Virginia Residential Building Contractor Qualified Individual Examination

Under 18VAC50-22-20, the Virginia Residential Building Contractor (RBC) classification covers contracts for which buildings?

• ADwellings and townhouses as defined in the USBC, including accessory buildings or structu…
• BAny Group R occupancy, including hotels, dormitories, and apartment buildings of any heig…
• CCommercial, industrial, institutional, and governmental use structures statewide
• DOnly detached one-family dwellings; attached townhouses require a commercial building cla…

Which services does 18VAC50-22-20 say the RBC classification does not provide?

• ARoofing, masonry, and concrete on a townhouse
• BPainting, wallcovering, and finish carpentry on a dwelling
• CElectrical, plumbing, HVAC, or gas fitting services
• DInstallation of an industrialized building on a dwelling lot

An RBC firm is asked to remodel a county office building that is not a dwelling or townhouse. What is the correct classification analysis?

• ARBC covers the work because the building is owned by a Virginia locality
• BRBC covers the work if the contract is under the Class C monetary limit
• CRBC covers only the interior finishes; a tradesman license is enough for the rest
• DRBC does not allow construction, removal, repair, or improvement to governmental use stru…

A homeowner wants a detached garage built on the same lot as an existing one-family dwelling. How does 18VAC50-22-20 treat that garage?

• AIt is outside RBC because accessory buildings require the commercial building classificat…
• BIt is inside RBC as an accessory building or structure on dwelling property
• CIt is inside RBC only if the garage contains a dwelling unit
• DIt is inside RBC only when a separate landscape service specialty is also held

Which set of specialty functions does 18VAC50-22-20 include inside RBC for dwellings, townhouses, and related accessory structures?

• AElectrical, plumbing, HVAC, and gas fitting
• BHighway/heavy, underground utility, and asphalt paving
• CConcrete, home improvement, industrialized building, landscape service, masonry, painting…
• DFire sprinkler, fire suppression, and elevator/escalator

An RBC contractor is building a new townhouse. Which task must be contracted to a firm with the matching trade classification rather than performed under RBC alone?

• APlacing the concrete footings and basement slab
• BInstalling the asphalt-shingle roof and step flashing
• CInstalling the new electrical service and branch-circuit wiring
• DLaying the brick veneer and masonry chimney

A firm holding RBC is setting an industrialized dwelling under the function described in 18VAC50-22-30. Which additional mechanical or electrical task is outside that industrialized-building function?

• AFoundation work required by the Virginia USBC
• BCompleting internal tie-ins of the factory-installed plumbing, gas, electrical, and HVAC…
• CInstalling the electrical service meter and the outdoor HVAC compressor as new site equip…
• DRemoving an industrialized building from the same lot

How does the home-improvement (HIC) specialty in 18VAC50-22-30 differ from full RBC new-home construction?

• AHIC includes electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and gas fitting; RBC does not
• BHIC is limited to repairs or improvements to existing dwellings and townhouses and does n…
• CHIC may build new dwellings of any size, but only if the contract is under USD 30,000
• DHIC covers commercial tenant fit-out; RBC covers only one-family dwellings

On a Virginia contractor license, what does the class (A, B, or C) control, and what does the RBC classification control?

• AClass controls the type of building; RBC controls the dollar value of contracts
• BClass controls the monetary value of contracts or projects; RBC controls the type of work…
• CClass and RBC are interchangeable labels for the same Qualified Individual exam
• DClass controls only the number of employees; RBC controls only the number of jobsites

Under Va. Code § 54.1-1100, when is a Class A contractor license required?

• AWhen a single contract or project is USD 150,000 or more, or when 12-month volume is USD…
• BWhen a single contract is over USD 1,000 but less than USD 30,000
• CWhenever the firm holds the RBC classification, regardless of contract value
• DOnly when the firm also holds electrical, plumbing, and HVAC classifications

A single dwelling-addition contract is priced at USD 85,000, and the firm’s 12-month volume will stay under USD 250,000. Which license class is required under § 54.1-1100?

• ANo license, because the work is residential
• BClass C, because the job is under USD 150,000
• CClass B, because the single contract is USD 30,000 or more but less than USD 150,000
• DClass A, because any new construction requires Class A

Under § 54.1-1100, which single-contract value falls in the Class C band?

