Residential Building Contractor Practice Exam LATEST
VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH STUDY GUIDE
DETAILED AND VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS, LATEST
UPDATE 2025,2026 GRADED A
Concrete slab-on-grade minimum thickness - CORRECT ANSWER Concrete slab-
on-grade floors shall be a minimum of 4 1/2 in thick.
Hearth extension dimensions for fireplaces - CORRECT ANSWER On fireplace
openings larger than 6 square feet, hearth extensions shall extend at least 20 in in front
and at least 12 in beyond each side of the fireplace opening.
Ceiling R-value in climate zone 6 - CORRECT ANSWER Ceiling R-values in
climate zone 6 shall be a minimum of R-49.
Designated climate zone for Dallas County, Texas - CORRECT ANSWER The
designated climate zone for Dallas County, Texas is 3A.
Bottom plate to stud fastening - CORRECT ANSWER Bottom plate to stud toe-nail
fastening shall use 4 8d common nails.
Nonabsorbent surface height for showers - CORRECT ANSWER Showers and
bathtubs with installed shower heads shall be finished with a nonabsorbent surface that
shall extend to a height of not less than 6 ft above the floor.
Insulation thermal resistance in wall cavities - CORRECT ANSWER Cavities within
corners and headers of frame wall shall be insulated by completely filling cavity with a
material having a thermal resistance of not less than R-3 per inch.
Fire separation distance for exterior walls - CORRECT ANSWER Exterior walls
with a fire separation distance less than 5 ft shall have not less than one-hour fire-
resistive rating with exposure from both sides.
Load bearing wall - CORRECT ANSWER A wall supporting any vertical load in
addition to its own weight is a Load Bearing Wall.
Air space clearance for masonry chimneys - CORRECT ANSWER Any portion of
a masonry chimney located on the exterior of a building or within an exterior wall shall
have a minimum air space clearance to combustibles of 2 in.
Anchor bolt spacing - CORRECT ANSWER Anchor bolts shall be spaced a
maximum of 6 ft on center and no further than 12 in from each corner.
,Authority to establish refund policy - CORRECT ANSWER The Building Official
has the authority to establish a refund policy in a building department.
Programmable thermostats cooling setpoint - CORRECT ANSWER Required
programmable thermostats for residential homes shall be programmed from the
manufacturer to maintain a cooling temperature setpoint of not less than 78 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Permits for retaining walls - CORRECT ANSWER Permits are not required for
retaining walls that are not over 4 ft in height unless supporting a surcharge.
Smoke alarms locations - CORRECT ANSWER Smoke alarms shall be required
near each cooking location, in each sleeping room, in attics, and in concealed locations.
Fasteners for asphalt shingles - CORRECT ANSWER Asphalt shingles shall be
secured to the roof with not less than 4 fasteners per strip shingle.
Concrete forming system - CORRECT ANSWER A concrete forming system using
stay-in-place forms of rigid foam plastic insulation, a hybrid of cement and foam
insulation, a hybrid of cement and wood chips, or other insulating material for
constructing cast-in-place concrete walls is called Insulating concrete form.
Air space for stone veneer - CORRECT ANSWER Stone or masonry veneer with
wood stud backing with metal strand wire shall be separated from sheathing by an air
space of a minimum of 1 in but not more than 4 1/2 in.
Braced walls thickness - CORRECT ANSWER The construction of braced walls
may be of gypsum board with a minimum thickness of 1/2 in.
Factory-built chimneys standards - CORRECT ANSWER Factory-built chimneys
shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 103.
Handrails space - CORRECT ANSWER Handrails adjacent to a wall shall have a
space of not less than 1 1/2 in.
Weep holes diameter - CORRECT ANSWER Weep holes in masonry veneer shall
not be less than 3/16 in in diameter.
Guards height for raised surfaces - CORRECT ANSWER Porches, balconies,
ramps or raised floor surfaces located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade
below shall have guards not less than 34 in in height.
