Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
Tennessee BC-B 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
6 Q · 6%
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
1 Q · 1%
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
SlopevsPitch
Slope is a ratio of rise to run (the term best suited to roof framing), while pitch is a ratio of rise to span.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 470Fiberglass 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")Contact lap splicevsSpaced-lap splice
The contact splice is preferred because it provides more strength, while a spaced-lap splice places the bars apart without contact and must not exceed 6 inches center-to-center spacing.
Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor, Module 27304 Reinforcing Concrete, Section 4.1.2B-B Plyform® deck surfacevsHDO-overlaid deck surface
B-B Plyform® (sanded both sides, mill oiled) gives 5 to 10 reuses, while an HDO-overlaid surface normally gives 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, while 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 duties for open-web steel joists (IBC 2021 §2207.2)vsJoist manufacturer duties (IBC 2021 §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, 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, field splices and joist headers.
IBC 2021 Section 2207.2"K" series steel joist end attachment (welded)vs"LH"/"DLH" series joists and joist girders
Each end of a "K" series joist requires a minimum of two 1/8-inch fillet welds 1 inch long (or two 1/2-inch bolts or the equivalent), whereas the larger 1/4-inch by 2-inch welds apply to "LH" and "DLH" series joists and joist girders.
29 CFR 1926, Subpart R, §1926.757(b)(1)Direct (job) overhead costsvsDirect construction costs
Direct overhead items such as traffic control (barricades, flaggers, lane delineators) and testing (pipe, soil density) are administrative costs resulting from a particular job but not tied to a specific trade or phase, while pipe materials, backhoe rental and pipe bedding aggregate are direct construction costs (labor, material, equipment).
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 a vertical piece separating combined window units.
Carpentry and Building Construction, Windows & Skylights chapter, Double-Hung Windows sectionSolid-core doorvsHollow-core door
Solid-core construction (wood strips, particleboard, rigid foam or other core with a thin veneer) reduces warping, is more fire-resistant, and is generally preferred for exterior doors.
Residential Doors chapter, Flat-Panel Doors section3/8″ 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″.
Gypsum Construction Handbook (7th ed.), Page 3 (Gypsum Panel Limitations item 3)Active lateral soil pressurevsAt-rest lateral soil pressure
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, rather than the at-rest pressure required where horizontal movement is restricted at the top.
IBC 2021 Section 1610.1Site-built beam sides of lumbervsSite-built beam sides of plywood
Lumber beam sides require 2x4 vertical cleats on 2' to 2'-6" centers, while plywood sides eliminate the cleats and use 2x4 vertical stiffeners.
Study Guide for Commercial Building Contractor, Module 27309 Horizontal Formwork, Section 3.3.1Directional drillingvsDirectional boring with a pneumatic mole
Directional drilling is practical for tunneling up to 2,200 feet for pipe 16 to 36 inches in diameter, while a pneumatic mole typically accommodates pipe up to only 6 inches in diameter for 50 to 150 feet.
Pipe and Excavation Contracting, Pages 176-177Key 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, with unwalled areas included if they fall within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.
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, resulting in some loss of prestressing force.
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 fastened to the framing above and to the sill plate and foundation below.
Ridge board Carpentry and Building Construction, Page 468
The horizontal framing member that connects the upper ends of the rafters and extends the full length of the house.
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 by vibrator, tamping, spading or tapping the forms.
Keyway Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 10.1, Page 258
A groove formed in the top of a footing (usually 3½″ wide and 1½″ deep since a 2×4 forms it) that locks the foundation wall to the footing and prevents moisture seepage between them.
Porosity Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — The Excavation
The measurement of the ability of water to flow through soil; poorly draining soil may have to be excavated and replaced.
Differential leveling Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Measuring a Difference in Elevation
Determining differences in elevation between remote points 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.
Reference line Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Basic Techniques / Measuring From a Reference Line
An existing line such as a street or marked property line that a building is planned parallel to, allowing the site to be staked out by measuring from it without a surveying instrument.
Reveal Carpentry & Building Construction, Chapter 26 (Molding & Trim)
A small offset between a piece of trim and the surface it is applied to; door casings are nailed to the jamb allowing about a ³⁄₁₆″ reveal on the jamb face.
