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100+ Free MS Building Construction Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: MS Building Construction Exam

70%

Passing Score

PSI MS Contractor Bulletin 4/23/2026

80 Q

Official Exam Questions

PSI MS Contractor Bulletin 4/23/2026

3 hours

Time Allowed

PSI MS Contractor Bulletin 4/23/2026

$120

PSI Exam Fee

PSI MS Contractor Bulletin 4/23/2026

Open book

Exam Format

PSI MS Contractor Bulletin 4/23/2026

MS Building Construction PSI trade exam: 80 questions, 70% pass, 3 hours, fee $120. Open-book MSBOC classification (bulletin 4/23/2026).

Sample MS Building Construction Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MS Building Construction exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A Mississippi building crew is squaring a 30-foot by 40-foot foundation layout with batter boards and string lines. Which diagonal check confirms the corners are square?
A.Both diagonals measure 35 feet
B.Both diagonals measure 50 feet
C.One diagonal measures 40 feet and the other measures 30 feet
D.Both diagonals measure 70 feet
Explanation: A rectangle is square only when opposite sides are equal and the diagonals are equal. The 3-4-5 method scales to 30-40-50, so each diagonal of a 30-foot by 40-foot rectangle must be 50 feet. Equal 50-foot diagonals confirm the layout is square before excavation or formwork proceeds.
2How many cubic yards of soil are removed from a utility trench that is 180 feet long, 2 feet 6 inches wide, and 4 feet deep, before swell is applied?
A.27 cubic yards
B.67 cubic yards
C.90 cubic yards
D.120 cubic yards
Explanation: Convert width to 2.5 feet and multiply length × width × depth: 180 × 2.5 × 4 = 1,800 cubic feet. Divide by 27 cubic feet per cubic yard to get 66.7 cubic yards, which rounds to 67 cubic yards of bank measure. Swell is applied only after this in-place volume is known.
3A site cut yields 240 cubic yards of bank soil. The soil has a 25 percent swell factor when excavated. How many loose cubic yards must be hauled?
A.300 cubic yards
B.240 cubic yards
C.192 cubic yards
D.265 cubic yards
Explanation: Swell increases volume when bank soil is loosened. Loose volume equals bank volume times (1 + swell): 240 × 1.25 = 300 cubic yards. Trucking and stockpile space must be based on the loose volume, not the bank measure.
4When placing structural fill under a building pad, what is the most reliable way to obtain uniform compaction?
A.Dump the full fill height in one lift and make several passes with a loaded truck
B.Place the fill saturated and rely on natural drainage to densify it
C.Push fill from the high side so gravity consolidates the lower material
D.Place the fill in thin, moisture-conditioned lifts and compact each lift to the specified density
Explanation: Compaction energy only densifies a limited thickness, so structural fill is placed in thin lifts, typically about 6 to 8 inches loose, at a controlled moisture content near optimum. Each lift is tested to the specified percent of standard or modified Proctor before the next lift is placed. Thick, dry, or saturated dumps leave soft zones that settle after the building is loaded.
5Per IBC 2021 requirements for the ground immediately adjacent to a foundation, what is the minimum slope away from the building for the first 10 feet, unless an approved drain is provided?
A.1 percent (about 1-1/4 inches in 10 feet)
B.5 percent (6 inches in 10 feet)
C.10 percent (12 inches in 10 feet)
D.20 percent (24 inches in 10 feet)
Explanation: IBC Section 1804.4 requires the ground next to the foundation to slope away at not less than 1 unit vertical in 20 units horizontal, which is a 5 percent slope, for a minimum of 10 feet. That is 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet. The intent is to keep surface water from ponding against the foundation wall.
6On a sanitary sewer profile, the invert elevation of an 8-inch pipe is the elevation of which surface?
A.The top of the pipe bell at the downstream manhole
B.The finished grade directly above the pipe centerline
C.The inside bottom of the pipe
D.The outside top of the pipe barrel
Explanation: Invert is the elevation of the inside bottom of the pipe, the flow line. Grade, slope, and manhole connections are set from invert to invert so the pipe has a continuous fall. Confusing invert with crown or finished grade will produce the wrong cut and a pipe that holds water.
7A 100-foot by 80-foot building pad must be raised 18 inches with compacted fill. The borrow soil shrinks 12 percent from bank measure to compacted-in-place volume. How many bank cubic yards should be excavated from the borrow pit?
A.505 cubic yards
B.444 cubic yards
C.391 cubic yards
D.533 cubic yards
Explanation: In-place compacted volume is 100 × 80 × 1.5 = 12,000 cubic feet, or 12,000 / 27 = 444.4 cubic yards. Because compacted volume is 88 percent of bank volume, bank quantity equals 444.4 / 0.88 = 505 cubic yards. Ordering only the compacted quantity will leave the pad short after shrinkage.
8Proof-rolling of a building-pad subgrade is performed primarily to:
A.Determine the soil's Atterberg limits in the field
B.Compact the final 24 inches of fill in one pass
C.Measure the exact in-place dry density without a nuclear gauge
D.Reveal pumping, rutting, or soft spots that need undercut and replacement
Explanation: Proof-rolling uses a loaded dump truck or similar heavy rubber-tired equipment to walk the prepared subgrade. Pumping, weaving, or deep rutting identifies unsuitable or wet material that should be undercut and replaced before structural fill or a slab is placed. It is a qualitative check, not a substitute for laboratory classification or density tests.
9A 9-foot by 9-foot concrete slab is 4 inches thick. How many cubic yards of concrete does the slab contain, with no waste allowance?
A.0.75 cubic yard
B.1.0 cubic yard
C.1.5 cubic yards
D.3.0 cubic yards
Explanation: Volume is 9 × 9 × (4/12) = 27 cubic feet. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so the slab is exactly 1.0 cubic yard. This 9-by-9-by-4-inch relationship is a useful field check when converting slab takeoffs.
10A warehouse slab measures 36 feet by 24 feet by 4 inches. Including an 8 percent waste and subgrade allowance, how many cubic yards of ready-mix should be ordered?
A.8.0 cubic yards
B.10.7 cubic yards
C.11.5 cubic yards
D.14.2 cubic yards
Explanation: Net volume is 36 × 24 × (4/12) = 288 cubic feet, or 288 / 27 = 10.67 cubic yards. Adding 8 percent gives 10.67 × 1.08 = 11.52 cubic yards, so the order is 11.5 cubic yards. Ordering the net volume alone usually leaves the crew short when the subgrade is uneven.