, Concrete wall splice length - CORRECT ANSWER A concrete wall using number
4 rebar with a yield strength of 40,000 psi, must have a minimum splice length or
tension development length of 12 in.
Gypsum board installation spacing - CORRECT ANSWER Water-resistant
gypsum board shall be permitted to be installed perpendicularly on ceilings where the
framing spacing does not exceed 24 in on center for 1/2 inch thick gypsum board.
Felt joints lap dimension - CORRECT ANSWER Where felt joints occur applied
horizontally in a weather-resistant barrier, felt shall be lapped not less than 6 in.
Floor joists maximum spacing - CORRECT ANSWER Floor joists of 2 x 8
members provided as a cantilever for an exterior balcony with a maximum span of 39
inches and with a snow load of 50 psf shall have a maximum spacing of 24 in on center.
Stairway requirements - CORRECT ANSWER There shall be a floor or landing at
the top and bottom of each stairway.
Habitable rooms minimum size - CORRECT ANSWER Habitable rooms shall not
be less than 7 ft in any horizontal direction.
Fenestration maximum for climate zone 3 - CORRECT ANSWER Fenestration in
climate zone 3 shall be a maximum of .32 U.
Thermoplastic single-ply roofs standards - CORRECT ANSWER Thermoplastic
single-ply roofs shall be installed in accordance with ASTM D3909.
Nail type for fastening - CORRECT ANSWER Top plate to top plate 16 inch on
center face nail fastening shall use 16d common nails.
Garage separation from residence - CORRECT ANSWER A garage shall be
separated from the residence and its attic area by not less than 1/2 in of gypsum board
or the equivalent applied to the garage side.
Hearth extensions dimensions - CORRECT ANSWER Hearth extensions shall
extend at least 12 in in front and at least 6 in beyond each side of the fireplace opening.
Grade from foundation walls - CORRECT ANSWER The grade from foundation
walls shall be a minimum of 6 in within the first 10 ft.
Minimum grade from foundation walls - CORRECT ANSWER 6 in within the first
10 ft.
VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH STUDY GUIDE
DETAILED AND VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS, LATEST
UPDATE 2025,2026 GRADED A
Concrete slab-on-grade minimum thickness - CORRECT ANSWER Concrete slab-
on-grade floors shall be a minimum of 4 1/2 in thick.
Hearth extension dimensions for fireplaces - CORRECT ANSWER On fireplace
openings larger than 6 square feet, hearth extensions shall extend at least 20 in in front
and at least 12 in beyond each side of the fireplace opening.
Ceiling R-value in climate zone 6 - CORRECT ANSWER Ceiling R-values in
climate zone 6 shall be a minimum of R-49.
Designated climate zone for Dallas County, Texas - CORRECT ANSWER The
designated climate zone for Dallas County, Texas is 3A.
Bottom plate to stud fastening - CORRECT ANSWER Bottom plate to stud toe-nail
fastening shall use 4 8d common nails.
Nonabsorbent surface height for showers - CORRECT ANSWER Showers and
bathtubs with installed shower heads shall be finished with a nonabsorbent surface that
shall extend to a height of not less than 6 ft above the floor.
Insulation thermal resistance in wall cavities - CORRECT ANSWER Cavities within
corners and headers of frame wall shall be insulated by completely filling cavity with a
material having a thermal resistance of not less than R-3 per inch.
Fire separation distance for exterior walls - CORRECT ANSWER Exterior walls
with a fire separation distance less than 5 ft shall have not less than one-hour fire-
resistive rating with exposure from both sides.
Load bearing wall - CORRECT ANSWER A wall supporting any vertical load in
addition to its own weight is a Load Bearing Wall.
Air space clearance for masonry chimneys - CORRECT ANSWER Any portion of
a masonry chimney located on the exterior of a building or within an exterior wall shall
have a minimum air space clearance to combustibles of 2 in.
Anchor bolt spacing - CORRECT ANSWER Anchor bolts shall be spaced a
maximum of 6 ft on center and no further than 12 in from each corner.
