Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
Tennessee BC-A, B Combined Residential/Commercial Contractor
Tennessee · Prov
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
100
Passing score
73%
Exam time
300 min
Administered by
Prov
Format
Reference materials allowed
Tennessee State Portion 100 questions
Estimating, Plan Reading
15 Q · 15%
Reading and interpreting civil drawings (site plans, plan and profile sheets, cross-sections)Contour lines, grading plans, and cut-and-fill mapsExcavation volume calculations (rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, and cylindrical shapes)Unit conversions and material weight calculations for excavationConstruction specifications format (CSI MasterFormat Division 31 Earthwork)Slope and grade control using stakes, benchmarks, and layout methods
General Code
12 Q · 12%
Occupancy classification and use group assignments (Groups A, B, E, F, H, I, M, R, S, U)Building height and area limitations by occupancy and type of constructionTypes of construction (Types I–V) and fire-resistance rating requirements for building elementsFire-resistance-rated assemblies: fire walls, fire barriers, fire partitions, smoke barriers, and smoke partitionsMeans of egress requirements: occupant load, exit capacity, number and separation of exits, egress illuminationAutomatic sprinkler system requirements by occupancy, building height, and fire areaAccessibility requirements: accessible routes, entrances, parking, and means of egressScope, administration, and authority of the building official; permits, inspections, and certificates
Sitework
5 Q · 5%
Excavation safety requirements and competent person responsibilities (OSHA 1926 Subpart P)Trench protective systems: sloping, benching, shoring, and shieldingSoil classification for excavation (Type A, B, C, Stable Rock)Grading operations: cuts, fills, compaction, and slope requirements (IBC Appendix J)Earthmoving equipment selection and site excavation methodsDrainage and water control on construction sitesUnderground pipe installation: trench preparation, bedding, and thrust blocksPaving operations: concrete and hot-mix asphalt methods, equipment, and quality control
Footings and Foundations
5 Q · 5%
Soil classification and presumptive load-bearing valuesFooting minimum dimensions, depth, and frost protectionConcrete and masonry foundation wall design and reinforcementFoundation dampproofing and waterproofingGeotechnical investigations and soil testing requirementsFootings and foundations on or adjacent to slopesDeep foundation elements and pile design requirements
Concrete and Concrete Reinforcement
15 Q · 15%
ConcreteConcrete ReinforcementConcrete mix design and proportioningConcrete batching, mixing, and transportingConcrete placement, consolidation, and finishingCuring methods and requirementsConcrete durability and exposure categoriesFormwork design and removalReinforcing bar fabrication, sizes, grades, and ASTM standardsConcrete cover requirements and bar supports
Masonry
10 Q · 10%
Masonry materials: clay brick types, grades, and manufacturing processesConcrete masonry unit (CMU) types, grades, and propertiesMortar types, proportions, and mixing requirementsMasonry wall systems: solid, cavity, composite, hollow, and veneer wallsLaying brick and block techniques: mortar placement, coursing, leads, and mason's lineMasonry reinforcement, anchors, ties, and joint reinforcementMasonry structural design: allowable stress, strength design, and empirical design methodsOSHA safety requirements and jobsite safety for masonry construction
Carpentry
4 Q · 4%
Wood wall framing components (studs, plates, headers, cripple studs, trimmer studs)Wall bracing methods and braced wall panel requirementsHeader sizing and span tables for wall openingsFastening schedules for wood wall and roof framing connectionsDrilling and notching limitations for studs and top platesCold-formed steel wall framing materials, member identification, and installationWood floor framing: joist spans, bridging, blocking, and cantileversWood roof framing: rafter spans, ridge boards, collar ties, and ceiling joists
Doors, Windows, and Stairs
2 Q · 2%
Door size, swing direction, and operational force requirementsDoor hardware, locking, and latching requirements (including panic hardware and delayed egress)Special door types (revolving, power-operated, sliding, and security grilles)Stair dimensions, treads, risers, landings, and headroomHandrail requirements for stairs and rampsGuards: height, location, and opening limitationsSafety glazing: hazardous locations and impact test requirementsGlazing in handrails, guards, skylights, and sloped applications
Interior Finish
1 Q · 1%