• AUSD 45,000
• BUSD 150,000
• CUSD 30,000
• DUSD 18,000

Under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, to whom is a building-permit application made before construction of a new dwelling begins?

• AThe Virginia Board for Contractors at DPOR
• BThe local building official
• CPSI Services, which also administers the QI exam
• DThe county commissioner of the revenue

The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code is comprised of which three parts?

• AVirginia Construction Code, Virginia Existing Building Code, and Virginia Maintenance Code
• BInternational Residential Code, National Electrical Code, and International Plumbing Code
• CClass A business exam, Class B business exam, and RBC specialty exam
• DZoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance, and erosion-control ordinance

Under USBC Section 108.2, which fence requires a building-permit application?

• AA 4-foot interior lot-line fence that is not a pool barrier
• BA 6-foot privacy fence that is not a pool barrier and is not required for pedestrian safe…
• CA fence used as the required barrier for a swimming pool
• DAny fence taller than 30 inches, regardless of use

Which window replacement is an ordinary repair that USBC Section 108.2 generally exempts from a permit application in a Group R-5 dwelling?

• AReplacing windows with units of similar operation and opening dimensions that do not chan…
• BEnlarging every first-floor opening by 8 inches to install new mulled units
• CReplacing a required fire-rated window in a fire-resistance-rated assembly
• DRemoving a load-bearing wall so a larger window wall can be installed

After a new dwelling is completed under a building permit, what must be issued before the dwelling is occupied?

• AA DPOR Class A license upgrade
• BA PSI exam score report
• CA certificate of occupancy from the building official after required inspections are appr…
• DA recorded mechanics’-lien release from every material supplier

How does 18VAC50-22-20 distinguish the commercial building (CBC) classification from RBC?

• ACBC covers dwellings and townhouses; RBC covers only accessory sheds
• BCBC covers commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and accessory-use buildin…
• CCBC and RBC are identical except that CBC may perform electrical work
• DCBC is only a Class A license; RBC is only a Class C license

When converting concrete volume from cubic feet to cubic yards, which conversion is used?

• A9 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard
• B12 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard
• C27 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard
• D36 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard

A continuous footing is 40 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 12 inches thick. Using 27 cubic feet per cubic yard and no waste factor, how many cubic yards of concrete are required?

• A1.48 CY
• B2.22 CY
• C2.96 CY
• D8.00 CY

A dwelling slab is 24 feet by 36 feet and 4 inches thick. Using 27 cubic feet per cubic yard and no waste factor, how many cubic yards of concrete are required?

• A8.00 CY
• B10.67 CY
• C12.00 CY
• D28.80 CY

Why are exterior dwelling footings extended below the local frost line?

• ATo keep the concrete from bonding to the soil
• BTo prevent frost heave from lifting or cracking the foundation
• CTo eliminate the need for reinforcing steel in any climate
• DTo satisfy an OSHA excavation-depth trigger

For a given dwelling load, what is the primary soil property that determines required footing width?

• ASoil color on the Munsell chart
• BAllowable soil bearing pressure
• CThe number of weep holes in the veneer
• DThe R-value of the slab-edge insulation

Why is air-entrained concrete specified for exterior residential slabs, walks, and driveways in freeze-thaw climates?

• AEntrained air voids give freezing water a place to expand so the paste is less likely to…
• BAir entrainment replaces the need for any drainage away from the slab
• CAir-entrained mixes cannot be finished and therefore stay rougher for traction
• DEntrained air raises 28-day compressive strength more than adding cement would

If extra mixing water is added on site to make a residential footing mix easier to place, what is the most likely result?

• AHigher compressive strength and lower shrinkage
• BLower compressive strength, more shrinkage cracking, and a weaker surface
• CNo change in strength if the slump stays under 8 inches
• DAutomatic air entrainment that replaces an admixture

What is the nominal diameter of a #4 reinforcing bar?

• A1/4 inch
• B3/8 inch
• C1/2 inch
• D5/8 inch

For concrete cast directly against earth, what is the commonly required minimum concrete cover to reinforcing steel?

• A3/4 inch
• B1-1/2 inches
• C3 inches
• D6 inches

A January pour is scheduled for dwelling footings. The subgrade is frozen. What is the correct action?

