powered trolley) = 20% × (rated crane capacity + weight of hoist and trolley), acting horizontally at the traction surface; longitudinal force (except bridge cranes with hand-geared bridges) = 10% × maximum wheel loads, acting horizontally at the traction surface parallel to the beam

Masonry lap splice length, allowable stress design alternativeld = 0.002 db fs, but not less than 12 inches and not less than 40 bar diameters

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