10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
These 10 free B questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the California B General Building Contractor License Exam blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
During a preinstallation review, the approved architectural detail leaves the upper edge of a window head flashing on top of the weather-resistive barrier, while the window manufacturer's listed instructions require the barrier above to lap over that flashing. The windows have not been installed. What should the general contractor do?
Correct answer: C - Hold the affected installation and obtain a written RFI resolution before proceeding
A plumber proposes a 3-inch hole through a solid-sawn 2x10 floor joist with an actual depth of 9.25 inches. The hole is away from other cuts, but its upper edge would be only 1.5 inches below the top of the joist. Select the accurate assessment of the proposed hole.
Correct answer: D - Move the hole; its diameter passes, but its edge clearance does not
Ceiling joists were omitted in a vaulted room, and the exterior walls are beginning to spread at the eaves. Collar ties are present in the upper third of the rafters. The appropriate structural remedy is to:
Correct answer: A - Use a designed lower-third tie or structural ridge beam
When a 240-volt range cycles on, lights on one 120-volt circuit become unusually bright while lights on another circuit become dim. The branch-circuit breakers do not trip. Which defect best explains this pattern?
Correct answer: A - A loose or open neutral connection upstream
An air-conditioning system has low airflow, a heavily loaded return-air filter, and ice on the evaporator coil. The blower operates and there is no combustion hazard. The best initial response is to:
Correct answer: B - Stop cooling, thaw the coil, restore airflow, and retest before charging
A field density test reports 113.5 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) dry density. The laboratory maximum dry density for the specified compaction method is 120.0 pcf, and the geotechnical requirement is 95% minimum. The lift is best reported as:
Correct answer: A - 94.6%; below the specified minimum
Three weeks after installation, an engineered wood floor shows board edges higher than their centers across a large area. Moisture readings are higher at the board bottoms and subfloor than at the faces. The next field decision should be:
Correct answer: C - Correct moisture from below, then allow the floor to equilibrate before refinishing
A fixed glass pane beside a hallway has an exposed area of 11 square feet. Its bottom edge is 12 inches above the floor, its top edge is 58 inches above the floor, and the walking surface is 24 inches horizontally from the glass. No exception applies. Applying the hazardous-location criteria, the correct specification is:
Correct answer: D - Safety glazing; all four hazardous-location tests are met
During a one-lane closure, the traffic queue grows beyond the first advance-warning sign. The traffic-control supervisor should first:
Correct answer: B - Extend advance warning upstream and revise the traffic-control operation
After overnight rain, a 7-foot-deep trench in previously disturbed soil develops tension cracks and water seepage. A trench box is in the excavation, but it ends 12 feet short of the work face where employees are standing. The immediate order is to:
Correct answer: C - Evacuate and have the competent person restore a protective system before reentry
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