Gypsum board types and special-use panels (Type X, water-resistant, abuse-resistant, flexible, sheathing)Drywall fasteners: nails, screws (Types W, S, G), and adhesives — selection and spacing requirementsFire-rated wall and ceiling assemblies: single-ply vs. multi-ply construction and fire-stopping methodsInterior wall and ceiling finish flame spread and smoke-developed classifications (Class A, B, C) by occupancySound-isolation construction methods: STC ratings, separated partitions, resilient channels, and sound-isolating materialsDrywall installation procedures: cutting, fitting, fastener patterns, floating interior angle construction, and moisture-resistant applicationsDrywall accessories: corner beads, casings, control joints, and perimeter reliefInterior floor finish and decorative materials requirements under IBC Chapter 8
Structural Steel
10 Q · 10%
Pre-erection activities and site readiness verificationStructural steel erection sequence (columns, horizontal members, bracing and bridging)Column anchorage requirements and anchor bolt tolerancesBolted and welded field connections (framed-beam, seated-beam, end-plate, single-plate shear)Erection tolerances for columns and structural membersTemporary supports, bracing, and plumbing-up during erectionSteel erection safety requirements under OSHA Subpart R (fall protection, hoisting, open web steel joists, metal decking)Pre-engineered metal building erection and IBC Chapter 22 steel design standards
Roofing, Siding, and Insulation
6 Q · 6%
Roof covering types and minimum slope requirements (asphalt shingles, clay/concrete tile, metal panels, wood shingles/shakes, built-up, modified bitumen, single-ply)Underlayment selection, application, and attachment requirements by roof covering type and wind speedRoof flashing requirements (valleys, drip edges, base/cap flashing, crickets and saddles, parapet walls)Fire classification of roof assemblies (Class A, B, C ratings and applicable construction types)Insulation types, R-values, and installation methods (flexible, loose-fill, rigid/semirigid, reflective, spray foam)Vapor retarders and moisture control (perm ratings, vapor barrier classes, placement relative to building thermal envelope by climate zone)Exterior wall weather protection and water-resistive barriers (building wrap/house wrap installation, flashing at openings, drainage requirements)Reroofing requirements (roof recover vs. roof replacement, conditions prohibiting recover, reinstallation of materials)
Plumbing Concepts
3 Q · 3%
Minimum plumbing fixture counts by occupancy type (IBC Table 2902.1)Sanitary drainage system design: pipe sizing, slope, and fixture unit valuesBackflow prevention devices and cross-connection controlVenting methods and vent pipe sizing requirementsWater supply system design: pressure, flow rates, and pipe sizingFixture trap requirements: seal depth, size, and prohibited trap typesWater heater installation: relief valves, pan requirements, and prohibited locationsStorm drainage and subsoil drain systems
HVAC Concepts
3 Q · 3%
Combustion air requirements and sizing methods for fuel-gas appliancesFuel gas piping materials, sizing, and installationVenting systems and chimney types for gas appliances (Type B, BW, L, single-wall, factory-built)Duct system construction, materials, insulation, and sealingHeating and cooling equipment installation, sizing, and clearances to combustiblesCondensate disposal and auxiliary drain pan requirementsBoiler and water heater installation, safety controls, and pressure reliefExhaust systems for dryers, cooking equipment, and mechanical ventilation
Electrical Concepts
3 Q · 3%
GFCI and AFCI protection requirements by locationService entrance sizing, conductors, and disconnecting meansGrounding and bonding systems (electrodes, conductors, jumpers)Branch circuit ratings, loading, and overcurrent protectionReceptacle outlet placement and spacing requirementsWiring methods, raceways, and conduit fillPanelboard installation, ratings, and working space clearancesEmergency and standby power systems (IBC requirements)
OSHA Safety
6 Q · 6%
Fall protection requirements and systems (guardrail, safety net, personal fall arrest)Scaffold safety requirements and load capacityExcavation and trenching safety (cave-in protection, sloping, shoring)Personal protective equipment (PPE) selection and employer responsibilitiesElectrical safety in construction (grounding, GFCI, lockout/tagout, working clearances)Hazardous and toxic substances (asbestos, silica, permissible exposure limits)Fire protection and prevention on construction sitesStairway and ladder safety requirements
Key Distinctions
Contact lap splicevsSpaced-lap splice
A contact splice places the spliced bars in contact and is preferred because it provides more strength, while a spaced-lap splice sets the bars apart without contact with center-to-center spacing that must not exceed 6 inches.
Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor, Module 27304 Reinforcing Concrete, Section 4.1.2B-B Plyform® deck surface (sanded both sides, mill oiled)vsHDO-overlaid deck surface
B-B Plyform® can be reused 5 to 10 times, while an HDO-overlaid surface normally yields 20 to 50 reuses or more with reasonable care.
Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor, Module 27309 Horizontal Formwork, Section 4.1.0Field-cured test cylindersvsLaboratory-cured test cylinders
Field-cured specimens stay on site under the same conditions as the placement and may be used to determine when it is safe to remove forms, whereas acceptance strength is determined from laboratory-cured cylinders tested under ASTM C39.
Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor, Module 23212 Properties of Concrete, Section 3.4.0Registered design professional (IBC 2207.2)vsOpen-web steel joist manufacturer (IBC 2207.3)
The registered design professional indicates on the construction documents the joist/joist girder designations, design requirements, layout, end supports, anchorage, bridging design differing from SJI specifications, bridging termination connections and bearing connection design for uplift and lateral loads, while the manufacturer designs the joists to support those stated loads and submits sealed calculations plus connection design for connections differing from SJI specifications, field splices and joist headers.
IBC 2021 Section 2207.2Fiberglass asphalt shinglesvsOrganic asphalt shingles
Fiberglass shingles use a fiberglass base mat saturated and covered with flexible asphalt and surfaced with mineral granules, while organic shingles use a cellulose-fiber base mat.
NRCA Roofing Manual: Architectural Metal Flashing Condensation and Air Leakage Control, and Reroofing, Appendix 6—Climatic Design Information (glossary, "asphalt shingle")Active lateral soil pressure design (IBC 1610.1 Exception)vsAt-rest pressure design
Foundation walls extending not more than 8 feet below grade and laterally supported at the top by flexible diaphragms are permitted to be designed for active pressure, whereas at-rest pressure is required where horizontal movement at the top of the wall is restricted.
IBC 2021 Section 1610.13/8″ gypsum panelsvs1/2″ and 5/8″ gypsum panels
3/8″ panels are designed for framing centers up to 16″ on center, while 1/2″ and 5/8″ panels are designed for framing centers up to 24″ on center.
Gypsum Construction Handbook (7th ed.), Page 3 (Gypsum Panel Limitations item 3)Direct construction costsvsDirect (job) overhead costs
Direct construction costs are the labor, material and equipment tied to a trade or phase (pipe materials, backhoe rental, pipe bedding aggregate), while direct job overhead items such as traffic control (barricades, flaggers, lane delineators) and pipe/soil-density testing result from taking the particular job but are not tied to a specific trade or phase.
Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Pages 20-21MuntinvsMullion strip
A muntin is a vertical or horizontal piece within a sash that holds a pane of glass, while a mullion strip is the vertical piece separating combined window units.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Windows & Skylights chapter, Double-Hung Windows sectionSolid-core doorvsHollow-core door
Solid-core doors use wood strips, particleboard, rigid foam or other core material under a thin veneer, reduce warping and are more fire-resistant, so they are generally preferred for exterior doors.
Residential Doors chapter, Flat-Panel Doors sectionEgress window on an upper floorvsEgress window on the grade floor
An upper-floor egress window must have unblocked open area not less than 5.7 sq. ft., while a grade-floor window requires not less than 5.0 sq. ft.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Windows & Skylights chapter, Design Requirements sectionOpenable window area for ventilation (4 percent)vsWindow glass area for natural light (8 percent)
Window area that can be opened for ventilation must be not less than 4 percent of floor area unless mechanical air conditioning and ventilation are provided, while 8 percent applies to the total window glass area required for natural light.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Windows & Skylights chapter, Design Requirements sectionKey Terms
Fire wall (IBC 2021 §202) IBC 2021 Section 202 (Definitions - Fire Wall)
A fire-resistance-rated wall having protected openings that restricts the spread of fire and extends continuously from the foundation to or through the roof, with sufficient structural stability under fire conditions to allow collapse of construction on either side without collapse of the wall.
Building area (IBC 2021 §202) IBC 2021 Section 202 (Definitions - Area, Building)
The area within surrounding exterior walls, or exterior walls and fire walls, exclusive of vent shafts and courts, including unwalled areas that fall within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.
Occupant load (IBC 2021 §202) IBC 2021 202
The number of persons for which the means of egress of a building or portion thereof is designed — a design value, not the actual number of people present.
Story above grade plane (IBC 2021 §202) IBC 2021 Section 202 (Definitions - Story Above Grade Plane)
Any story whose finished floor surface is entirely above grade plane, or in which the finished surface of the floor next above is more than 6 feet above grade plane (or more than 12 feet above finished ground level at any point).
Seating-loss (PTI Field Procedures Manual, Ch. 1) PTI Field Procedures Manual, Chapter 1 Definitions - Seating-Loss
The relative movement of the wedges into the anchor cavity during transfer of the prestressing force to the anchorage, which results in some loss of prestressing force.
