Oregon Construction Contractor Exam (CCB)
Practice at the real exam's pace
Every practice exam shows your time per question against the real exam's clock (2:15 here), and each topic lands in one of these:
What's on the exam
Questions per topic, out of 80Topics
Oregon Construction Contractor Laws and Regulations
Key Concepts
- Governing law. Construction contracting laws are mainly in ORS chapter 701; CCB rules are in OAR chapter 812. ORS chapter 87 covers construction liens (including the Homebuyer Protection Act) and ORS chapter 279 covers public contracting. (Ch. 1 — Laws and Rules)
- The Board. A nine-member board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate governs the CCB. Its duties: set policy and implement legislation, oversee the CCB administrator, adopt administrative rules, and review appeals to proposed orders. (Ch. 1 — Construction Contractors Board)
- Who must be licensed. Businesses that clean and service chimneys, perform tree services, and home inspection businesses are contractors. Exempt: work on one structure/project where the cumulative contract…
Choosing Your Business Structure
Oregon Construction Contractor Exam (CCB)
Key Concepts
Sole Proprietorships (Ch. 2, Sole Proprietorships section, p. 2-1) - Simplest ownership form; you own the assets, and selling the business means selling the assets. The buyer must obtain licenses in his or her own name. - Liability: "You bear personal liability for all actions undertaken in the name of the business" — unlimited personal liability. - A sole proprietorship is terminated upon the owner's death; "A sole proprietorship's CCB license terminates upon the owner's death." - If it does business under a name different from the owner's full legal name, the assumed business name (ABN) must be registered (Oregon Secretary of State; Appendix D footnote: Oregon Corporation Division). - Advantages: minimal…
Hiring and Managing Employees
Oregon Construction Contractor Exam (CCB)
Key Concepts
Interviewing (Asking Questions section). In Oregon it is unlawful to ask about criminal convictions on an employment application or to exclude an applicant from an initial interview based on a conviction. An employer that conducts interviews may ask about criminal convictions at the interview. Strictly off-limits questions include age, disabilities, pregnancy, marital status, children, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, ethnic background, past workers' compensation claims and arrests.
New hire reporting (Reporting Requirements / Purpose of New Hire Reporting). The federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 requires reporting of new hires and rehires; in Oregon, report to the Oregon Child Support Program within 20 days of date of hire. Purpose:…
Working with Subcontractors
Oregon Construction Contractor Exam (CCB)
Key Concepts
Finding and organizing subcontractors (Chapter 4, Page 4-1). Referral sources include subcontractors in a different field, other contractors in your field, members of your local trade association, suppliers (e.g., electrical supply firms for electricians), and architects or engineers. Once you have credible referrals, organize the process: - Keep a list of qualified subcontractors. - Allow sufficient lead time to line up subcontractors for jobs. - Interview subcontractors for their qualifications, even when you are not scheduling them for a job. - Check references if you have not worked with the subcontractor before. - Ensure all subcontractors have proper insurance coverage; request copies of insurance certificates and follow up to ensure coverage is…
Contracts
Key Concepts
Four required elements of a binding contract (Chapter 5 — Make it Binding): offer and acceptance, consideration, competent parties, legal purpose. An expiration date for the offer is a recommended item on the Offer Checklist, but it is not one of the four elements.
- Offer and Acceptance — An offer outlines the obligations, including the work and compensation. An offer generally states a time frame for acceptance, "often 30 days," but "if a deadline for acceptance is not outlined in the offer, it expires in a 'reasonable time.'" Reasonable time is up to court interpretation on an individual case basis. Acceptance is agreeing to the offer as made, generally by signing it; **a counteroffer is not…
Oregon Lien Law
Key Concepts
Definitions (Page 6-1 to 6-2). - Commencement of the improvement: when the contractor actually begins work on the site or materials are first delivered — not contract signing, permit or payment. - Owner: anyone who claims or has an ownership interest in land or improvements, including persons with a long-term lease or who are purchasing the land on a contract. - Mortgagee: a lender with a financial interest evidenced by a recorded mortgage or trust deed. - Original contractor: contracts directly with the owner; subcontractor: does not. - Residential building: occupied as a residence and containing no more than four units (anything larger is a commercial improvement). - Working days: days when work may be performed, excluding…
Bidding and Estimating
NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Oregon Construction Contractors, 2nd Edition · Chapter 7
Key Concepts
Bid documents (Bid Documents, p. 7-1). A competitive bid package often includes: an invitation to bid (brief overview of the project, deadlines, general requirements); bid instructions (specifics of how the bid should be completed and submitted); bid forms (bid sheet, bid schedule, bidder's questionnaire on experience, financial responsibility and capability, and a copy of the contract); and supplements — items important to the overall bid process such as a property survey and soil analysis. Follow all instructions carefully: the bidder can be found "unresponsive" if information is incorrectly submitted or omitted altogether.
