Tennessee BC-b Small Commercial Contractor

Key Concepts

Civil and architectural drawing types - A site plan (plot plan) shows the building lot with boundaries, contours, existing roads, utilities, and other details. The excavation contractor relies on this plan. (Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 2.3, Pages 50–51) - A floor framing plan specifies the sizes and spacing of joists, girders, and columns supporting the floor, plus doubled framing around openings and beneath bathroom fixtures. A roof framing plan shows size and spacing of rafters plus roof slope and sheathing information. (Section 2.3, Pages 51–52) - A room-finish schedule identifies the materials and finishes for floors, walls, and ceilings in each room, including hallways. (Section 2.3, Page 57) - Elevation drawings show existing and proposed grade…

Key Concepts

Administration and permits - A permit application for proposed work is deemed abandoned 180 days after the date of filing, unless the application has been pursued in good faith or a permit has been issued (IBC 105.3.2).

Occupancy classification - A building or tenant space used for assembly purposes with an occupant load of less than 50 persons shall be classified as a Group B occupancy (IBC 303.1.1).

Types of construction - Type III: exterior walls are of noncombustible materials and interior building elements are of any material permitted by the code (IBC 602.3). - Materials required to be noncombustible shall be tested in accordance with ASTM E136, or ASTM E2652 using the acceptance criteria prescribed by…

Key Concepts

Excavation safety (OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P) - Subpart P "applies to all open excavations made in the earth's surface. Excavations are defined to include trenches." (§1926.650(a)) - A competent person is "one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards… and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them." (§1926.650(b)) - Where flammable gas is present, "adequate precaution such as ventilation shall be taken to prevent employee exposure to an atmosphere containing a concentration of a flammable gas in excess of 20 percent of the lower flammable limit." (§1926.651(g)(1)(iii)) Atmospheric testing is required before employees enter excavations greater than 4 feet deep where oxygen deficiency (below 19.5 percent) or other hazardous…

Key Concepts

Geotechnical investigations (IBC Ch. 18) - Investigations must be conducted per Section 1803.2 and reported per Section 1803.6; where required by the building official, or where in-situ/laboratory testing or engineering calculations are involved, they must be done by a registered design professional (IBC 1803.1). - Expansive soil is soil meeting all four provisions of IBC 1803.5.3: (1) plasticity index of 15 or greater (ASTM D4318); (2) more than 10 percent of particles pass a No. 200 sieve (75 µm) (ASTM D422); (3) more than 10 percent of particles less than 5 micrometers in size (ASTM D422); (4) expansion index greater than 20 (ASTM D4829). Tests for Items 1, 2 and 3 are not required if the Item…

Tennessee BC-b Small Commercial Contractor · 8 questions (11%)

Key Concepts

Mix design and proportioning - A typical mix is 10%–15% portland cement, 60%–75% fine and/or coarse aggregate, and 15%–20% water; admixtures, when used, are about 2%–5% (Module 23212, Section 3.1.0). - Five bags of cement per cubic yard is the minimum for most work; six-bag mix is specified where high strength is needed or steel reinforcement is used (Carpentry and Building Construction, Section 8.2, Page 226). - Largest coarse aggregate: never greater than one-fifth the thickness of a finished wall section, one-third the thickness of a slab, or three-fourths the width of the narrowest space the concrete must pass through (Modern Masonry, Ch. 18, Page 384). - Type…

Tennessee BC-b Small Commercial Contractor · 6 questions (9%)

Key Concepts

Masonry materials and ASTM standards - Adhered manufactured stone masonry veneer units shall conform to ASTM C1670 (IBC 2021, Section 2103.1). - Concrete masonry units complying with ASTM C90 shall be used for dry-stack masonry construction (IBC 2021, Section 2114.3); glazed block are also made in conformance with ASTM C90 (CBC Study Guide, Ch. 11, Sec. 5.2.1). - The heat-treated, nontoxic glazed facing cast on prefaced block follows ASTM C744 (CBC Study Guide, Ch. 11, Sec. 5.2.1). Structural glazed tile is governed by ASTM C126; for exposed exterior applications the tile body should also meet the durability requirements of ASTM C652, Grade SW hollow brick units (CBC Study…

Key Concepts

Wall framing components - Not less than three studs shall be installed at each corner of an exterior wall; two studs are permitted where wood spacers or backup cleats of ³⁄₈-inch wood structural panel, ³⁄₈-inch Type M "Exterior Glue" particleboard, 1-inch-thick lumber or other approved devices serve as backing for facing materials (IBC 2021, Section 2308.5.2). - Studs shall have full bearing on a 2-inch-thick (actual 1½-inch) or larger plate or sill with width not less than the width of the studs (IBC 2304.3.1; 2308.5.3.1). - Bearing and exterior wall studs shall be capped with double top plates; end joints in double top plates shall be offset not less than 48 inches and nailed per Table 2304.10.2…

Tennessee BC-b Small Commercial Contractor — 1 question (1% of exam)

Key Concepts

Hazardous locations requiring safety glazing (IBC Section 2406.4). The locations in Sections 2406.4.1 through 2406.4.7 are specific hazardous locations requiring safety glazing materials:

• Glazing in doors (2406.4.1). All fixed and operable panels of swinging, sliding and bifold doors. Exceptions include openings through which a 3-inch-diameter (76 mm) sphere is unable to pass, decorative glazing, curved glazed panels in revolving doors, and commercial refrigerated cabinet glazed doors.
• Glazing adjacent to doors (2406.4.2). Hazardous where the nearest vertical edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch (610 mm) arc of either vertical edge of the door in a closed position and the bottom exposed edge of…

Key Concepts

Gypsum panel limitations (Gypsum Construction Handbook, 7th ed., Page 3) - 3/8″ panels are designed for framing centers up to 16″; 1/2″ and 5/8″ panels are designed for framing centers up to 24″ (Gypsum Panel Limitations item 3). - Application is not recommended over 3/4″ wood furring applied across framing, because the flexibility of the furring under hammer impact tends to loosen nails already driven. Furring should be 2 × 2 minimum, but may be 1 × 3 if panels are to be screw-attached (item 4). - To prevent objectionable sag in new ceilings, overlaid unsupported insulation shall not exceed 1.3 psf for 1/2″ panels at 24″ o.c.; the 2.2 psf limit applies to 1/2″ panels at…

Key Concepts

Pre-erection activities and site readiness - The owner's designated representative for design (ODRD) is responsible for job planning and works with the owner's designated representative for construction (ODRC), who is responsible to the owner for overall construction, planning, quality and completion and is usually the general contractor or construction manager on site (Structural Ironworking Two, Sec. 2.3.1). - Structural steel members must be identified and a competent person must determine the erection sequence before pick lists can be completed; pick lists are also called hanging lists (Sec. 2.3.2–2.3.3). - In most cases the fabricator furnishes all fastener materials needed to assemble and erect the delivered components, and those fasteners should not already be installed in the components;…

Key Concepts

Slope limits by covering - Strip shingles are installed on roofs with a slope of 4-in-12 or greater; roofs of 4-in-12 or greater are the "high slope" category, and lower slopes require the shingle manufacturer's special instructions (Carpentry and Building Construction, Sec. 22.1 Roof Slope; Sec. 22.2 Installation Issues). - Asphalt shingles on commercial work: slopes of 2:12 or greater only; 2:12 to less than 4:12 requires double underlayment (IBC 2021, Sec. 1507.2.2). Roofing Construction & Estimating, Ch. 4, gives standard application from 4 in 12 through 21 in 12. - Metal roof panels (IRC 2018, Sec. R905.10.2): 3:12 lapped, nonsoldered seams without lap sealant; 1/2:12 (4 percent) lapped, nonsoldered seams with applied lap sealant; **1/4:12 (2…

Key Concepts

Fixture counts (commercial — IBC 2021). Plumbing fixtures are provided in the minimum number shown in Table 2902.1 based on actual use; occupant load is determined by the code (Section 2902.1). To size fixtures, divide the total occupant load in half, apply the Table 2902.1 ratio(s) to the occupant load of each sex, and round fractional results up to the next whole number. For calculations involving multiple occupancies, the fractional numbers for each occupancy are first summed, then rounded up (Section 2902.1.1). Exceptions allow use of approved statistical data on sex distribution, 100-percent calculation for multiple-user all-gender facilities, and no sex distribution where single-user fixtures per Section 2902.1.2 are provided.

(All citations below are to the IRC as cited by the exam. Note: a few section numbers in the exam's cited IRC edition differ slightly from the reference-text excerpt — e.g., the 35-ft dryer duct rule is cited as M1502.4.6.1 by the exam and appears as M1502.4.5.1 in the excerpt. Memorize the rule and the value; recognize both labels.)

Key Concepts

Equipment sizing (M1401.3). Heating and cooling equipment and appliances shall be sized in accordance with ACCA Manual S based on building loads calculated in accordance with ACCA Manual J or other approved heating and cooling calculation methodologies. Duct systems serving heating, cooling and ventilation equipment are installed per ACCA Manual D, the manufacturer's instructions, or other approved methods…

Tennessee BC-b Small Commercial Contractor

Key Concepts

Emergency and standby power (IBC 2021, Chapter 27) — this is where the verified questions cluster.

• Stationary generators required by the code shall be listed in accordance with UL 2200 (IBC 2702.1.1).
• Fuel-line piping protection in a high-rise: fuel lines supplying a generator set must be separated from areas other than the generator room by a UL 1489–tested fire-resistant pipe-protection system rated not less than 2 hours, an assembly rated not less than 2 hours, or other approved methods. Where the building is sprinklered throughout per Section 903.3.1.1, the required rating is reduced to 1 hour (IBC 2702.1.2).
• Load transfer: emergency power systems shall automatically provide secondary power **within…

Key Concepts

Fall protection (Subpart M) - Each employee on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems — §1926.501(b)(1). - The same 6-foot trigger applies to residential construction; protection may be guardrails, scaffolding, safety net, or personal fall arrest — §1926.501(b)(13). - Guardrail top rails must withstand, without failure, a force of at least 200 pounds applied within 2 inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction, at any point along the top edge — §1926.502(b)(3). Midrails and intermediate structural members: 150 pounds — §1926.502(b)(5). - Guardrail top rail height: 39–45 inches…