Keyway Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 10.1, Page 258
A groove formed in the top of the footing (usually 3½″ wide and 1½″ deep, since a 2×4 is often used to form it) that locks the foundation wall to the footing and prevents moisture from seeping between wall and footing.
Cold joint Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 10.2, Page 266
The joint formed where fresh concrete is poured on top of or next to concrete that has already begun to cure; it is weaker than the surrounding wall and more likely to leak, so concrete should be poured continuously.
Consolidation Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 8.2, Page 227
The process that removes air pockets and forces concrete into all parts of the forms, accomplished with a concrete vibrator, tamping, spearing with a spade, or tapping the forms with a hammer.
Shear wall Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 378
A wall designed to resist lateral (sideways) forces, often created by a specific sheathing nail spacing and properly fastened to the framing above and to the sill plate and foundation below.
Porosity Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — The Excavation
The measurement of the ability of water to flow through the soil; poor drainage may require excavating additional material and replacing it with better soil.
Differential leveling Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Measuring a Difference in Elevation
Determining differences in elevation between points remote from each other that require one or more additional intermediate instrument setups.
Theodolite Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Types of Instruments
A transit that reads horizontal and vertical angles electronically, needs no vernier scale, and displays measurements on an LCD screen; used where extremely accurate measurements are required.
Escalation allowance Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Page 27
An allowance for the increase in costs of labor, materials and equipment between the time the bid is submitted and the time the work is done and paid for, especially important during high inflation.
Plyform® Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 19, Page 402
An exterior-type plywood specially designed for concrete forming, made from special wood species and veneer grades, available in Class I and Class II grades.
Gain Residential Doors chapter, Hinges section
A mortise (notch) cut for a hinge whose depth equals the thickness of a single hinge leaf, with one gain on the door edge and one on the jamb so the closed door sits flush.
Racking Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 29.3, Page 852
A structural failure in which a wall shifts and studs are forced out of plumb; properly installed full-height sheathing fastened tightly acts as bracing against racking and twisting.
Formulas to Know
Cubic feet to cubic yards
cubic yards = total cubic feet ÷ 27 (there are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard)Excavation volume with working clearance (worked example)
(house length + clearance each side) × (house width + clearance each side) × depth ÷ 27; example: (40+2+2)=44' × (26+2+2)=30' × 7' = 9,240 cf ÷ 27 ≈ 342 cubic yardsMinimum net crawl-space ventilation area
1 sq ft of net venting per 150 sq ft of crawl-space area; example: 1,200 ÷ 150 = 8 sq ftRoof rise from span and pitch (symmetric gable)
For a symmetric gable: run = span ÷ 2; rise = run × (pitch rise ÷ 12); examples: 56'÷2 = 28' × 6/12 = 14.00' rise; 63'÷2 = 31.50' × 8/12 = 21.00' rise (ridge elev. = top-of-wall 12.00' + 21.00' = 33.00')Sloped (rafter) length along roof surface
rafter length = √(run² + rise²); example: √(31.50² + 21.00²) = √1,433.25 = 37.86'Top-chord slope angle from horizontal
angle = arctan(rise ÷ run); example: rise = 21.00' − 9.00' = 12.00', run = 48'÷2 = 24.00', arctan(0.5) = 26.6°Actual sloped roof area from plan footprint
sloped area = plan-view area × slope-conversion factor (multiply, do not divide); examples: 24'×12' = 288 sf × 1.031 (3:12) = 297 sf; 288 sf × 1.054 (4:12) = 304 sf; each differing slope is a separate takeoffConcrete volume for slabs/flatwork
cubic yards = area (sf) × thickness in feet ÷ 27; examples: driveway 45'×12' = 540 sf × 5/12 = 225 cf ÷ 27 = 8.33 cy; sidewalk 30'×4' = 120 sf × 4/12 = 40 cf ÷ 27 = 1.48 cy; combined 265 cf ÷ 27 = 9.81 cy, order 10 cy whole yards (round up)Footing formwork contact area and marked-up labor price
contact area = length × form height × number of faces (200' × 1.0' × 2 = 400 sf); labor = 400 sf × $1.25 = $500.00, × 1.25 burden = $625.00, × 1.15 O&P = $718.75Minimum masonry lap splice length (allowable stress design, IBC 2107.2.1)
ld = 0.002 × db × fs, but not less than 12 inches (305 mm), and not less than 40 bar diameters