Scheduling and Project Management
Key Concepts
- Scheduling builds on the estimate. Using the quantity take-off method from Chapter 7, each task was assigned labor hours to determine labor cost; scheduling takes that list of tasks and labor hours and assigns an order of completion (Scheduling Process, p. 89).
- Sequence of tasks. Some tasks can be done at the same time; others must precede the next task (interior and exterior paint may be applied simultaneously, but drywall must be completed before paint) (Scheduling Process, p. 89).
- Activity duration depends on size of the project, labor hours estimated, and length of time dedicated to the task each day (Scheduling Process, p. 89). If total time exceeds the contract completion time, adjustments must…
Oregon Building Codes
Key Concepts
Building Codes Division (BCD) and advisory boards (Page 9-1) - The BCD, part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, develops the statewide building code with advisory boards and code committees. Oregon created the statewide system in 1973; cities and counties remain active in permitting and enforcement. - Seven advisory boards of industry and public representatives assist with adopting and amending specialty codes: Building Codes Structures Board; Electrical and Elevator Board; Oregon State Plumbing Board; Mechanical Board; Residential and Manufactured Structures Board; Board of Boiler Rules; Construction Industry Energy Board. - National model codes are the starting point; any individual may submit a proposal during the adoption or revision process, and codes are adopted as rules…
Jobsite Safety
Key Concepts
Regulatory framework. Oregon OSHA (Department of Consumer and Business Services, Safety and Health Division) administers and enforces safety laws. The standards applying to construction are ORS chapter 654; OAR chapter 437, division 1 (General Administrative Rules); division 2 (General Occupational Safety and Health Rules); and division 3 (Construction Rules) (Page 10-1). Workplace injuries and illnesses are reduced by approximately 20 to 40 percent when employers establish safety and health programs (Page 10-1).
Safety committees/meetings and posting. Oregon requires employers to have a safety committee or conduct safety meetings. The only exceptions are sole owners of a single-employee corporation and board members who do not participate in daily operations. The Job Safety and Health poster must be posted…
Environmental Factors
Key Concepts
Agency roles (Ch. 11, Page 11-1; Final Inspection Page 11-6). The EPA develops and enforces regulations implementing laws enacted by Congress and ordinarily delegates permitting, monitoring and enforcement to states. The Oregon DEQ is responsible for water, air and land quality and for management of solid and hazardous waste, administering the federal Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and the Oregon Solid Waste Act.
Project phases (Page 11-1). Pre-bid: learn applicable regulations and factor compliance cost into the estimate. Pre-construction: obtain necessary permits and assign environmental responsibilities to the crew. Construction: conduct self-audits. Post-construction: verify close-down procedures were properly performed.
Building Exterior Shell
Oregon Construction Contractor Exam (CCB) Source: NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management – Oregon Construction Contractors, 2nd Edition, Chapter 12
Key Concepts
Definition and purpose (Page 12-1). The building exterior shell, also called the "building envelope," separates the conditioned and unconditioned environment of a building and "is intended to resist air, water, light, heat and noise transfer." The shell provides exactly three things: weather protection; temperature control and energy efficiency; and satisfactory interior conditions.
Components (Page 12-1). The shell may include exterior wall assemblies, windows and doors, deck assemblies, roof assemblies, and foundation walls and crawlspaces.
Financial Management
Oregon Construction Contractor Exam (CCB) — Financial Management
Key Concepts
- Three financial statements. The balance sheet reports assets, liabilities and owners' equity at a specific point in time; the income (profit-and-loss) statement summarizes revenues and expenses over a period of time; the cash flow statement summarizes current cash position, sources and uses of funds over a period of time. (Financial Management chapter — Prepare Financial Statements / Balance Sheet / Income Statement / Cash Flow Statement sections, pp. 13-4–13-5)
- Balance sheet equation: Assets = Liabilities + Owners' Equity. (Balance Sheet section)
- Accounting cycle order: (1) Classify and record transactions, (2) Post transactions, (3) Prepare a trial balance, followed by preparing an adjusted trial balance, preparing financial…
Tax Basics
Key Concepts
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) — A 9-digit IRS number (00-0000000) used to identify the tax accounts of employers and certain others who have no employees. Obtain it by applying online, or by faxing or mailing a completed Form SS-4. The only entities that do not need an EIN are sole proprietorships with no employees that file no excise or pension tax returns, and single-owner LLCs whose owner reports LLC income on the owner's return; those owners use their Social Security number. All other entity types, including partnerships, must obtain an EIN. (Tax Basics — Employer Identification Number section; Page 14-1)