NCARB PRACTICE EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A developer hires an architecture firm to design a new apartment building. The firm
completes construction documents and a building permit is issued. The firm will provide
CA services at a rate of $200 per hour for the principal and $150 per hour for the project
manager. As the firm starts CA, the owner asks for a not-to-exceed fee based on the
following:
-Twenty shop drawings, which the project manager will handle at an average of three
hours per review.
-Three site visits, which the principal will handle at an average of four hours per site
visit.
The firm includes a 10% allowance for unknowns.
What should the not-to-exceed fee be?
A.$11,400
B.$12,540
C.$13,800
D.$15,240 - ....ANSWER ...-CORRECT RESPONSE
$12,540
CALCULATIONS
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 1
,1. Shop drawing review: $150 per hour (project manager) x 3 hours per review x 20 shop
drawings = $9,000
2. Site visits: $200 per hour (principal) x 4 hours per visit x 3 visits = $2,400
3. $9,000 (shop drawing review) + $2,400 (site visits) = $11,400
4. $11,400 + 10% (allowance for unknowns) = $12,540
An architecture firm is updating their rules for the proper dimensioning of their
architectural drawings. They want to provide their construction personnel with clear and
unambiguous aspects of general dimensioning.
Which of the following rules should the firm use? Check the four that apply.
A. Avoid notes on plans when dimensional control of an element is unnecessary so that
the lack of information isn't viewed as an error or omission.
B. Provide actual dimension strings even when there is an opportunity to describe an
element with a note such as "align."
C. Provide critical dimensions for things that are important in location or that must have
a controlled placement.
D. Dimension corridor partitions from the corridor side of the partition with a clear
egress width.
E. Dimension toilet room drywall partitions from the toilet room side of the partition.
F. Avoid the use of fractions smaller than "⅛" anywhere on floor - ....ANSWER ...-
B. Provide critical dimensions for things that are important in location or that must have
a controlled placement.
This is a general basis for all dimensioning in architectural documentation.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 2
,C. Dimension corridor partitions from the corridor side of the partition with a clear
egress width.
The clear width of a corridor is a critical dimension. It is important to account for any
finish that might affect the clear corridor width.
D. Dimension toilet room drywall partitions from the toilet room side of the partition.
The interior clear dimensions of toilet rooms are critical dimensions. This is particularly
important in areas of accessibility.
F. Avoid the use of fractions smaller than "⅛" anywhere on floor plans.
The use of small fractions on plans indicates an unnecessary, overly precise approach.
A local school board contracts an architecture firm to design and document renovations
to two wings of an existing high school building. The contract calls for a design fee of
$500,000 with the following distribution:
-Schematic Design: 15%
-Design Development: 25%
-Construction Documentation: 35%
-Permits and Bidding: 5%
-Construction Administration: 20%
The firm completes the design development phase when the school board informs them
that, due to funding, the project will need to be constructed in two phases. Each
construction phase will cover only one of the wings, will start in May and finish in
September, and will need to be bid and permitted before each phase begins.
-What additional fee should the architecture firm request from the school board?
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 3
, A.$25,000
B.$100,000
C.$125,000
D.$300,000 - ....ANSWER ...-$125,000
Construction Documentation will not change because the renovation areas are already
separated. Both the Permits and Bidding and the Construction Administration phases
will need to be completed twice.
CALCULATIONS
-1. 5% (Permits and Bidding) x $500,000 (design fee) = $25,000
-2. 20% (Construction Administration) x $500,000 (design fee) = $100,000
-3. $25,000 (for Permits and Bidding) + $100,000 (for Construction Administration) =
$125,000 additional fee request
An architecture firm is approached by a long-term client with an RFP for a hospitality
project. The firm has been in practice for 10 years and has concentrated on multifamily
projects that generally have a construction budget of between $10 and $30 million. Their
staff of twenty is very busy and has commitments through the next four months. The
firm is deciding whether to proceed with the project by evaluating the following project
details:
The project consists of a hotel containing a restaurant.
The construction budget is $20 million.