• APlace the concrete anyway and rely on the heat of hydration to thaw the soil
• BPlace the concrete on the frozen soil if an accelerating admixture is used
• CDo not place the concrete on frozen ground; thaw and prepare a stable, unfrozen subgrade…
• DDouble the water in the mix so ice crystals cannot form

What is the purpose of control (contraction) joints in a residential concrete slab?

• ATo add structural bending strength across the slab
• BTo create planned weakened planes so shrinkage cracks form in a straight, controlled loca…
• CTo replace the need for a capillary break or vapor retarder under the slab
• DTo drain groundwater from under the footing

Why must newly placed residential concrete be cured?

• ACuring keeps the concrete moist and at a favorable temperature so hydration can continue…
• BCuring is only a surface color treatment and has no effect on strength
• CCuring is required only when air-entraining admixture was omitted
• DCuring replaces the need for the specified compressive strength

A formed concrete foundation wall is 50 feet long, 8 feet high, and 10 inches thick. Using 27 cubic feet per cubic yard and no waste factor, how many cubic yards are required?

• A10.29 CY
• B12.35 CY
• C14.81 CY
• D148.15 CY

Which material is not an acceptable bearing surface for a dwelling footing?

• AUndisturbed native soil with adequate bearing pressure
• BEngineered fill compacted in lifts to the specified density
• CSoft organic topsoil or uncontrolled fill containing roots and debris
• DCompetent residual soil below the frost line

What is the board-foot formula for dimension lumber?

• AThickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 12
• BThickness (in) × width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 27
• CActual thickness (in) × actual width (in) × length (ft) ÷ 100
• DNominal thickness (in) × nominal width (in) × length (in) ÷ 144 × 27

How many board feet are in 20 pieces of 2×8×12 lumber?

• A160 BF
• B240 BF
• C320 BF
• D480 BF

What are the standard dressed (actual) dimensions of a 2×4?

• A2 inches by 4 inches
• B1-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches
• C1-1/4 inches by 3-1/4 inches
• D1-3/4 inches by 3-3/4 inches

In a conventional wood-framed window opening, which member carries the header load down to the bottom plate and sole of the wall?

• AThe king stud only, because it is the full-height stud beside the opening
• BThe jack (trimmer) studs that support each end of the header
• CThe cripple studs above the header
• DThe window stool and apron

What is the most common on-center spacing for wood studs in dwelling walls?

• A8 inches
• B16 inches
• C30 inches
• D48 inches

What is the primary structural reason dwelling walls use a double top plate?

• AThe second plate is only a nailing surface for gypsum and has no structural role
• BOverlapping the plates at corners and wall intersections ties the walls together and spli…
• CA double plate replaces the need for a header over any opening
• DA double plate is required only on nonbearing partitions

In a conventional rafter roof without a structural ridge beam, what keeps the exterior walls from being thrust outward?

• ACollar ties alone, placed in the upper third of the rafters
• BCeiling joists or rafter ties that connect opposite rafters near the top plates
• CRoof sheathing nails only
• DThe ridge board, which is designed as a beam

Where are collar ties located, and what do they primarily resist?

• AIn the lower third of the rafters, to resist outward wall thrust
• BIn the upper third of the attic space, connecting opposite rafters to resist separation a…
• COn top of the ridge board, to replace roof sheathing
• DUnder the wall bottom plate, to replace anchor bolts

Which lumber is required for a sill plate that rests on a concrete foundation?

• AAny kiln-dried interior stud grade
• BPressure-treated wood approved for ground or concrete contact, or a species naturally dur…
• CFire-retardant-treated plywood only
• DGreen oak timbers with the bark left on

Why must fasteners in current copper-based pressure-treated lumber be hot-dip galvanized, stainless, or otherwise approved for treated wood?

• AThe preservative chemicals are corrosive to ordinary bright nails and can eat unprotected…
• BTreated lumber is too hard for uncoated nails to penetrate
• CBuilding officials require stainless only for interior trim
• DGalvanizing is required so the fastener can be used as electrical grounding

The finished-floor-to-finished-floor rise of a dwelling stair is 109-1/4 inches. Using the Virginia Residential Code maximum riser of 8-1/4 inches, what is the unit rise produced by the fewest risers that stay within that maximum?

• A6.83 inches with 16 risers
• B7.28 inches with 15 risers
• C7.80 inches with 14 risers
• D8.40 inches with 13 risers