Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential Exam: Step-by-Step Study Guide
Preparing for the Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential exam is easier one step at a time. This guide starts with the key facts from the official bulletin, then covers the topics on the exam, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a simple way to prepare. PSI gives the exam.
Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential Exam Overview
Start with the facts. Here's what the official bulletin says:
| Questions | 30 questions |
| Time limit | 75 minutes |
| Passing score | 21 correct answers out of 30 scored questions |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
On exam day
- Candidates must bring their own allowed references, may use later editions except for Code books, may not bring additional loose or attached papers, and any Internet download must be bound.
- References may be highlighted, underlined, annotated and indexed before the exam session but not written in during it, and may be tabbed with permanent tabs only.
- An online calculator is provided and candidates may not bring their own calculator.
- An online calculator is available during the exam and no personal calculator or additional loose or attached papers may be brought in.
References you may bring
- Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), with latest available amendments
- Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI, with latest available amendments
- International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (2015)
- Contractors Guide to Quality Concrete Construction (3rd Edition, 2014)
Source: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board - Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential, 10/17/2220. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
Topics on the Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential Exam
Next, the content. The official content outline has 10 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Sitework | 3 | 10% |
| Concrete | 3 | 10% |
| Masonry | 3 | 10% |
| Metals | 3 | 10% |
| Carpentry | 3 | 10% |
| Thermal and Moisture Control | 3 | 10% |
| Doors and Windows | 3 | 10% |
| Drywall and Finishes | 3 | 10% |
| OSHA Safety | 3 | 10% |
| General Code, Plan Reading and Estimating | 3 | 10% |
A Simple Plan to Prepare for the Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential Exam
Step one is the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll work from, while you study and in the exam room. Get the editions the bulletin names.
Step two is learning your way around them. Go through each book's table of contents and index until you know where the major subjects are. You don't need to memorize the books. You need to find things in them.
Step three is marking them up. Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Step four is timed practice. Our practice exams run on a clock, so you get used to the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
The last step is consistency. Keep practicing until you pass several practice exams in a row. That's the signal you're ready.
Reference Books for the Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential Exam
The references allowed in the examination center are 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA) or, as an alternative, the 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI, the 2015 International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, and the Contractors Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, 3rd Edition, 2014.
Where to get them:
On Test Day
Go through the exam at a steady pace. On your first pass, answer the questions you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
On your second pass, return to your bookmarks one at a time. You have 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question, so keep moving and don't let one question hold you up. Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.
Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.
On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.
Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.
Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.
Sample Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential Practice Questions
Here are a few questions from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Metals
Question: When a web hole in a cold-formed steel roof framing member is patched with a solid steel plate, the patch must be fastened to the web of the receiving member with No. 8 screws spaced not greater than:
- A. 4 inches on center
- B. 1 inch on center
- C. 6 inches on center
- D. 2 inches on center
Correct Answer: B
Per IRC 2015 Section R804.2.6.3, Item 2, the steel patch shall be fastened to the web of the receiving member with No. 8 screws spaced not greater than 1 inch center-to-center along the edges of the patch, with a minimum edge distance of 1/2 inch. The patch must also be at least the same thickness as the receiving member and extend not less than 1 inch beyond all edges of the hole.
Reference: IRC 2015 Section R804.2.6.3
Sample 2 — Carpentry
Question: Structural capacities for structural composite lumber used for load-supporting purposes in wall framing shall be established and monitored in accordance with which standard?
- A. ANSI/AITC A190.1
- B. ICC 400
- C. ASTM D 5456
- D. ANSI A208.1
Correct Answer: C
IRC 2015 Section R602.1.5 requires structural capacities for structural composite lumber to be established and monitored in accordance with ASTM D 5456. ANSI/AITC A190.1 applies to glued-laminated timbers (R602.1.3), ANSI A208.1 to particleboard (R602.1.9), and ICC 400 to structural log members (R602.1.4).
Reference: IRC 2015 Section R602.1.5
Sample 3 — Thermal and Moisture Control
Question: When using the prescriptive insulation and fenestration criteria, what is the maximum amount of glazed fenestration per dwelling unit that may be exempted from the U-factor and SHGC requirements?
- A. 40 square feet
- B. 24 square feet
- C. 10 square feet
- D. 15 square feet
Correct Answer: D
Per IRC 2015 Section N1102.3.3 (R402.3.3), up to 15 square feet of glazed fenestration per dwelling unit is permitted to be exempt from the U-factor and SHGC requirements; the exemption does not apply to the U-factor alternative or total UA alternative. The 24-square-foot figure is the separate side-hinged opaque door exemption in Section N1102.3.4.
Reference: IRC 2015 Section N1102.3.3 (R402.3.3)
Sample 4 — Doors and Windows
Question: A second-floor bedroom window serves as the required emergency escape and rescue opening. What is the minimum net clear opening area for that window?
- A. 5.7 square feet
- B. 5.0 square feet
- C. 6.5 square feet
- D. 7.0 square feet
Correct Answer: A
Per IRC Section R310.2.1, emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a net clear opening of not less than 5.7 square feet. The 5-square-foot figure is the exception permitted only for grade-floor or below-grade openings.
Reference: IRC 2015 Section R310.2.1
Practicing Online vs. With a PDF
A PDF lets you read questions at your own pace. The real exam runs on a clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic, so you always know what to study next.
Your Next Step
Take the free Arkansas Remodeling, Renovations, Restoration, Alterations - Residential practice exam to see where you stand. Then study the topics that need the most attention, one at a time. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.