About the MS Building Construction Exam

Mississippi Building Construction Contractor Examination is a classification trade examination administered by PSI for the Mississippi State Board of Contractors. The official open-book exam has 80 questions, a 70% passing standard, and 3 hours allowed. PSI examination fee is $120 per portion (bulletin updated 4/23/2026). This English-language MCQ bank is a study aid for the official content outline; it is not an official PSI form, does not replace the required Law and Business Management exam, and is not a substitute for MSBOC application review or the official open-book examination.

Questions

80 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours

Passing Score

70%

Exam Fee

$120 (PSI Services LLC (for Mississippi State Board of Contractors))

MS Building Construction Exam Content Outline

8%

Site work

Site preparation and earthwork

15%

Concrete

Concrete placement and reinforcement

8%

Masonry

Masonry construction

13%

Metals

Structural and miscellaneous metals

9%

Carpentry

Rough and finish carpentry

9%

Thermal and Moisture Protection

Insulation, waterproofing, and roofing weather barriers

4%

Doors and Windows

Door and window installation

4%

Finishes

Interior and exterior finishes

10%

Safety

OSHA construction safety

19%

General Code, Plan Reading and Estimating

IBC, plans, and estimating

4%

Mississippi One Call

MS 811 excavation notification

How to Pass the MS Building Construction Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70%
  • Exam length: 80 questions
  • Time limit: 3 hours
  • Exam fee: $120

Keys to Passing

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

MS Building Construction Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study only the approved references listed for this classification in the current PSI Mississippi Contractor bulletin (updated 4/23/2026)
2Practice open-book navigation with permanent tabs and indexes before test day
3Drill OSHA 29 CFR 1926 topics that appear across nearly every trade outline
4Confirm MSBOC classification scope and eligibility at msboc.us before scheduling with PSI
5All applicants must also pass Law and Business Management unless it is waived

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the MS Building Construction exam?

The official PSI examination has 80 scored questions (plus possible unscored experimental items). Passing is 70% within 3 hours.

How much does the MS Building Construction exam cost?

PSI lists $120 per examination portion (Candidate Information Bulletin updated 4/23/2026). MSBOC application fees are separate: $400 commercial or $50 residential. Additional classifications are $100 each.

Is the Mississippi contractor exam open book?

Yes. PSI administers MSBOC classification exams as open book. Only bulletin-listed approved references are allowed; temporary tabs such as Post-it notes are prohibited.

Do I still need the Law and Business Management exam?

Yes. MSBOC requires the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam (50 questions, 70%, 2 hours) of all applicants. Reciprocity may waive a trade exam in some cases but does not waive Law and Business.