The design is expected to start in three months.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 4
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A developer hires an architecture firm to design a new apartment building. The firm
completes construction documents and a building permit is issued. The firm will provide
CA services at a rate of $200 per hour for the principal and $150 per hour for the project
manager. As the firm starts CA, the owner asks for a not-to-exceed fee based on the
following:
-Twenty shop drawings, which the project manager will handle at an average of three
hours per review.
-Three site visits, which the principal will handle at an average of four hours per site
visit.
The firm includes a 10% allowance for unknowns.
What should the not-to-exceed fee be?
A.$11,400
B.$12,540
C.$13,800
D.$15,240 - ....ANSWER ...-CORRECT RESPONSE
$12,540
CALCULATIONS
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 1
,1. Shop drawing review: $150 per hour (project manager) x 3 hours per review x 20 shop
drawings = $9,000
2. Site visits: $200 per hour (principal) x 4 hours per visit x 3 visits = $2,400
3. $9,000 (shop drawing review) + $2,400 (site visits) = $11,400
4. $11,400 + 10% (allowance for unknowns) = $12,540
An architecture firm is updating their rules for the proper dimensioning of their
architectural drawings. They want to provide their construction personnel with clear and
unambiguous aspects of general dimensioning.
Which of the following rules should the firm use? Check the four that apply.
A. Avoid notes on plans when dimensional control of an element is unnecessary so that
the lack of information isn't viewed as an error or omission.
B. Provide actual dimension strings even when there is an opportunity to describe an
element with a note such as "align."
C. Provide critical dimensions for things that are important in location or that must have
a controlled placement.
D. Dimension corridor partitions from the corridor side of the partition with a clear
egress width.
E. Dimension toilet room drywall partitions from the toilet room side of the partition.
F. Avoid the use of fractions smaller than "⅛" anywhere on floor - ....ANSWER ...-
B. Provide critical dimensions for things that are important in location or that must have
a controlled placement.
This is a general basis for all dimensioning in architectural documentation.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 2
,C. Dimension corridor partitions from the corridor side of the partition with a clear
egress width.
The clear width of a corridor is a critical dimension. It is important to account for any
finish that might affect the clear corridor width.
D. Dimension toilet room drywall partitions from the toilet room side of the partition.
The interior clear dimensions of toilet rooms are critical dimensions. This is particularly
important in areas of accessibility.
F. Avoid the use of fractions smaller than "⅛" anywhere on floor plans.
The use of small fractions on plans indicates an unnecessary, overly precise approach.
A local school board contracts an architecture firm to design and document renovations
to two wings of an existing high school building. The contract calls for a design fee of
$500,000 with the following distribution:
-Schematic Design: 15%
-Design Development: 25%
-Construction Documentation: 35%
-Permits and Bidding: 5%
-Construction Administration: 20%
The firm completes the design development phase when the school board informs them
that, due to funding, the project will need to be constructed in two phases. Each
construction phase will cover only one of the wings, will start in May and finish in
September, and will need to be bid and permitted before each phase begins.
-What additional fee should the architecture firm request from the school board?
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 3
, A.$25,000
B.$100,000
C.$125,000
D.$300,000 - ....ANSWER ...-$125,000
Construction Documentation will not change because the renovation areas are already
separated. Both the Permits and Bidding and the Construction Administration phases
will need to be completed twice.
CALCULATIONS
-1. 5% (Permits and Bidding) x $500,000 (design fee) = $25,000
-2. 20% (Construction Administration) x $500,000 (design fee) = $100,000
-3. $25,000 (for Permits and Bidding) + $100,000 (for Construction Administration) =
$125,000 additional fee request
An architecture firm is approached by a long-term client with an RFP for a hospitality
project. The firm has been in practice for 10 years and has concentrated on multifamily
projects that generally have a construction budget of between $10 and $30 million. Their
staff of twenty is very busy and has commitments through the next four months. The
firm is deciding whether to proceed with the project by evaluating the following project
details:
The project consists of a hotel containing a restaurant.
The construction budget is $20 million.
The design is expected to start in three months.
....FOR STUDY PURPOSES...©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED... 4