Gain (hinge) Residential Doors chapter, Hinges section
A mortise or notch cut with a depth equal to the thickness of a single hinge leaf, one in the door edge and one in the jamb, so the closed door sits flush.
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 work is done and paid for; important during high inflation.
Room-finish schedule Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 2.3, Page 57
A plan schedule identifying the materials and finishes for floors, walls and ceilings in each room, including hallways.
Plyform® Modern Masonry (9th ed.), Chapter 19, Page 402
An exterior-type plywood specially designed for concrete forming, made of special wood species and veneer grades and available in Class I and Class II grades.
Jointer (jointing tool) Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 24, Page 688
A simple metal bar with a shaped end run over masonry joints to pack the mortar into them and give them a particular shape.
Batter boards Carpentry and Building Construction, Chapter 9 — Setting Up Batter Boards
Corner layout boards supported by three 2×4 stakes driven at each building corner at least 4 feet beyond the foundation lines to clear excavation work.
Formulas to Know
Cubic feet to cubic yards conversion (used for excavation and concrete takeoffs)
cubic yards = total cubic feet ÷ 27 (27 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard)Excavation volume including working clearance (worked example: 26' × 40' house, 7' deep basement, 2' clearance each side)
Volume = (width + 2×clearance) × (length + 2×clearance) × depth ÷ 27; example: (26+2+2)=30 × (40+2+2)=44 × 7 = 9,240 cf ÷ 27 ≈ 342 cyConcrete quantity for flatwork and footings (worked examples)
Volume (cf) = area × thickness in feet (inches ÷ 12), then ÷ 27 for cy; examples: footing 200' × 2' × 1' = 400 cf ÷ 27 = 14.8 → order 15 cy; pool deck 720 sf × 0.333' = 240 cf ÷ 27 = 8.89 → 9 cy; driveway 45' × 12' × 5/12 = 225 cf ÷ 27 = 8.33 cyRain load on an undeflected roof (IBC 2021 §1611.1)
R = 5.2(ds + dh), where ds = static head (depth of water up to the secondary drainage inlet with the primary system blocked) and dh = hydraulic head (additional depth above that inlet at design flow)Minimum crawl-space net ventilation area (worked example: 1,200 sf crawl space with soil vapor retarder)
Net vent area = crawl-space area ÷ 150 (1 sq ft of venting per 150 sq ft); 1,200 ÷ 150 = 8 sq ftGutter slope drop (worked example: 32-foot fascia run)
Drop = run × 1/16 inch per foot (minimum 1 inch every 16 feet toward the downspout); 32 × 1/16 = 2 inchesMinimum lap splice length for reinforcing bars, masonry allowable stress design (IBC 2021 §2107.2.1)
ld = 0.002db × fs, but not less than 12 inches (305 mm), and the lapped splice shall be not less than 40 bar diametersGable roof run, rise, ridge elevation and rafter length
Run = span ÷ 2; Rise = run × (pitch rise/12); Ridge elevation = top-of-wall elevation + rise; Rafter length = √(run² + rise²). Examples: 56' span at 6:12 → run 28', rise 14', ridge 9' + 14' = 23', rafter √(784+196)=31.30'; 63' span at 8:12 → run 31.50', rise 21.00'Sloped roof area and rafter length from printed slope factors
Sloped area = plan footprint × slope factor; rafter length = run × slope factor. Examples: 50'×40' = 2,000 sf × 1.118 (6:12) = 2,236 sf; porch 24'×12' = 288 sf × 1.054 (4:12) = 304 sf; 8' run × 1.031 = 8.25 ft; 10' × 1.054 = 10.54 ft; 12' × 1.054 = 12.65 ft (take off separately when the porch slope differs from the main roof)Formwork contact area and marked-up labor price (worked example: 200' footing, 1.0' form height, both faces at $1.25/sf)
Contact area = length × form height × number of faces = 200 × 1.0 × 2 = 400 sf; base labor = 400 × $1.25 = $500.00; × 1.25 (25% burden) = $625.00; × 1.15 (15% O&P) = $718.75