,Authority to establish refund policy - CORRECT ANSWER The Building Official
has the authority to establish a refund policy in a building department.
Programmable thermostats cooling setpoint - CORRECT ANSWER Required
programmable thermostats for residential homes shall be programmed from the
manufacturer to maintain a cooling temperature setpoint of not less than 78 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Permits for retaining walls - CORRECT ANSWER Permits are not required for
retaining walls that are not over 4 ft in height unless supporting a surcharge.
Smoke alarms locations - CORRECT ANSWER Smoke alarms shall be required
near each cooking location, in each sleeping room, in attics, and in concealed locations.
Fasteners for asphalt shingles - CORRECT ANSWER Asphalt shingles shall be
secured to the roof with not less than 4 fasteners per strip shingle.
Concrete forming system - CORRECT ANSWER A concrete forming system using
stay-in-place forms of rigid foam plastic insulation, a hybrid of cement and foam
insulation, a hybrid of cement and wood chips, or other insulating material for
constructing cast-in-place concrete walls is called Insulating concrete form.
Air space for stone veneer - CORRECT ANSWER Stone or masonry veneer with
wood stud backing with metal strand wire shall be separated from sheathing by an air
space of a minimum of 1 in but not more than 4 1/2 in.
Braced walls thickness - CORRECT ANSWER The construction of braced walls
may be of gypsum board with a minimum thickness of 1/2 in.
Factory-built chimneys standards - CORRECT ANSWER Factory-built chimneys
shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 103.
Handrails space - CORRECT ANSWER Handrails adjacent to a wall shall have a
space of not less than 1 1/2 in.
Weep holes diameter - CORRECT ANSWER Weep holes in masonry veneer shall
not be less than 3/16 in in diameter.
Guards height for raised surfaces - CORRECT ANSWER Porches, balconies,
ramps or raised floor surfaces located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade
below shall have guards not less than 34 in in height.
, Concrete wall splice length - CORRECT ANSWER A concrete wall using number
4 rebar with a yield strength of 40,000 psi, must have a minimum splice length or
tension development length of 12 in.
Gypsum board installation spacing - CORRECT ANSWER Water-resistant
gypsum board shall be permitted to be installed perpendicularly on ceilings where the
framing spacing does not exceed 24 in on center for 1/2 inch thick gypsum board.
Felt joints lap dimension - CORRECT ANSWER Where felt joints occur applied
horizontally in a weather-resistant barrier, felt shall be lapped not less than 6 in.
Floor joists maximum spacing - CORRECT ANSWER Floor joists of 2 x 8
members provided as a cantilever for an exterior balcony with a maximum span of 39
inches and with a snow load of 50 psf shall have a maximum spacing of 24 in on center.
Stairway requirements - CORRECT ANSWER There shall be a floor or landing at
the top and bottom of each stairway.
Habitable rooms minimum size - CORRECT ANSWER Habitable rooms shall not
be less than 7 ft in any horizontal direction.
Fenestration maximum for climate zone 3 - CORRECT ANSWER Fenestration in
climate zone 3 shall be a maximum of .32 U.
Thermoplastic single-ply roofs standards - CORRECT ANSWER Thermoplastic
single-ply roofs shall be installed in accordance with ASTM D3909.
Nail type for fastening - CORRECT ANSWER Top plate to top plate 16 inch on
center face nail fastening shall use 16d common nails.
Garage separation from residence - CORRECT ANSWER A garage shall be
separated from the residence and its attic area by not less than 1/2 in of gypsum board
or the equivalent applied to the garage side.
Hearth extensions dimensions - CORRECT ANSWER Hearth extensions shall
extend at least 12 in in front and at least 6 in beyond each side of the fireplace opening.
Grade from foundation walls - CORRECT ANSWER The grade from foundation
walls shall be a minimum of 6 in within the first 10 ft.
Minimum grade from foundation walls - CORRECT ANSWER 6 in within the first
10 ft.
